A Greenhorn into Riverboating Tradition

 "...soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up—nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.  Then we set out the lines.  Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.  Not a sound anywheres—perfectly still—just like the whole world was asleep, only sometimes the bullfrogs a-cluttering, maybe."            Huck Finn

I have the extravagant (not) plans to  build a Michalak "Harmonica", a tiny towable shantyboat.

I've recently taken to paddling my local river and remain surprised at the glorious existance literally on our doorstep, that no one treasures. In fact, I'd argue that most men of the land actually hate rivers. They invariably turn their backs on it, and worse dump rubbish in it and allow weed infestations along its banks.

I hope to load my boat with meagre provisions, and a goodly supply of good coffee and books and drift the river as Huck Finn did. But of course, I'll not be on the run, or necessarily navigating after dark. Nevertheless, engineless and silent, I do hope to drift quietly for many days and years free from the glare of common men. I will build, indeed live, as the thrifty rivermen of the world have done for decades.