Ocean Breeze: Great Loop Date: 09.27.2010 (Monday): Stepping into MUD…

Day #46: 1097.2 total miles (44.3 miles 4.25 hours 9.0 mph)
Locks: 8 total (today: 0)
Port #20 – Alton, IL

This morning dawned beautiful and bright. Not a cloud in the sky. Finally we were going to see the Mississippi River. Our trip would be shorter today. Best yet, we would be catching up with our Looper friends, Sea Estate and NII Wishin’.

One thing we knew we would never escape would be the barges. We understood we would face more barges on the Mississippi. We were also aware they would be much bigger.

Most of the barges we encountered on the Illinois River were 2X4 to 3X6. The first number represents how many barges wide the load is. The second number is how many barges long the load.

Nearly as soon as we cast off of Mel’s Riverfront Dock, we encountered our next barge, the Susan Griffin, a Grifco. We decided she was an asphalt carrier since she had generators on each of her three barges.

Two hours after cast off, we met the muddy waters of the big Mississippi River. It was streaming at us past two small islands that stood between it and the Illinois River. OB had already gotten her feet dirty and was beginning to feel a change in the current. We went from 8.5 mph to 10 mph immediately.

We first passed Grafton, IL on our port side. There is a nice marina in Grafton. Our itinerary was to take a right turn on Big Muddy, go to Pt. Charles to take on diesel and then head back downstream to Alton, IL. There we would resume looping with our friends.

A small car ferry running between Grafton, IL and St. Charles, MO passed ahead of us. OB made the turn from downstream current to upstream Mississippi current and instantly slowed from 10 mph to 4 mph. The change in current made us glad we would be going downstream after we took on fuel.

The route into the Pt. Charles Marina was daunting. We had our first look at weir dams that were on our starboard side. Our understanding is weir dams are usually stone rip rap, can be seen out of the water or may be completely submerged. They affect the current in the river helping to maintain a navigational level. If they are submerged and not heeded, you can take out a prop or worse on a weir dam.

Until this point, we had been looking for wing dams. Wing dams are usually concrete dams that extend at an angle from the side of the river partway or nearly to the center of the river. They increase the flow of the river for navigation while drawing sediment away from the channel. They sound great but are a hidden danger as well.

As we neared Pt. Charles Marina, we had been directed to stay out of the main channel and proceed up the Mississippi to a small channel between two islands. Our charts showed a wing dam extending the full width of the channel. The Pt. Charles Marina management told us we could pass over it easily. When we saw the swirling water over the dam area, we were nervous. Adding to the concern were fallen trees on both sides of the channel making us zigzag between them to get through. It was 100 yards of frustration that we managed to get through both coming from and returning to the main channel on the Mississippi.

The fuel price at Pt. Charles made the whole venture worthwhile. With our Boat US discount, diesel was $2.759 per gallon. Even better, our consumption averaged 2.3 mpg. Todd was ecstatic! It hasn’t affected my allowance yet, however!

Once OB made her way back through the narrow channel returning us to the Mississippi, our first obstacle was Dell Butcher! Golly, we had seen good ol’ Dell up the Illinois a few days back. And my, how he had grown! He was now 3X5 big barges (totaling 15 big barges)! The captain was very nice to us and mentioned to be careful of the canoe ahead of us.

By golly, there was Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn! In a CANOE! Actually, at first I thought it was Becky Thatcher and Tom. I learned later it is two fellows taking the Mississippi’s whole length in a canoe, camping along the way. I really don’t think it’s an adventure I would enjoy with all of the barge traffic on these rivers.

Once we were back downstream and on our way to Alton, the limestone outcroppings were amazing. Todd and I were both so taken with the scenery, we missed a turn in the channel. We were able to correct the mistake without a mishap, but it was concerning for a few minutes.

A little over an hour after setting OB in the Big Muddy, we were entering Alton Marina in Alton, IL. Our eyes fell on NII Wishin and Sea Estate as soon as we came through the entrance. Their captains and crew were on tour at the Budweiser plant in St. Louis but we had finally caught up.

That evening, all of us enjoyed a good dinner at Fast Eddies. The atmosphere was fun, the prices were unbelievable and the food was good. Better yet, the company was fantastic…it’s good to be with friends.

Susan Griffin, the last of the smaller barges we would see for a while.

Even knowing that, Susie is a long one!

Here comes the mud...right between the land jetty on the right and the island on the left. You can see the current change.

OB enters the current in Big Muddy.

This can buoy demonstrates the current.

Grafton, IL...the real beginning of the Mississippi for us.

The little car ferry from Grafton we followed around the bend into the upstream current of Big Muddy...just to put on discounted fuel.

Grafton Marina is on the far left. It looked a cute little town.

Weir dams on the starboard going upstream on the Mississippi. We passed quite a few on the way to Pt. Charles Marina.

ANOTHER paddlewheeler sitting idle at the entrance to Pt. Charles Marina.

You can see the swirling water over the wing dam between the two islands we had to go between to and from Pt. Charles Marina. We held our breath waiting to hear the nasty noise of prop metal hitting cement. The noise never came...thank goodness.

Of course the dam wasn't the only problem. Downed trees were in the water on both sides of the little channel.

Here comes Dell Butcher as we entered the main Mississippi River channel after fueling.

Good ol' Dell alerted us to this little image downstream.

Becky Thatcher and Tom Sawyer in a canoe...with their tent, sleeping bags and gear. These two were really daring! They laughed when I told them who I thought they really were. The 'person' in front had a long braid coming from her/his cap and looked feminine from my perspective. Connie told me later she had read about the two and she was a he.

The beginning of the limestone outcroppings along our port side as we resumed our trek downbound to Alton, IL.

We could see the scenery would last for miles.

It just got better...

...and better...

...and better.

Oh yeah, that's the Captain enjoying the scenery...

...and the First Mate. Did you think I was going to say something else? Of course, after I left the bow we discovered we had missed a starboard diversion. It led to 10 minutes of breath holding.