A group of determined geocachers showed up at Tower Rock Saturday morning hoping they’d be able to walk across to The Rock. It’s going to have to drop at least two more feet to be able to do that safely. Fortunately, Stan and Martha Koeller brought two kayaks with them and were more than willing to share.
The only catch was that they were boats built for one. Stan explained that kayaks are different from canoes: if you spill a kayak, it doesn’t necessarily dump you out. You sometimes stay IN the kayak while it’s upside down. This is really NOT a good thing. Cats are supposed to have nine lives. I’m not sure how many I have, but I was pretty sure I didn’t have that many left to spare. I opted to stay on the shore.
Video of Tower Rock Challenge
It’s worth a look, even if I have to say so myself.
Photo gallery of the assault on Tower Rock
Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left or right side of the image to move through the gallery.
Love the picture of your Mom in the kayak and KNOW she would have gone over to the Rock if you would have let her!
Great group. Crossing my fingers for the next couple weekends and my chance. Someday….
After seeing other folks who had never had any kayak experience make it and live, I’d try it. I just wasn’t comfortable doing something unfamiliar in the Mississippi River next to something the natives called “The Demon That Devours Travelers.”
I don’t want to wish ill on the farmers, but maybe the river will still be low when I come back in October.
The folks who showed up were all super nice. My mother enjoyed herself and will be talking about it for weeks.
I was upside down, wedged under a tree, pulling my legs out against the current in the Eleven Point on my first real kayaking experience a few weekends ago. I understand your fear.
The last couple nights it’s rained down here, and all I can think is “we’re below the rock, we’re below the rock.” Then I remember the farmers are more important and I feel guilty.
Of course they were all super nice. That LatonkaGal stayed away and she’s the mean one. Oh wait, that’s me… 😉
I am soooo jealous!!!! Great pics and video! I might not get to tower Rick but I am on a backhoe!!
Love the video!! Wish we could of made it too!! Hopefully next week-end we can make it over there. You did a great job on the pictures and the video!!
Love the video. Looks like fun. I was able to walk to, and climb the tower once. I think it was the sumer of 1977.
Great adventure…you guys sure know how to have fun!
Terry
I LOVE kayaks, they’re MUCH better than canoes for navigating the very narrow, very curvy upper stretches of the Loxahatchee River west of Jupiter. (But as someone in the video noted, it can be a “challenge” to get out of them). Having never been anyplace near Tower Rock, I like the photos because the ones with the people on the peak bring the size of the thing into perspective. It’s bigger than it looks.
Love the pictures of Tower Rock. I have had the privilege of walking across to it in the past, But I did not climb it. It is an amazing place, especially when the river is up and it looks so far away over deep, fast water.
What a great article! Wonderful pics, esp the one with the lady in the kayak…fun! My hub and I along with some friends are driving down tomorrow morning to see if we can conquer The Rock and find the cache. Seeing these pics is making me very excited to give it a go, it is a 4/5.
This past weekend my 18 yr old grandaughter walked out to Tower Rock with friends and climbed to the top. Maybe one day she will tell her children about the time she walked out to it when the Mississippi was low.
ive been looking at that rock from illinois side since i was a kid but yesterday became reality for dad nephew brother and me we all walked out to it i didnt climb the rock but nephew did got a lotta pics while there who knows how many more years it could be before you can walk out to it on foot if it starts raining again