We did parts of three rivers, covering 257 miles, in four days. When we got to Green Turtle Bay on Sept. 26 we decided this is the place to lay back for a while.

Alton

Alton was in the last installment. I promised more.

On our day of rest we went to town for groceries.  The local family owned market will pick you up and take you back in a late model Cadillac De Ville. It's not a huge store but it has almost everything. We found filet mignon for $6.95 a pound! Bought three for a planned at-anchor feast, and another two for after Barbara was gone.

That evening we went to dinner with John and Linda Freestone, S/V A Sante. We had originally met back in Joliet on the wall, and we went through several locks with them. Our destination was Fast Eddie's Bon Aire. It's about a 1.5 mile walk through a rough section of town. Fast Eddie's is a famous Honkey Tonk in these parts, and people come from all around. They have at least four bars, and a giant grill with prices set fourteen years ago and never increased:  Hamburgers 99 cents, peal and eat Gulf shrimp 20 for $5, and a basket of French Fries  99 cents.  We were joined somewhat impromptu, by Lou and Nancy Marino of M/V Doin Stuff. They are on their way from Ohio to find a home in Florida.  The Band played Rock favorites and people were boogying in the aisles as well as on the dance floor. Ratings: Food $*** Fun ****
 

Hoppies Marina On the way to Hoppies Marina we passed by St. Louis.  This is the best of seven shot I took of the Gateway Arch.  It's quite impressive from the river don't you agree? Every once in a while we come upon sailboats headed down the river.  They have their Masts removed so they can pass under the bridges over the waterway.  When they get to Mobile Alabama they have the Masts restepped.

Here is Jack Jones on S/V Ingebord.  I slowed down so as not to rock his small boat with my wake.  I also wanted to get his picture. Later I met him at Green Turtle Bay.  He recognized Remedy and introduced himself. He and his wife did the Great Loop a couple of years ago.  Right now they are just moving down to Florida.

Hoppies is the last place for 170 miles to get fuel.  Fern Hoppie keeps up to date on anchorages, fuel stops, and marinas downstream from their location. Every afternoon she gives a briefing to the boaters headed down the river. There were four boats the day we arrived. It's a very helpful service she provides to their customers.  Be sure to stop, fuel up, get briefed, and spent the night at Hoppies. It's located at mile 158.

The Blue Owl, in nearby Kimmswick MO, is a good place for that late lunch. Rating $$*** Pies *****  Try the White Bean Chili Soup. Recipe in the features Section.

The Diversion Canal

The weather turned rainy and cold for the next two days. Farfetched and Remedy agreed to shoot for the Little River Diversion Channel at mile 45, an anchorage 113 miles down river.  It would be a long distance but aided by the three knot current on the river we would make about 12 knots.
 

This section of the river has several sharp bends. At these bends there are places where the river, usually about 20 feet deep, will have a deep hole of 50 to 60 feet. The water swirls violently around these deep holes. We all took our turns at steering through the swirls. I'm convinced the Autopilot does it the best. At mile 80 we passed Tower Rock.  It is quite unique because most of the river banks have trees down to about 10 yards from the waters edge and either a sandbar or a rock strewn bank.

There is a big swirl at that point as well.  Barbara made Quesadillas for lunch... we named them Barbara's Tower Rock Quesadillas.

We found the Diversion Channel at around 4:30 PM. It had been a long day and the next anchorage was two more hours downstream. We put in for the night. Marion prepared the filet mignon and we all cratered after a long day of cruising in the rain. Dinner Aboard $***** Anchorage ***

Paducah KY

Our trip would be 45 miles down the Mississippi, then to the Big E Marina at Paducah KY It's about 45 miles and two locks up the Ohio River from Cairo IL.

It was raining when we left but it stopped before noon.

At Upper Mississippi mile 4 we found the most severe swirling water on this section of the river. At one instant we were headed directly for the shore; a few seconds later we we spun onto a collision course with a passing tow. It was quite a thrilling ride.

Remedy was the lead boat down the Mississippi. At Cairo I called Ron on Farfetched, "Ron, how about you leading the way up the Ohio?  You have been up there before."

He took over the lead as we turned up the Ohio. The wind piped up to around 25 on the port beam. The rain came back, and there was a marked increase in tow traffic at the Port of Cairo. It was great not being in the lead... Just follow Farfetched.  It was windy and cold the rest of the day. Not nice traveling.

The two locks were ready and waiting for us when we arrived. What Good Luck!

The Big E had fuel about 20 cents cheaper than we had paid at Hoppies. I topped off the tanks. While coming into the fuel barge, the port engine transmission control knob broke off as I was shifting into reverse. I got flustered and hit the barge pretty hard, but no damage to anything.  After fueling, I moved the boat around to the outside barge, and while docking in the high wind, again managed to hit the barge; this time chipping the fiberglass.  I was a very discouraged captain at dinner that evening.

Speaking of dinner... Jerimiah's on Broadway near 4th is a great place to eat. They specialize in Grilled Everything. We all had the $8.95 special grilled Rib eye or NY Strip. Great Value Rating $$*** .

With a short cruise the next day, we went into the city again the next morning to mail a letter to Norway and get breakfast. Kirkoff's Bakery has fancy walnut and cranberry bagels. Peppermills Coffee Co. next door, has great coffee and a place to sit and eat your bagels. It's a Small World; the fellow who waited on us went to the same high school in Spring, Texas as Barbara's son, and remembered him.

After breakfast Barbara went shopping and Marion and I went to study the murals on the levee. They depict the history of Paducah.... Purchased by Clark of "Lewis and Clark" fame in 1830's... Major  rail and commerce center for tobacco being shipped down the river... Fought over in the Civil War but basically unscathed... Home of Alben Barkley, Vice President to Harry Truman... Lots of buildings from the late 1800's still standing and in use.

That afternoon we headed up the Ohio about 12 miles to the Cumberland, and another 25 miles on the Cumberland to the Barkley lock and the Green Turtle Bay Marina. Here is Barbara driving the boat up the Cumberland river.  We saw three deer on the bank of the river so there is wildlife after all.

The Barkley Lock is the most impressive lock we have seen to date.  It's Humongous! There in the lock ahead of us is Farfetched,  the small boat on the left wall. It's essentially the same size as Remedy.

 Green Turtle Bay.

At Green Turtle bay we found: AnnTicipation and Fine Time. They were all mellowed out. It took us a day to get unwound. We had dinner the next night at the club. Here are seven Great Loop Cruisers having a reunion.

 
 
 

Barbara Lowenberg

Don & Ann Thomson

Ginny & Mike Schwartz

Marion & Ed Herndon