Moonlight Paddle: Forest Park, June 11, 2015

Even though the blog is called "Just Hiking", I feel that the Moonlight Paddleboat trip qualifies because one does use legs and feet to pedal from the Boathouse in Forest Park to the Grand Basin beneath Art Hill. The task is more relaxing than strenuous, however.

The fountains in the Grand Basin are restored to their original 1904 World's Fair glory, but they are more than just decorative. Access this link for an explanation about how they contribute to the waterway system in Forest Park.

Paul and I have once before gone on the Moonlight Paddleboat Picnic and were delighted to find that the Boathouse was offering the experience once again, June-September 2015.  You pre-pay on line, and find a paddle boat packed with your picnic selections and a bottle of wine waiting for you on the dock.

Thursday's weather was excellent for St. Louis. In the 90's, but there was a vigorous breeze as we paddled into the sunlight.  Rounding the bend, the sun began to go down and we could float a bit, enjoying the tributaries that branch off from Post Dispatch Lake. Generous donations over the past twenty years have helped the park create a linear connected waterway system.

As the sun set, we floated around the lake with the other paddle boat picnickers, enjoying our wine and dessert.



Paul noticed two marriage proposals. The first couple to get engaged is in the lower left hand corner of this picture.  There was a photographer waiting at the end of the trip for the second couple.  Both women seemed excited, smiling and crying.

The Art Museum on the hill above the Grand Basin, as the sun sets.

On the way back, we paddled under a bridge, which made everything in front of us seem to be bathed in blue light.