Three years ago, following the cardinal water safety rule “never go paddling alone,” a new paddling group in western Wisconsin was born. The Driftless Paddlers, based in Viroqua, Wisconsin, took its the name from the unique unglaciated pastoral region of central Wisconsin known as “the driftless area.”

I founded the group three years ago after moving to Viroqua from Arkansas, where there’s always people with whom I could kayak. For safety’s sake, I knew better than to head out on the Mississippi, Wisconsin or Kickapoo rivers without a partner.

So shortly after the move, I placed an ad in the Vernon County Broadcaster, the local weekly newspaper. In no time I heard from six paddlers interested in regularly scheduled adventures on the numerous scenic streams in the region. Since then the group has grown to 30 members.

Members are required to have their own boats and equipment, and must wear a personal flotation device when paddling. They should be in good health and able to safely paddle their boats.

Sally Marshall, of Viroqua, one of the group’s original members, loves to paddle her kayak and enjoy the wilderness scenery and wildlife such as the bald eagles, herons and sand hill cranes.

“Only about 10 to 12 of the current group paddles weekly, usually on a Wednesday,” she confirms. “The group decides where the paddling trips will go a week in advance by consensus and then e-mail notices are sent out.”

Marshall also serves as a Kickapoo River trip leader for the Mad City Paddlers of Madison in the fall and spring.

The collegial group has no bylaws, dues, fees or officers. Like me, the other members are largely retired seniors who love paddling our boats at a leisurely pace and enjoy nature and the fellowship. We’ll eat lunch on a sandbar or gather at a local bar and grill, or restaurant.

“The organized outings stress safety and group integrity during our daylong adventures,” said Mary Rondeau, who, with her husband, Tom, are also founding members. “We stay together with a buddy system. Each paddler keeps an eye on the paddler immediately behind them so no one is left behind.”

The Driftless Paddlers weekly schedule includes paddle trips within the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge and on the lower Wisconsin, Kickapoo, Black, La Crosse rivers. This year, for the first time, the group will check out the upper Iowa near Decorah, Iowa, and the Root River near Lanesboro, Minnesota.

There are other groups in the Driftless Region who have regularly scheduled paddling sessions, too. The La Crosse-based Coulee Canoe and Kayak Club (www.ccakc.org.), LaCrosse outdoor equipment store, and Three Rivers Outdoors (3RO) host two weekly paddling sessions – 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays the women-only River Divas paddle and at the same time Tuesday a coed group meets – in different La Crosse areas. For more information, call 3RO at 608/793-1470. Contact the author for Driftless Paddlers info by calling 608/637-7624.

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