Days 67 and 68

Yesterday I stayed in Memphis. I attended the Wolf River Conservancy River Guide Appreciation night, along with Jane, Dad and Dale Sanders. I was able to meet the other volunteers who help the WRC by guiding paddle trips, walking trips, and helping restore lands along the green way. The WRC leaders showed us several nice displays that showed how the multi use walking/biking trail is progressing.  After the event I transferred my gear from Dad's truck to Dales van because I was staying at his home. Dale has started a Paddlers Wall and I wanted to sign it. He has a spiral stair case leading from the basement to the first floor, all the paddlers who come to town are encouraged to sign the walls. Each paddler or paddlers writes something about why they are making the trip, where they started, where they will end, and everyone signs their name. This tradition is very common on the AT but the only other place I have encountered a paddler book or wall was in Palisade MN, over 1,500 miles ago. Early this morning Dave dropped me at the Memphis Yacht Club where I loaded the canoe and paddled out. Dave was headed to Helena AR to pick up a paddler and bring him back to the airport in Memphis. Dale is the real deal, 82 years young, always moving and helping anyway he can.
I paddled out of Memphis, passing under the iconic M shaped bridge escaping any real barge traffic in the harbor area. Starting many miles above Memphis the river is making a very long straight north to south run, With no wind the lines of straight clean currents were easy to read and I quickly found a good run. The first half of the day the river made long lazy turns and the current stayed well organized. I made good time and enjoyed watching as the many riverboat casinos in Tunic MS slipped by. At mid day I entered a bend to find a half dozen barges waiting to pass the turn and more coming from down river. I paddled in behind a wing dam near the center of the curve and beached the canoe on a sand bar. I spent lunch sitting in the shade eating and watching the barge traffic work themselves through the curve. After a quick swim I was paddling out without a barge in sight. Towards late afternoon I noticed Rivergator.org listed a camp ground at Mhoon Landing in Mississippi a few miles ahead. At the other end of a 4 mile run of river I could see the campground as a cleared section in the trees lining the river bluff. The river park featured a bathroom, concrete pads, pavilions, water and street lights. I set up the tent, and after dinner took a bird bath. Shortly after i got into the tent I was startled by a loud raspy, growling bark like noise. The animal was just out of the range of the street lights and called several times in manner that said I am upset with you being here. I fumbled for my headlamp and shined it into the night revealing nothing.  I thought I had heard and knew the call of every mammal and bird in the state of Mississippi but I have no idea what this was. After a bit or reading I called it a night.