Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Fresh water sub tourism

["Mark Steed" <plutomark@mail.astate.edu>]

Wolf- The Mississippi River here can be a monster. I am located in its delta region where it really heads to the Gulf.  It is very wide here and the currents are ,I think, the strangest and some of the most dangerous on earth. There are no waves or "white water" here. Everything is going on below the surface. The undertow here is very similar to ocean rip-tides. I have been in small craft out in the middle of the thing close to the Port of Memphis when a whirlpool as big as a small house would just appear from nowhere. The center can be just like a vortex, "boiling" and bubbling and loud enoug to hear. The sand bars up and down it here are scary as well. People are always getting out on the things to picnic, party or whatever, and somebody usually drowns when the things collapse under their feet. Old Man River is beautiful to watch and under the right circumstances, navigate. He just bears respect and a hearty dose of caution. About all the diving done in the Mississippi here is by commercial firms doing towboat, barge salvage or harbor facility work. It is not uncommon for one of the tow boats to ingest a whole car body or huge log into their Kort's. Divers have to go in and cut them out and visibility is usually zero. I cannot imagine a worse place for a small submersible. My best regards, Mark---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Wolf <scubadiver@wolfmaan.com>
Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Date:  Wed, 9 Oct 2002 07:30:07 -0700 (PDT)

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>I've seen the Mississipi river many times when I was truckin in that area. It looked big and muddy, simmilar to the Niagara but with alot less torrent and waves. I grew up in Niagara area and have always had the spirit of adventure :-) 
>Catch ya later.
> Mark Steed 
>wrote:Wolf- I live in Northeast Arkansas just across the big muddy from Memphis, Tennessee. The biggest water we have over here is the Mississippi River. It is great to be on but a very bad place to be in or under. I would love to set something up with you sometime. When I get anywhere near your area, you'll be the first to know. Sounds like you have a wealth of places to get wet in and we have much in common.I can't think of a better tour guide either. Best regards, Mark Steed
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