Your Newest COVID-friendly Location: 7 Ways to Enjoy the Nish!

My COVID-Safe location of the day:  the Nishnabotna River, or the Nish, as it is often referred.  So I admit it, I’ve spent my whole life driving over it, but I haven’t exactly gotten up close and personal with it other than some unfortunate flood waters.  But guess what?  There’s no time like the present to see it! 

With outdoors being one of the best places to be in the midst of the pandemic, why not get a little closer view?  There are actually access points for putting boats, kayaks, canoes, and tubes in the water all along the Nish whether you want to check out Botna Bend in Hancock and then the river, or check it out in Chautauqua in Oakland, next to the Rodeo grounds in Carson, or at Old Town Park in Macedonia. For all the water levels and inside scoops, the Friends of the Nish has you covered!

Now, the weather is supposed to get nice so maybe tubing or tanking are calling your name!  Floating down the river sounds relaxing, right?  Or grab that kayak or canoe and get a little exercise paddling, too!

Another fave:  rubber duck races!  The folks at Macedonia started this, but it’s perfect for family fun, too.  Get your rubber duckies painted or numbered and set them free off one of the local bridges and head downstream to see who comes in first at the next bridge!

Personally, I'm a big fan of the island party!  The Nish has a few sandbars that are calling your name.  Pretend your on that Carribean vacation - grab the picnic basket, the cooler, and the beach towels! Lounge in the sun on the sand!

Not so much a fan of being in the river?  NO problem!  You can fish the Nish!  There’s even a # for it!  (Just make sure you have a fishing license though please.)  Hey, they call fishing a sport, too!

Not a sports person?  Again, no problem!  You can feed the ducks, geese, fish, turtles, whatever you find!  Make sure you get those pieces of bread crumbled up good or order some fish food!  I promise you something will pop up to eat your food!

You might also want to take your binoculars!  Do a little bird-watching or maybe we should call it wildlife-watching because you can always check for the West Nish Monster (related to the Lock Ness Monster, of course), too!  I happen to know there’s an eagle nesting near the Oakland bridge waiting for you spot it!

What else can you do on the Nish?  Well, I, personally, love to grab my camera or my phone and get some pics!  Take those selfies.  Find some birds or wildflowers or whatever you see and have a little fun with your camera. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?  So stop and smell those… wild roses or fish or Canadian geese!

There really are lots of options of how to enjoy the river, get in your home-schooling, and just appreciate nature in general.  Sometimes, we forget that we have fabulous resources sitting right next to us and here is a perfect example! 

Take on the Nish, my friends!

But whatever you do – don’t forget your life-vest!  Stay safe, Pott. Co-eds!

---