From www.KATV.com, July 27, 2010

Exploring the Mississippi River

By: Jessica Dean

HELENA-It was Mark Twain who wrote "Helena occupies one of the prettiest situations on the Mississippi River." On a balmy Monday afternoon, we set out to discover why.

We pulled into downtown Helena and headed east to the Quapaw Canoe Company, where we met our guide and the company owner, John Ruskey.

Ruskey opened the Quapaw Canoe Company in 1998 after working for years at the Delta Cultural Center in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

"People would come here wanting to see the river," Ruskey explained, " and there was no way to get there. I wanted to help make that happen and do it in a way I knew how to do it, with canoes and later kayaks."

Ruskey has been paddling the Mississippi River since 1982.

"I think of the Mississippi River as a beautiful woman, a thing of beauty," said Ruskey. "A person of beauty always seeks attention and the river is always looking for good attention. Paddlers are the ones who bring the best attention to the water."

Driving from downtown Helena, we rode along the levy which borders the town, reaching our in-point at the Saint Francis River after about a half hour traveling through the Saint Francis National Forest.

Along with Ruskey, we had two additional guides, James Sykes and Marquevius Jones. Both work as part of the Mighty Quapaw Apprenticeship Program.

"Leadership is the big lesson they learn," explained Ruskey. "How to tell people what to do and how to respond in different situations in a changing environment."

For ten miles, we paddled down the river, passing massive barges, navigating through quiet side canals and examining a never ending stretch of shoreline. All along the strong current pushed us forward.

"There's a common misconception it's old man river," said Ruskey, "that's it's a sleepy river. But it's very alive and vibrant and full of activity."