The "Lower Mississippi" - St Louis South

Sunday eve we docked at our tie-up for the night which was a wall of a lock near the mouth of Kaskaskia River, 1/8th mile from the Mississippi. Our landing here was much smoother than our departure from Kimmswick! Ooooo...Clay misjudged the winds as we left Kimmswick; he was onshore with ropes. I was solo on the boat with no engines running. Not a pretty scene. But we survived the anxiety.  Our traveling companions were eating a big breakfast at the Blue Owl while we opted to head south early.

Round rock formation

Shortly after our arrival at the lock wall, we launched the dinghy...a first...and went for a ride. The test run of the dinghy didn't meet my expectations! Launch wasn't easy as I had hoped. Heavy, wide dinghy, heavy motor and all in all, just an awkward procedure. About knocked off the herb garden window box in the launch. But we managed, and went for the maiden voyage aboard the.....oh, we have no name for it yet other than the brand, Nautica. I think "Haven't Figured That Out Yet" would be a good name. With that phrase constantly on the Captain's lips when questioned by the first mate since buying the trawler, something has to be named such. Consider it christened!

Back to the boat after the dinghy ride, I insisted on us showering. Although the temps had cooled considerably...say, at least 10-15 degrees, we'd motored most of the day in intense heat, with some breeze though. Oh, prior to the shower, we tried to reconfigure the grill so it wouldn't burn up the dinghy when we used it. Not possible under current conditions. So grilled burgers and romaine weren't gonna happen last night. Plan B. I remember sister Susan giving me a mini-notepad that proclaimed 'life is all about plan b.' You got that right! Back to the drawing board, I came up with cheeseburger pizza and Sophia's salad. Worked well and fell together rather easily after drinks aboard the D Cea with our new companions and an early departure from cocktail hour aboard so we wouldn't be eating so darn late again. And, nice to have leftovers for ensuing evening meals.

Labor Day morning, we were underway by 6:50 am along with the other 2 boats traveling with us. I had asked Clay last night what his departure time expectations were, but he failed to answer...said he didn't hear me. We'll correct that one. Put me in a real rush to finish my stretches/PT exercises and get in a quick 15 min walk on the lock wall. We had to run the generator much of the night as, altho fairly coolish out, the humidity was pretty bad. I think Clay opened up about 3 am. He noted raccoon tracks on the starboard walkway. Wish he hadn't told me that!

We called our old Rotary friend, Jerry McClanahan in Cape Girardeau as we went under the Chester, IL highway bridge to advise we were in his territory.  Great visiting with Jerry on the phone; but since Cape has no marina nor place to tie up, we didn't get to visit face to face!  As a bonus, as we went by the Cape riverfront, we got to see the Mississippi Queen steamboat tied up there.

Dry dock at Cape Girardeau

An 8-hour travel day today, we are now anchored (rafted) with the 2 other boats a mile upstream of Cairo, IL on the Mississippi. Clay said I was brave in the ER, but bravery was really 'getting back on the horse' anchoring here! We'll hope for the best tomorrow when we pull up anchor and head on down river.
 

Anchor Drills & Other Excitement

Written Sat am, Aug. 31: We are Kimmswick bound, having departed Alton Marina about 11:15 am today. We motored to Alton from Port Charles on Friday, encountering no locks, so it was an efficient and smooth sailing. Soon after departure from Pt Chas, we did an anchoring drill as we'd not practiced at all.

Drill went fine, with the Captain directing the first mate's every move (necessary!) We then anchored for lunch and enjoyed what little breeze found its way through the cabin.

Now to hoist the anchor. Not so fine a job did I do; the anchor was not positioned to lay gently into the trough as it crested the peak. Instead, the anchor shank lurched to the side of the trough, outside the confines of the trough. Oops. To be corrected later. We boated the rest of the way to Alton with me only occasionally complaining of boredom.

Now tied up at Alton Marina and dripping wet from sweat, I started a crock pot chicken recipe while the ac got going good and strong. Clay decided we needed to reposition the anchor prior to hitting the pool, but he already had his cooler packed. Anchor positioning didn't go so good. Accident #1 aboard the SaSea Sally. My right index finger got smashed between chain links and the anchor shank as Clay yanked on the heavy point end. Four hours later found us back at the boat and ready to eat, but the interim involved a trip to Alton Memorial ER, 3 x-rays, 1 tetanus shot, 3 stitches, 2 broken bones, a 6-week splint, a 45-minute wait at WAG for an antibiotic, and $18 in cab fares (now realizing the disadvantage in not having wheels!). I vaso-vageled (term used by ER doc for light-headedness) at the ER, not having lost that much blood, but the idea of such must produce a psychological effect I guess. When we came out of the hospital we saw a beautiful cloud formation silhouetted by the sun in the background.

Dinner was good. I ate but had a glass of wine first and then ate, though not very hungry. I guess this kind of 'drama' or 'trauma' does that to you.

Amazingly, I'm not too sore today, neither the finger nor the tetanus-shot arm. It is H-O-T as we head toward Kimmswick. Locked through just fine and now continue down river. Life is an adventure, eh?

It's now Sunday morning and we are docked at Hoppies, Kimmswick with 2 other Looper boats, D Cea with Dave and Carol aboard, and Shady Acres with Ed and Sue aboard. D Cea folks are past CA marina owners now from FL; Sue is a nurse and Ed, a paramedic, from NY. Hoppies dock master Fern and her daughter Debbie gave their chart talk yesterday late afternoon to brief us all on the upcoming stretch of river. I missed the talk as I desperately wanted a shower and needed to dress my wound. Next, cocktails aboard the D Cea which included non-stop conversation. Nice folks with plenty of life experiences and commentary to share. Happy Hour ran late...that seems to be a common occurrence...so I was most appreciative to have leftovers left over! Clay helped with dishes; I'm finding my finger to be a big inconvenience which is making some simple tasks exhausting. My hand is tired of holding my pointer at constant attention!

The overnight here was uneventful. Fern had tied the boat in prep for possible storms; don't think we had any. But a loud 'pecking' noise awakened me at 1:11 am, then kept me awake most of the rest of the night. I got Clay to investigate but I was right there beside him as we walked the deck; he doesn't wake up too easily and I feared man overboard. He determined fish were feeding off the accumulated plant growth on the bottom of the boat and possible critters. Pesky fish!

We're supposed to have afternoon storms which will bring a welcomed cool down. Even more welcome by the fact we will be anchoring out the next few nights on our way to Green Turtle Bay on Lake Barkley.
Weel, here's to Sunday and all that it may bring.

Enjoying Port Charles Harbor Marina (and the Duck Club)

Most of this post is written by Sally:

I find myself perched at what I call Bob Mustell corner at the breakfast counter; when Bob was aboard in WI, he found this great spot for computer work. It has been christened!


Monday eve we had a wonderful time with John arriving after work. We trekked to the Duck Club pool and watched the sun set, then headed back to the boat mooring at Port Charles Harbor for a chuck roast crock pot dinner complete with a Trader Joe's rice blend and salad. Nice to find that the crock pot works just fine and is gonna be a wonderful addition to cooking on board! With the grill now positioned on the rail such that it will burn up the adjacent dinghy, looks like it might be a while before we can break in the grill on this voyage.

John departed for home around 9:15 p.m., and I buckled down to hand-washing and -drying the dinner dishes and prep pans. Clay was at the computer, and, as I found out later, decided to post my first email to you as his blog for the day. Oops! I adamantly told him post-posting that I deserved the right to edit before posting to the blog...there are just some things shared with family and close friends that need not be posted for all eyes to see! He agreed--I hope he remembers that he agreed for I fear he will do it again.

Clay and I had spent much of Monday day organizing and finding places for stuff. But there was, and is, still more to put away. Top maker Kate finished the top adjustments on Monday; and much of what needed to be done by Port Charles folks was completed as well.

Sus arrived close to noon from COMO on Tuesday; she and I departed soon afterwards for a day running the oops-we-forgot-to-pack errands. She was sweet to be my wheels for the day, but we had enough fun that she's already 'threatening' to pop up unexpectedly at occasional ports along our route. You go, girl! Anytime! Anyplace! I fear I will most miss family and friends on this journey even though we will be making new friends.

Sus and I managed to grab a leisurely Panera lunch and go on a scavenger hunt for end-of-season hose parts for Clay; found them at Lowes only to be told by Clay that they were just spares anyway. Darn! We coulda been shopping for girl stuff! Sus and I found some self-purchased birthday presents for ourselves on the way back to the boat when we stopped at the Mills. Once back at the boat, John arrived for another home-cooked meal, a swim and an overnight. Sus departed, and Clay, John and I headed back to the Duck Club for another swim with the setting sun.
 
Dinner was salmon grilled on the George Foreman, but we laughingly say that we killed George during dinner. Seems the grill plate got hot enough to melt the high-temp glue which Clay had used to repair it. It's outta here, but it was a wonderful final meal farewell! As John prepped for bed, he realized the SaSea Sally has no iron, so he had to relax his standards for Wed's appearance at work by wearing the not-ironed look. Not room enough on this boat for everything, but we are finding that we do have room for most anything we deem worthy of the voyage! Even my Nordic Track which was repositioned today to the outside...darn, just too cramped inside with it taking up more than its fair share of space.
Clay's tv designs netted us a Sandra Bullock movie Tuesday night in which even I got involved for a while. Fun way to end the day.

Up this morning (it's now Wednesday, but kinda hard for me to keep track of days), I did my morning workout/stretches then made breakfast for John and saw him off. Clay and I walked, breakfasted, then I swam laps at the Duck Club with the water today much cooler and much less salty. Yay! Clay was doing electronics and mechanical work on the boat--both seem to be hot buttons of his with good training by Daddy Dad--while I swam.

I was under the impression we were boating on down to Alton, but unexpecteds got in our way. We found ourselves borrowing the Pt Chas courtesy car--thanks, folks--running yet more errands for things-we-shoulda-had-aboard-but-don't and/or oops-that's-already-needing-replacement! So, it's now 5:30 p.m. and I'm typing what will undoubtedly be Clay's blog post for today while he washes the boat (MUCH NEEDED!)

Dave and Carol, aboard the D Cea from Ft. Myers, FL, have been tied up adjacent to us for a couple of days. Clay had a beer with them last eve, and it looks as though that's on tap for tonight as well. It seems these Great Loopers do happy hour together then go about dinner solo. Thank goodness I came prepared with many menu items...in fact we left TRM with frig and freezer stuffed which is a good thing....no grocery store nearby for last-minute items, and the Duck Club serves only Thurs-Sun. So I have a marinated pork tenderloin thawing which takes only 20 minutes of baking time; guess we'll test the oven performance tonight.
 
It continues to be hot, here as well as there I'm sure. But the ac works fine as do many of the boat systems. Clay did good prep work, but a shake-down cruise of a week or two might have been a good idea. Guess we're shaking down now!

WE ARE OFF!!!

On Sunday, Sally's XXth birthday, we left Louisiana on the SaSea Sally on our Great Loop adventure.  We took care of a number of "home" tasks, loaded another car load of stuff which we hastily stowed aboard the boat--totes and boxes everywhere!  Cindy and Greg Blaylock were on E-dock as we left and she captured the moment with a picture (yet to be received so we can post it).

Sally's comments can better carry the story:

Hi! Sure is hot!  We launched around 11:12 a.m. Sunday, the 25th, with Cindy Blaylock taking some photos with her tablet. Earlier she had followed us home to 417 to ferry us back to the marina after dropping our car and grabbing some milk at the Quik Shop. I adapted well to the trawler as deck hand, finding it not a lot different from the MAII. We locked thru Clarksville with only a short wait, but had to wait about 2 hrs in Winfield. Lunch was meager with the boat in less-than-ideal position for cookìng or even retrieving food from frig. Actually, lunch was more snack food; so, I now know I need to be better prepared for a quick grab from the frig by positioning lunch food stuffs at the front. Live and learn! We arrived at Port Charles about 6:15 p.m., with John and Kristen arriving simultaneously to help tie up. John, of course, has been on board, but not Kristen. She got the tour by John with a few punctuations by me thrown in for good measure. John had brought a bottle of champagne and also a bottle of wine, the champagne to christen the boat and the zin for all of us to try. I'm not much for champagne, but the zin was really good! After regrouping by allowing time for each of Clay and me to shower, we headed next door to the Duck Club for dinner, open Thurs thru Sun nites. It was, as Susan says, FABULOUS! I splurged on sea bass, having had it at Aaron and Amy Newman's wedding reception many years ago and remembering what a treat it was. Expensive, but it was, I guess, my bday gift to myself. I coerced John into having sea bass also. Today, Kate, the canvas top maker, has been here making some modifications on the top to satisfy Clay that no strong rainstorms will penetrate. Too, some of the Port Chas workmen have been here. I went swimming at the Duck Club pool which was extremely hot and salty (fella said it's salt water; I agreed). John texted us, indicating he'd like to come out when and if it suits. Sure! He threw his swim trunks in his car this morning, so is on his way out now for a swim and home-cooked dinner. I'm breaking in the crock pot, one of my inheritances from Mom. We'll be around here again tomorrow, then will head Wed toward Alton then Thursday to Hoppy's I believe Clay said. It's taking awhile to find places for things as there are lots of places to stash stuff--the hard part is remembering where you stashed it! Hope the brain cells stay engaged! Clay thinks an inventory is in the near future. That's all for now. Was an extremely boring trip from Clarksville down for me, but today has been better. Clay loves his new captain's chair which John tested last eve and agreed wholeheartedly! I think I'm gonna have to find a comfortable support on the fly bridge for me! Love, Sal and Clay Clay here:  We met a Looper couple staying next to us on the dock a couple years older than us from Ft Meyers FL aboard the DCea (his name is Dave and hers is Carol).  Darryln Caudill, is my other "DC" friend, maybe I could introduce you!  All the tasks on the list were completed today but................  We are not getting over the air TV signals, probably a simple wiring connection.  The AIS that locates other large boats and tow boats on our chart plotter screen is receiving some signals, but not as many as it should AND it is not sending the SaSea Sally's location information to other boats as it should.  Called Si-Tex today and will do some diagnostics in the morning. Beautiful sunset while we swam in the Duck Club pool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ON A ROLL--MAYBE!

A roll of bad luck that is! 

My electronics installer Cory, who had been coming to do my work since MAY, was to be here over two weeks ago.  The day he was to arrive, he called while driving through Kingdom City from his home in Iberia, MO (near Lake of the Ozarks).  He said his mom was taken to the hospital in AR by Ambulance so he was turning around and going to AR. 

The next week Cory came here and worked a full day Tue. July 30.  He left to pick up some needed parts on Tue. and was to return to work on SaSea Sally Thursday July31.  The parts didn’t come in on Wednesday, so he had to stay there for their delivery on Thursday.  I got a call before 8am that he was in AR with his mother who was taken to the hospital (for the second time in ten days).  She did have some kind of heart procedure he told me today and his aunt was with her.

Cory showed up this Tuesday and worked a full day.  He stayed at the motel here last night hoping to get the job done today.  At 5AM his dad called him saying both their houses were flooded due to the torrential rains around Waynesville, MO.  Cory left around 10AM heading back to Iberia to assess the damage.

Cory offered to come back Saturday and Sunday but we have plans in St Louis Saturday night with Kristen and John so I declined.  We have a date for Cory to return next Monday—maybe.  Cory was able to remove all the older Standard Horizon and Raymarine equipment (radar, two displays, a fish finder, and the GPS.  In its place, two new Garmin 7212s and a Garmin HD radar were installed and after a 25 min call to Garmin tech support all the new equipment is working.  He was also able to get the satellite TV integrated with the new TVs and other audio visual equipment in the entertainment center.  Four of the closed circuit TV cameras are working and he has found the problem with the fifth camera.  There are miscellaneous other installation tasks including teaching me how to operate the new chart plotters and Garmin laptop software.

Sally and I are cleaning the interior for the third time  I’ve been vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing everything in sight.  We've been busy organizing and stowing items on the boat as well as hauling many things from home that we will be taking along.  Giving the boat exterior a good washing is on tomorrows agenda.  Lots to do!

Cory's dad's home.

Wet carpet for sale!

Slow Progress--but Progress!!!

As I write this blog, I am watching the Two Rivers Marina crane on a barge digging out the entrance to the the harbor!  Quite a change from the flood scenario we've seen for the past 3+ months which made the harbor entrance 15' deep most of the spring!  Now that the river level is back to normal, the silt deposited in the harbor entrance by the flood has reduced the entrance depth so it is now difficult for larger boats to enter or leave the harbor.  Feast of famine???

We find ourselves wondering if "this is our year".  Floods, difficulty getting work done, or done right, seem to plague us week after week.  The latest saga involves the electronics installer who we've been wanting to install the Garmin radar and chart plotters I purchased last Feb. at the Miami Boat Show.  He also needs to get the closed circuit TV system working with the new equipment and complete the hook-up of the satellite TV system and the distribution of broadcast, cable, and satellite signals to the the 3 TVs on the boat.  We tried to get him to come do the installation while we were stuck in Louisiana last May during the floods--no luck. 

After a long string of excuses and no contact, the installer from the Lake of the Ozarks (actually Iberia, MO) showed up Tuesday July 30. He worked very quickly and did a great job removing some old equipment and a bushel basket of older, unneeded wiring but he need some parts that weren't available locally to proceed.  He left Tuesday night and was to return Thursday with the overnight-ed parts.  The parts didn't arrive Wednesday, so he said probably Friday.  Friday at 6:45am I got an email that his mother was back in the hospital in AR (yes, he used that one before when he didn't show 10 days ago) and he was in AR with her.

Why, you ask yourself, don't you get someone else to do the installation?  Surprisingly there is only one guy in the greater St Louis area who installs marine electronics and his work is mostly done on commercial tow boats.  He flatly states, "if a tow boat calls me, I leave your job and go take care of them."  So I wait for the installer from the Lake who has two days to complete the work I want done.

Other work is progressing while we wait for the electronics installer.  Robert Brown installed a couple new 110v AC GFI outlets while Jo Ray Asquith installed decking under the front berth to allow more storage as well as a shelf under the galley sink.  He will finish by adding a stainless brace, fabricated by CMC in Louisiana, to steady the handrail on the steps leading out of the main salon this Saturday.  Nichole, our computer guru, was on board configuring the two laptops to work with the two systems that receive internet signals.  She also got the internet TV configured.

So when the electronics installer leaves, there will be only a couple outstanding projects left on the list for others to do!  Sally and I still have a huge amount of work to do--cleaning, inventorying, sorting, and restocking the boat. We are getting closer....................

SaSea Sally is on the hard (on land) and in a building for work.

 I got good news and bad news.

The bad news was they removed a couple pecks of zebra muscles mostly from my trim tabs (notice the dark coloration on the metal trim tab pictured to the left).  My stern thruster was also completely covered with pesky zebra muscles.  The muscles were removed with power washing and scraping but I have no idea where I picked up a heavy infestation like I had.

The good news is my bottom looked great and had no "blisters".  Blisters are caused by water seeping into the fiberglass which in turn bubbles.  Then more water can infiltrate the fiberglass which is not a good thing.