Quiet anchorage 

Enjoying the quiet anchorage

Saturday

9/3/2016

Today we left our anchorage at about 7:45am.  It was a gorgeous morning.  Slight breeze, sun and no clouds.  Mike looked at our next course, while Joell drove.  Not much barge (tow) traffic.  Must be due to Labor Day weekend.  About 9:30am we arrived at Lock and Dam 52.  The dam master told us the wait would be 2 hours.  We were told to anchor out until he called us through.  Mike tied a few line ends, to pass the time, while the admiral wrote a few lines for the blog.  We were still running with our boat buddies John and Joanna.  

After about 2 hours, we called the lock master again.  He stated there were about 7 tows waiting and he would try to get us through after about 2 or 3.  Understand that it takes about 1 hour/lift.  One or two tows may go in at a time, depending how long they are.  

At 3pm, we were called into the lock.  :)  At 4pm, we were sitting tight inside the lock with the door stuck.  Hydraulic issue, we were told.  We had Locktails, then a lock supper on the grill.  How many can say they have done that?  At about 7:40pm, the door opened and we were out.  It was very dark, so we anchored a mile outside the lock.  It was actually a very calm night.  

Olmsted lock will be replacing lock 52 & 53.  It is currently still under construction

Olmsted will be a beautiful lock

Quiet morning ride

Calm Ohio River

Elwood making sure the fishing boats stay their distance

Lock 52 was built in 1928

Old Lock 52

Lock 52

Joanna in lock 52

Mike and Joell in Lock 52

Starting to get dark in Lock 52

Big beautiful Cat leaving Hoppies

Looking at our boat tied to the barge

Interesting?

Gas dock on the barge is covered for a little sun break

Isn't Hoppies gorgeous?

Bladder is filled and ready to be used

Another bladder picture.  It is covered with white vinyl to block some of the heat.




Friday
9/2/2016

After Hoppies, we headed to the Ohio.  At the mouth of the Ohio there was a lot of barge traffic.  It looked like grand central station.  It was a long drive to our next quiet anchorage.  We got there at 6:45pm.  Had a cocktail and cooked brats rather quickly.  Wanted to get in before the mosquitos and no-see-ums came out.  Mike fished with a cicada as bate and got a bite before turning in.  In the morning, the cicada was still on his hook.

Travel view before anchorage

Logs that drifted down river were piling up

Cool rock island

At quiet anchorage

John and Joanna at anchorage

Tied two boats together

Mike's Cicada used for bate.

Three old boats kept at Hoppies marina

Wednesday

8/31/2016

We haven't talked much about problems, but who doesn't have them.  This morning we received two sea strainers by Fed Ex.  The chlorine tablets we added , to keep out the zebra mussels and long grass reacted with the metal strainers (ate it away).  Right after the new strainers came in we noticed a drip under the toilet.  We will have new parts for that sent to the next marina we stop at.  We then went into town, by cab, and bought clamps at the hardware store.  We needed more support for the gas bladder.  After shopping we went to the old town of Kimmswick, MO and looked through the Door County type stores.  The only thing we brought back to the boat was fresh smoked pulled pork, for supper.  Nice end to a ruff day.

Sea strainers

Leaving Grafton Harbor

Trying for one last glimpse of Matt on the hill

Just south of Grafton

Mike's barge

Chain of Rocks Canal

The Chain of Rocks canal is a small canal all boats must navigate, as the Mississippi is too shallow.

Tuesday

8/30/2016

Today we left Grafton Harbor Marina very early.  We wanted to make sure we got through two very crowded lock/dams.  The first lock we breezed through, although later we saw pictures from other loopers showing piles of logs in the lock.  We were lucky to have avoided the dam logs :)  Both of the two lock'n dams we went through had a large lock and a small lock.  The small lock had all the clutter in it.  We were lucky to have been directed to the large lock.  The entire day of traveling, we had to contend with large logs, which

were floating down the river along with us.  It was a very tiring ride, as we tried to zig zag past them without issue.

St. Louis casino with trees on a raised deck

We saw the arch

There are no marinas' or walls to stop at in St. Louis, so we took pictures and then kept going on to Hoppies Marina, known as the last stop.  Hoppies consists of four barges connected together.  We got gas and filled our gas bladder, to ready ourselves for the long 270 mile stretch without gas docks.  That evening we went for a walk to the historic town of Kimmswick.  It is the second oldest town in MO.  The entire town closes at 3:00pm, so we will explore it more closely tomorrow.

Saturday

8/27/2016

Met up this morning with nephew Matt, wife Ginger and daughter Lily.  We had a wonderful home made breakfast at their home.  Their home is in a beautiful setting.  They live on campus at Principia College, in Elsah, Illinois.  Just down the road from Grafton Illinois.  The college architecture is so beautiful, we had to include a few photos of it.  Hope you enjoy.

The beams look like wood but all walls and ceiling are made of cement.

And of course family pictures are important.

Matt's family came out to see the boat.

Saying Goodbye

In the evening we and our friends spent time on the boats.  We grilled out with John and Joanna.

Sunday

8/28/2016

Elwood received a bath today, as did the boat.  Last night we had heavy rains, so Mike polished her up this morning.  Then we walked around town and tried to stay cool.  

8/25/2016

Below are a few pictures of the Big Blue Anchorage.  When we turned on our anchor lights for the evening, we didn't realize we would attract a thousand mayflies, but you have to have your light on.  

8/26/2016

We took off from the anchorage quite easily.  

Cows cooling along the rivers edge, on this hot day.

Army Corp of Engineers dredging the river.

Homes along the Illinois river.

In Grafton Illinois, we enjoyed a wonderful evening at the Marina Oyster Bar.  It was the best dinner on the trip so far.  Jambalaya, Snow Crab, Mussels, fish tacos etc.  Wonderful large menu. 

Grafton Harbor Marina