Field Notes: The search for the Paw Paw

The great thing about being a river guide is the opportunity to be a part of both recreational trips and exploratory expeditions. Expeditions take you on a journey to find the information (or inspiration) that’s essential for the creation of art or the findings of science.

I awoke one morning to find a strange fruit on the table, sliced and ready to eat.

It tasted good, like a cross between a mango and a papaya.

This fruit was the instigator for the next adventure: to find the Paw Paw tree.

Paw Paw trees are temperate fruit trees that grow in thick deciduous forests along rivers in Eastern North America. The fruit doesn’t usually mature until around the first frost, when they fall to the earth and sweeten. It is commonly found in thick hardwood forests because they need the shade of the big trees in their early lives. They are rumored to have been staple for the Native Americans, Lewis and Clark and our country’s founders but are a fruit a largely forgotten in today’s society.

I learned all about the Paw Paw tree from Andrew Moore, who asked Quapaw Canoe Company to help him find these elusive treasures along the Mississippi River. Together, we discussed the logistics of our trip, stared at the map, decided on our strategy and prepared for the journey.

I asked him, “So what’s your deal with the PawPaw tree?”

He replied, “I’m writing a book on the tree, but I have to find it to get the funding. I figured the Mississippi River was my best chance.”

I agreed and was determined to be a part of the discovery!

As we pulled over the levee on our way to the River and I was already envisioning success. It’s a technique I learned playing football; you play the game in your head before you play the game. Abruptly, Ellis Johnson, our shuttle driver shouted, “Quit smiling River, we haven’t even seen the water yet!”

 

The river was glistening
as if it had just rained.

 

Eventually, we headed for the bottom end of our destination island, a sandy bluff with willow trees shooting vertically resembling palm trees of the Caribbean, spaced evenly within a flat landscape creating endless tent sites between the trees. We set up camp early and set off to explore the middle of the island before dark.

The setting starts to change as the ground feels saturated with a combination of sand and silt, new growth sprouting between every crack. It’s a dried up pond. The smell of dead fish fills the air. There are three large fish who probably ruled the marsh disintegrated into the bed looking as if already fossilized. I looked at the canopy and notice a huge great horned owl perched in a large cottonwood tree.

 

I think to myself, “Why is she here?”

 

Struggling through brush, we find a large clearing with driftwood stacked in asymmetrical arrangements. I took a step and my peripheral perception thinks the pile moved. It didn’t. It surface was alive though, covered with thousands of crickets, centipedes as well as hundreds of frogs. I took another step and notice a huge cottonmouth snake perfectly camouflaged within a hollowed log.

 

 

“Andy snake left,” I calmly stated.

“There’s two more,” I add.

“There’s a four foot northern water snake on that log,” I noticed.

“River, let’s get out of here; there’s no Paw Paws in here,” Andy replied.

I add, “That’s a great idea. Now, I know why the owls are here!”

The next morning, we pulled into Mellwood chute thankful for the relief from the bright sun. Clear water is flowing out of the lake, as various bass species feed in the clear discharge. At the beginning of the waterway we decided to explore the forest at the entrance, left bank descending. Andy took off.

As I secure the boat I hear, “River! River!”

I  ran up the embankment, through thick vegetation, not knowing what to expect from Andy’s screams…  more snakes, or…

…and there he was.

Surrounded by a forest of Paw Paw trees.

 

“River, we did it!”

 

 

We spent hours shaking trees looking for ripe fruit. Andy said, “We don’t have to go the next 20 miles, I’m content.”

(Check out more photos of Andy’s journey of discovery on his flicker page here!)

Returning home, I saw the lights from Quapaw Canoe Company in the distance and smiled celebrating another journey completed.

Get to know your river.

 

 

 

-Mark River

Mark River Peoples is a guide and teacher with Quapaw Canoe Company and is also the 1 Mississippi Southern Region Intern representing the Lower Mississippi River Foundation.  You can get on the River too using the Rivergator website at www.rivergator.org, or signing up for a guided trip with Mark on the Quapaw Canoe company website.