RIVER SYSTEM

Sixteen more miles up the Ohio River from Lock 52 and we entered the Cumberland River and the beginning of our descent into the south. This part of the cumberland is a beautiful meandering river that runs thirty miles before it meets the Barkley Lock and Dam. Barkley Lock has a lift of 57 feet. This is one of the larger locks on the Great Loop trip.We had only one mile to travel to get to Green Turtle Bay Marina…

Excited to be close to a three-day rest at Green Turtle Bay Marina we woke to heavy fog that would not burn off for three hours after our scheduled departure time. However the fog created its own beauty as the boats we were anchoredwith, and the morning sun, would dodge in and out of view due to the varying thickness of the fog moving through.Finally when the fog finally burned off all five of us pulled anchor and headed to…

Once the fog lifted we pulled up anchor and headed back out into the swirling Mississippi River. When we reached the Ohio River we said goodbye to Mistress as they were continuing down the Mississippi River to New Orleans to complete their Loop.It was a sharp left hand turn onto the Ohio River where the water calmed down and is a shade of blue instead of the muddy waters we have recently experienced. The turbulance of the Mississippi stops here…

Our first heavy fog during this trip so far. When we first got up we could hardly see the other boats and out of the channel it was even worse. We had to wait until 8:45 to leave the anchorage which means that we will probably not get as far as we had hoped today.

We left Hoppie's this morning with very little fog. The nights are getting cooler now with the daytime warming up nicely to somewhere in the seventies. Our main problem most mornings now will be the fog and how long it takes to lift.There was a caravan of six of us who left Hoppie's this morning bright and early. Mistress, Grettatude, Our Turn, Seque, Blue Max and us. We helped each other navigate the turbulent Mississippi River by radioing notices about…

As we inch south we leave Grafton for the start of the Mississippi River. Today we traveled in a five boat caravan all the way to Hoppie's which is south of St. Louis. We traveled through two locks, past Alton and St. Louis with its iconic arch.Hoppie's Marina is a famous Looper stop. It has been in business for 74 years.View across river from HoppiesAlmost immediately after arriving we walked into the little town of Kimmswick, a cute little town…

We are Grafton bound for our first mail pick up day and a stop at the end of the Illinois River. The last seventy miles of this river are remarkably beautiful with abundant wild life, rock bluffs and small river towns. Once in Grafton we made a trip to the local post office where our son, Bart had sent our first batch of mail.Art and Nancy, a couple we met through our blog, came to meet us while we were…

After two nights anchored out at Bath Chute the Coast Guard finally opened up the last portion on the Illinois River so we pulled up anchor mid-day and headed down stream for a short 42 mile day. Progress!We anchored off the side of the Illinois River with the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge as the backdrop. This makes three days without being off the boat. Here is Jim fending off a huge log from the back of the boat.Today we went…

Monday morning finds us, along with seven other Loopers, still anchored here in Bath Chute. We are all waiting for news that the river is finally open -  as of 10:00 am it is still closed. Six inches to go before they open this section of the river. If we get word of it opening mid-day we could leave and move a little bit south.Early this morning we had a thunderstorm and a downpour of rain but it appears to…

We got up early to assess a minor engine concern and after changing fuel filters we departed Peoria for our anchorage 61 miles south called Bath Chute. The waters in this stretch are still in flood stage, however very navigable. When we came upon the Peoria Lock and Dam we could see that it was mostly underwater as we had heard. They had lowered the wickets so we floated over the dam area (to the right of the lock), it…

We were the first boat to leave Heritage Harbor on Friday morning after we heard that more of the river opened up down stream. We left for Peoria and our first mail pick-up on the trip.Today was a special day as it is our Anniversary (sixteen years). Three years ago we celebrated this day on this very same stretch of water at Hamm's Holiday Harbor, a very rustic marina. We were happy to be going to IVY Marina in Peoria…

Our trip to Heritage Harbor in Ottawa was only 46 miles and took us eight-and-a-half hours. The weather has continued to be hot and sunny. We went through three locks total. The first lock was a piece of cake, easy in, easy out and no waiting. Locks two and three were another story. The tug and barge traffic had backed up some because of the lock and river closures we caught ourselves right in the middle of barges locking through…

After the Illinois River subsided some, making boating down the river safer, the U.S. Coast Guard opened up enough of the down stream waters enabling us to leave Joliet. We departed the free dock along with Good News leaving three boats behind, Foreign Exchange, Toronto; Amy K, NY; Shore Thing, CT and Markelle of FL. We left early and headed down river to Heritage Harbor in Ottawa, Illinois.

We arrived here last Wednesday and planned a couple of nights stay at most. In reality, tomorrow we will have been here a week now. Jim says that it is time to go.We have been waiting for better reports from the powers that be on the river as to whether we can get very far south or not. Every morning we wake to different lock or river closings or delays. The aftermath of the flooding has put a little wrench…

Last night, we had a Looper get together on Andy and Mary's boat, "Good News." We all brought food and grilled out. These impromptu parties are the best. They always involve good food and lively and informative discussions. We think that since we all must share a passion for boating and adventure (or why would be out here doing this?) so right away we have a commonality which is always an icebreaker when meeting new people.This morning Mary, Charlotte and…

Going on three days on the free wall in Joliet. Five boats left here this morning which left three of us, Kismet, Good News, Foreign Exchange, for most of the day until Amy K arrived late afternoon. Jim had a great idea on how to use up our box full of small change. There is a Harrah's Casino just across the river from where we are tied up. It was a short, but fun way to get rid of that change.Also…

Other than the two days of heavy rain we've had hot or warm, sunny weather. It was in the high eighties yesterday. The water levels have been another thing altogether. Basically, the remnants of hurricane Ike flooded much of the upper river system, therefore we had to stay in Chicago for three extra days before the Chicago lock opened to let us into the river.Yesterday, when it finally opened (this is a little lock - only a two-foot drop) we…