|
Spring 2005
Paddling Our Waterways
The gentle waters of Chicago Wilderness
are the arteries of our natural life — a network of
more than 400 miles connecting preserves, providing habitat
for a broad range of species, and inviting paddlers of all
abilities to get out and explore.
Compiled by Ryan Chew.
|
Canoe or Kayak?
Canoe
design hasn’t changed much since birch bark gave way
to aluminum and plastic. If you get fidgety or need space
for cargo, paddle a canoe. Kayaks are sleeker, faster, and
closer to the water. Take a kayak if you want to float through
shallow stretches. |
|
|
|
|
Wildlife on the River
Where’s the Dam?
Beavers
most often construct their dams and lodges on small creeks.
On larger streams, they’re as apt to live in dens
burrowed into the bank. A few freshly gnawed branches at
water’s edge or just below the surface sometimes mark
a hidden den.
Why I Otter
Though otters have prospered since their reintroduction
in 1994, they remain rare and secretive. The speedy, sausage-shaped
Mustelid that people often mistake for an otter is more
likely a mink,
hunting for muskrat.
Turtle’s-Eye
View
The joy of “turtling” is that,
unlike those critters that make you rise
before dawn for a glimpse, turtles are
most likely to show up at noon on a sunny
day. If that algae-covered hubcap stuck
in the marshweed appears to have a pointy
pig-snout, it’s a soft-shelled turtle.
Paddlers report painted turtles, red-eared
sliders, and occasionally snapping turtles,
the largest of the region’s eight
native species.
|
|
|
|
|
Safety
Always wear a personal flotation
device (that’s Greek for life-jacket).
Kayakers should practice their
“wet exit” (tipping over and
then sliding out of the boat) with a friend
before starting a trip.
Don’t paddle a stream
uninformed. Ask locals for hazards, scout
the course from a path, check river levels,
and fill yourself in by consulting guides.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Race at Your Own Pace
 On
May 22nd, a thousand paddlers will race (some more seriously
than others) through a beautiful 19-mile stretch of forest
preserves in the 48th annual Des
Plaines River Canoe Marathon. Call (847) 604-2445. Those
who prefer to paddle without an accompanying navy can try
this stretch (Libertyville to Mount Prospect) on a quieter
day or launch in Burr Ridge and paddle to Isle
à la Cache, where a museum holds exhibits on
the French voyageurs.
Urban Outfitters
 The
natural corridor where the North Branch of the Chicago River
passes through Chicago provides sanctuary for endangered
black-crowned night-herons, nesting green herons, kingfishers,
and turtles. Paddlers on Chicago
River Canoe & Kayak’s moonlight tour will
usually see beaver. For more information, call (773) 704-2663.
The Chicago
Kayak Club offers instruction, trips, and an Earth Day
clean-up at Skokie Lagoons. Call (224) 659-0754.
Mike Svob's Paddling Illinois
Offers detailed descriptions of launches, landmarks, history,
and geology for 64 trips. Available at bookstores and online.
Water Trails
 In
1999, a broad coalition announced the Northeastern
Illinois Regional Water Trails Plan, an ambitious vision
to expand and connect paddle-friendly stretches of water,
improve public launch access, clean up waterways, improve
riverside habitat, and place signs at key landmarks. The
Web site features an interactive
trip planner, short trip descriptions, and key logistical
information. It also includes a region-wide Water Trails
map. Call (312) 863-6253.
The Chicago Area Paddling and
Fishing Guide
 A
Web
site created by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, includes
regularly updated testimonials about launches and hazards
to avoid, plus fascinating river arcana.
Local Paddlers
 The
Ralph Frese, the owner of Chicagoland
Canoe Base on Chicago’s northwest side, has been
trading stories about Illinois rivers since he began making,
selling, and renting boats as a sideline to his original
occupation — shoeing cart-horses. Rent a boat and
ask about the DuPage, the Fox, the Nippersink…if there’s
a stream you’re interested in, Ralph has paddled it.
Call (773) 777-1489.
Related Articles
Nippersink
Creek (Into the Wild, Spring 2005)
Paddling
the Des Plaines River (Into the Wild, Summer 2000)
Prairie
State Canoeists
Illinois
Paddling Council (with links to other regional paddling
clubs)
Real-time
Water Levels
|
