The first day was a mix of the incredible and the frustrating. It started windy, remained windy for most the day, and rained a fair amount too; tough for my first real day on a Stand Up Paddleboard - my chosen mode of transport over a kayak in the end. Starting in Minneapolis we came to my first dam before battling along to the city of St. Paul; on the way we were given a pot of honey by passers by, applauded from an apartment block and beeped at and encouraged by the speaker of a massive barge! Everyone has been incredibly friendly and encouraging of Dave and I, it's incredible.
We made about 28 miles in all, finishing on a little island in the centre of a lake. Our camp of choice was beautiful; right on the water surrounded by trees and a small beach - a great setting for a dinner of rice and chicken with a splash of Port (don't ask!).
Stand Up Paddeboarding really is as good as Dave says it is; it's good exercise, relaxing and good fun, you can also carry a massive load of gear and it's really stable. I've been amazed by the people and the river already, it's only been one day, the next 5 weeks are going to be incredible as we paddle our way to Memphis.
Follow the expedition on www.davecornthwaite.com