Whose view? From where? January 2013
This months photo didn't have any particular landmarks, aside from a narrow channel. However, there are only a handful of places in the National Park where the river goes through such a narrow channel. Add to that the contextual clue that the photo was probably taken during the Mississippi River Challenge (FMRs annual paddle and fundraiser of the river) and that further limited the possible locations for the photo.
So guessing this month involved a small bit of luck. This plausibly also could have been a photo of the channel between Fort Snelling itself and the end of Pike Island. Thankfully for this feature editor, two people got this one right, so congratulations are in order for both our winners this month:
Dave Stack writes: "To me this looks a lot like the side channel along the east bank of the Mississippi at St. Paul Park, located between Lion's Levee Park and Upper Grey Cloud Island. This is a pleasant, quiet kayak/canoe channel protected from the main channel by a number of linear islands."
Tom Bell writes: "The view may be the channel of water going south from the Lion's Park in St. Paul Park toward Grey Cloud Island. This is one of the many backwater channels along the Mississippi River. These channels are important fish nurseries and increased habitat for birds and other animals."
About Whose view? From where?
Each month in this section, we feature a photo somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant or important or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally. Well publish some of your responses in the next issue of Mississippi Messages, where we will also reveal the correct answer.
To submit your guess and response, e-mail Bob Spaulding, River Advocate, through our contact form. The respondent to provide the first correct identification of the view and hopefully some interesting thoughts about its significance will receive a valuable prize for their effort. All entries must be received by the first day of the following month for consideration.