So we finally left Alton on 9/25. As we were leaving slip, Julie says "Hey there's no water". Well I knew tanks were full so I went below to check the pump and you guessed it...DOA. Luckily, I had a spare (albeit less GPM and not a direct replacement) but with a little ingenuity and the Admiral piloting the boat through all the turbulence and tow traffic around St Louis, I got a spare installed and we had water to anchor out the next couple nights. Not sure you can get to the Mississippi from the Illinois!
Which way?
Julie even captured this photo of the arch while piloting (I was in the lazarette installing a water pump!!)
Then after I took over on the helm, the upper station VHF decided to quit. It is not fun trying to communicate with fellow boaters and tows with a handheld radio, but that is all we had at that point. Unless of course we piloted from below, with the reduced visibility there. Neither of us prefers that with all the tow traffic so we made due. Frustrating.
One of the boaters we were travelling with said this..."something on the boat is always broken, you just don't know what it is." How true.
The first night we made it to Hoppies Marina, nothing more than a few barges tied to shore with fuel and electricity. The famous Fern (owner) usually gives a river briefing to help with the downstream anchoring spots. But due to a family emergency, she could not do so this evening. So we still gathered as a group and decided on Little Diversion Channel as a first destination. No locks and a 110 mile day but doable with the river current push. Hoppies moored with bow to current...mandatory to approach and leave docks in a 3-4 knot current...something this Lake Michigan boater was not used to but learned earlier at Beardstown.
It turned out to be an excellent choice. We rafted with our friends on JimKat, each dropping anchor and backing to tie port to port so one boat's stern lines up with the others bow. That way each boat effectively has a bow and stern anchor so there is space for more boats, as the boats do not drift at anchor with winds. It was quiet and well off the river with no wakes or disturbances. Nice! Note how far off the Mississippi we are! And in 15' of water.
Cruising the Ohio on Sunday we ran across two separate groups performing baptisms in the river. Interesting approach. Here is one. Nice background at the boat ramp huh?
Day two on the hook was up for grabs. We wanted to get through the notoriously slow locks 53 and 52. Here we are in lock 53. You can see why they need replacing! We weren't sure our fenders would survive with all the rough metal hanging out, etc....but we survived.
Well we only made it through 53 so we punted. Fellow GLGBA members Ben and Jane on Jammin Jane suggested Bean Creek anchorage near Joppa IL (although across the river on the MO side) as they had stayed there a few nights prior when also caught between the locks. It was an excellent suggestion, well off the channel (although still in the Ohio R) with good holding, about 10' of water and no wakes to speak of. This was the super moon and eclipse night but clouds precluded the moonrise and we were too tired to stay up for the eclipse. Still a great night at anchor.
Super moon peeking out for a moment.....
Next morning we hit the river at 6:35 AM to get through lock 52 at a reasonable hour. Well, it was still a very long wait as pleasure craft are not the first priority. But we got through and then had to decide whether to take the Tennessee (supposedly lots off tow traffic and potential delays at Kentucky Lock) or the Cumberland (longer but less tows). Two boats decided on Tennessee and three the Cumberland, all with Green Turtle Bay Marina in Grand Rivers, KY as the destination. Who "won" you ask? Well we took the Cumberland and arrived about an hour later than the others. But we saw another river and it was a very scenic route. So we both won!
We had a different experience in the Barkley lock. Doors closed for our 50+ foot lift but then reopened. Hmmm, wonder why? Well a few minutes later this small craft we passed about three hours ago entered the lock. It is a truck camper mounted on some sort of small boat with a tiny outboard. Brave souls!
Hindsight says we should have slowed to their pace as the lockmasters do try to get all pleasure craft in the area through the locks in a bunch. So I still have to remember I am retired and this is not a race I guess! :>) And this lock was fast once all boats were secured to the bollards. It was almost like being on an elevator! 50'+ lift in no time at all!
And a Cat in the Hatt sighting again. We met these folks in S Haven and they leave their boat signature sticker on each lock they navigate. This is the second time we found their "mark"!!
We ended up slipped next to Jammin Jane at Green Turtle when we arrived on Monday. We were telling them about our equipment malfunctions and Ben showed up with a spare VHF radio. He said it was his "back up to his back up" so we should please take it. Wow, how thoughtful. I plan to temporarily install it until we can get a new radio in Florence AL. Thanks Ben and Jane!!
Tuesday I installed the correct fresh water pump (Green Turtle had one in stock) and Julie and I washed the boat, which was pretty gritty as the last wash was before Labor Day. So it was a work day.
Grand Rivers town is about a 1 mile walk. So Wednesday before breakfast, we went out for a walk for exercise and combined it with a trip to the grocery store. Two cars and a golf cart all offered us a ride! We passed as we do need to get moving from time to time....may even have to try to do some laps in the indoor pool here.
I scheduled a follow up eye evaluation in Florence AL for Monday Oct. 12. Given we have some time to get there, we are going to stay here for a while. Its a nice marina (another floating one) and many of the folks we have met along the way are here as well. They have a special Looper barbeque (Looper-Q) on Oct 1 and banners that read "Welcome Loopers, We've Been Waiting All Summer for You". Nice place and very friendly. Great ship store too. A couple restaurants on site. Like I said earlier, we're staying here for a while...
Sept statistics (plus August 27-31):
Miles travelled: 809
Travel days: 13
Engine hours: 90 (lots of idling at locks waiting, waiting, waiting....)
Locks: 14
Bridges opened: 5
Days on hook or free wall: 3
Gallons of diesel: 556
So month one of our journey is in the history books. And many say the river system from Chicago to Kentucky Lake is the toughest part navigating with all the tows, locks, etc. In hindsight it was not all bad, albeit a bit frustrating waiting and waiting for locks. But we are here safe and sound and thankful for God's grace overseeing our journey. Thanks for following our adventure.
2 comments:
Glad to see your recent blog. Hope all troubles are behind you and you will have warm weather and calm waters.
Glad im not dong this.
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