St. Louis River Alliance Posts

Lean into Your Fear: Whitewater Rafting on the St. Louis River

This story is from my personal blog, “Marie’s Meanderings.” When I write a travel post, because my blog’s name has the word “meander” in it, I usually open by saying I “meandered” here and there.

Well, I can’t use that term this time. It’s more accurate to say I reluctantly agreed to go on a whitewater rafting trip down the St. Louis River and promised to scream all the way!

It all started when my friend Russ, who is an experienced kayaker, won a silent auction item at a fundraiser for the St. Louis River Alliance in 2018. He won two tickets for whitewater rafting through Minnesota Whitewater Rafting, a local company that operates out of Scanlon.

Upon my insistence, we agreed to wait for the trip until the water was warm, to make it a more comfortable experience. Now it was August, month of warm weather and water, and I was out of excuses not to go. We gathered everything the company’s information sheet instructed rafters to bring: a dry change of clothes, snug-fitting footwear, windbreaker, towel, etc. And off we went.

Selective Focus: Seeking River Stories

The St. Louis River Alliance typically organizes an annual Winter Walk event in February, but the rise in COVID-19 cases led the organization to cancel it for the second year in a row. Instead, stories, photos and videos are being collected throughout the month to to be shared on the alliance’s social media accounts to encourage people to get outside and enjoy winter.

Featured in this post as examples are photos by the alliance’s development director, Alyssa Johnson.

The St. Louis River Estuary, Our Home

This short video from the St. Louis River Alliance tells the story of the river’s transformation and is an invitation to help protect, restore and enhance the waterway.

Selective Focus: St. Louis River Alliance Virtual Art Show

The St. Louis River Alliance is posting photos, poems, illustrations or other art inspired by the St. Louis River and Lake Superior to its Facebook page. The organization will have a virtual art show on its website on April 21.

Artists and writers can submit creations until Wednesday, April 15. Send submissions to [email protected]. Include the image, along with your name, title of the piece, location of the piece and any further details you want shared.

Links:
Facebook page with more info
St. Louis River Alliance website

Become a Citizen Scientist!

Celebrate Earth Week by helping community organizations collect information about our world. Join St. Louis River Alliance Director Julene Boe to see what it’s like to get your hands wet and help out.

Great Lakes Aquarium will host a community class called “Becoming a Citizen Scientist.” At the class, St. Louis River Alliance will share its work and show you ways to get involved in citizen science!

Tuesday, April 19, 4:30-5:30 pm
Cost: Free; donations accepted.
All proceeds go toward stewardship efforts on the St. Louis River.

Contact Sarah Erickson at serickson @ glaquarium.org or 218-740-2007.

For more information, check out Community Education spring classes at Great Lakes Aquarium.