December 1996 The monthly newsletter for people who live, work and play on the Upper Mississippi River Vol. 4, No. 12 $2.75
Frolll the Mississippi to the Congo - Exploring ·the World's Rivers By Joyce Gabbert
L
ast summer an old salt of the Mississippi River exchanged his canoe paddles for an 18foot, 120-horsepower inboard-outboard 1968 Starcraft named the Julie Nan. Jerry Matter's enthusiasm for the power boat is only a broadening of interest for a lover of the rivers of the world. A Naperville, Ill., native, Jerry fell in love with the DuPage River, long before he became infatuated with the Mississippi. "When I was growing up, I about lived on the DuPage, doing all the kid's stuff," he said. "I became interested in the Mississippi when I started reading Richard Bissell." In his work, Matter often traversed the Mississippi. In 1969, he decided to move his family to Denmark, Iowa, 10 miles from the Father of Waters. In 1984, he purchased his own place on Pool 19, in Sycamore Haven, a mile or so upriver from Nauvoo, Ill., a spot he considers the most beautiful on the whole river. "It's pretty at Fountain City, Wis.,
Algae in the River Part One By Pamela Eyden
and at Pike's Peak in Iowa, too," he concedes. Matter, 61, a retired industrial electrician, never let his profession consume his life. In late summer, the Julie Nan carried him on a 980-mile, round trip to St. Paul, Minn., from his home on the Mississippi. His eight-day adventure included exploration of the lower St. Croix River. Other than a broken water pump
The teenager could not believe this contemporary of his grandfather roamed these places armed only with a backpack, camera and guidebook. and a bent propeller, the Julie Nan served him well. Matter's faithful friend, Renda, an 11-year-old black lab, rode along. His other boating companions were his books. He did not stay in a motel or carry an ice chest, and only occa(Matter continued on page 4)
F
ill a glass with river water and hold it to the sun. What do · you see? Duckweed, silt and a startled minnow? Grass clippings? Clear, geometric shapes? A brown tint? A green haze? There are many thousands of different kinds of algae in the river, and every glass you fill is bound to contain a few dozen, whether you can see them or not. Their strange life histories unfold with the seasons and affect almost everything in the river. These single-celled crea(Algae continued on page 2)
Whafs Inside ••• River Map Sizing Up the Dams ......... 5
Current Events Clammer in the Slammer ..... 6
River Calendar & Almanac Eagle Watches, Sports Shows . 8