Mile 736.0 - Memphis Mud Island Harbor
LBD 736 Memphis Mud Island Harbor
Mud Island Harbor runs two miles along the base of downtown Memphis and the 4th Chcickasaw Bluff, and was created by the re-routing of the Wolf River. It’s the best and safest access into downtown Memphis. Known by various names. In the 1900s the local blacks called it “Muddy Island.” Delta bluesman Wesley Jefferson the “Mississippi Junebug” worked for a hardwood flooring mill near the Wolf River in the 1960s. On sunny off days he would take his children and guitar and spend the day picnicking on the edge of the river at Muddy Island. When the Wolf River was diverted in 1946 there was an effort to rename it the “Volunteer Bicentennial Park Island,” but fortunately that PR campaign never held. Recently there have been efforts to clean up the image with a brand new moniker “River Island.” Sigh.
There is a large eddy several hundreds yards-wide at the Mud Island Harbor entrance. As mentioned above the harbor opens up just past a sometimes muddy, sometimes grassy, and sometimes sandy spit that marks the end of Mud Island. Ride the eddy out and use it to your advantage to swirl to gain the slackwater beyond. If you are taking out or resupplying in Memphis you have three choices for public landings, 1) the Memphis Yacht Club Marina, which is about a half mile up the Harbor on the left, 2) the Coast Guard Boat Ramp which is about a mile up on the right. Both described in greater detail below. The first is friendlier, but a longer walk into town. The second is closer to conveniences, but not a safe place to leave your canoe or kayak unattended. Or 3) pull up anywhere along the long cobblestone riverfront below downtown, where all the steamboats used to dock in the glory days of the Steamboatin’ era. All of downtown’s attractions and businesses of importance to a long-distance paddler can be reached with a quick walk, including the downtown library, the downtown post office, restaurants markets, hotels, museums, and of course all of Memphis music clubs, notably Beale Street.
You will be greeted into the harbor by a long slice of a building shaped like the mouth of a smiling whale with gleaming rows of tall panes of glass for teeth and a maroon curly-cue gangplank leading to a maroon dock. This dock, called Beale St. Landing, is the home base of the American Queen Steamboat, biggest and most powerful steamboat ever on the Mississippi River. Further up the harbor along the cobblestone you might see the Island Queen, the Memphis Queen, and above them the Autozone headquarters, The University of Memphis School of Law (Old Customs Building), and others further back like the famous Peabody Hotel, Metro 67, Madison Hotel, Comfort Inn, Memphis Business Journal, Up Building, and others.
Mud Island Riverpark & Museum
1/4 mile up Harbor on left
You can relive your expedition walking a scale model of the Mississippi River at Mud Island Riverpark Museum. While you’re there visit interpretive exhibits about the history and culture of the river, and the establishment of Memphis on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff. Changing exhibits throughout year. Live music summers in open air amphitheater. Gift Shop and restaurant. Monorail over harbor into downtown. Open 10-5 Tuesday thru Sunday, April through October. 901-576-7241 or 800-507-6507.
Harbor left beyond the seven flags a replica keelboat is on display above the rip-rap, signed with the name Angela’s Ark. She arrived in Memphis several years ago bearing a rag-tag group of re-enactors re-tracing Meriwether Lewis’ final journey, which was a downstream expedition to Memphis from St. Louis. From Memphis the depressed leader of the Lewis & Clark Expedition went by horseback to the Natchez Trace toting all of his uncompleted journals, and either committed suicide or was murdered at a tavern along the Trace in October of 1809. Fortunately for history, the journals were saved and later assembled for publication.
Memphis Yacht Club Marina & Boat Ramp
1/2 mile Harbor on left
35.08997° N, 90.03403° W
Wide concrete/cobblestone ramp with parking and two possible back in locations for take out. Paddle under Monorail Bridge and stay harbor left to make landing at the Memphis Yacht Club Marina & Boat Ramp. This is the best place to meet someone if you are taking out or adding crew. The paddler-friendly staff will greet you and help you find what you need during your stay in Memphis. Best place to refill water jugs. You can find ice, a variety of beers, milk, chips and a few other light sundries at the Yacht Club store, but if you need a major resupply try to find a ride into the city. Mon. to Sun. 9am to 7pm. 901-525-3808. Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Check out their helpful website at: http://www.memphisyachtclub.com/
Coast Guard Boat Ramp
1 mile up Mud Island Harbor on the right
Rugged concrete ramp laid over rip-rap under A.W. Willis Bridge with exit at base of bridge next to US Coast Guard Station. Parking Lot above. Paddle up harbor one mile under monorail and then the I-40 Bridge. Ramp on right just past the Pyramid. Don’t leave canoe, kayak or any of your gear unattended. There has been a perplexing trend of recent canoe thefts suffered by long-distance travelers. Portage your vessel with you into downtown or station one of your team as security. Unsafe location. No camping. Coast Guard will not assist you with anything unless it’s a river rescue or other emergency. For city access tell your land party to use entrance off of city side of A.W. Willis Bridge heading west towards river from N Front Street.
Memphis Conveniences Useful to Paddlers:
If you’re landing at the Yacht Club your best first stop for paddlers would be Mud Island Riverpark and Museum. If you come in at the Coast Guard Boat Ramp walk down Front Street to the Cossitt Library. You can resupply groceries within walking distance from the nearby Miss Cordelia’s in Harbortown or City Market downtown at Union & Main. You can find Wi-Fi at many locations throughout downtown. You can have your mail and parcels delivered to General Delivery at the downtown US Post Office, 555 S 3rd St, Memphis, TN, 38101.
The Cossitt Library sits on top of the 4th Chickasaw Bluff downtown. Besides books, magazines, special collections and Wi-Fi, it keeps visitor information on hand, and its staff is especially friendly with directions, and recommendations on attractions and sites of interest during your stay in the Bluff City.
Cossitt Library
33 South Front Street
(901)526-1712
Monday through Friday 10-5
Closed Saturday and Sunday
http://www.memphislibrary.org/branches-south/cossitt/
Mud Island River Park & Museum
Mud Island South
901-576-7241 or 800-507-6507
10-5 Tuesday thru Sunday
April through October
City Market
66 South Main Street
901.729.6152
Mon - Thu: 7 am to 11 pm
Fri - Sat: 7 am to 12 am
Sun: 8am- 10pm
http://www.citymarketmemphis.com/index.html
Miss Cordelia’s
737 Harbor Bend Rd
(901) 526-4772
Open 7am - 10pm Monday - Sunday
US Post Office 38101
555 S 3rd St
(901) 521-2575
Hours: Friday hours 9:30 am–6:00 pm
Memphis Farmer’s Market
When: Saturdays, April thru October, 7 am to 1 pm, rain or shine
Where: Central Station, S. Front Street at GE Patterson in the Historic South Main District, Downtown Memphis.
http://www.memphisfarmersmarket.org/
Memphis Yacht Club Marina & Boat Ramp
57 North Mud Island Road
901-525-3808
Mon. to Sun. 9am to 7pm
http://www.memphisyachtclub.com/
Several Challenging Round-Trips from Memphis:
Memphis is the largest population on the last 1,000 miles of river, and yet in only an hour of hard paddling from downtown you can disappear into a big river wilderness with nothing but big skies, big forests, big sandbars and big river all around you! Keep reading below for three samples of the best offerings. Warning: Expert Routes. For advanced paddlers only!
Everyone has their limits. If you reach yours on one of these round trips, just turn around. That’s the beauty of going upstream first. It’s like climbing the mountain, except the return trip is (under normal conditions) easier than the climb. If you push yourself beyond your capabilities you might be asking for trouble. Possible dangers include heat exhaustion, hypothermia, and dehydration. As any seasoned athlete or expedition member knows, it’s much better to enjoy the journey and turn around and survive than make it to the top of the mountain and not return! On the Mississippi there are old paddlers, and there are bold paddlers. But there are no old bold paddlers!