Phatwater on the Natchez gauge today is 37.68′.  I don’t really have the time to give a detailed review of our halph-Phat from Saturday, but will mention that we paddled the 18.27 mile distance in 1:47:01.  It was rather warm, though overcast, which helped.

I spent most of the day, yesterday, photographing this year’s Phatwater Bowie, #6.  Earlier I sent out an email to close friends, though many of whom are not Phatheads, soliciting their scant earnings for application towards a Bowie Raffle.  As I’ve said, we’ve printed only 120 tickets for this year’s Phatwater Bowie, with a change in price structure to $50 per ticket.  Much greater chances of winning, much less leg work for the beleaguered.

I always wanted to use the verb “Quelled”, but haven’t had the opportunity until today.  Another milestone in my life of many milestones, though far more chips of pea gravel.

Here’s what’s cookin’

Greetings to you all.  This isn’t a “Press Release” for our upcoming Phatwater Bowie, it’s just an advance notification to you all, should you wish to purchase a chance on this year’s knife. I’ve sent this only to friends, or others whom I’ve met through other friends and contacts.  Bear with me.

For many, keeping up with the Phatwater is a difficult thing since it is flowing at upwards of a half-million cubic feet a second. For some, the Phatwater is unknown, so I’ll take this opportunity to explain that the “Phatwater” is our Nom de Guerre for the Mississippi River, where, each October, we host an annual kayak and canoe race known as the Phatwater Kayak Challenge.  The Phatwater, held each year since 2002, is a benefit for our local Humane Society, which is in no way affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States.

In 2005, I commissioned Mississippi’s only ABS recognized Master Smith, Terry Vandeventer, to build a “Bowie Knife” for the Phatwater which we then raffled away at ten bucks a throw.  It seemed appropriate to call the knife the “Phatwater Bowie”, since, on the approach to the Phatwater Phinish line, our race participants paddle over the very site where the legend of the “Bowie Knife” began, in Natchez, Mississippi. You can read about the historic event here:

http://www.historynet.com/the-bowie-knife-unsheathing-an-american-legend-book-review.htm

In the past five years the Phatwater Bowie has netted $27,000.00 in proceeds for our homeless dogs and cats.  Mr. Mike Worley, of Natchez, a Bowie Knife aficionado and notable collector, has sponsored the construction of the Phatwater Bowie for the past half-decade.  Thank you again, Mike.

When we began the Phatwater Bowie Knife project, it was our intention to print only 500 tickets per year, although this year we’ve had to pay for the production of the knife ourselves, so we decided to lower the number of tickets to 120, and change our price structure to reflect the exclusivity of this stunning piece of cutlery.  This year’s tickets will be $50 apiece-about what it takes to fill a vehicle for a round trip to The State Championship Tractor Pull.

Here’s a shot of this year’s Phatwater Bowie, #6.

I call this one the “Zambezi”, in honor of one of the other lesser publicized, though far more dangerous rivers of the world.  That’s not a Crocodile Skull, by the way, because I didn’t have one handy.  It’s an Alligator Skull, from an 11+footer.  He’d become a bit “cheeky” with the fishermen at Natchez State Park, and was rendered neutral by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. I’m still going with the Crocodile Motif, however, because, in other photos of this year’s Phatwater Bowie, you will see not only Terry’s Brilliant metal work, but as well his skill in working with leather.  The sheath for this year’s knife, in the style of the work of Paul Long, is inlaid with crocodile skin, grown commercially, perhaps in Zimbabwe, perhaps along the shores of the Zambezi.

If you’d like to order one, or more Phatwater Bowie raffle tickets, just send us a check made out to NACHS (Natchez-Adams County Humane Society).  It’s tax deductible, but I don’t think the trip to the tractor pull is.

Phatwater Kayak Challenge

200 Dunkerron Road

Natchez, Mississippi 39120

We’ll contact you immediately if you win, and will ship the knife, express, insured for it’s value: $3000.00 U.S.

All For Now-KB