Great Loop Day 054 Oct 21, 2016, Kaskaskia Wall to Little Diversion Channel Anchorage
Kaskaskia Wall to Little Diversion Channel Anchorage
The Mississippi River carries the mud of thirty states and two provinces 2,000 miles south to the delta and deposits 500 million tons of it there every year. The business of the Mississippi, which it will accomplish in time, is methodically to transport all of Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. - Charles Kuralt
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Day 54 Friday, Oct 21, 2016. Kaskaskia Lock Wall to Little Diversion Channel Anchorage. Cape Girardeau, Missouri. 69.1 miles today. You may be interested to know I got a little over 110 miles on just 5 gallons of gas, that’s the advantage of going with the flow.
Left at daybreak down the mighty Mississippi River. The early morning fog was burning off and as we headed southward the blinding sun was in our faces most of the day.
Sunrise getting ready to burn off what is left of the night fog.
Mystic out of the mist.
A chilly morning starts.
“Looking good, Mystic!”
“Same to you Sea Marie!”
One of the many hidden or almost hidden dangers. Who knows what lurks beneath the surface of this river?
It was a hard day of keeping watch to avoid the towboats, shallows, and channel markers. Well, I knew it was just a matter of time; I hit a green navigational aid can on my port bow with a loud and solid thud. The river current pushed me into it as my timing was "a little bit outside." I avoided several others in really close shaves. I got the hang of it now. Glided over a few whirlpools that shoved the boat sideways and almost turned me around. These whirlpools form over deep holes in the river's bottom. Depths vary but can reach over 80 ft while the average depth is around 35ft.
This shot is most likely a wing dam. In times of low water, these dams direct the flow to the center of the river providing more depth for the river traffic.
Looks like bank erosion from the rivers during high floods. Charles Kuralt was right.
Scott gets an up-close look at the tow as he passes on the ‘One’. River navigation talk for passing other vessels port to port, or left to left.
The Mystic as Beth gets her camera ready, Dave keeps the boat steady.
These homes are in the state of Illinois and the other side is Missouri.
This is what I saw most of the day. The transoms of the buddy boats.
Our entourage silently passes the city of Cape Girardeau. The venerable Mark Twain wrote of this city in his Life on the Mississippi book:
Cape Girardeau is situated on a hillside and makes a handsome appearance. There is a great Jesuit school for boys at the foot of the town by the river. Uncle Mumford said it had as high a reputation for thoroughness as any similar institution in Missouri. There was another college higher up on an airy summit,--a bright new edifice, picturesquely and peculiarly towered and pinnacled--a sort of gigantic casters, with the cruets all complete. Uncle Mumford said that Cape Girardeau was the Athens of Missouri, and contained several colleges besides those already mentioned; and all of them on a religious basis of one kind or another. He directed my attention to what he called the "strong and pervasive religious look of the town," but I could not see that it looked more religious than the other hill towns with the same slope and built of the same kind of bricks. Partialities often make people see more than really exists.
Another bit of history on this website:
Driving through the Civil War in Cape Girardeau - The Walking Tourists
Cape Girardeau was a Union stronghold during the Civil War. The area had its Confederate sympathizers, but the vast majority of the region was pro-Union.
In fact, the Union defended Cape Girardeau from a Confederate attack April 26, 1863. The four-hour artillery exchange became known as the “Battle of Cape Girardeau.” Once the fighting stopped, the Union lost six soldiers and had about a dozen wounded. The Confederates likely suffered twice as many casualties and wounded.
An interesting note (to me only, perhaps) is that the Union regiment defending Cape Girardeau at the time with was the First Nebraska Infantry. The Nebraska unit was stationed at Cape for a while in the mid-1860s. It was known as a hard-fighting and hard-drinking group of men, a Civil War re-enactor told me.
Following the battle, the 1st Nebraska was transferred south. Later, on a return trip through Cape Girardeau, the steamboat transporting the unit docked. Merchants were quick to roll barrels of liquor and other “goodies” to the docks. As the boat readied for its midnight departure, Nebraska soldiers had to be carried on to the boat or pulled from the water after falling overboard. They appeared to have enjoyed their short stay with lots of booze.
I was nearing the end of today's journey looking for the cut on the shoreline that leads to the Little Diversion Channel and a towboat without barges was working upriver near the mouth of this small river when the Sea Marie caught the three-foot wake threw the bow up and the stern soon after. The prop popped out and slammed back into the water. I had a similar situation on the St Clair river. A small but noticeable vibration from the outboard had annoyingly occurred again.
The Mystic and Mucho Gusto had found the opening to the Little Diversion Channel and were already anchored as I came alongside and had an offer to raft off the Mystic. At this point I know I needed to reset the prop while we still had daylight.
With Dave’s help, we swung the boat’s transom over so I can get to the prop from the cockpit of the Mystic. With my tools, I removed the cotter pin and tightened the prop nut, and reinserted the cotter pin. I don't need any problems tomorrow as we will be going upriver against a strong current on the mighty Ohio River in Cairo, Illinois.
Mickey, without his leash, got the run of all 3 boats. Making new friends and exploring the cabins and decks of the Mystic and Mucho Gusto. The owners were delighted to have him on board especially Beth aboard the Mystic. She misses her cats back home. I made my Spanish rice with diced tomatoes and shared it with others as we enjoyed the pot of soup Beth made. It was great! Tasty and good-n-hot.
Our bellies are full.
Mickey asked to stay aboard for the rest of the trip. “Sorry, buddy, it’s only a visit.”
Our last night on the Mississippi, tomorrow we head upriver on the Ohio River.
Tomorrow we make a run toward Paducah, Kentucky. We sat around discussing our options. The new Olmsted Lock is still under construction and we heard boats are being escorted thru the construction zone. What we don't know is how long this will take. We need to get to an anchorage before dark and daylight diminishes every day. Anchoring on the Ohio River near Bean Branch Creek seemed to be our best offer. Well, I have much to prepare for tomorrow's journey. So to all, fair winds and gentle seas.
Comments from 2016:
Scott Stanley Sikorski Safe travels Henry, hoping it's warmer there than in Cleveland.
Pogo Bob, It doesn't sound like much has changed on the Ohio River in 9 years. Good luck tomorrow!
Camille Sandrock Really enjoying your pictures; stay safe!
Sunset on the quiet Little Diversion Channel
The lights of a silent riverboat caught our attention going downriver.
Follow Beth Rogers on her blog as we traveled down the Mississippi to Green Turtle Bay Resort:
Cruising - Team Rogers: Kaskaskia Lock & Dam ~ Little River Diversion Canal