Ohio River Foundation

ORF would like to thank the volunteers who make this event possible!

Great Ohio River Paddle

from the Ledger Independent Online

September 22, 2003
By DANETTA BARKER, Staff Writer

It may not be the "Great Expedition," but the Great Ohio River Paddle people are traveling the same river and comparing its ecological system today to what it was like when Lewis and Clark traversed the body.

There's a lot more to a river than just water said Rich Cogen, executive director of the Ohio River Foundation, which is sponsoring the event "We want to increase public awareness of the importance of the Ohio River," Cogen said. "Not just the water quality, but the habitat of the river."

The trip also encourages communities to protect and restore their stretch of the Ohio River. The first stop for the three kayakers was the shores of Vanceburg, which in Cogen's opinion are in great shape. Greeted by local people and welcomed to the city by Vanceburg Renaissance Manager Patty Kennard, the men were glad to see interest in their project.

"This is great having people here to greet us," said Chuck Donaldson, the first man ashore. Donaldson, who grew up on the banks of the Ohio in Portsmouth, Ohio, has been out on the great river many times in small boats such as kayaks and canoes. The trip for him today was a leisurely ride down the river. "We had the tail wind behind us today," Donaldson said. "I don't know about tomorrow. I don't know how that will hold up."

Donaldson, Mike Utt and George Richards completed the first leg of the trip in about seven hours leaving Portsmouth at 9 a.m. and coming into Vanceburg about 4 p.m.

The three along with Cogen will be taking samples of water and studying the plant and animal life in the Ohio. "The Ohio River has the greatest number of different mussels than any other river," Cogen said. "The watershed that supplies water to the Ohio River has the greatest number of different mussels in the world."

The food chain or food web as it is called by those who study such things, is another field of study for the team. The food web starts with zooplankton, Cogen said and goes up to the paddlefish also called the long beak sturgeon. "The sturgeon can weigh up to 80 pounds," Cogen said. Stopping at four other towns along the river, Cogen hopes to spread the many facts about the plant and animal life in the Ohio. "We will have kids coming down from the schools," Cogen said. "We hope to have 400 students over the next five days."

Although the project is not directly related to the upcoming Lewis and Clark celebrations scheduled for the river towns, Cogen said their research fits with the Corps of Discovery. "We want to compare the river as it is now to what is was like when Lewis and Clark traveled it," Cogen said. Donaldson was eager to retrace the voyage of the great explorers. "My dad sends me newspaper clippings about things he thinks I would be interest in," Donaldson said. "When he sent me the article about the trip Rich had planned I though it would be great to ride down the river in a kayak."

Like Donaldson, Utt, who is president of the Ohio Small Mouth Alliance, was ready to explore the life of the river. "This trip is about promoting the river," Utt said. "We do that with education."

For Richards the trip was another chance to ride the Ohio. His first trip was from Pittsburgh, Pa. to Parkersburg, W. Va., a mere 190 miles, which gave the retired military man an opportunity to reconnect with river that played such an important roll in his childhood. "I grew up in Torch, Ohio," Richards said. "It is between the forks of the Little Hocking at the point where the two forks flow into the Ohio. I've been on the river all my life."

The communities along the river are as happy to see the kayakers, as they are to be riding the Ohio once again. The towns are more than eager to provide food and lodging for the team. Vanceburg Fire Department cooked supper for the kayakers Saturday night. After the long day the three men planned to camp on the banks of the river.

Cogen and his three explorers were happy to see the first day get off to such a great start and end with the pleasant company of the people who live on the banks the great river. Utt put it best when he said the best part of the trip was the camaraderie of the kayakers and the hospitality of the people along the river.

Contact Danetta Barker at Danetta.Barker@lee.net

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