Upon leaving Little Diversion Canal at 8 a.m. we encountered barges. The whole way down the Mississippi to the Ohio River (48 Miles) we always had a pusher in sight. The dialect of the captains is often hard to understand as they chat on Channel 13 - their channel. We can use it to contact them or they can use it to direct us to pass on the one (our port) or two (our starboard).
The Pusher John Yeager told the four boats to get in a line so he could pass us as a group. We have been looking at his stern all day!
Five miles below the our home of last night we passed under the Thebes Rail Road Fixed Bridge. This bridge has 100.2 feet clearance. Most bridges will have a line of numbers showing the water level below the clearance. It is very helpful if you have a high mast and are not sure if you can make it under. With our mast down we are one of the lowest boats. The trawlers are much higher and most times much bigger. Below is another bridge. The numbers go to the water level when it is high! But you knew that!
The Mississipi is full of curves and turbulence today. As the river widens, our speed decreases with the current. In narrow areas we are traveling at 10 miles per hour but most of our day is a miles or two below that. We decide to enjoy this speed as our next leg is upriver and we will be crawling with only one motor. Last night Ken helped Tom moved our sick starboard motor to the front deck. This morning Tom moved the dingy motor into the motor well. We can use it to negotiate docks and moorings but it is not pr
actical for on the river use because Debbie has to sit beside it on the floor and make adjustments. She does not have her engineer's license!
actical for on the river use because Debbie has to sit beside it on the floor and make adjustments. She does not have her engineer's license!Please note the quiet motor reclined on the foredeck under the mast and between the four gas cans!
As we leave the Mississippi (picture of out last glimpse) about 1 p.m. we are gliding along at 10 mph. We pass under the Cairo Highway Fixed Bridge (85 feet), go around the bend and up to Ohio and under the Cairo Highway Fixed Bridge (116.50 feet). Our speed drops from 10 mph to 5-6 mph!
The Ohio River at the Junction of the Mississippi river.
What a surprise! We take one last look at the Mississippi and there is demasted catamaran behind us. As it passes us (everyone does these days), we chat with two germans in a Venezia 42 named Tamada. They are headed for the Gulf of Mexico!
At the mouth of the Ohio is Barge Land. We pass blocks of 50 or more barges sitting right in the middle of the river!
You are looking out the window at rows and rows of barges end to end!
It is very hot today and we have all the Eisenglass windows rolled up or off. Finally we add fans!
We can almost read the mileage signs on the Shore Markers.
As Debbie's camera runs out of battery power, we pass the Olmstead Lock and Dam 15 miles up the Ohio. It was to be finished in 2008 which has now been moved back to 2013! It will replace Lock 53 and 52.
Below Lock 53 we catch up and wave goodbye to our friends Barb & Ken, Ellen & Woody and Brenda & John. They have dropped anchor. We don't see a wiggle - is it siesta time?
Lock 53 is two miles further up the Ohio. We throw 35 foot lines up to the lock masters and are soon on our way. Usually it is a 14 foot rise but today it is about 3 feet! In the fall and winter months water is let out of Kentucky Lake to keep the river up. It increases the flow to about 2 mph. In the spring the flow is 3 mph and in the summer 1 mph. At 5 mph we get to see everything initimately along the Ohio. We think the River is at "Pool" (very little current).
Twenty three miles north we arrive at Lock 52 and Dam. It is after 9 p.m. Don't forget to divide 5 mph into 23 miles! We wait 75 minutes before the lockmaster tells us to proceed into the smaller lock. We see only one lock being used at a time and wonder why they have two! He lowers a hook to Debbie to pull up her 50 foot line. This a 10 foot level change not a 14 (Lock 53) but needs a 50 foot line not a 35! We don't ask questions because we know lockmasters rule this part of the world and we really want to get up river as quickly as possible.
Tom is a good night sailor. He stands at that the wheel with his head above the roof looking in all directions. We have turned lights on at the front, back and top of our boat. He watches for other lights and any movement. We have a 1,000 watt hand held light and we cannot guess how strong the pusher's lights are. They pick us up on radar and spot us with their strong light. Tom uses eye sight (our radar is safely stored under our bed) and uses his "candlelight" 1,000 water light on them. Markers guiding us up the channel are difficult to find so we keep an evil eye on the depth finder. We don't want to get in one figures as we need 3 1/2 feet clearance
About 11:30 p.m. we approach Paducah and the foot of the Tennessee River. This is a very busy part of the river and we have to wait carefully all Pushers to make sure they are "rest" at the side of the river or slowly moving somewhere. Debbie's eyes are used as a backup for Tom's and she enjoys all the pretty lights along the shore she cannot see.
At the far end of Paducah the Tennessee River branches off at an island. We see a red light on land (and island) and wonder if it will be at the branch. It is! We take the right fork into the TN River and then hunt for a second island - Cuba Towhead - where we hope to spend the night. We see a yellow light to the right and investigate at our slowest speed with watchful eye on depth finder. Catrina continues around a curve at 16 feet depths and Debbie drops anchor. Sleep at last and it is only a few minutes after Midnight. 8 a.m. to midnight - 92 miles - our longest day -we have earned a good nights sleep!
