Day 97 September 25, 2022

 Day 97 Sunday September 25, 2022

Big Blue Island Anchorage to Alton, Illinois

We were up early, planning to leave as soon as we are able to see (no fog today!).  Anchor up and off we go at 6:40am.  "We have a long way to travel.  Luckily we will have a push from the current so we're hoping to make good time -- and no locks or lock masters to worry about.

 Boat turned cottage on the river.

Our travel took us down the Illinois River where it converges with the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.  Because of drainage from Montana the Missouri River can actually dump more water into the Illinois than the Mississippi.  We have traveled the Illinois River between Illinois and Missouri.

 

Convergence of the rivers -- the Mississippi River is so much cleaner than the muddy Illinois.  The Mississippi is also much wider and deeper. 

Shoreline is now lined with bluffs.

We are headed to Alton, Illinois 16 miles past Grafton, Illinois.  Both towns are popular with Loopers.  Great marinas, welcoming towns, convenient to town. 

 Grafton Marina

Alton Marina is a 5 star rated facility with 350 slips, a pool, 2 hot tubs, convenience store (deli with breakfast/lunch, ice cream and margaritas), laundry, and fuel.  Currently there are 21 Loopers here.  Super friendly staff; very clean and professionally run.

Landmark suspension bridge near Alton Marina entrance. 

All of the buildings in the marina are actually on floating docks, even the pool!!

Most boat slips at Alton Marina are covered.  Great way to protect your boat from the sun.  Boat slips have dock on both sides -- you can wash both sides of your boat without having to move it!  

We had a little excitement pulling into our slip.  Our boat has a 14 foot beam and the slip is 16 feet wide.  With our fenders hanging down on both sides we approached the slip, Jerry maneuvered the boat and we got stuck on our ball fenders pulling in!  We had to pull up the ball fenders on both sides of the bow and then we could pull all the way in.  Don from Beyond, Tim from Table 6 and fellow boaters were on both sides of the dock handling our lines and guiding us in.  Once in we could lower the ball fenders -- we were cozy in our slip.  

Don and Rachel invited us to join them for dinner at Bluff City Grill.  Fun time with 2nd Chance, The Grand Wazoo, Beyond and us.

Day 96 September 24, 2022

 Day 96 Saturday, September 24, 2022

Logsdon Tug Service Beardstown to Mel's Riverdock Restaurant

The Lock report is not very promising but everyone decides to leave.  Not the best decision since we immediately encountered dense fog.  We were the last in line so we kept our sights on The Grand Wazoo.  Our mast is down due to bridge heights so we don't have radar.  The tug, Randy Hopson, waited for us to pass. 

 

Barges had pulled out of the channel to the shore waiting for the fog to clear.  I'm sure that they don't want to have to worry about fog, navigation AND pleasure craft. 

We arrived at the LaGrange Lock at 08:30.  The lead boat had contacted the lock master for instructions earlier and was told to hold on the left bank.  Once closer they called again to verify where to go and were admonished that they don't know how to follow directions.  He was going to "take you next, but now you can wait".  Ugh.... Lock masters hold the power.  If we wait too long we are in danger of not making our next planned stop before dark.  We will have to look at possible anchorages.

While we waited at anchor we were entertained by eagles perched and singing on shore and Asian Carp stirred up by the vibration of the Sea Ray waiting behind us.  Sea gulls dined on the unfortunate fish knocked out when they hit the boat!  We learned later that their anchor didn't work so they floated and motored the boat the entire time they waited.  We kept asking ourselves why they didn't just anchor!

 

Gratefully there was no current, the sun shining and the anchor holding. The day dragged on as we patiently waited for our turn to enter the lock.  No one dared call the lock master fearful that we could get delayed even further! Instead, I typed blog entries, did some needlework and we planned alternate stops.

We watched at least 3 tows go through the lock.  We canceled our reservation at Mel's Riverdock Restaurant.  

FINALLY, in the lock at 3:30pm.  Out of the lock at 4:30, we wouldn't arrive until after dark.  LaGrange Lock is at MM80 (mile marker) and Mel's at MM21 - no way we could do 59miles before sunset.  I'm sure the lock master gave no thought to how his actions affected others.  Mel's easily lost $600 or more from the dockage and meals from the 6 boats that cancelled.

Dredging taking place

US Army Corps of Engineers Quarters Boat.  If you zoom in you can see multiple doors along the upper deck leading to individual staff rooms. 

Four boats tied to the Quarters boat "Taggat Z"

All the sand on shore, the river is low

We ended up at MM59, Big Blue Island Anchorage with The Grand Wazoo and 2nd Chance at 6:15pm, sunset at 6:55pm. We pushed hard at 9 knots (11 mph) -- we burned a lot of diesel in a short amount of time.  We tucked back from the channel in about 8 foot of water, anchor light on.   The first tow passed by at 7:45, a good test.  We were well out of the channel and they definitely lit us up with their spotlights.

 

Of course Jerry slept on the couch with the portable VHS radio in hand. Tows passed us at 7:45, 11pm, 3am and 5am.  Rain, some wind, and the anchor alarm kept Jerry awake.  

Plan is for a very early start in the morning.  We will have 75 miles travel to our destination in Alton. Illinois.  

Another long day.

Day 95 September 23, 2022

 Day 95 Friday September 23, 2022

Peoria, Illinois to Quiver Island Anchorage

Beautiful sunrise on a very grey day.  54 degrees.

We set off for an anchorage at Quiver Island, expected to be 9-10 feet with a good hold based on Jeremy's briefing at Heritage Harbor Marina.  First we needed to pass through Peoria Lock, approximately 4 miles from the Peoria City Wall.  7am and we already met several barges coming through the lock.  Peoria Lock had been closed for a month for maintenance and then had limited traffic from 6pm to 6am.  The lock had just recently reopened to 24hr travel so many tows are making their way through.  This lock drops lines to hold or you can float in the middle if there isn't too many boats.  We made it out of the lock at 8:20 as we had to wait for a barge to come out and then reattach to the tug. 

It is really cold.  We are all bundled up in sweatshirts and pants.  57 degrees at 10am and expecting rain.

We had to hold back for a tow ahead to maneuver around a double bend in the river.  We watched Asian Carp jump behind 2nd Chance as they traveled ahead of us.

Our original plan was to anchor at Quiver Island.  Since we were making such good time we decided to press on to Logsdon Tug Service.  We will tie up to their barges at $1/foot. We continued calling marinas and planning for along the way.  Mel's Illinois Riverside Dock and Restaurant for tomorrow then hopefully Alton on Sunday.  We are currently on a waiting list for them.

 Homes built on stilts.

Rain started at 2:30, kind of miserable, in addition to cold.

We arrived at Logsdon at 3:30.  They weren't kidding about tying to barges.  Al and Greg caught us as we tied to bollards on the side of a rusty old barge.  

 

 So high - I won't be getting off the boat! 

Chicken and potatoes in the Ninja Foodie with the generator running since no power.  The rain continued until after 8pm. 

Day 94 September 22, 2022

Day 94 Thursday, September 22, 2022

Henry Harbor Marina to Peoria, Illinois

First day of Fall.  A few leaves are starting to change.

We are traveling with Grand Wazoo and Arion.  The weather is cool, in the 60's, almost welcome after the 90 degree days we were having.  It should be a relatively short day.  We are headed to Peoria, hoping to make it a 2 night stop.  We've had difficulty finding a marina since water depth on the river has been down 4 feet for the last week.  This limits access for boats that draft at or greater than 5 feet.  We have a 4 foot draft.  Many marinas are full with boats that can't anchor out due to their draft, meaning less slips available for us.

Many eagles along the way today, even bunched together on shore, along with herons and more pelicans.

 

At Blue Creek Point we met our 3rd barge for the day.  The point is a very narrow spot making it difficult to pass.  We let the tow captain know we were there and he advised us when it would be safe to pass him.  

 Bridge work along the way.

We received confirmation from Peoria Boat Club (private but takes transient boaters) that they had enough water at their entrance for us to come.  Yay, we have a spot, or so we thought....  We arrived at the Boat Club entrance where an escort boat came out to the channel to guide us in.  The water level was so shallow that they wanted us to follow them for safe entry.  Grand Wazoo was first and was headed to their slip when we started our approach. Joe couldn't get his boat to the dock; he was hitting bottom and actually got stuck.  We got stuck in the channel.  Easy decision.  We carefully picked our way back out and to the channel.

                    Tug and barge scrap yard.

Plan B: Peoria City Wall.  No water, no power but free.  Will there be room for us? Only 2 other boats when we arrived and mostly designed for smaller boats.  Very windy but Rachel and Greg from 2nd Chance were already there and helped us dock.  Docks, but no cleats!  We had to wrap our line around a large metal pilon and tie to the frame of the dock.  We also tied to 2nd Chance across from us due to the wind and lack of cleats.

Rachel lived in Rouses Point as a kid! Her Dad was CBP.  Small world.

A visit to The Caterpillar Museum was on the agenda. Interesting, it outlined the origin, development and innovation of the company.  An introductory movie was held in the dump portion of a CAT 797 truck!  We sat in the dump of a 4000 hp truck that can travel 44 mph.  It was equipped with CAT MINESTAR that allows the truck to travel autonomously, without an operator!  

 The dump of this truck is the auditorium.

 How Caterpillar  got their name!

 

In addition to the history we also got to sit in equipment and drive via simulators.  I will keep my day job.

Kelleher's Irish Pub for dinner and then planning our upcoming travel stops.  

 

Original Purington Paver bricks into Kelleher's

 

Peoria River Front Park is along the railroad tracks.  

Weather isn't as big an issue like on Lake Michigan.  Water level is the big factor now, as well as all of the other Loopers looking for marinas and anchorages.

                                    View of the bridge from our boat at the Peoria City Wall.

Day 93 September 21, 2022

Day 23 Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Heritage Harbor Marina to Henry, Illinois 

6am Lock que check, looking for a 7am start.  Only one lock today, 11 miles away.  We left the marina at 7 and called the lock at 8am for approximate wait time.  We were told to expect a 2 hour wait. We sighted lots of eagles, herons, sea gulls and PELICANS!

We arrived at the lock at 8:50  There was currently a barge, Leviticus, in the lock down bound (heading south) and another 9 barge tow waiting ahead of us.  OH NO!  Gratefully the 5 PC waiting were allowed to lock through before the barge.  Out at 10:45.  This was our first time on the lock wall; I lassoed our line around a floating bollard and we floated while the water was lowered.  Arion traveled with The Grand Wazoo and Eric's Inheritance

We caught up to Leviticus in a double bend in the river.  With permission we passed him on "the one" (his right side -- think clock, 1pm).  Communication with the tows is very important.  They have multiple blind spots and can take over a mile to stop.  Leviticus was pushing 4 double and one single barge.  Many barges contain hazardous cargo so they must pass through the lock alone regardless of their size.

 Town of Henry. Located in the lawn outside the marina.

Henry Harbor Marina is located at an old lock built in the 1870's.  We topped off our diesel fuel ($5.33/gal) and then tied to the original lock wall of stacked stones. Rebar loops are cemented in the wall for boats to secure to.  Very rustic stop but neat to be within the walls of the original lock. It's family owned with big plans for improvements.  Relatively new owners they are determined to keep a marina open for boaters.  Very friendly, their office is on on their boat.

 Blocks have been removed for boaters to use as steps.

Check out the power pole with outlets for boats to plug in!

Port-a-potty restrooms.  Grateful we've got our own on the boat...

 Jerry surveying the situation.

We walked into town and enjoyed Mexican food at Rio Vista Grill (simple, very good, cheap) with Laura and Joe, and Al and Arleen of Arion.

 View of our boats walking back from dinner.  Good end to our 8 hour day.