24MAY2012 @ Trail of Tears Park, MO - The sun was shining through when I emerged from my tent.  Calm as the forecast stated, I went about my packing up somewhat oblivious of the possibility of increased wind.  The forecast stated the wind would begin in earnest at about 1100 and in the single digits before that.  I therefore concluded that the 8 miles or so to Cape Girardeau could be easily completed before 11 if I started before 0900.  I tarried having breakfast with Ronn and Sandy Murphy and was indeed pushing off at about 0900.  Well, I was immediately into a pretty energetic river, so energetic that I was a bit alarmed, wondering if indeed I could get to Cape Girardeau.  It did not take long before my first challenge came in the form of an upstream barge.  I got way to the right and was pleasantly surprised that the waves and surge were no problem ... possibly the wind action stifles boat waves.  Paddling my way around a long sweeping right hand turn, my concentration remained fixed only on the wind and the emerging opposite shoreline.  I was able to continue downwind adequately enough by positioning myself a bit forward in the canoe so that the tendency of the wind to swing the front end around was lessened.  I basically went from green buoy to green buoy all the while slowly turning right ... and seeing no change in the opposite bank.  The opposite bank was full of trees ... every time I looked, which was almost constantly.  After too much time getting battered about I went to the left bank to get some wind shelter, and that worked well.  While still windy, it allowed me to also get a longer look downstream and I saw the end of the right bend ... yet still only trees on the opposite bank (which is now the right bank).  Well, anyway, I knew the next bend left would reveal Cape Girardeau ... and indeed it did.  The place I could first see the town was about four miles out and the wind was increasing ... even so I finally arrived.  It required 4 hours to paddle the 15 miles today, not two hours and 6 to 8 miles as I had guessed.  By the time I landed the wind was in excess of 20 mph.  Tammi Frazier and brother Jeff were "Angels on Call" helping me shag my gear to their car and then to Neumeyer's Bed and Breakfast, about four blocks off the river.  When I went back to the waterfront an hour later whitecaps were everywhere - I'm guessing 25 mph and more.  Clearly I got in in time ... equally clearly I am tired.  Tom Neumeyer welcomed me to the Neumeyer's Bed and Breakfast (573-335-0449) and by 1500 I was clean, clothed and my liquid levels were back to normal.  I may stay two nights.
Today I paddled from river mile 67 to river mile 52, a distance of 15 miles.  It is 52 miles to Cairo and another 293 miles to Helena for a total of 345 miles.
Animals seen were ... well, some sort of bug was blown into my face (almost my mouth) once, but I did not categorize it.  I probably saw a duck and a great blue heron, but can not remember.  I'm about the only animal out today.