Ohio and Cumberland

Up the Ohio & into the Cumberland

From our Little Diversion anchorage we left 6.30 am to begin a long day consisting of passing through a new huge lock that is still being built and another big & old lock L52 - both are known for being slow to get through. We met some tight corners & narrow sections causing very strong eddies & whirlpools which swung us about – we are still travelling at 10.6 to 12.8 knots and making good progress. We then turn into the Ohio river – a definite change of water colour and current – it felt like the brakes had come on. At the same revs we were now only doing about 6 knots. The Ohio river travels up hill – we are going north – and against the current. We reach the new Olmstead lock that has been under construction for at least 10 years & hopes to be completed by 2020. It will replace the next 2 locks that we go through 52 & 53. We arrive at about 11.30 and are finally escorted through and then onto Lock 52 which we leave at 5pm. We then make a fast hike as dusk is falling to our anchorage for the night – at a bend in the river off the main channel. There are 9 of us there. The banks are lined with tows waiting to move through the new construction lock & the 2 slow old locks.

Next morning we contact the lock & are advised that if we can get there by 8.30 they will try & get us all through together asap. A wait of over 3 hours before we finally got through about 11.30. We still had a long way to our marina for the night but no more old locks with long delays. The old locks have continual operating problems & it may take a close down for half a day or 2-3 days to repair causing a huge back load of commercial traffic (tows). Tows have priority so pleasure craft such as ours always have to take what we are offered.

Soon we turned off the Ohio & took the Cumberland – a more pleasant & less commercial river with only one new easy lock to get through. We arrived at Green Turtle Bay Marina late that evening only 1 of the 7 boats arriving – so the marina was pretty busy for an hour or two docking everyone. To add to our tired & frazzled nerves they had lost our booking but did eventually find us something that was very suitable. We need the next few days to rest up & recuperate.

Another Milestone

Movin' On Passes the St Louis Arch

A tough couple of days.

An early morning start,
This would prove a long day,
Last day on the OL Miss.

Interesting bridgework.

Two long waits at locks,
pushing hard to arrive at
anchorages before dark.

Rocket speed for us.15 Mph.

We waited 4 hrs to pass thru the
Construction zone for new dam,
and Lock, will replace 2
 

Massive construction. Started in
1990s,end date 2020. 

You can see flood debris on
new work.

Tied up at lock being
replaced, 2nd oldest in US.

Wickets, lowered during high water,
so boats can pass over.

The fleet sprinting away at dusk,want
to anchor before dark, It was Dark.

Anchored opposite large industrial
complex.

Another early start





Now on Cumberland river,

Cumberland, easier on the eye 

Last lock for now

A tall lock

Our home for a few days rest.

Hoppies Barge Marina & onwards

Fern dispenses her wisdom

On our walk to town

Donated family mansion to State

Used by riding for disabled

3/4 of town, listed as
Historic

Rush hour at Kimmswick

A newer 1930s Building

Hoppies Dock.

Nice homes on clifftops

The pressure wave from the stern
has rolled smaller boats, throws us
around 1/4 mile away.

The business end, and close.

A cheery wave from 165 ft.

Whirlpools in fast water

Anchored up after a 110 mile day.

Grafton down Past St Louis

Grafton to St Louis.

We headed down the Upper Mississippi towards our next destination – a marina that has been set up on 3 barges secured to the bank. This Marina is run by the Son and Daughter in law of the founder who opened the business in 1934, they are both well into their 70s, or more. Fern who is operating the Marina while her Husband recovers from surgery, is a likeable but very tough and confident operator. Fern is nationally known, among the boating fraternity,she gives a briefing to boat Captains every afternoon,on conditions they will face and latest river information. Marinas & anchorages become scarce here & mileage between them begins to stretch. You also have to take into consideration the many tows & the locks that we need to go through. Fuel becomes a problem for gas guzzlers. There are only 3 stops on the 218 ml run down the Mississippi & none on the Ohio. The currents run at between 3- 4 knots so we were racing along @ 10.6 – 11.1. This happens when the Missouri meets the Mississippi. There are also wing dams or weirs that are built out perpendicular into the river to keep water flowing and the channel clear of sand as it shoals up south of weirs but are not always easy to find if the river is running high. They are stone walls. - yikes!!They are marked on our charts but it's another thing to watch for.

We do not travel down the Lower Mississippi as it is very commercial with huge tows. We saw a 30 barge today & they are huge. Especially if they suddenly appear around a corner which leaves no room when the front barge is near one bank & the back barge is near the opposite bank -leaving no room to pass on a corner. The AIS which I spoke of in an earlier blog helps you identify, name of barge, distance away & speed so you can calculate when you may be approaching. We don't have it but both our travelling boaters do, so there is no problem.

We passed St Louis & it has a great water frontage - especially the Arch but unfortunately there is no way of getting ashore – no dinghy tie ups or docks. We passed a swimmer swimming the whole length of the Mississippi – maybe he inoculates himself every day. We also passed through the longest lock so far 1200ft.

We took an evening walk down town Kimmswick where Hoppies is based. All shops are closed on Mondays (we were there Tuesday) and no restaurants are open in the evening – even though the Blue Owl has a wide reputation for its good fare. We saw a famous estate for horse riding therapy set up by a beer brewing family – it was their original homestead.

The next stretch had to be 110 statute miles to get to an anchorage – there were no marinas & when we got to Little Diversion Channel near Cape Girardeau there were only 2 other boats there & the 4 of us fitted in easily – rafting up in 2s. The water is calm & the insects are singing away.

Grafton to St Louis

How's this for a bar in the Marina

Wall Art

We left at sunrise.

Big Lock 1200ft long

Even a 42ft boat is Dwarfed

Narrow diversion canal
not a lot of room.

That beautiful 1979 Grand Banks

St Louis Casino.

The Arch, with Buddy boat
Will post ours later.

Don't go here, State Penn.

Current sped us up, Woo! Hoo!

Look close, see the legs

Dot in middle is swimming to
Gulf of Mexico ??????

This current will speed him along.

A Huge Dredge.

Grafton Marina, Junction Illinois & Mississippi Rivers

 We spent 4 days here in a very smart marina with all facilities. We needed to do a lot of cleaning after parking near the coal barge last week. The town really doesn't have a lot but many tourists come on motor bikes, cross via ferry to the other side of the river and check out the cute, quirky, rustic & refurbished furniture & knick knacks. We had a good meal with other boaters at the Ruebel Hotel. It was built in 1879 & the owner had a solid oak bar shipped from Bavaria in 1904A fire in 1912 nearly destroyed it except for the efforts of the locals who ripped most of it out to save it from burning.

We've had docktails on 2 nights – when we arrived & met the other loopers already here about 10 couples, & when they all left we welcomed some of the loopers we had met before – about 4 of them. I have had some sort of stomach bug for the last 3 & just can't seem to get rid of it.

Tomorrow we carry on down the river

Different Photos around Grafton

3 of us heading south tomorrow.

Nuff Said!!

Local Wine Label

Halloween is coming.

Yum.

This is where we are at.

No Argument here.

Gratuitous old car pic. 

Yes, some stores still look
like this