Final: Voyage Like Vikings

(Released May 2, 2013)
Experience the Red River of the North from a new perspective

Hello, My name is Thomas French and I am with the River Keepers maintaining the Red River riparian areas. Along with working with the River Keepers, I give tours of the Red River on the S. S. Ruby. The River Keepers is a non-profit organization established in 1990 to protect and preserve the integrity and natural environment of the Red River of the North in the Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN area. The River Keepers works with the Red River of the North and its tributaries through hand-in-hand work with civic, corporate and political leaders, local watershed groups and the public at-large. The beginning of the voyage starts at the dock beneath the bridge crossing into Moorhead from Fargo close to the Hjemkomst Center parking lot. This has been a long, snowy winter out here in Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota. I am proposing that you get out this summer as soon as we, the River Keepers, begin tours in late May or whenever the flood waters recede enough to make it viable. On the tours we present to the members of the S. S. Ruby the rich history of the relationship between the people of Fargo-Moorhead and the Red River that divides them. Each First Mate has an individual presentation that represents our diverse interests, such as; I am a North Dakota State University student majoring in Natural Resources Management with a background in the social sciences. I have grown up in the Fargo area and have a lot of personal stories, as do each of the First Mates. This means every time you take a boat ride on the S. S. Ruby you are offered a different, personal history from our point of view along with factual stories from the rivers long past. People are able to learn facts, such as, The Red River of the North flows northward 550 miles from its source in Breckenridge, Minnesota to Lake Winnipeg in Canada. The designated segment of the river is 394 miles long, and forms most of the border between Minnesota and North Dakota. There are many things to learn about the Red River that is so near to us. Some of these things include: Cultural Information The Red River of the North, or the "Riviere Rouge du Nord" as early French Canadian explorers christened it, was probably so-named because of its clay soils, muddy banks, and reddish-brown siltfilled waters.
Nomadic cultures arrived soon after the retreat of the enormous glaciers, following the great herds of bison and caribou. Then, 2,000 years ago, Indians from the forests of Minnesota and Wisconsin began moving into the grassy areas of the Red River Basin. The early 1800s brought the first permanent European settlements to the banks of the Red River in present-day Manitoba. Throughout the century, European immigrants would continue to trickle down from Canada and from the east, settling along the banks of the Red River in the United States.1 The Hudson's Bay Company controlled commerce in this area for almost two centuries. Trading in bison and beaver hides, they used large canoes and boats to ship goods to Europe via Hudson Bay. The development of the Red River oxcart trail connected that trade route with the Mississippi River and other parts of the United States. As trade continued to flourish, so did the demand for more efficient means of transportation, and by 1859, Anson Northup, the man and his same-named steamboat, made their debut on the Red. The oxcart trail system was connected with the Hudson's Bay Company's steamboat landing near Georgetown and the two systems of land and water transportation were connected. Eventually, steamboats couldn't compete with the much faster and cheaper railroad which reached Moorhead in 1871. By the turn of the century, steamboats were all but extinct on the Red River of the North.2
This is an example of some of the history you will hear about from me on the tour on the S. S. Ruby this summer. Safety is a major concern whenever we take a group out on the water. Here is some safety information from the River Keepers: Planning a safe river trip The average slope of the Red River is just one-half foot per mile, which makes the Red a slow-moving, easily navigable river. However, high winds have been known to create whitecaps. It features channel widths of less than 100 feet to more than 500 feet at its northern reaches. At bank-full conditions, average depths vary from 10 to 30 feet. Its flow can be widely fluctuating. Devastating floods may be associated with summer rainstorms and spring thaw.3
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/safetrip.html http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/more.html http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/more.html
Planning Tips Travel with a companion or group. Don't overestimate your capabilities. Most people paddle two to three river miles per hour. Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFD), which state law requires being on board. Check weather forecasts and flow rates. Use a map, know your route, and tell someone of your plans. Bring a first-aid kit and drinking water. There are very limited sources of drinking water along the route. Dams may not be marked. Refer to this map for locations. Be prepared for very limited sanitary facilities. Rest Areas and Camping Sites Access sites and camping areas are limited. They may be too far apart for certain trip lengths. Some camping areas do not have drinking water. Drinking river water is not recommended, but if you do, it must be treated. Respect private property. There are limited public lands along the Red River. Do not trespass. Pack out all trash. Boating Information Be aware that this river touches two states. Each may have different regulations, especially regarding personal watercraft (jet skis). Avoid the spread of exotic aquatic species Minnesota requires all watercraft, including canoes and kayaks, to be registered in Minnesota or state of residence. Low water conditions may not be suitable for boating. Snags are common. Leave motors unlocked. Minimize wakes in developed areas and when passing canoes and boats. I strongly encourage coming out to the S.S. Ruby dock to take a ride either by yourself, with the family, or with some friends and showing them where you live from a new perspective. If you arent a fan of getting out on the water there is a frolf course and plenty of sidewalks to bike or jog around the downtown wooded area. I highly recommend spending time outside this summer to explore the natural beauty of Fargo-Moorhead, especially after such a long winter.
Works Cited http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/safetrip.html http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/more.html http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/one.html Pictures: Courtesy of River Keepers http://www.flickr.com/photos/fargomoorheadcvb/4902476321/

Final: Voyage Like Vikings

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Final: Voyage Like Vikings

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Final: Voyage Like Vikings

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

(Released May 2, 2013)

Experience the Red River of the North from a new perspective

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/safetrip.html http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/more.html http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/redriver/more.html

You might also like