Name an Island

The La Crosse,WI district of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is asking the public's help in naming seven new islands near Stoddard,WI. The group requests that suggested island names reflect the area's habitat, geology, geography, history, wildlife and fauna. Proper names will not be considered. That means no naming an island after yourself. Each person is limited to ONE name submission per island, and each submission needs to include a written reason why that name should be selected. Judging will be conducted by representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources and Mississippi River Wild.
Entries may be submitted by email to:   Susan_Fletcher@fws.gov or Paula_Ogden-Muse@fws.gov; by fax at 608-783-8452; or mail at Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge "Island Naming Contest", 555 Lester Ave., Onalaska, WI 54650.
Spring is fast approaching our area and it is time to start planning that summer vacation, so come to the Upper Mississippi River Valley and name your island.
We mentioned that one of the judges is Mississippi River Wild, they are a group of citizens that volunteer their time and work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help preserve and protect the natural resources here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley. To learn more about the Mississippi River Wild click on our link we provided and check them out.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise and explore more destinations and provide more information in the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Happy Holidays from Houseboating Excusions in the Mississippi River Valley.

Click the link provided and see this wonderful Holidays Greeting Card!
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=ER13610552

Splash Out Party 2011

Our 2011 houseboating year wasn't one of our best years with the beginning starting us out with a broken wheel bearing on our boat trailer which we worked around. The Mississippi River levels for most of the season were very high and prevented us from being able to visit some of our favorite cruise sites, many of them didn't even put their docks in this year. Even though our adventures were down just being here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley in the spring, summer, and fall is always enjoyable. There are many different houseboaters in the area and we are always meeting and making new friends.

To  end our houseboating season this year we had our own splash out party on our dock with some of our  houseboating friends. The finals months of October and early November gave us some beautiful weather that we were able to extend our season a little longer. Here are some photos of our party.

 

We are also surrounded by Green Bay Packer fans that are so dedicated to their team their houseboat is Green Bay Packer decorated.         

At the end of the season also comes with the fun chore of pumping out the septic tank one last time and a final cruise up and down the Mississippi River.

Mississippi River Transportation Role

Many of us look at the Mississippi River as a great source of recreation, we cruise the river in many different ways, some of us use houseboats, others ski-boats and canoes. But the Mississippi River plays a major role in the transportation of goods and services which helps many local economies. It is a gateway to and from world markets, the Mississippi River supplies the region with nearly 250,000 jobs and is one of the cheapest ways to ship goods. There are more than 11,000 miles of navigable water in the Mississippi River and the Upper Mississippi River Valley accounts for 1,300 miles of water. Port of La Crosse alone imports 1.2 tons in commodities valued at $154 million. That's 55 15-barge tows each carrying 22,500 tons. If you was to transport that by truck it would take 49,000 vehicles and span across 600 miles of road. That is a huge amount of goods moving up and down the river. Minnesota transports about 60 percent of its agriculture exports down the river. Port of Winona handles about 18 percent of that. Ports are always looking to increase the use of that navigational system and are always looking for more commodities that can be shipped. Using the Mississippi River as a way to transports goods is cost-effective and safer than other means of transportation. Transporting goods on the Mississippi River is approximately 63 percent cheaper than rail and 94 percent cheaper than truck. A barge can carry more, it's equal to 70 trucks and 16 rail cars, and fuel for a barge goes further too. Statistics show that for every death through water transportation, there are 155 deaths on the road and 22 on the railroad. Port of Winona is now expanding their commercial dock because demand to ship on the Mississippi River is hugely increasing, they plan to have it finished by the end of this year.
As we all enjoy our pleasure crafts on the Mississippi River, we should all take a moment and realize how important the river is, not only for pleasure but also for a productive economy. Let's all do our part to help maintain the integrity of the Mississippi River that we have all come to love.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise to and explore more destinations and provide more adventures, information and resources.

Banana Brew Butterflies

The Upper Mississippi River Valley has so many different beautiful things to admire, even some insects. When you are cruising the Mississippi River many times you want to take a break and stop at a sand bar, and while there you notice some beautiful butterflies flying around. We all have seen butterflies of different types but did you know that there is actually a way to lure these butterflies to your houseboat or even your home personal garden. Many houseboaters have plants on their boats and sometimes on the dock in their immediate area. Many of us enjoy everything Mother Nature provides for us and in this case it's butterfies.
We have learned that not only is there certain plants to have around to lure butterflies there is also a concoction called Banana Brew.  Here's how to make it:  Take 10 pounds of over-ripe bananas, 1 pound of dark brown sugar, and one bottle or can of dark beer. You can also use yeast.  Mix the ingredients with a blender and put into buckets or containers to ferment. Be sure to leave room for expansion of the concoction and vent your brew. You might even have butterfies show up while making the brew if done outdoors. You can use the brew right away or store it for later, just be sure to vent the brew. The brew can be poured or brushed onto logs at sandbars or bring a piece of driftwood to your houseboat and brush it on and they will come. This brew was invented by the National Butterfly Center which is located in Texas. The claim is you will see butterflies that you may have never seen before. Butterfly season is rapidly coming to an end here in the Upper Mississippi River Valley but we are giving it a try and will defintely try it next season and we will post our results. We provided a link to their web site for you to get more information on which plants will lure butterflies to your boat or home garden.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise and explore more destinations and provide adventures, information and resources. Please Don't Move Firewood and Help Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers.

9/11 Remembered

Ten years ago we all experienced a life changing event in the United States. Everyone asks the question, Where were you on that unforgetful day?. We were cruising the Mississippi River here in Port of La Crosse going past Riverside Park when we noticed a large group of people gathering. We discovered local firefighters, police officers, boy scouts, and their families and friends along with a full color guard had organized together to march through Riverside Park and into some of downtown La Crosse to honor those that perished in the 9/11 attacks, It was a great site to witness,as we didn't hear about any such gathering. Here are some photos from the event we took from our boat.
Houseboating Excursions thanks everyone for remembering that day and for all those that put their lives at risk to give us the life we want to have, our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise and explore  more destinations and provide adventures, information and resources. Please Don't Move Firewood and Help Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers.

Float Fishing, Alma WI

If you plan to visit the Upper Mississippi River Valley and would like to experience some good fishing in different areas,  getting on a Mississippi River Float is a great idea. One of the many floats is The Great Alma Fishing Float in Alma,WI. You don't need a boat to access these floats they provide transportation for you, in the Alma case you can board the shuttle near the Lock and Dam #4. The Alma Float is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and there is a fee for fishing, $16 for adults, $7 for children 12 and younger and $5 for nonfishers. The Alma Float does serve breakfast and lunch. It also has portable restrooms and a fish cleaning room. The float is owned by two brothers and was built in 1948. Alma is one of our many cruise stops and as we pass by the float we notice it's always got lots of people catching lots of fish.  A little history on Alma is that it was named by riverboat pilots for a rock formation in the bluffs above town. It became an official village in 1868. It is built into the bluffs and along the Mississippi River and is several miles long but only two blocks wide. The village features museums, art galleries, gift shops and restaurants. Alma is also the birthplace and area Beth grew up in and many of her family's relatives still live there. I have heard many fishing stories from her father and grandfather, Beth included, about the many trips they took to the Alma Float, if the fish were not biting good, the food sure was.
Boat or no boat the Upper Mississippi River Valley has plenty to offer for everyone and for more information on the Great Alma Fishing Float visit their web site.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise to and explore more destinations and provide adventures, information and resources. Here is also a link through Amazon.com to buy a map of all the Hot fishing Spots in Pool 4.