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Buck Island was saved from auction block by the American Land Conservancy in 2008 and is now protected by a permanent wetlands easement through the NRCS, which means that it will never be forested again, and our children will one day enjoy the big woods that used to predominate in
memphis-to-helena
Three mile long island (at low water) topped with a young willow/cottonwood/sycamore forest with beautiful camping all around. In high water levels best camping is found top end above the trees, and there is ample water flowing through the back channel. (Cutoff resident Rick Howe recalled catching over
memphis-to-helena
Shoo Fly is what paddlers have come to name a dynamic low-lying open bar that forms below the Tunica Runout and is only visible in low water conditions, and goes completely under around 20HG. Paddlers should avoid camping here except in the most perfect of conditions. To be caught in
memphis-to-helena
The main channel of the Mississippi explodes out of Walnut Bend and into a five mile southerly run through Hardin Cut-Off towards the mouth of the St. Francis. Here you will get your first views of Crowley’s Ridge, which meets the Mississippi at Helena. The faint line of trees
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The main channel slows down momentarily as it exits Mhoon Bend and slides into Whiskey Chute where the banks open up to almost a mile wide. It’s a lovely piece of river with tall trees on either side. Your best route of descent is staying with the current left
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Leaving Mhoon Landing the downstream paddler riding the outside of the bend needs to be wary of a very turbulent eddy about a mile and half downstream near LBD 686.5. Below medium water you will see a lot of fresh rip rap where the Army Corps has been trying
memphis-to-helena
You can find good camping on Mhoon Bar (at the inside of Mhoon Bend) at almost any water level up to flood stage. At low and medium water levels camp anywhere you see a good spot around the entire four-mile perimeter. In high water the choices narrow to the last
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Right angle bend running westward and then south slightly eastward around Rabbit Island. Commerce Bend is as good as any in demonstrating the dynamic and irascible nature of the big muddy river in a big muddy landscape. Commerce, Mississippi, had a hopeful beginning and was a thriving little river town