The Floating Stones

In light of the flooding on the rivers, they should consider placing Oprah in the middle of Mobile Bay. "You get new props, YOU get new props, and YOU get new props!!" I know of scant few boaters who have eluded the obstacles and ended their journey down the rivers without needing at least some repairs. Remember, I'm traveling with a very handsome (sorry Tammy) and capable Captain. We hit a significant something in a well marked channel. Totally pissed and bummed us out, to be truthful. An "are you kidding me???" Sort of moment. But I digress. I've left you out of so much! We found a lovely Anchorage called Kelly's landing where the kids swam with abandon in waters that were for all intents and purposes "cold".  We were almost eaten alive by coyotes. Really. It was one of  those stories where the minute the sun set, we heard "scrambling" in the woods.... And we went silent. "Uhm, honey? Let's get in the dinghy,. Like NOW....

There was scant internet available for much of the remaining stretch of the Mississippi River or as we made out way onto the Tombigbee River, so many of the memories we created are going to be a blur.  I'll try to capture the highlights here. We left Hoppie's Marina as early as the Coffeeville Dam said they didn't have a back-up of barges waiting.  Other than Dresden locks where we had to overnight, we have really been lucky with Dams as far as I can remember.  We haven't had to wait much at all, despite war stories from other boaters of four to six hour waits at some locks.  The river really looked a lot alike as we traveled down, and there wasn't much that was remarkable.  We had a couple of anchorage nights before Paducah-  nothing spectacular, but we always make the most of  the "ground time" we have!  The Handsome Captain is always good for a fire, a steady hand as the Littles climb fallen trees of dubious stability, and adult beverages to ...

Todd has been saying the word "treacherous" a lot lately. Its due to that mighty murkey Mississippi. In the Great Lakes, when you come across an out of place flat calm bit of water with other waters lapping over top of it, it typically means that there is a sand bar, or rock there and you steer clear. Not so here.  It happens all the time and you can't see through the water and you're sure you are going to hit something but no... It's just current/tide/whatever. My gut still wrenches when I come up top and see that. Thank goodness we have such a talented and capable Captain (who is also handsome and witty). He also figured out what the lines across the river in our navigation system mean. They mean that the water is going to all of a sudden be about 80 feet deep and the boat will go sideways in the swirling whirpool of death that this creates. We avoid those at all cost now. Do you want to know why St. Louis doesn't have a Marina?  Because it would be shee...

You meet the cutest and sweetest folks when travelling the loop.  We arrived at Grafton, IL, the day before Hallowe'en along with several, slower boats whom we play leap frog with along this adventure.  They were so concerned that the Lttles wouldn't have a wonderful hallowe'en that each of them found some sort of candy for the kiddos.  Many thanks to the Andros, Lorna and Irv, and the sailboat with the wood stove (whaaa?  yep.  It smelled soooo welcoming).  They were all so so sweet and made sure that the Littles had some candy from each of them  Not only that, but the owner of the marina at Grafton heard that we had Littles aboard and insisted that we have their courtesy car for Hallowe'en night and pulled two large goodie bags out of her purse when I showed up at the Marina shop on Hallowe'en morning.  Thanks Jan, you're a peach. we did a little decorating...  Anyhoo, we ended up sharing the car that day with a nice coup...

We were told that the water levels were low, something to do with wickets (which we only now know what they are) and that navigating into the Illinois Valley Yacht Club (the IVY) would not necessarily be impossible but would most surely ruin our hull, props and therefore our day. So we stopped at the free docks at the Peoria City wall. Free is good. Free with power even better! Until we realize the mistake that Peoria has made. Beautiful riverfront, so-so docks (again, Free), but absolutely everything you want to do is on the *other side of the river*. Seriously. No restaurants, no grocery, nada. Well, there is the Caterpillar headquarters/visitor center. In addition, we weren't really comfortable with the amount of interest some unsavories were paying to us and our boat at the city dock. Todd's friend Jeff used to live here and lined up one of HIS friends who would lend us their car.  He also lined up a nice slip for us at the IVY. They both told us that we really should b...

I promised to fill you in on the title "see you on the ones".  Communicating with the barges on the river can be tricky - some just plain don't answer you.  Most communicate via channel 13.  Todd was approaching a barge, and had asked him, "Hey Captain, what side should I pass you on?".   The response was "see you on the ones".  One=Port, two=Starboard.  Handsome Captain took that to mean the *barge's* port.  Nope.  It was our port, his starboard, and BOY, did Todd get an earful from that captain.  That horrible feeling when you've done something amiss.  Why can't we just all get along?  I think he's scarred for life, really, and I feel for him.  (Todd edits this to say that captain just had a bad day at "ahole school".) Recall that we are at Harborside Marina, waiting for the "green light" at Dresden locks.   What better day to travel than 40 degrees and rain?   We love our boat.  We really do -...