Been Down the River on a Boat with no Name

Radio traffic on the river usually starts on VHF Channel 13. If more than a quick comment or instruction is needed the parties switch to another channel. The tugs all have names and they're used without exception. Pleasure craft are referred to as just that, usually in a thick Cajun accent-Play jure craaft. “No tug captain or lock master will ever allow the name of a pleasure craft to cross his lips (I never heard a female voice on the Illinois, Mississippi or Ohio Rivers unless from a pleasure craft). You soon learn to modify your radio traffic accordingly. “City of Nashville (tug name) this is pleasure craft, how do you want to pass?”

Locking through in the dark one night with another boat in company. I realized that we were about to do an Abbot and Costello skit on the radio so I started referring to us as Pleasure Craft 1 and to the other boat as Pleasure Craft 2. Even the lock master was willing to go along with this scheme-the closest we came to having our own identity for more than 600 miles.

I suspect and hope that some of the snootier yachties are miffed but this makes good sense. A tug with 15-20 barges full of propane is a lot different from a tug with an empty barge and everyone needs to track those differences. The difference between a 24 foot downeaster and a 56 foot motor yacht simply isn't that significant, yacht owner egos notwithstanding. I was amused when one of those 56 footers The Next Step rather haughtily described herself to the lock master as the “last big boat in line” as she preceded us into the lock. It would have been fun to watch their comeuppance delivered.

The daily logs since last time follow:'

Day 39 Peoria to Pekin. Late start after laundry at marina and lunch nearby-fried walleye sandwiches. Anchored at island back channel mouth. Cool NW at 10 gray.

Day 40 Pekin to Havana. River wide and mostly wild. Sunny NW. Salmon, cheese and noodles for dinner. Anchored outside channel inside of buoys. Lots of herons and immature eagles (few adults)

Day 41 Havana to Beardstown. Sunny cool NW

Day 42 Beardstown to Naples. Cool SW at 15. Landed at barge in Beardstown. Walked around town, lunch at Fiesta Grande Mexican restaurant. $5 express lunch-great tostada and way too much rice and beans. Groceries at Save a Lot. Anchored inside buoys below Naples, really like the security of being outside the marked channel when a 600' barge train goes by at 2 a.m.. Crackers and cheese for dinner

Day 43 Naples to Kampstown. Sunny SW 10-15. Uneventful day, good anchorage on upstream/down wind side of island, little current, great separtation from channel.

Day 44 Kampstown to Grafton. Sunny calm 70's. Marina night, docktails with other loopers. Salads and sandwiches in the bar for dinner.

Day 45 Grafton to Alton. Short (12 miles) run to good anchorage at Brick House Shoal to be close to lock. Borrowed van at marina to pick up propane and groceries. 95 degrees, sunny calm. DE 1705 mi

Day 46 Alton to Meremac River. Passed through Chain of Rocks Canal and St. Louis. Decrepit waterfront with no public landings. Feeble attempt at waterfront revitalization underway. Good anchorage out of Miss current. Hot, sunny DE 1746 mi

Day 47 Meremac to Hoppies Marina in Kimswick MO. Tina (seasonal marina resident) gave us a lift into town for groceries and drinking water. We walked into Kimswick for ice cream and a look at the historic homes.Nice but very touristy. Fran briefed the loopers on safety and anchorage and ACE politics. 70's and sunny

Day 48 Hoppies to Kaskasia River Lock. Tied to lock wall for night. Sunny 70's DE1791 mi..

Day 49 Kaskasia to Little River Diversion Channel. Sunny day, little bird life on river but flights of great egrets at anchor. Anchored with 3 other loop boats. DE 4808.

Day 50 Little River to Olmsted Lock on the Ohio River. We'd been doing 9-10 mph at 1200 rpm at 9mpg (probably more that is as high as the dial goes)down the Mississippi, when we turned into the Ohio current we dropped to 6mph at 2000 rpm at 5 mpg-we're good for gas, had 65 gallons to go 250 miles from Hoppies to Barkley Lake. Anchored below lock because no lock passage ailable until next day. DE1927 mi

Day 51 Olmsted to Pacucah Ky. Locked through Olmsted and Lock 53 in good order. Arrived Lock 53 at 1 pm. Waited until 9 pm for lockage, went through in the dark with At the Turn (loopers from Minn.) Anchored just upriver from dam on lock master's advice. DE 1951 mi

Day 52 Paducah to Barkley Lake via Cumberland River. Sunny light breeze 85 degrees. Gas and ice at Green Turtle Bay Marina. 250 miles, 35 gallons-terrific fuel economy-the power of slow! DE 2000 mi