Up the Cumberland River

Thirty miles up the river we came to the Barkley Lock. This is a newer, single chamber lock with a lift of 57'. When we arrived at the lock the lockmaster told us to anchor to the left side of the channel and expect an hour and half wait, he was just starting a lock down of a split barge load. The barge load is to long for a single lockage. The tug pushes the first nine barges in, three wide and three deep, unhooks those barges, backs out and parks the remaining barges at the top of the lock, unhitches and comes back into the lock. The lock lowers the load, opens at the bottom and the tug pushes the first 9 barges out at the bottom and ties up the barges. Then the tug backs back into the lock and is raised back up to the top where he backs out and reconnects to the remaining barges at the top. He now pushes these barges into the lock chamber and the lock is lowered to the bottom. The lock gate opens, the tug pushes the barges out and recouples them to the first load that came down, and then pushes the entire tow out of the lock. In this case it was 15 barges, 3 wide and 5 deep. After that process was done, we were directed into the chamber and given our lift up into Barkley Lake. We proceeded an additional 9 miles up river to Buzzard Rock Marina in Kuttawa, KY. We spent two nights and used Thursday to fuel up, pump out, buy groceries, and take off, repair a bent blade, and reinstall the starboard prop which was damaged when we entered the Kaskaskie River off of the Mississippi and an outcoming 35' cigar boat waked us good and we bounced the starboard prop off the sand bottom. I was able to get the boat into relatively shallow water and get under it easily with my third lung diving system.

On Friday, September 28, we motored up the river 34 miles through one of several wildlife refuge areas along the Cumberland, and spent the night anchored in Dry Creek.

Migrating White Pelicans along the Cumberland River.

Today we came up another 59 miles to Clarksville, TN and are spending the night at Clarksville Boat Club.

View over the bow looking up the Cumberland just north of Clarksville.

On Sunday we continued up the river to the Riverview Restaurant at Ashland City for a cat fish dinner. After dinner we turned around and went 5 miles down river to Harpeth River where we found an anchorage for the night.

On Monday morning, October 1, we took a dingy ride up the Harpeth to view a high rock wall before we pulled anchor with ODYSSEE and stasrted back down the river. Before pulling the anchor we called Cheatham Dam and learned he was locking a double tow and it would be at least two hours before we could lock through. So we left the anchor inplace and relaxed for an hour and a half before leaving the Harpeth. When we got to the lock another tow had arrived and it would be at least two more hours before they could lock through pleasure craft, so we dropped the anchor again just upstream of the lock. Finally at 2:00 PM we entered the lock for our 23' drop. We finished the day at Clarksville, at the town dock, which is free and has power to plug into.

On Tuesday morning we went to the post office and looked around the town at their historic districk, and left shortly after noon heading again down the river. We spent the night at anchor in Saline Creek.

River bank just downstream from Clarksville. Sunset over Saline Creek on Tuesday night.

Today, Wednesday, October 3, we arrived back at Buzzard Rock Marina where will spend two nights, reprovision, do some laundry, and change the oil in the generator. Plans are to leave on Friday and head south on the Tennessee River.

Up the Ohio

We spent a day and a half getting from the Mississippi to the Cumberland. We turned the corner early on Tuesday, September 25. Weather was overcast with threatening rain. Our first lock, lock 53 has two chambers. We were able to get through with little delay. As we got to the top a thunderstorm moved in, with winds of 35 MPH, a driving rain, and visibilty of less than 1/4 mile. We had our radar on and we left the lock moving causiously upstream amongst all the commercial traffic. As things cleared up we increased our speed. When we got to lock 53 we were told we could expect a delay of an hour and a half. This lock also has two chambers, but the large chamber was down for maintenance so all the commercial traffic was backed up. In actuallity, we waited about half an hour, and they locked us up with two other pleasure boats. Both of these locks are being replaced by one larger lock under construction just below 53, so little maintenance money is being spent on the existing locks, and they show it. One of the boats we caught at 53 was "Another Compromise", a couple from Canada doing their second "great Loop" trip, who we first met a Little Current, Ontario. We ended up spending the night with them at the town dock at Paducah, KY. On Wednesday we completed the last 8 miles to the entrance to the Cumberland River.

Down the Mississippi

We spent Friday, September 20, and Friday night in Alton. Once you leave Alton there is only one marina for the next 218 miles down the Mississippi, Hoppies, 43 miles down the river, so everybody stops there. Hoppies is four barges tied end to end. The outside of the barges is available for transients while the inside is available for seasonal customers. We arrived with several other "Loopers" late on Saturday afternoon. We had dinner with two other couples. For the rest of the trip to the Ohio, it is necessary to anchor out. On Sunday we got to the Kaskaskie River, 61 miles down the river. The Kaskaskie River flows from Carlyl Lake is is navigatable by barge up to Fayetteville, IL. A mile up the river there is a large lock and dam that provides the river depth necessary for barges and tugs to get up the river. We took the river 10 miles up to Evansville. It was a hot day, and all the locals were out enjoying a bonus summer Sunday, with boats and jet skis everywhere. We spent the night at the lower lock wall with three other boats. Today, Monday, September 24, we traveled 111 miles down the river to an anchorage just north of the Interstate 57 bridge, 7 miles from the junction with the Ohio River. We had the engines running at 1200 RPM which pushes us through the water at 8 MPH, but with the push of the river, we averaged 11.4 MPH, and taveled at 2.92 miles per gallon. Pretty amazing for the "Old Hat". Tomorrow we will join the Ohio and travel upstream to where the Cumberland River joins the Ohio. We have two large locks to traverse, hopefully we can get through both of them without major delay.

Down the Illinois Waterway

We left Chicago Yacht Club this morning, Thursday, Sept. 13. Went through the Lake Michigan Lock and right through downtown Chicago. All those people rushing around as we gracefully glided down the Chicago River at 6 MPH. Only had to open one bridge, the Amtrak RR Bridge. Arrived at the bridge where three other boats were waiting, and had been for about 30 minutes. As we arrived, the bridge opened and we fell into line as the fourth boat. As we arrived at the lock at Lockport, we caught up with three more boats who had been waiting for awhile. Again as we arrived, the lock opened up. The lockmaster brought in the two longest boats first, put them next to the left wall, and then brought in the next four largest boats to raft up to the first two. The two shortest boats were left, ourselves at 43' and a 39' trawler. He sent us to the front of the lock chamber on the right side and had the 39' trawler load in behind us. He requested we leave first. Not bad, last in, first out.
We took this picture of the other seven boats, all "Loopers", that followed out of the Lockport Lock.

As we proceeded down the river we were the only boat who could get under the 16' bridges without an opening, so we kept rolling along while the other 7 boats waited for bridges to open. We had a very efficient day! We made it to Joliet and are tied up to the town wall where they have free dockage with power, great deal!

On Friday we proceeded further down the river, got to Ottawa, IL and another free town dock with power. Before leaving Saturday morning we walked around town. Ottawa was a neat little town and on Saturday morning they set up a farmers market at the town square. Bought some goodies and then headed back to the boat and on down the river. Had planned to spend the night at the Chillicothe, IL town dock but learned from another "Looper" that the local police were asking boaters spending the night to leave, so we went a little further to Hamm's Holiday Marina for the night. We had 11 "Loopers " there for the night. Found a little Lutheran Church in town so biked to their Sunday morning service. Later in the day Randall Peters sister and father came to visit the boat, they wanted to see first hand the results of all the work Randall and I had put into the boat. We had a nice visit and lunch.

On Monday, September 17, we again headed south on the river with the intention of getting to Tall Timbers Marina in Havana, IL. Called ahead and found they were full. Stopped at the city dock in Peoria and learned that after Labor Day the dock is free and available for overnight dockage, complete with power. We joined four other boats we have been traveling with for the afternoon and night. Took a nice afternoon bike ride around town.

Today, Tuesday September 18, we have made it to Tall Timber Marina. Will leave here tomorow and spend two nights on the hook before arriving at the Mississippi River.

Like so frequently happens, our plans change with the situation. We did anchor out on Thursday night behind Bar Island, 94 miles up the Illinois River. We got a early start on Friday, September 20, and with the nice day and the push of the river, we traveled 101 miles to Alton, IL.