Day two

Saturday, June 6

We have a peaceful night at anchor, after the local owl choir ended their concert, we were up and ready to go early this morning. A tow went by and rocked us gentle about the same time that deckhand Oreo can up to announce that his cat food dish needed filling (he doesn’t like it more than half empty) or that he was ready for lots of morning affection. We are never sure which until Diana checks the food dish and by then it doesn’t matter he has had his affection and we are up, it was just before 6:00.

By 7:00 we had the large branch off our anchor trip line and the anchor up and stowed. The windlass works just as well this year as last.

Since the first two locks are down, (the wickets in the dam are out and the water flows straight thru) the river is in free flow for the first 230 miles. In checking water levels, I also checked actual elevations and determined that the elevation change was greater in the first part of the river and becomes less, further up, this implies less current.

Sure enough after getting only 5.5, 5.6 much of yesterday and only an occasional 6 with power at our cruise setting, we started this morning at 6.3 and much of the day got in the upper 6 range. Since we did the long day yesterday and had only 47 miles to go today we did not have to run high power at all today and still we had a short day.

Today was much like yesterday, low wooded shore line with many back waters behind the trees. Still very limited civilization, the occasional small town and lots of commercial barge facilities. At mile 80 we came to our first lock, LaGrange lock and Dam, This is one of the two that they open the dam and you by pass the lock during high water. We motored right by and Diana was happy, that is her favorite way to “lock”.

The weather was mild and overcast, pleasant, but we decided to run from the lower helm. I finally decided to go to the fly bridge and no sooner then I got there, it started to rain lightly. I quickly moved back down stairs. Shortly the rain ended, the clouds broke up and we had sunshine. We moved back topside and ran the last hour and a half from there. About an hour from the marina the wind began to pick up, what had been light became 15 to 18 with gust to 25.

By 2:30 I was on the phone with the marina manager to let him know we were close, I made a reservation with him yesterday, he told me how to enter the marina, since the entire shore is flooded and where to go after I go in, he said he would be on the dock to help with lines. The marina is a long “U” with slips when you first come in then with tie alongside docking for transients at the base of the “U”. I was to come in do a 180 then back in to a corner behind the finger pier of the last slip. Remember the wind, well he was there to direct me and several other people came to help (enjoy someone elses excitement). We came in and with the thrusters rotated the boat quickly in a very tight space, lined it up and slid it sideways up to the dock. Two people almost fell in prepared to push hard to stop the boat from hitting and I stopped it six inches from the dock.

The thrusters were a large investment we questioned making, A few more days like today and the investment will be justified.

The marina is Tall Timbers, Havana, IL. It is small but very friendly people, a floating patio and the Blue Heron serves drinks and bar type food. Oh yes free WiFi that works on the boat and no trouble getting on.

We cleaned up the boat, did a few chores, checked all the e-mails and then went over and had a drink and a pizza. Did I say life is good yesterday? Same today.

We used their showers and I think it will be early to bed tonight, as soon as I get this posted.