Off the Grid

There have been no updates from the crew the past 3 days. We are guessing that they are "off grid". We hope to be getting an update soon!

In the meantime here's what there itinerary has been the past few days to give you and idea where they are. There will be a celebration in New Orleans tomorrow!

Thursday, February 11

Bayou Crook Chene. Lake Chicot. Hog Island. Chicot Pass. Attakapas

Island State WMA. Grand Lake. Myette Point. Cypress Pass. Camp:

Tiger Island (Mile 105) or Little island (115).

Friday, February 12

American Island. Drew’s Island. Morgan City (Mile 116). US 90 Bridge.

Southern Pacific, Texas & New Orleans RR Bridge. Intercoastal

Waterway. Bateman island. Sweetbay Lake. Camp: Shell Island Point

(Mile 132)

Saturday, February 13

Atchafalaya Bay, Gulf of Mexico. The river is now forming a new delta in the bay – the only place on the Louisiana coastline that is gaining ground.

Turnaround Point (Mile 140). Paddle Back to Morgan City. Camp: Bayou Schafer.

Sunday, February 14

Paddle back to Morgan City via Bayou Schafer. Pickup around noon.

Camp: Bayou Segnette State Park. Celebration in New Orleans.

The Mean Green Likes Glassy Waters!/// Day 4 of 8 on the Mississippi

It's nice and calm on the river today, however it's looking like another storm is heading our way!

Melanie from Audubon has joined our crew. Kristian, the nice guy who drove the Mean Green all the way from San Clemente to Louisiana in his veggie oil powered truck, has been paddling on the Mean Green a lot! James Pribram the Eco Warrior and Kristian from Below the Surface have been switching off giving the Mean Green a go down the Muddy Mississippi.

Today's Itenerary:

Wednesday, February 10

Mile 52 end of levees East Bank. Atchafalaya River Distributary

(Atchafalaya River and Atchafalaya Basin Main Channel). Mile 54 end of

levees West Bank Interstate Highway 10 Bridge. Lost Lake. Butte La

Rose. Upper Grand River. Cow Island Lake. Little Atchafalaya River.

Bayou La Rompe. Camp: Splice Island (Mile 70) or Lower Cow Island

(Mile 80).

The Mean Green Meets the Muddy Mississippi///Day 3 of 8

From John ruskey

Quapaw canoe company

We are 3 days into our expedition canoeing and surfing the atchafalaya

river - you would love the image of a surfer cruising down the muddy

chocolate waters of the river! Beautiful day yesterday. Storm hit

last night, cold and windy today.

Melanie driscoll bird nerd with the Audubon joined us in simmesport

Kristian and I'll be back in another week. I'll forward tour message

to him

He's planning on staying in clarksdale a couple of weeks

May the river be with you!

-John

Coffee Break

Itenerary for Tuesday, February 9

Bayou Rouge. Melville (LA Hwy 12 Bridge). Bayou Petite Prairie. Krotz

Springs (US 190 Bridge. Camp: Sherburne Point (Mile 45). Atchafalaya

National Wildlife Refuge

Mardi Gras starts early in New Orleans

Well the Mean Green and crew are about 135 miles away from Mardi Gras but we can feel the excitement from here! Even though Mardi Gras doesn't start for another week, it seems this year things have started a week early! CONGRATS SAINTS and the city of NEW ORLEANS!!! We'll be seeing you in 7 days and we know you'll still be going strong with the celebrations!!!

I just picture me padding down the Mississippi and beads being thrown at me all week!

We have a long week ahead, but now we know that we have a HUGE celebration to look forward to when we paddle into New Orleans Feb 14th!!! Well bigger than we were expecting!

Yesterday was day one we paddled 15 miles and camped on Shreve's Island.

Here's our schedule for today...

Monday, February 8

Ferry Crossing to Old River. Lock through Old River Lock. Flat water paddle 6.3 miles through Old River channel. Red River Confluence, Beginning of the Atchafalaya River Mile 0. Simmesport (Mile 5) (LA Hwy 1 Bridge) (RR Bridge Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas & Pacific RR).

Below the Surface, Eco-warrior, and The SUP Spot head out on the Atchafalaya River

Below the Surface, Eco-Warrior, and The SUP Spot are loaded up and ready to hit the river to raise awareness of how upstream actions effect the coastal areas. Through encouraging involvement in water activities, Kristian Gustavson and James Pribram pose for a photo before hitting the Atchafalaya River.

Optimism and the Unknown

We are making last minute preparations, stuffing our layers of polypropylene and neoprene into dray bags and second guessing the wisdom of paddling 180 miles through swampy river in near freezing temperatures... yet we still remain enthusiastic.

A Photo Says A Thousand Words

BTS Atchafalaya Expedition - John Ruskey and Cowboy Coffee

Slept well at the Quapaw Canoe Company headquarter's new hostel and awoke to find a thermos of cowboy coffee and milk from our gracious host and legendary riverman, John Ruskey. "G'mornin' Mateys! Frrresh Cowboy Coffee I'm headed for groceries Give a holler if ya need anything." - John
The coffee kickstarts my heart and as I stare out at the grey skies and endless downpour, the reality of the Expedition sets in. The local paper described our team as "Surfer dudes meet Muddy Waters" and staring out the window at the Sunflower River, I get a first glimpse of the silty, turbid waters of the south. With memories of the Mississippi Blues from the classic Ground Zero bar fresh in my mind, I set into repacking my gear and await the return of John Ruskey. Today the rest of the Expedition team arrives and tomorrow we will help present the dugout canoe process to local school children. At noon, Kristian Gustavson will present his synopsis of the river with, "Signs of the Crossroads..."

A Message from John Ruskey

"Talked earlier with Kristian and Guy (the Mean Green's Drivers), who were passing through the high Texas plains into Dallas. The grease pump had a malfunction so they are manually pumping the grease out of 55-gallon barrels in the back of the grease truck AKA "Dark Chocolate." Whew! they never made it easy on the river-rat. I hope to see these road warriors sometime tonight. Another 500 miles to go.

The buzz has hit Clarksdale town with the following headline: "Surfer-Dudes coming for Muddy Waters!" Hee-hee! I have friends writing me saying they are saving their bacon grease for the return journey.

Also, Saturday night Super Chikan is performing at Ground Zero Blues Club, a not-to-miss performance before our pushoff the next morning. Super Chikan's brother Ellis is shuttle driver for Quapaw Canoe Company, and also known as "Mr. Smooth" for his killer dance moves."

~john

Kristian & Jared with "Dark Chocolate" from Sacramento expedition

Meet Our River Guide John Ruskey

John Ruskey has been paddling the Mississippi River since 1982 and is the most knowledgeable guide on its Lower reaches, with extensive canoeing & kayaking experience on the Arkansas, the Yazoo, the St. Francis, the White, the Big Sunflower and the Big Black Rivers. In 1998 he founded the first wilderness outfitting business on the entire Lower Mississippi River, Quapaw Canoe Company. John has guided National Geographic Adventure,Outside Magazine, the BBC, Irish Public Television, the Food Network, ESPN Outdoors.com and other media in various river adventures & expeditions on the Mississippi, as well as prominent authors John Barry (Rising Tide) and Tony Horwitz (Blues Latitudes, A Voyage Long & Strange). John builds voyageur style stripper canoes for use on the wild waters of the Lower Mississippi River, and is one of the most experienced builders of dugout canoes in the country. 2002-2006 John oversaw the construction of 3 dugout canoes for the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Re-enactment, and helped the twenty-first century Corps of Discovery paddle those canoes up and down the Missouri, the Yellowstone, the Clearwater, the Snake, the Columbia, and other rivers of America.In 2007 Chinook elder & master canoe builder George Lagergren (94y/o) asked John to renovate 2 of his traditional Chinook dugouts which are now ceremonially housed in tribal headquarters, Wilapa Bay Washington. John is a musician, painter and writer. He was the fist curator of the Delta Blues Museum (1992-98) and is co-founder of the Delta Blues Education Fund. In 1998 he established Quapaw Canoe Company to provide guided canoe & kayak expeditions on the Lower Mississippi River & its muddy tributaries. Simultaneously he founded the Mighty Quapaws Apprenticeship Program for the youth of the Mississippi Delta, most of whom come from severely distressed neighborhoods. Please visit www.island63.com for more information about the Mighty Quapaws and Quapaw Canoe Company.

James Pribram, The Eco-Warrior is joining the Mean Green!

Paddling with Purpose: Below The Surface, The Eco Warrior, & The SUP Spot Meet the Mighty Mississippi

The Adventures of the Mean Green, one stand up paddleboard's journey. Today we are announcing that the Eco-Warrior James Pribram will be joining Below the Surface, The SUP Spot, and the Quapaw Canoe Company on the "Gaining Ground" expedition down the Atchafalaya river. Pribram will paddle the "Mean Green" a majority of the 150-mile journey.

"We are really excited to have the Eco Warrior, James Pribram join our expedition! Having the backing of two pro-surfers, The SUP Spot's Jodie Nelson and The Eco Warrior James Pribram is a huge encouragement to us at Below the Surface. It's a clear indication that they understand that a lot of the problems on our coast don't start there, many start upstream. That is the exact message that we are trying to get out. With a joint effort on all our parts we are confident that we can continue to raise awareness and empower people from inland America to the beaches to Be the Solution." ~Kristian Gustavson Co-Founder, Below The Surface

James Pribram, is the 2007 recipient of the prestigious John Kelly award. An award given through the Surfrider foundation to those who have made the greatest contributions towards protecting or enhancing our coastal community and environment. Past recipients have been Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, and the Malloy brothers. Pribram's Eco Warrior project shows how people can contribute to environmental issues such as improving water quality, protecting endangered reefs and wildlife, and enhancing life on earth for everyone.

For more info visit:

ecowarriorsurf.com

Below The Surface

The SUP Spot

The Adventures of the Mean Green

Meet my Driver, Kristian Gustavson from Below The Surface

Good Ol' El Paso

The Adventures of the Mean Green / On the road... STILL! / 741 miles down / 1020 miles to go / El Paso, TX / @belowthesurface

"People across America just don't understand me.", The Mean Green

Gotta Love the Veggie Power

"This truck smells like tempura, its making me hungry", The Mean Green / Arizona / mile 386 @belowthesurface

Final Tie Down

Feb 1st 11pm. One final tie down & The Mean Green is ready to go! @belowthesurface 1800 miles of road ahead!

One Last Dip in the Pacific

Monday Feb 1st 6:30am Today's schedule is pretty heavy but I took the Mean Green for one last dip @ Pipes for a Dawn Patrol. It was great to recharge and reconnect to the ocean before setting out to The Delta.

The Adventure Begins

The SUP Spot’s “Mean Green” Stand Up Paddle Board is going on the Journey of A Lifetime

THE ADVENTURES OF THE MEAN GREEN

120 gallons of veggie oil, 3600 miles on the road, 150 miles down the Atchafalaya River

Feburary 1, 2010 San Clemente, CA - - On February 2, 2010 at approximately 3:30am, The SUP Spot’s Mean Green stand up paddle board will embark on one of its greatest journeys. Strapped to the top of an old truck powered by veggie oil, the 12 foot Mean Green, shaped by renowned surfboard shaper Tim Stamps, will join the boys from Below The Surface on what is certain to be the journey of a lifetime. The Mission: drive 1800 miles from Point Loma, California to Louisiana and paddle 150 miles down the Atchafalaya River ending up in the Gulf of Mexico with a stop by New Orleans. Why: It’s simple - we all love the Ocean; people need to understand that even if you live in middle America you still have an impact on our oceans.

The SUP Spot (The Stand Up Paddle Spot) is proud to announce they are partnering up with the crew from Below The Surface to bring the sport of Stand Up Paddling from the coast of California all the way to Louisiana, in what The SUP Spot is calling “The Adventures of the Mean Green.” Below the Surface’s message is simple, what happens up stream has an effect on our oceans, and in order to understand what has gone wrong throughout America’s waterways, they must first take a look at the one river in America that is actually working properly, the Atchafalaya. Readers Digest will be doing a story on the Below the Surface organization and will also cover this expedition, which Below the Surface is calling Gaining Ground, because this river actually cleans and restores itself as it travels through the land and ultimately to the ocean. The SUP spot will be doing updates throughout the trip chronicling “The Adventures of the Mean Green” down the Atchafalaya as part of the Gaining Ground Expedition.

“I wanted to partner up with Below the Surface because I believe in what they are doing! Kristian and Jared from Below the Surface are on a mission to explore the waterways of America and shed light on how the pollution that happens upstream impacts our oceans. As an avid ocean user since the age of 12, I have suffered the consequences of pollution, often getting sick after surfing. I wanted to help contribute to the solution. Below the Surface has a plan of attack and they are focused on exploring and discovering the problems and want to bring these issues to America’s attention. I wanted the Mean Green, one of our stand up paddle boards, to go on this adventure because I felt that if we can introduce people in Louisiana to a new sport like Stand Up Paddling it can help foster an intimate relationship with rivers and other bodies of water. When people love something they care for it and that is exactly what we need, more people caring for our waterways.”

~Jodie Nelson of The SUP Spot

About The SUP Spot:

The SUP Spot is committed to ALL things Stand Up Paddling:

the boards, the paddles, the fitness, the equipment and the guidance.

We make SUP accessible to everyone.

Our goal at The SUP Spot is to be the highest authority on the fastest growing water sport in the world. We are dedicated to the promotion and continued growth of Stand Up Paddling by providing the opportunity for everyone to experience this sport.

If you want to find it, try it, buy it, get fit or just have a Stand Up Paddleboard waiting for you at the waters edge wherever you may be in the world, The SUP Spot is your key to all things SUP.

Products & more information are available online at: www.theSUPspot.com info@theSUPspot.com 562.754.2034

About Below the Surface:

Mission Statement: We believe access to clean water is a fundamental right of all living beings and seek to significantly reduce wasteful use of water and water pollution, and the health, economic and environmental hazards it poses by working to elevate and sustain the topic of water pollution in the national dialogue.

Vision: 
Our vision for Below The Surface is to define the characteristics of water stewardship and leadership by personal example, and to empower all people to Be The Solution to water pollution.

Below the Surface Expedition Team

Kristian Gustavson, Founder & Midwest Contact: kristian@belowthesurface.org

Jared Criscuolo, Founder & West Coast Contact: jared@belowthesurface.org

For More Info Visit www.belowthesurface.org

The Adventures of the Mean Green

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