can’t recall my first introduction to the canoe, but as a Boy Scout, I can remember my first expedition involving several days on the Tallapoosa River. My troop put our boats in below Thurlow Dam near Tallasee, Alabama. Our destination was Ft. Toulouse at the confluence of the Tallapoosa and Coosa Rivers.

We used canoes that were secured from Camp Tukabatchee, a Boy Scout camp near Prattville. They were aluminum boats made by the Grumman Company. There was a lot of excitement among the troop as we embarked on what we thought would be a lazy string of fun-filled days camping along the Tallapoosa River.