Paddlefest 2012.

One Saturday morning a year the Ohio river is closed to big boats but is left wide open to the little guys.  Any boat that can be paddled is invited and welcomed to enjoy the big river without the fear of being mowed over by ginormous barges and speed boats.

Karl very much looks forward to this day and in fact, considers Paddlefest a dream of his.
So of course he merrily, merrily, merrily rowed his boat (and kids) gently down the stream.
(I couldn't resist that)

The put in for the 8.2 mile float is at Coney Island... I asked both of my dear daughters for a photo. Guess which kid was feeling some bitterness about not being invited in the red boat this time?
(The short one who refuses to look at me.)

Rosie and I waved a bon voyage the boat and big kids an then drove the boat and trailer up to Sawyer Point to take them out.
(Little Miss still refuses to look at me... the girl can hold a grudge.)

There they are...
Three fellows in a little red row boat... spotted!

 

Our friend Wendell paddled with the girls... he rented a canoe for the morning that just happened to be... PINK!

 Still mad.

As you can imagine, watching her big sister paddle a fabulously PINK canoe down the river did not make Rosie want to smile for the camera.

(to my safety patrol pals, Rosie is not frightfully close to waters edge, she is on the top step of a sloping stairway- I'd never let an annoyed daughter that close to the mighty Ohio... give me some credit here, ok? ) 

 Karl and the boys... it's obvious how helpful the boys were at paddling/rowing. I couldn't even get Henry to sit up and pretend to look sporty.

Both Jamie and Henry didn't feel like they got soggy enough in the boat, so they ran through the fountain a few times to ensure that they were drenched before going home.

Below is the thank you note from Ohio River Way to the good city of Cincinnati. O.R.W. is the non profit who has developed and sponsored Paddlefest for the past 11 years.

Thank you Cincinnati for making Paddlefest 2012 the best ever!!! We had over 2,000 paddlers make their way down the Ohio River, 5,200 kids attended the Kids Outdoor Adventure Expo (largest in the country), the best volunteer team we could ask for and the most generous sponsors.  Our oldest paddler was 92 and our youngest was just 3 years old.  Nineteen states were represented at this year’s event — including Alaska!

Thankfully Rosie wont be reading this... she would never forgive me if she knew that there was a three year old on the river while she grumpily, idly, watched from the banks.