October 21, 2009 Diversion channel to Ohio mm 945.0

October 21, 2009

Diversion Channel to Ohio mm 945.0

We were up early again this morning, but with bringing the dog to shore (cleaning up Port, me, the kayak and securing it on Grateful) and two anchors, we were not off until 8:45. As we had slept, debris had begun drifting down the channel as well and had collected at the mouth of the channel. We had to push our way through and over the deadheads as we left.

Mark did a masterful job of driving – keeping Grateful in the channel and avoiding tows – while I stayed below and worked on blog entries and prayed. The Mississippi runs fast and bends back on itself in several places through the last 50 miles. Meeting or passing tows was tricky and often too close for comfort.

We made it to the Ohio River at 12:30. The Ohio is wide and busy. Idle barges and tows everywhere – it is hard to tell who is moving or still. After the turn up the Ohio, we did the ceremonial switching of our visual cues to help us keep the red and green buoys on the correct sides. We also lost 4.5 knots in speed – we were moving at approximately 7.0 knots per hour. The new Olmstead Lock & Dam is not finished yet, but it appears to be close. It will be HUGE! It will be replacing both L&D #53 and #52. As we continued up river, we discovered that Lock & Dam #53 was not anywhere to be seen.

Finding an anchorage this evening was frustrating. Our charts mentioned several possibilities, but they often seemed to be too close to the channel or not in a protected area. It also appears that the barges have overtaken most of the shoreline. These areas are used to moor barges and build them for eventually traveling on the river. Finally, we found a place below a RR bridge, upriver from a coal loading facility, across from a power plant and tucked behind a huge high wire stanchion. We felt safe anchored between the stanchion and shore as no tows would be using that area for mooring barges. Our anchor held tight as tows passed steadily through the night.

We had the kayak routine to do with Port, but he knows the drill and we are getting better at it – still a mucky shoreline.

October 20, 2009 Hoppie's to diversion channel (48.9)

October 20, 2009

Hoppie’s Marina (158.5) to Little River Diversion Channel (48.9)

“Who are we and what did we do with Mark and Carol?” We were up at 6:00 to make preparations to leave. Mark added a quart of oil to each of Grateful’s engines and filled the water tank. Yesterday, we filled our tanks with 305.5 gallons of fuel at $2.74. Our goal today is to get to Cape Girardeau diversion channel for an anchorage (110 miles). We knew we could do this if the debris didn’t slow us up. Without lock & dams on this part of the Mississippi, the current is much faster and we have gained 2.5 knots per hour. If it weren’t for the strong southerly wind, we might have gained more – we have heard that the Mississippi is about 4 knots at this point. Again, today with the strong current and south wind, turbulence, and tow wakes, we found ourselves fighting up to 3 foot waves and struggling to keep true to course. Upon reflection, this was a harder day than expected – we had to work to steer and we were on constant lookout for deadheads as well as tows. We did, however, make it 110 miles ahead of schedule and in roughly 8 hours.

The first picture is Hoppie’s Marina as we were leaving that morning – nothing more than a conglomeration of barges to tie up to. It is also one of the last places for us to get diesel for the next 250 miles.

Along the way we again saw the constant dredging in many forms. It is imperative that we pass with minimum wake in order not to disrupt the dredging operation. Unexpectedly, we observed strip mining of the bluffs – it looks like they were mining the limestone. Cape Girardeau has a mural painted on their city wall, however, it was hard to capture with the shadows. Shortly after that we were able to get into the Little River Diversion Channel.

The Little River Diversion Channel is a calm and peaceful anchorage and the water depth was at 17-18 feet. We set the bow anchor upstream and then made ready to set out a stern anchor. To do this we needed to break out the kayak. I offered to do this task as I would have to take Port to shore this way, but Mark did this chore. The kayak looks small on him. I later used the kayak to bring Port to land and to do some exploring. Port had one training day on the St. Croix to learn how to get in and ride behind me. Amazingly, after we finally got him on the back platform, he readily got into the kayak and we were off. The problem was the shore – it was all clay and mud. Port and I came back with 20 pounds of it on us and in the kayak. What a mess and we have to do it again in the morning. Exploring resulted in all sorts of new sticky weeds in Port’s coat. This was a night that Port did not get to sleep with me – he wasn’t happy.

October 19, 2009 Alton, IL to Hoppies, Kimmswick, IL

October 19, 2009

Alton, IL (202.9) to Hoppie’s at Kimmswick, IL (158.5)

We finally had to leave Alton with the promise of sunshine and temps in the 70s. However with sunshine came a 15-20 mph wind out of the south. We knew that this would be a good time to take the part of the trip where we have to anchor out for 2-3 nights. However, our day today was short with only 44 miles and two locks.

There were a lot of new things today! First thing out of Alton Marina, we locked through the relatively new Melvin Price lock and dam. A tow was in one chamber so they could lock us through in the auxiliary chamber. Again we had to tie onto floating bollards, but Mark is such a good driver that he gets me right next to them and I can easily wrap the rope around and hang on. Next we had to take the Chain of Rocks Canal – a narrow canal - around a 4 foot waterfall on the Mississippi. No problem there either, but we met a few tows as we went through the narrow canal. At the end of the canal is another lock and dam with two chambers. They were going to be loading a tow in one chamber so we were to use the other. We got the signal to enter – a green light and a strobe, but it looked like the gates were still closed to us. So Mark called and that is when we were told that the front gate was under water – cool! We tied up and waited for another pleasure craft, Kimberly B, and locked through. A tow was waiting to enter as we left. Then we were in the busy St. Louis harbor – lots of activity – tows going everywhere, but we had no difficulty. We took pictures of the famous arch and all the bridges, and the St. Louis skyline.

For the last couple of days there has been debris in the river – logs of every size – as a result of the 4-5 inches of rain farther up north (that we came through). We have been trying to dodge as many as we can, but have hit a couple. Still, so far we have been lucky. With the normal river current, turbulence, wind and tow wakes, we have encountered waves that are 2-3 feet and splash up over Grateful’s bow.

When we got to Hoppie’s, the Kimberly B was fueling up ahead of us. With a short wait we came in and got fuel, then tied down for the night. This all happened before 1:00. We met the skipper of the Kimberly B Rick, and his brother, Bill. All of us remarked how we weren’t used to stopping with an afternoon left in our day, so we decided to have cocktails on Hoppie’s barge. Later Fern came down and took us all through our charts and showed us where there may be good anchorages for the next part of the trip. This is worth the time. We also asked Charles Hopkins, “Hoppie”, what it meant to be a river lamplighter. He might be the last living lamplighter on the river. Apparently, the day and night markers used to be lit by kerosene. Hoppie said the kerosene was intended to burn for 72 hours which meant that twice a week, he and a crew went out and changed the lamps. This was a year-round job in any kind of weather and often they would have to go out and re-light lamps that went out for some reason. He worked at this until 1954. Since then the Army Corps of Engineers have utilized batteries (which also needed to be changed) and are currently using solar energy.

October 17-18, 2009 Alton Marina

October 17-18, 2009

Alton Marina, IL (202.9)

We woke to sunshine at 7:00 and dusted off our caps and sunglasses even though we continued to need several layers of clothing. We cleaned Grateful today on the inside and things are much better. She needs a washing on the outside, but that may have to wait until warmer weather.

The TV saga continued. Mark disassembled the satellite dish and moved it to the front of the boat. We got good reception and ESPN claimed to have the Gopher game on at 2:30. So we watched the WI game ahead of it, and our TV posted a note that due to some regulations they could not broadcast the Gopher game. Steam started to emerge from Mark’s ears. He couldn’t understand how we could have a TV package paying for local channels and not be able to get them. This problem was going to be the same on Sunday for the Vikings. So on Sunday, Mark was on the phone to Direct TV again. It seemed he had plenty of offers for us to buy sports packages for a lot more money. Finally, he was connected to a lady that asked for our zipcode and Marina address, and she connected us with the Alton, IL, area local channels. We were able to watch the last half of the Viking game and we now know how to ask for the channels we need the next time we stop.

We met a couple, Jim and Debbi of the yacht, Emily E, at the Alton Marina. They live in Minnetonka, but have their beautiful Ocean Alexander in Sturgeon Bay, WI. By chance we had met them at West Marine in Minnetonka before we left and wondered if we would see them along the way. They were waiting for a friend to join them so had been in the marina for a couple of days. Sunday night we were going to dinner with them to have what they called, “the best pizza on the river”. When we walked up, the restaurant was closed so we stopped at the biker bar a block down the street. Scary/Funny. The customers had been there for awhile, and we wondered how they would be able to ride their beautiful bikes home. We were told about the ghosts of Alton by a biker who was a Stephen King look-alike. Then I was called over by two guys whose eyes were a little glazed over, and they proceeded to tell me that I was the best looking woman in the bar for an “old chic”. I had to laugh and consider the source – Mark said it might be my next nickname. We went on to Subway, bought sandwiches and ate them on Emily E. Fun time.

Freeport has been adjusting day by day and now knows that “chores” are important to do when we are out because stops are few and far between. Alton is a great place to stop for Port because we can go for long walks and there is a great waterfront park where he can run and retrieve for me. Still getting on and off the boat are troublesome because we have to lift him off. He doesn’t like that part and shakes badly until his feet are on the ground.

The town of Alton has claims to have ghosts from Civil War times, and it was a site for a prison that held Confederate soldiers in 1862-63. During that time the plague broke out and killed over 220 soldiers held there – most of them young farm boys. The town has recently renovated the waterfront with a beautiful amphitheater, fountain, and convention center. We certainly liked it here and decided to stay a third day – and besides they had a hot tub……..

October 16, 2009 Rockport, IL to Alton, IL

October 16, 2009

Two Rivers Marina (283.2) to Alton IL (202.9)

This morning we were up and ready to be towed out of the Two Rivers marina channel by 8:00. However, our tow didn’t show up until we had decided to leave at 8:45. We lightly bumped on the way out so the river level had come up 3-4 inches. As we came down river the RR swingbridge was open and waiting for us so we sailed straight through. As good as the day started we had a bit more trouble in the Lock & Dams # 24 and #25. We entered #24 immediately after a tow and encountered turbulence and no one was there to help us with lines. Mark drove me up to one line and I retrieved that with the gaff and then he held on to the railing with his gaff for dear life. Finally someone came out and set up a line for him. We really needed the lines in both locks as the wind was from the NE and pushed our stern out to a 45 degree angle even with Mark holding on. We had to ask for lines again in #25. I’m not sure if they expected us to float or they didn’t want to come out in the rain and cold. Anyway, we were sharing this lockage with a little open fishing boat with maybe a 4 hp motor carrying two guys and towing another covered fishing boat. They floated in the lockage and then crept out of the lock ahead of us. Mark promised me he wouldn’t run them over, but turbulence and wind make those promises sometimes a challenge to keep.

We traveled 80 miles today and I did most of the driving between the red and greens. I have been fascinated by the duck blinds we have seen along the way. One of these even has a boat garage. There are many car ferries as well. We need to pass with no wake when we passed them. It seems that there have been many wing dams built recently - of course uncharted. Curiously, as I drove, a little house elf got busy unpacking and sorting and putting away much of the food and many of the other things in the other boxes. I probably won’t be able to find anything, but it might be a good excuse not to do the cooking.

We got to Alton in pouring rain and got our first pumpout. That would be 12 days – we may not be as full of **** as we thought.

Alton has a hot tub – Ahhhh….. After enjoying that we decided to stay at least another day, and besides there is supposed to be sunshine tomorrow even though it will be cold.