Wednesday, August 24 dawned overcast and cool, but our plans for a day of rafting on the Grand River from Paris to Brantford with our friends, went forward and we had an awesome time! Gerry and Dia, Harry and Annie, Pam and Alan joined Jack and I for coffee at the "Brown Dog Cafe" in Paris. They have a balcony overhanging the river and as we enjoyed fresh apple fritters (Thanks, Harry) the sun began to peek out and we were excited to get going.

Grand River Experiences rent kayaks, canoes, and rafts for individuals and groups to make their way 12 km down the river. The current is strong, the water is fairly shallow and the scenery along the way is interesting. We saw a bald eagle, cormorants, and cranes as well as families of ducks paddling along while we paddled next to them. The wind was fairly strong and sometimes it pushed us along with the current and at other times we fought with it because it seemed as strong pushing against us as the current was pushing us forward. We laughed a lot and had one "grand experience"!