Thanks to the dedication of the City of Natchez engineering department and public works and the Adams County Road Department, led by David Atkins, Justin Dollar and Robbie Dollar, respectively, and following the suggestion by Phatwater board member Adam Elliott to cover the exposed rip-rap and aging mat field with a mountain of sand, at the bank of the Mississippi River below the extent of the Fulton Street boat launch ramp, the Phatwater Kayak Challenge XI, last weekend enjoyed not only a huge success, but a very safe landing for an otherwise ankle biting, tenuous and potentially tetanus producing shore.

On Wednesday, Oct. 10, a crew from these organizations arrived with dump trucks, backhoes, bush hogs and determination, and in fewer than three hours, rendered a dangerous obstacle course into what we at the Phatwater found comfort in referring to it as “The Natchez Beach.”

It’s still there, if you’d care to take a look, and bear witness to the sort of effort for which our coalition of public works personnel are routinely called upon to provide, though for which they are seldom duly recognized.

A tremendous thanks, guys, to you all, from the pholks at the Phatwater.

 

Keith Benoist

director, the Phatwater Kayak Challenge