Picture of the day - February 2, 2008

Sunset on the Mississippi River

Photo courtesy of Joseph Farnsworth. There are few things in nature that are prettier than a spectacular sunset over a body of water, and today's picture by photographer Joseph Farnsworth overlooking the Mississippi River at Nauvoo, Illinois depicts one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen! The mighty Mississippi is perhaps the most important inland waterway in the United States. This vast river and its tributaries drain 31 of the lower 48 states as well as two Canadian provinces, making its drainage basin the third largest in the entire world. Numerous boats, barges and ships carry passengers and cargo up and down the Mississippi every day, and her waters quench the thirsts of hundreds of cities, towns and rural communities that lie along her banks between her headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota and the Gulf of Mexico. But as important as this amazing river is because of the tangible benefits she provides to our citizenry, the pleasure she provides is just as important. The waters of the Mississippi offer countless opportunities for world-class fishing, swimming, boating, water skiing, and a number of other water activities, and as you can see in today's picture they make for some pretty spectacular vistas as well!   Click here to comment on this picture.   Visit the POTD Archives for previous "Pictures Of The Day"!     Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"