Boat Ramblings 7

19th Sept, 2014......secured alongside for the night at the Kaskaskia Lock and Dam just off the Mississippi having survived two days now, riding the turbulent waters of that giant river.

At the end of the last Ramblings, we were in Grafton, Illinois.  Well there was a change in plans from our intended 3 day stop over there.  In rolled several days of heavy rain, apparently most unseasonal.  We hunkered down in the Grafton marina and waited on the weather, and we were not alone.  Quite a few other Loopers took refuge in the marina as the weather deteriorated.  The word went out, no one in their right mind should be heading out onto the Illinois or Mississippi River, as they were rising.  Indeed they did rise to over flood stage, flooding lower lying areas.  We ended up waiting 9 days before the locals deemed the rivers safe to continue on our way.  By this time 30 odd boats doing the Great Loop had gathered and were waiting.  It was quite the social time.  The Grafton marina did a stirling job of accommodating such a large group, parking us wherever they could to keep us safe from the high waters.

As the rivers dropped below flood stage (but still high at 25ft above normal levels)  we ventured forth into the mighty Mississippi River.  Man she sure does flow.....we had 5-6 knots of current under us, sending Halcyon careering along at a breakneck speed for an ole girl, probably the fastest she has ever gone in her life.  The rains had washed forests of trees, logs, branches and garbage into the river, all of which hurtled along with us.  It was like playing dodg'em cars or in this case, dodg'em logs.  Add into the mix the Tows and their barges and then the river herself which consistently belched up giant whirlpools, sending Halcyon's bow slewing left and right like a drunken wench. (Wench!...it is international "talk like a pirate" day today.....aarrrh, afvast th'r me hearties).  Well any how, although the river is impressive, after we had passed the confluence of the great Missouri River where she pours herself into the Mississippi (along with all her debris), the Mississippi took on a muddy life of her own and really became IMPRESSIVE.  It was an exhilarating ride, but Richard considered it just plain worrisome. We passed through St. Louis, reputed to be the busiest port in USA.  It is a major hub for the Tows and a major headache for the pleasure cruiser who must constantly keep a vigil on all the moving and maneuvering Tows and their barges in this area.  The waters were churned up and bouncing in all directions due to their turbulence.  Needless to say we were tossed around like a dancing damsel.  There are no marinas for pleasure boats in St. Louis, which is probably wise, so we were making for Hoppies, the only safe stopping off point along this part of the river.  It also was the last place for topping up on fuel and water for at least a week.

In another time and place Hoppies may well pass for the boater's equivalent of that property resplendent with all the dead car bodies, rusting machinery parts and derelict building, but Hoppies' is an institution in itself.  Run by ole man Hoppie and his wife Fern, they are true river rats (meant in the nicest way).  Their "marina" consists of several very, very old barges lashed together and secured to the unprotected shoreline and that was about it, apart from the on shore rotting boats, rusting machinery and derelict buildings.  One battled the current across the river, avoiding the massive amount of debris rushing by, and endeavored to arrive as gracefully as possible up against their barges....this was home for us for 2 nights.  Hoppie and Fern are the salt of the earth and Fern's evening lecture for all passing Loopers, is well known throughout the boating community as a "not to be missed" if one wished to traverse the rivers safely.  Having lived on the river all her long life, Fern is a warehouse of prudent information, along with the do's and don'ts of where to anchor, where the river belches particularly strongly, areas that are of particular concern and so forth.....all that good stuff.

On the 2nd morning there, Fern informed us a Tow had turned turtle and met its waterloo that morning about 50 miles downstream and the river was now closed to all traffic.  Fortunately the crew were rescued but that left we and the 4 other Loopers moored at Hoppies somewhat stranded.  We chewed our fingernails for 24 hours wondering how long the river would be closed while the Tow was located and moved out of harm's way.  While we waited we wandered up to the nearby town of Kimmswick, a quaint little town, the second oldest in Missouri.  We were endlessly amused by the fact, however, that everything, but everything would close up for the evening come 5pm....even the restaurants and there was absolutely nowhere to buy essentials such as bread or milk....strange place.  The next morning the Coast Guard gave the all clear to reopen the river.  We did pass the hapless Tow later that day, with just the very top of its superstructure visible  The current had pushed it clear of the deeper waters, however, allowing business as usual on the river.

I had mentioned in the previous Ramblings that Richard had figured out "Com'on b'arr me onthawussle" meant come by me on the one whistle  (pass the Tow and barges on the starboard side).  Well Richard had a "aha" moment today and deciphered  "com'on b'arr me onthaTwussles", was "come on by me on the 2 whistles"  (pass on the port side)......but of course!!

Two days later:  We survived the Mississippi and were quite happy to leave her silt laden, muddy waters today and turn east up the Ohio River.  Although the Ohio R. is a little sister to the Mississippi, she is still quite large and is also overloaded with Tows and barges.  She is, however, more genteel and does not carry the mud and silt, which has played havoc with the moving parts of Halcyon's undercarriage (stuffing boxes).  As we entered the Ohio, Halcyon's speed dropped from 12 knots to 6 knots, for we now begin working our way up river against the current, which fortunately does not flow too strongly.

Managed to negotiate a couple more of those inevitable locks, but this time with limited waiting time, and moved on into the small and pretty Cumberland River.  Although it meant adding an extra 20 odd miles to reach the Tennessee River, we took the Cumberland River route mainly to bypass the Kentucky Lock which had a notorious reputation for keeping pleasure craft waiting for hours before allowing them to pass through.  A lady Looper who has taken on the challenge of doing the Loop alone, in her small Rambling Tug, told us she arrived around 4pm at that particular lock and had to twiddle her fingers until 11pm (there being nowhere else to go), at which time she was allowed to pass through the lock.  Once through the lock, she had to pick her way along the river in the dark then find her way into a marina in the wee hours of the morning...and just to add to her woes, of course once in the marina, no one was around at that hour to assist her with directions or docking.   Not very friendly!  We had no trouble going the long way around.

29th Sept:   It has been a warm and lovely week spent exploring Kentucky Lake in KY.  As the area is primarily a State Park, it provided lovely quiet anchorages mingled with the odd stopover in a marina for the night, which was inevitably accompanied by a social Looper's gathering on the docks for sundowners.  Ambled on down to Pebble Isle Marina, on the Tennessee River, TN, where we intend to stay for 2 nights to have Halcyon's oil changed.

As we hear more Looper stories, it has been a little sobering to learn of the number of the boats which sustained damage while on the Mississippi and have had to pause long enough to have their boats hauled out of the water for some costly repairs.  Well at least we are contributing to the local economies, some of which indeed need supporting, especially as summer is drawing to a close and local boaters are "winterizing" their boats.  In many of the waterside restaurants, the only patrons were Loopers.  We have learned that on average, about 100 boats set out to do the Loop each year, some single handed but most are a husband and wife team.  That means there are less people who attempt the Loop than the number who attempt to climb Mt Everest each year.  I know which I would rather do!

Spiders!  whoever accused Australia of being full of creepy crawlies have not lived on the water in the northern States......every boat and every marina are just loaded with small spiders who arrive from who knows where and make themselves at home in every nook and cranny.   All very earnestly spend their nights making artistic web creations where ever they deem appropriate on the boat.  These miniature engineering marvels are highly successful, for each morning we are greeted by a carnage of snuffed out life caught in the glistening webs.  Feast so well do these spiders that their gorged little bodies copiously defecate all over the white superstructure of the boats.  Really!... how can one little critter shit soooo much. They need to patent this excrement, for no amount of elbow grease can remove it and it defies the efforts of all cleaning chemicals available to the frustrated boater....the spiders win.

Just love being back in the South again with these friendly folk, though while I cringe at the tobacco chewing/spitting by the men, I am equally enchanted by being addressed as M'am (with that beautiful southern drawl) by young and old alike.  Some of the marinas have, unbidden, whipped up a lovely southern selection of deep fried munchies (seems everything is fried in the deep South).  They have then hurried them down to the gathering group of Loopers taking up their late afternoon position on the dock, drink in hand, to celebrate the closing of another day on the water.   Another marina ensured hot cinnamon rolls and coffee were delivered to each of our boats of a morning...just cause they felt it was a nice thing to do.  Yesterday a fisherman passed by in his runabout while we were at anchor and gave me 3 bass, still flopping, with a cheery, "y'all enjoy m'am", which we did.

The leaves are changing, the multitude of Fall colors are just beginning their display along the banks.  Today we passed by Shiloh, the scene of a major civil war battle along the river's edge, 150 years ago,   Twenty three thousand young men and who knows how many horses, perished in that two day encounter between the Confederate and Union soldiers.  All bodies still remain there, resting in peace in the mass graves that were hurriedly dug following the battle.  Sent chills through me as we motored by the site which has been preserved for generations to witness and hopefully to reflect on man's madness.

9th Oct:  now in Florence, Alabama.  Richard has left in the hire car to drive to Nashville to pick up his brother who has flown in from Australia to spend a couple of weeks aboard with us.  We will depart from here tomorrow and leave the Tennessee River to enter the man made TennTom Waterway.....and more locks.  This morning we were awoken to a woman doing a very creditable job of singing The Star-Spangled Banner at 7am.  We had thought the public water ramp was busier than usual, but what a surprise to look out the window and see 134 bass runabout boats jostling each other in the confines of the waters around us.  Each took off in a hurry as their number was called and we later learnt it is the annual regional three day bass competition.  Could be interesting trying to leave tomorrow morning amid all those high speed runabouts awaiting their turn to head out for the kill.  I guess it would truly would be considered poor form to run over one or two of them....but it may give the bass a tiny bit of a fighting chance!!!!

I will sign off now.  The next Ramblings will be the last for we will be home somewhere around the 20th Nov. with the family arriving for Thanksgiving.  Cannot believe that we only have 400 odd miles left of the 5,500 mile journey.  We will certainly finish with mixed feelings but I plan to start work again the 1st December, so there will be no time for lingering thoughts on other possibilities, short term.

Go well,

Diane