8JUNE2011 @ Pierre, SD - Up at 0600 I visited the Country Kitchen for breakfast then packed my gear and checked out of the shelter. Today will be much cooler with a north or NW wind ... perfect.  Todd Surdez opened the golf cart barn and I rolled the canoe a mile to the Farm Island Park.  Bob and I loaded all my gear in the canoe and I continued the rolling down to a flooded asphalt walking path.  Interesting launch walking on an asphalt path pulling the canoe through the wet weeds until it is floating well enough to step in ... then paddling above the walking path, across campsites, past electricity supply uprights and past picnic shelters.  Had I portaged to Farm Island yesterday I had many places to tie the canoe and several good sleeping sites ... like on picnic tables under shelters.  Angling south, I got into open water between the island and the north shore.  This water has no current because an upstream causeway still is above the flood waters.  For about three miles I paddled in this backwater, then joined the river ... or Lake Sharp.  I consider it to be the lake because it is wide and flat ... though it has a serious current.  A flow of 150,000 cfs makes a current that can be felt, especially when the main channel shifts to my side of the river/lake. 
Spring is out in full force now.  Beautiful purple flowers splash along the waterfront and small white flowers are everywhere.  Every tree is full leafed and bright green.  The plants are to the water's edge at all places and there is no dust; it is impossible for South Dakota to look any prettier. 
Today I saw ducks, geese, frogs, whitetail deer and beaver.  The deer continue to be plentiful.  My mileage today was 20, ending at the ranch just east from the DeGray fishing access site.  I was afforded a sheltered bedsite on an enclosed porch - nice folks here.