The Mighty Mississippi, Then On to the Ohio and the Cumberland

Sept. 21-25

Days 314-318

After leaving Grafton it was only a matter of minutes before we discovered what it meant for us to join the waters of the Mississippi River. They were not only a chocolate brown, but also quite swift. The current ramped up our speed to a mind boggling 14 mph. Wow, at this rate we would cover this section of our trip in no time at all. We had heard many nightmare stories about traveling the Mississippi, but we experienced no problems. Our timing was excellent because the water was at its lowest level in some time and most of the deadheads we needed to dodge had already found homes along the banks. The Mississippi and the Ohio are definitely working rivers. We had to maneuver around many huge tows as they moved their cargo up and down the waterway. As with all of the other parts of this trip that we have worried about, our cruise down the inland rivers was no big deal.

If you don't look at the color of the water, much of the scenery along this stretch of the river reminds us of our beautiful Tennessee River.

Tucked between the industry of the waterfront are opportunities for entertainment. These former riverboats have found new life as casinos.

The paddle wheeler Spirit of Peoria joined us for our lock through at the Chain of Rocks Lock.

Here is the proof! I had to take a screen shot when we actually topped 14 mph. I know that doesn't sound very fast for all of you landlubbers out there, but when your normal speed is around 8 mph, this is amazing. 

As we approached St. Louis our view became cluttered with one bridge right after the other.

St. Louis has one of the most recognizable waterfronts, thanks to its famous arch commemorating the cities early days as the gateway to the American West. There appears to be a major building project taking place that will eventually open up the area along the water for visitors to enjoy.

Our first day on the river took us to the famous Hoppies Marina at Kimmswick, MO. This is a must stop for most Loopers. Not only does it provide the last opportunity for cruisers to top off their tanks before entering the longest stretch of no services on the whole Great Circle Route, it is owned and operated by the best known character on the water. Fern has been running the "marina" since she and her husband took charge from his father in the early 70's. The village of Kimmswick, MO is lined with businesses designed to entertain tourists. Just don't arrive on a Monday like we did. The whole town takes the day off. We walked the streets for an hour and saw absolutely no one. Nobody was working in their yards, sitting on their porch, walking a dog, saw no children anywhere, it was like being in the middle of a Stephen King novel. The worst part was that there were quite a few shops I would have loved to have browsed through.

Hoppies consists of 3 derelict barges that have been tied up to the banks of the Mississippi for over 80 years. They offer fuel and power, but virtually nothing else. That is except for the valuable information about the river that Fern willingly shares with her guests.

The sun was trying its best to burn a little fog off the water, as we prepared for an early start on the river. Our next anchorage is 110 miles down stream, so even at our new traveling speed it is going to be a long day.

The trip down the Mississippi has actually been quite pretty. I imagine as the trees start exhibiting their fall colors, the views will become impressive.

It is really amazing how much cargo the tows can push up and down the river. This tow was guiding 30 loaded barges, which means it takes awhile for us to negotiate our passage. The secret is to make sure we don't meet these big guys when they are working their way through one of the many horseshoe turns along the way. It is very important that we make radio contact with the captains, so that we both know what we are doing.

Our anchorage in Diversion Creek was a little snug with a few other cruisers joining us. No problem, Always Home, Fryedaze, and Bama Dream just rafted together. That gave us the perfect opportunity to share potluck and stories. With another long day of travel ahead of us, Fryedaze led us all out into the river just as the sun crept above the trees.

There are many ways to enjoy time on the river. We passed this cruise ship loaded with passengers headed north toward St. Louis.

This is a river that seems to be in constant turmoil. The captain had to be alert at all times, watching for deadfall that could damage our props, eddies that have a tendency to toss us around when we least expect it, and of course the many huge tows plying the river.

The confluence of the Ohio and the Mississppi is quite a thing to behold. It appears that the Ohio refuses to allow the muddy Mississippi to mix with their much clearer waters.

We had been warned that we could run across some significant wait times at Lock 53 and 52. A new lock is under construction at Olmstead causing some delays, low water levels and a backlog of barges waiting for locking through all piles up to mean "just be patient". 

After only about a 3 hour wait, we were able to drive right through the new lock, and then on to Lock 53 that will soon be removed. Evidently the old locks were not designed to accommodate pleasure craft. Just getting tied off was an adventure. There was only room for two boats on the very short flat wall, so with four of us going through we had to raft up. One lock down on the Ohio, one to go.

Traveling with other Loopers is not always conducive to sleeping late. When the other 2 boats say we need to get under way by 6:30 it does mean we get to see some very nice sunrises. 

The dust is flying as another barge is filled with what appears to be some type of fertilizer. Industries of all kinds, that benefit from the river system for transporting their goods, line both banks of the river.

We finally made it into Lock 52 with a wait of only a couple of hours. The lift here is only a few feet, which means if the water levels are high enough the wick dam is lowered, enabling watercraft to actually just go right over the dam. That probably would have made me "slightly" nervous, so I was just as happy to wait for a lock through. Always Home developed some unexpected mechanical difficulties as we entered this lock. We made a quick stop so that Jess could go for a swim, hoping to give them a temporary fix that will allow them to limp into Green Turtle Bay on one engine, but at least they will get there under their own power. While Jess is a little anxious to get back into the Tennessee River, we decided we would stick with our buddies for a while longer and take the Cumberland instead.

Another early departure from our anchorage behind Towhead Island. As we entered this awesome hideaway we were behind Fryedaze who evidently spooked a large number of the dreaded Asian Carp. They were jumping all over the place until we got close enough for a picture. 

A right turn will leave the Ohio River behind us, and a much smaller Cumberland River in front of us for a few hours. 

Barkley Lock and Dam is ready for us with no waiting, how nice! This lock provides a 57 foot lift into the beautiful Land Between the Lakes region. This vacationland is formed by Kentucky Dam on the Tennessee River and Barkley Dam on the Cumberland River, which form Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley respectively.

Green Turtle Bay is swamped by Loopers as we stop here for a brief break from the water before continuing our journey. For us this is almost the end of the line, while others are just getting started. Either way we are all making amazing memories!

Cruising down the Illinois River

Sept. 14-20

Days 307-313

Wind, wind, wind, and more wind! We really did not think we would still be dealing with wind after we returned to the river systems. Wrong! At least the body of water is narrow, so the waves don't have enough room to build too high. It just seems to blow straight at us with enough force to make for an uncomfortable ride. After a few days it did finally calm down, so that we could enjoy some nice days on the river. We were thrilled to see so many bald eagles soaring from the tree tops and down to the banks as they searched for their fish dinners. One evening we spotted a coyote rambling along the river bank, and of course we were happy to see all of the turtles sunning themselves. It makes us feel like we are getting closer to our home waters, where every log is covered up with turtles basking in the sun. 

This is the point where the Calumet Sag Canal flows into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal on there way to join all of the streams that merge to become the Illinois River.

This is one of those spots on the Loop that causes just a little anxiety of the unknown for cruisers. The red sign reads: Danger! Entering Electric Fish Barriers/High Risk of Electric Shock/No Swimming, Diving, Fishing, or Mooring. This barrier is in place to try to stop the advancement of the Asian Carp into the Great Lakes. We had been warned that the large carp would be jumping out of the water in huge numbers and actually landing in our boat. I have mixed emotions about what we actually witnessed all the way down the Illinois. We saw very few carp, which was a little disappointing, but hopefully that means that the efforts to control this invasive species are working.

Barges load and unload their huge cargoes all along the river. Luckily the river has plenty of room for all of us. While we have had to stay prepared to contact the tow captains for their choice of a pass on the ones or twos, their left or right, we manage to stay out of their way quite easily.

Yes, with the relatively calm waters of the rivers comes the need to lock through the many dams along the way. Unfortunately for pleasure craft, barges have first priority to the locks, causing for some delays along the way. We don't mind waiting a couple of hours, but it sure would be nice if the walls they expected us to tie up to were in a little better condition. Tying to a piece of rebar sticking out of a crumbling wall was quite interesting. Usually we just dropped anchor and chilled if the wait was going to be lengthy.

 

Duck hunting must be pretty good along this stretch of the river. We passed some rather large blinds in various stages of preparation for the upcoming season.

Locks on the Illinois have very few bollards to catch. Most of the time we all had to pull up to the same wall where the lock crew would drop us lines to hold bow and stern. The locks are designed to accommodate barge traffic that pretty much fill the lock wall to wall. Many times the barges have to be broken down into smaller units, in order to get them through the locks. Depending on how many barges the tow is pushing it can take several hours for one barge to get all the way through the lock. Thus the reason for delays for pleasure craft.

Some nights we were able to take advantage of city walls for tying up, other nights we anchored. This beautiful bluff at Buffalo Rock Park was shinning brightly with the morning sun, as we pulled anchor  for another day on the river.

A grain handling facility loading barges as we passed by. While we can't necessarily see all of the farming that takes place along the river, it is there and the river provides excellent opportunities for handling the grain that they produce.

This lock through was a first for us. The drop here is only about 11 feet, and with basically calm waters we were given the option of floating through. It was kind of cool to just sit in the middle of the lock as the water receded. Of course that was my point of view, Jess was the one keeping Bama Dream where she belonged. He has become such a pro at maneuvering her that I have no worries.

 

This eagle searching the river bank, is just one of the many we enjoyed seeing every day.

We are up and moving down the river by sunrise, as we prepare to put in a long day, in order to get to the marina in Grafton to watch some Saturday football.

It is not hard to judge where the high water mark was this year. The banks are cluttered with downed trees, and if you look closely you will see the red buoy that once marked the right side of the river channel. The water level is low right now, with very few snags for us to avoid.

This riverboat is high and dry. Obviously, it has been quite some time since she plied these waters.

After a long day, we finally arrived at Grafton Marina, just north of St. Louis. We will spend the weekend here while we wait for an opening Monday night at Hoppies. There are very few places to safely anchor along the banks of the Mississippi River, so just about everyone cruising this section of the river must make a stop at Hoppies Marina.

Time for docktails once again. We had a large group of Loopers docked here in Grafton. It seems really strange to be the ones with the most Looping experience, but other than Patriot and Always Home, whom we have met at other stops along the way, the other boats were just getting started.

The lighthouse was erected in 2007 to celebrate the resilience and determination of the residents of Grafton. The Great Flood of 1993 devastated the town when flood waters reached a record high of 38.17 feet. 

The sun is shining brightly this weekend, and it seems that all the bikers within a few hundred miles have hit the road for a trip to Grafton before cold weather gets here. The Hawg Pit Bar-B-Que restaurant is a favorite stop for lunch and some liquid refreshment before they move on.

All of the structures along the waterfront are built on tall pillars so that they will be ready for the next big flood. I don't know how much flooding is considered normal, but the bike path along the river was covered with dirt, indicating that at some point this year the water had been at least that high.

On a perfect fall day of sunshine and mild temperatures, Jess had time to clean the outside of the boat, while I got real friendly with my IPad. Then we still had time to go for a nice walk, eat some supper, and have a great visit with Dan and Angie from Sea Horse before we prepare to take on the Mississippi River tomorrow.

My Kind of Town! Chicago!

Sept. 10-13

Days 303-306

We have debated vigorously just how we were going to deal with the issue of a visit to Chicago. There were suggestions from other boaters along the way as to what would be our best way to taste at least a small portion of what the city has to offer. We could stop at the marina in Holland and take the train into Union Station, get a little closer by going to Hammond and then using mass transit into the city, going all the way to the harbor and grab a mooring ball which then requires a tender pick-up back and forth from the dock. All of these possibilities had their benefits, mostly involving money. When it was time for us to actually visit Chicago, we bit the bullet and made reservations at DuSable Marina, which allowed us to step off our boat right into the middle of the action. What an exciting, and exhausting, time we had! Other than our trip to the zoo, which necessitated a bus ride to Lincoln Park, we walked to all of the attractions we were able to squeeze into four very busy days. This was our first trip to Chicago as tourists, and were we ever thrilled. The waterfront area is packed with things to see and do. Hopefully someday we will return to this beautiful city on the shore of lake Michigan. 

After watching the skyline take shape for the past three hours, we are finally honing in on the harbor and our marina. Luckily we still have a little daylight left to at least get off the boat for a walk along the riverfront.

With so much to see and such a short time to see it, we didn't waste any time. As soon as Bama Dream was snug in her slip, we put on our walking shoes and headed for nearby Navy Pier. Shops and restaurants line the pier all the way to the end where visitors can enjoy a stunning view of the city. Jess was very happy to find what seems to be his favorite quick food stop, McDonald's. My sandwich was fine, but my coffee ice cream cone was great!

Since we will get the daytime view when we leave Chicago, we decided to take the nighttime architecture cruise through the downtown district. Chicago is very proud of the variety of architectural styles incorporated in their highrises, as they should be. This was a fascinating trip down the canal, with a very knowledgable guide.

On our return trip into the city, the Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, stands tall above all of the other skyscrapers.

In order to make the best use of our time in Chicago we purchased City Passes that gave us admission into five of the most popular attractions along the waterfront. Our first stop on Saturday morning was the Shedd Aquarium. 

This is Granddad, an Australian Lungfish that arrived at Shedd Aquarium in 1933. His claim to fame is that he is the oldest aquatic animal in any public aquarium in the world.

While we were enjoying the aquarium, the morning's rainy skies finally cleared, leaving a stunning view of the waterfront, with its beautiful park and a very busy mooring field.

We spent so much time in the aquarium we had only a couple of hours to hit the high spots in the Field Museum. The official greeter is Sue, the most intact skeleton of a T-Rex ever found.

This panel is just one of many that provide a panorama of the Chicago skyline. Each panel was done by Qiao Xiaoguang, a Chinese master of the art of paper cutting. All of the panels were cut freehand using just scissors and a large sheet of black paper.

The architecture of the Field Museum is just as interesting as the wide variety of exhibits it houses. These figures standing watch over the main hall represent the museum's mission. The woman on the right holds a magnifying glass representing Research and the sculpture on the left holds a quill and paper representing Records. Figures representing Dissemination of Knowledge and Science occupy the cornices at the opposite end of the hall.

The rain may have moved on, but the wind is still here. The aquarium looks out over a very choppy harbor, even though it is protected by a very long breakwall between the waterfront and Lake Michigan. It is easy to see why we chose not to join the others who were rocking and rolling in the mooring field.

After waiting out another rainy morning, we worked our way from the marina to The Art Institute of Chicago. Knowing that our day was slipping away, we tried to time our walk between rain showers. I can only say that we were not 100% effective.

The Art Institute is huge, containing exhibits of works by the masters all the way to paperweights, and pretty much anything a person could imagine in between. We soon discovered that because we didn't have all day, and then some, to spend here we would have to pick and choose what we would see. This is definitely one of those places I would love to come back to. One room is dedicated to American Folk Art with many items depicting the high level of patriotism during the World Wars. 

We found a fascinating exhibit containing artifacts dating back to the Vikings, as well as this room full of all of the equipment needed to be a knight in shining armor.

I loved seeing works by the great masters, but this is the painting I had really wanted to view. After seeing this iconic painting, titled American Gothic by Grant Wood, used in so many different ways all of my life, I was excited to stand before the original. It was interesting to learn that the artist actually used his dentist and his sister as the models for the early American farmer and his spinster daughter.

I always enjoy viewing sculptures and paintings depicting scenes from the American West. This beautiful work is titled The End of the Trail by James Earle Fraser, who was a 15 year old student at the Art Institute when he produced the first version of this bronze sculpture that symbolizes the vanishing Native American population due the westward expansion.

A walk through the streets of downtown Chicago was required to get us to our next destination, the Willis Tower. Along the way we came upon an interesting sight. Evidently it is perfectly excepted in Chicago to stop traffic while making wedding pictures in the middle of the street. There were actually three different groups using the highrises as a backdrop. I have to say, it probably made for some very nice shots.

The City Pass not only gave us direction for our short visit in Chicago, it also provides a very nice perk. Holders get to do a Fast Pass into the attractions, which means while others are standing in long lines, we get to go right on by. The view from the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower, formerly the Sear's Tower, is stunning. You can just see the beginnings of our marina at the west end of the mooring field.

Wrigley Field is out there somewhere. From this height everything looks small. Luckily we timed our visit for a sunny afternoon, so the skyline was visible all the way to Wisconsin. Supposedly, on a clear day, you can see four states from here, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan

Sorry this is a little dark, the sun wasn't cooperating, but I had to prove to you that we did step out onto the glass bottomed "ledge". I was just slightly nervous, but I figured thousands of people had been out there before me, and so far no one had mentioned a malfunction, surely it would hold up a little while longer. 

Had to include this photo of the gorgeous building containing the holdings of the Chicago Public Library. 

This bean, I don't know what else to call it, is the center point of Millennium Park. Giving an awesome reflection of the Chicago skyline, and of course the hundreds of people trying to find themselves as the check it out from all directions.

As you wander under the sculpture the view takes an interesting twist to say the least. At its very center it reflects a perfect circle.

This serpentine walkway provides the perfect means for foot traffic to cross over the very busy Columbus Avenue. It connects Millennium Park to Daley Bicentennial Plaza which contains the most amazing playground. Jess and I spent an hour or so just watching children have a blast.

Saturday night we were entertained by a fireworks show right form the bow of our boat. The Navy Pier provides fireworks every weekend through the summer tourist season, which is rapidly coming to a close.

With a beautiful day greeting us on Sunday morning, we decided a trip to the zoo would be the perfect ending to our days in Chicago. This also gave us an opportunity to check out "The Magnificent Mile" of shops along Michigan Avenue on our way to catch the bus. Sadly, we just couldn't fit a day of shopping into our busy schedule, maybe on our next visit.

This turned out to be my favorite guy at the Lincoln Park Zoo. In general I can't say that chameleons are the most photogenic creatures, but the colors on this one were such a pretty mix of pastels, that it made up for what he lacked in beauty.

 

The antics of meerkats can be quite entertaining. The free Lincoln Park Zoo is a wonderful facility that the residents of Chicago can be very proud of. 

We were so focused on what to see in Chicago, we had not really had a meal out while we were here. That is if you don't count the quick lunches at various places around town. As we were approaching exhaustion the best we could do was head back to Navy Pier for supper at Bubba Gumps. I'm sure the great connoisseurs of Chicago cuisine would not be impressed with our choice, but it was convenient and not at all bad. Unfortunately, I never got to ride the Ferris wheel on the pier, so I will just have to add that to my list of things to do when we return someday.

As the sunrise hits the marina it is time for us to say goodbye to this great city, as we prepare to commence the last stretch of our journey.

Here we go with locks again. The Chicago Lock was built to help prevent the Illinois River from dumping its less than savory contents into Lake Michigan. While the river is not nearly as polluted as it was during the early years of development, the lock is still needed to separate the two bodies of water.

Our view as we progress down the Chicago River by way of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is quite stunning. The skyscrapers soar into the bright blue sky on both sides of us.

This is Trump Towers, which contains office space and residential units. I can't imagine what a nice little apartment rents for, but I don't think it is within our budget.

Access to the water is very important here. These highrises actually include boat slips, as well as a parking garage. How convenient can you get?

There are approximately 50 bridges crossing the canal as it connects Lake Michigan with the Illinois River. Most can be opened if needed, while some are fixed causing boats to be able to get below a certain height in order to transverse this portion of the canal. That is why we had to lower our mast again this morning. Luckily we are able to do that in order to meet the height requirements, some Loopers have to connect with the Illinois River further south by way of the Calumet River Canal.

The glass fronted towers provide picturesque views of the skyscrapers around them.

Chicago is a city in constant motion. New skyscrapers are rising, and others are in the planning stages. The uniqueness of its architecture is very important here. Architects seem to basically have a free hand in designing structures that will add to the intrigue of the city skyline.

It wasn't long before we had left the city behind us. The Illinois River is a major commercial route because of its connection to the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. We will be sharing the water with many very large barges as we continue our travels south.