3JUNE2012 near Simsboro, AR - Fireflies are the first animal to acknowledge daylight.  While still dark they shut down.  Next the horizon begins to display a change so slight that we humans aren't sure whether it is morning or our projection onto our awareness of the morning that we know is coming.  Next the birds begin announcing themselves followed by stars beginning to twinkle out.  This morning that was me out there paddling downstream at about the time the fireflies quit.  That was me hugging the shore ever mindful that a mishap near shore would probably not be devastating.  That was me passing the 1st mileage marker while it was still too dark to read it.  That was me finishing 5 miles before the suns rays were first seen along the right bank.  Because that was me out doing those things so early I was able to partake of the breakfast buffet at Fitzgeralds at 0900 (at $6.95 the deal of the trip).  Also, of course, starting so early made it possible to finish the trip today ... and I am in a completion frame of mind.  
Fitzgerald's is a paddler friendly place.  A wonderfully built off-river boat ramp leads to a sportsman's parking lot through which one may easily stroll to the hotel/casino.  One cannot access the internet there (well, without paying - how gauche!) so I was not able to tell the world that I was out and about. 
At the Mhoon landing I saw a totally gorgeous wood strip canoe so I pulled over and had an introduction to McLean Sullivan and his 19 foot canoe.  Nineteen feet - bigger than mine!  That is a first and, oh boy, how gorgeous that canoe is.  McLean has a friend who makes canoes as large as 24 feet - and equally as pretty I surmise.  I want to return and see more.  I would liked to see more even today, but I am in a completion frame of mind, so I pushed on.  Before doing so I related my blogspot name and McLean assured me he would inform the blogosphere that he saw me alive.
From the Mhoon landing I needed only finish the right bend, then bend left and would be able to see down a long straight passage almost to Helena.  Indeed that is as I saw it.  The long passage proved to be longer than I anticipated, however.  Not only was it long, the shipping channel veered way right then way left then right again and with the head wind the channel was needed.  After what seemed to be eternity I came to the last left bend after which I would bend right and finish the last few miles into Helena.  The long bend left is indeed long and I was facing the stiffest wind of the day.  The left bend would eventually provide a decent wind shadow, but not at the beginning.  Even so, I chose to go close to the shore so as to enjoy every bit of leeward benefit I could as it incrementally increased.  About halfway through the bend the St Francis river enters from the right.  As I got closer I could see boats entering and exiting there and thought how nice to be able to get some local info there. 
Helena has two boat ramps; I stopped at the first one encountered ... which is also where three folks were waiting for me.  Case, Trip and Madison had been dispatched by Lannie Travis to find me and bring me in.  I'm out on the river, tired, wondering if anyone will be at the boat ramp when I finally arrive and I read a mileage marker ... indicating that I still have 11 miles to paddle (actually 9, but I thought 11).  I get demoralized, wondering when I may finally get there ... dark?  For the last mile my progress has been excrutiatingly slow; 11 more of those is probably not going to happen- at least not today.  While progressing down the shore will put me ever incrementally into a better and better wind shadow, and sure, that will allow easier progress ... eventually I will need to turn the corner and face the wind for three or four miles ... argggh.  Double argggh if those miles will be like the last mile.  So as I am depressing over this, a jon boat with Case and Trip aboard approaches and asks if I am me.  Suddenly my depressing subsides ... I am being welcomed.  More than just welcoming, they tell me a second Helena boat ramp is just ahead, at the mouth of the St Francis river.  Ahhh - no more 11 mile exertion.  Just paddle in ... maybe it is a half mile.  Case's truck is right there and these two young men are ready to load me on and drive me in.  Ahhhhhhh OMGeeee how nice.  They first took me to Lannie's houise where we set the canoe in the shop.  Ditto for much of the gear.  They then dropped me at the Edwardian Inn, a wonderful bed and breakfast that sits a short walk from the river.  Had I paddled in and knew to walk here and knock I could have had lodging without having a local connection.  By dark I was showered, fed and sitting happy, contemplating the end of a long journey. 
Today I paddled from river mile 715 to river mile 672, a distance of 43 miles.  Today I saw three whitetail deer, herons, ducks, frog and a terrapin.  I saw a furry reddish thing-  I think a squirrel.