From the Illinois to the Mississippi to the Ohio

Bar Island to Grafton IL (Tues, Oct 24). We cruised with several other boats who had tied up at Logsdon Tug Service ~2 miles upriver, and all went through the LaGrange Lock uneventfully. Leland Tug arrived last at Grafton marina to news that someone in the flotilla had a heart attack along the way, and was doing well at the local hospital. This stop was our last shower until Saturday Oct 28 (to conserve water on the boat)!

Grafton IL to Kimmswick MO (Wed, Oct 25). Grafton is mile 0 on the Illinois River. From there we picked up at mile 221 on the Mississippi River. The Mississippi current added a few favorable knots to our speed. We passed the St. Louis Gateway Arch, which is also a major barge fleeting area, the Chain of Rocks (warning: keep left or you go down rocky rapids!), and went through 2 locks (Mel Price and Chain of Rocks). We made it to Hoppies dock with 30 minutes to spare before a looper favorite, The Blue Owl, closed. A photo of their famous “Levee High Apple Pie” is below. Kimmswick was preparing for their annual Apple Butter Festival and pleasantly decorated for fall. This is the only town we’ve spent any time in but it set a high bar for me. It is also the ancestral home of Fred and Mabel Ruth Anheuser! That night we received a briefing on the local conditions downriver. A little grim: Not many anchorages available due to low water levels and the usual stop for loopers — Paducah KY – will have no fuel, electric, or pump-out due to maintenance.

Kimmswick MO to Little River Diversion Channel anchorage, Cape Girardeau MO (Thurs, Oct 26). Most boats at Hoppies left for Litte Diversion, a long 110-mile day. About 11 boats rafted in sets of 2s, 3s, or 4s in the channel and enjoyed a quiet, peaceful evening.

Little River Diversion Channel MO to Olmsted Lock, Pulaski County KY (Fri, Oct 27). From Little Diversion we cruised to an anchorage just after the Olmstead Lock – our 12th lock! After 50 miles, we arrived on the Ohio River – traveling upstream – so the red channel markers were now on our starboard and the current slowed our speed. The anchorage came with 2 bald eagles on the wing dam protecting us. The calm night turned quite windy, and around 2 AM we awoke to our anchor alarm. The boat had swung outside of the conservative circumference Rob set. We let out a bit more rode and waited. The anchor held all night – no more alarms. I was happy to get going the next day. Our 70-degree-and-sunny weather was over!

Olmsted Lock KY to Paducah KY (Sat, Oct 28). We joined a parade of boats that anchored above Olmstead Lock the night before, and headed for Paducah KY. Saw a fox along the sandy shore. Went through another major fleeting area, which at one point smelled strongly of bacon (?). Saw remnants of a major casino in someone’s front yard. A few miles later saw a hotel and pilings of what looked like a location for a major casino. ;)

Paducah KY: A landing site for Ulysses S. Grant, founded by Lewis and Clark, and home of the renowned National Quilting Museum. Fun fact about Paducah and Lewis and Clark: Lewis paid $20.00 for his Newfoundland, Seaman, while Clark paid $5.00 for the land that is now Paducah and McCracken county.

Because we can’t get a black water pump-out until Monday (Oct 30) at Green Turtle Bay marina in Grand Rivers KY, and our last one was at IVY (Oct 22), I elected to stay at the Holiday Inn while in Paducah. Thankfully Rob agreed. He checked on LT at the Paducah dock early this morning, and helped one boater with a transmission leak, and another with a generator that was overheating. An unfortunate saying we’ve picked up: Everything on your boat is broken, you just don’t know it yet!!!

After getting groceries, we walked around the rainy deserted town all afternoon. Plan to end our time on the Ohio River tomorrow and enter the Cumberland.

Thanks for tuning in!

Fair winds,

Amy

Where the IL meets the MS, leaving Grafton IL for Kimmswick MO