From Grafton, Il to Aqua Marina, Iuka, MS

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September 16, 2010
Hoppies Marina
South of St. Louis on the western bank of the Mississippi River

Rudolf Klingner and Wolfgang Helbig departed by cab to St. Louis on September 14th. They had been a great crew and we had kidded around as only friends can who have known each other for more than fifty years as in Rudolf’s case. He was off to Denver and the Rockies and Wolfgang was going to visit Washington, DC before returning to Germany.

The Marina in Grafton, Il. - not as well known as that a few miles downriver in Alton was the home of hundreds of boats all stored undercover. The marina owners also accommodated several of us Loopers. The marina was clean and even had pump-out services at the dock. Initially the Marilsnick had to dock about a quarter of a mile from the fuel dock and the facilities. As soon as there was room closer the management consisting mainly of Jan, the owner and her husband Joe, encouraged us to move the Marilsnick to a location where we even had Internet access. T-mobile, our cell phone provider did not have services here so we had little contact with the outside world. However Jan encouraged us to use her phone even for long distance calls. The difficult communication was a real problem since we were in the dark if the supplies we had ordered for the head and the engine had arrived. Our mechanic, David, had ordered a “head rebuild” (whatever that means) and a water pump for our diesel engine. Time was important because my next two crews had committed for their time slots, had scheduled their flights and purchased their tickets and I did not like to have anyone wait anymore than impatient me himself likes to wait.

By 1 PM the day before our scheduled departure my titer of nervousness began to rise but around 2 PM mechanic David appeared with both ordered items and by 4 PM both my Diesel engine and my head were functioning. My rule that marine mechanics were not punctual was wrong this time and I was elated.

In the meantime David Berntsen had arrived with his son Paul who was joining us for a few days. Paul lived near St. Louis and was a Puyallup High graduate as yours truly. His wife and in-laws had brought them and we all had lunch together at the local winery across the street from the marina.

Our friends Hal and Cheryl on the Mas Buenas had already departed. But they “fixed us up” with the crew of the Scoperta, John and Barbara, who traveled in the same direction and at similar speed. The next morning we untied the lines and the Scoperta and Marilsnick departed together. The next fifty miles were interesting and challenging. First we had to lock down to the level of the Missouri, which joined the Mississippi below the lock gate. We then left the Mississippi to follow the Chain of Rocks Canal until we reached the second and last lock on the Mississippi. Here we had to wait and circle for about an hour. The second docking with the new crew went flawlessly.

Now we could just float down Old Man River being pushed by a 2.5 knot current without worrying about locking. But on the Loop if one worry dissipates another begins. After Hoppies Marine Services consisting of two barges with giant cleats to which we could tie the Marilsnick there would be no marinas for 250 miles! That meant we would have to anchor along Old Man River with a strong current. For me who prefers the worst marina over the best anchorage this meant stress.

But there had been the sermon in Mackinac City telling me not to worry. So I tried to suppress these worries while floating by downtown St. Louis with its giant Arch, that we had visited a few days before. However compared to the view from the top of the Arch the view from the River was disappointing. Aside from that we had to focus on the numerous tugs and barges plying the river here and demanding their space.

We arrived at “Hoppies” early in the afternoon. Hoppies is the last opportunity for Loopers to dock until reaching the Tennessee River, a distance of about 200 miles. A most energetic lady, Fern, known to every Looper traveling south, taught us how to tie our boat to the dock. Because there was a strong current along our barge and many large commercial tugs with barges travel along the Mississippi, she had a special way to tie up the boats. She also engaged the help of two of her grandchildren. Fern was one of those unique personalities it was a pleasure of meeting on our journey. She had spent her life on the river. In the 1930s her father-in-law had arranged several barges and tied them together and to shore so that they could be used as a marina. Electricity was available and also fuel. Fern’s life was written on her face. She must have had her shares of worries and pleasures. The “laugh lines” were most prominent. During the nightly session about which all Loopers had heard about our group was listening to her more intently than we had ever listened to a teacher or professor. Loopers consider Fern a sage of the river who seems to know not only all islands and docks on the river but also their mileposts. What a pleasure it was to meet and watch her riding back and forth on the dock with a cigarette in her mouth sitting on her golf cart in spite of a fresh bruise and laceration on her leg wrapped in a paper towel and!

Kaskaskia Lock Wall
Kaskaskia River mouth near the Mississippi
September 17, 2010

After Fern’s instructions we began the day with mixed feelings. Her talk had intimidated us and simultaneously given us confidence that we could make it. John and Barbara of the Scoperta again took the lead. At the appropriate location John made the securite call to find out if other barges would meet us in a narrow and most turbulent part of the river. Fortunately we could proceed only to experience a turbulence that was stronger than under the Narrows Bridge in Tacoma or in Deception Pass. We enjoyed the challenge since we trusted the Marilsnick. After less than forty miles we pulled along the Kaskaskia lock wall having received permission from the lock master to dock there. The entrance of the Kaskaskia River was crowded with dredging boats and pipes but with the help of the friendly lock master we found our place along the wall.

A large barge and tug were parked for an hour on the opposite site of the dock wall and we were able to finally engage a tug crew in a conversation. This crew made it home every night. They were transporting empty barges to a location where they were needed or after barges had been loaded mainly with corn from up the Kaskaskia River to be taken down to the terminals along the Mississippi. The tug was rather small but nevertheless had a 1350 horsepower Diesel engine. While theirs was a smaller operation we learned that the bigger tugs pushing 15 barges have much stronger engines and a crew of up to fifteen people.

In the afternoon we made plans with Barbara, who was the navigator and John the Captain of the Scoperta for the places where we were to spend the next three nights.

Little Diversion Channel
Giardeau, MO
September 18,2010

The stretch from the Kaskaskia Lock to Girardeau was long and strenuous. We encountered several tugs with up to twenty-eight barges each 200 feet in length.

The charts listed wing dams and weir dams. Both are constructed to slow down the stream and they did although we encountered currents of up to 3.5 knots. The wing dams can be under or above water depending on the water level of the river. The weir dams should always be underwater and at a depth that even the large barges can pass over them. Near certain wing dams we found tremendous currents and swirls of an order of magnitude. In addition to that the captain of a tug with 24 barges asked us to pass on the one. That was unusual because our sage Fern had told us to hug the green tons if the river turned sharply toward the right. Actually she had asked us never to pass a convoy such as this in one of those sharp bends. The captain obviously realized that he gave us an unexpected and unconventional direction explained that his barges were pushed toward the green tons where we should have passed under “normal” conditions. Obviously we followed his advice and were rewarded with another great experience. The Marilsnick was thrown not only about by the normal swirls but also by the tremendous wake this convoy caused. There were moments when I felt that I had lost control over the steering of my boat. But we made it.

The communication between the captains was always most courteous and civil. These fellows not only address each other as “Captain” or “Cap” but also us, so that I almost feel deserving of the title of “Captain on the Mississippi.” Obviously I am kidding. The captains were a little difficult to understand because they had either a Kentucky or Ohio twang.

In Giardeau Paul, our cook and great helper had to leave us. We passed by a fuel dock where he jumped off with his gear and climbed over a locked gate. His wife picked him up later and drove him home a distance covered in minutes while the Marilsnick took hours even going with the current. Our normal cruising speed was 8.5 knots but on the Mississippi we cruised up to 12 knots.

During the long stretch between our last stop, Hoppies Marina, there had beern places to dock. So we had to find an anchorage somewhat off the current of the river. The guidebooks listed an anchorage called little Diversion Channel. It had a very narrow entrance with a fallen tree partially obstructing one side. We got by there and found a safe place for the night. I was always a little apprehensive until being reassured that the anchor was holding. In this case we had to set a second anchor from the stern to decrease our swinging angle and avoid drifting to the shore. After about an hour I felt secure about holding. In these situations the navigation system with an anchor alarm came in handy.

We spent a good night and for the first time at anchorage I slept well. Maybe the presence of the Scoperta and the knowledge of her crew reassured me. Since Grafton John and Barbara led us so that we just had to check if they were following the sail line on the charts. We could not be more appreciative of this leadership because it made the tricky journey on Old Man River tolerable.

Green Turtle Bay Marina
Grand River, KY
September 22, 2010

When we began on September 19 in Diversion Channel we had another 48 miles on the Missisippi River ahead of us. This stretch had never been popular with Loopers because of the current, the swirls and the heavy traffic. We were excited as we reached the Ohio River and congratulated each other over the radio that we had made it. The Ohio River surprised us by being as wide as the Mississippi had been and at least in the beginning had just as much traffic. Staging areas for barges were on both sides of the river in Cairo. We probably were lucky that it was a Sunday because on weekdays the traffic surely would have been heavier. Now we had to switch our thinking: going upriver meant that we had a current against us and that the green and the red markers switched. Our speed over ground decreased from eleven to seven knots. After about three hours traveling on the Ohio we reached the site where a new lock, the Olmstead Lock, was being constructed. It was a huge enterprise with lots of construction barges, cranes etc. Apparently this lock is replacing two others. The first we could avoid by passing over a wicker dam. This is a dam that can be lowered during a smaller difference in water levels above and below the lock. We were lucky and went over the wicker dam without even being aware of it, only the chart pointed it out to us.

The next lock, #52 on the Ohio, had a bad reputation among Loopers. One of the valves was defunct and had pushed boats with great forces against the lock wall causing damage to Looper boats. We decided to anchor near the lock and planned to lock through first thing in the morning. This time our anchorage was in an area of good depth (12 feet) but there was about a one knot current. Again my anchor held on the first attempt and both the crew of the Scoperta, again having led the way, and of the Marilsnick spent a peaceful night.

The next morning our passage through the lock was delayed. We circled around for about an hour. Then the lock mistress asked us to enter. With a pole that had a hook on the end she took our lines, wrapped it around a pollard on top of the lock and let us hold on to the bitter end (the end of the rope). It worked nicely, apparently the broken valve had been closed and we enjoyed a smooth lockage.

We followed the Ohio River until reaching the mouth of the Cumberland River seventeen miles later. The entrance was well marked.

The Cumberland River was much narrower than any of the rivers since the Illinois River. We thought that we were safe of tugs and barges. However this was not the case. There were huge mining operations and staging areas for the barges along the river a few miles up. We followed one convoy and were happy to pass it without difficulty. John on the Scoperta led the way. Early in the afternoon we reached the Barkley Lock where a 57-foot difference between the lower Cumberland River and Barkley Lake had to be overcome. The lock was ready for us when we arrived. We felt like little aunts and our boats appeared to be toys in this lock chamber. Fortunately there were floating bollards and David had not difficulty attaching a line. The lock was fairly new and the lockage was smooth.

Now we had only a few miles to go in order to reach our destination Green Turtle Bay Marina. Loopers had voted it in the past to be their most favorite marina. That meant it was a “must” stop for us.

After a stop at the fuel dock we had reached a comfortable, modern dock. Several other Loopers had arrived days earlier and put in a looping pause. Among them were our friends Hal and Cheryl with the Mas Bueno and Jim and Kathy with the “Happily Merried”.

All Loopers got together in the evening for a potluck to which we had little to contribute. Hal and Cheryl encouraged us to participate anyway and we had another wonderful Looper evening exchanging experiences and listening to advice.

The marina had a courtesy car so that we could go grocery shopping the next day. For dinner a restaurant picked us up and took us back to the marina so that we could have an enjoyable meal.

For a few days I had observed an abnormality within our electric system. When the engine was on the battery levels never returned to a full charge and the tachometer measuring the rpm’s worked only intermittently. We had notified the mechanics at Green Turtle and hoped for a quick repair. My rule that nothing ever goes smoothly was confirmed. When we arrived the shop manager assured us that a mechanic would arrive the next morning. However the mechanic was a no-show. On the second day an apparently capable mechanic, Jeff, came by and checked things out. It appeared to him that an instrument called the isolator was defect and should be replaced and had to be ordered. This meant a further delay of one day. Fortunately my planning took in account mechanical problems and it looked like we could make up for lost time by going longer distances. It was not our preferred way to travel the Kentucky Lake area but we had no choice.

Finally, the parts arrived and Jeff installed them late in the afternoon. We were relieved.

We had another great dinner at Patties with a ten-person group of Loopers. As a group they were wonderful and always helpful people. Patties is a store and restaurant that serves between 250 and 700 meals each night. It is the biggest employer in town. Everyone enjoyed the food and the deserts.

Paris Landing
Paris, Tennessee
September 24, 2010

We left Green Turtle Marina after bidding good-bye to Hal and the Mas Bueno. We entered the Barkley Canal and then arrived in Kentucky Lake. Between Barkley Lake and Kentucky Lake a National Park is located called Land between Lakes. The current in Kentucky Lake through which the Tennessee River flows was a moderate one-knot. So we could make good time. It was only 600 more miles to go to Mobile, AL!

After entering Kentucky Lake I noticed that my tachometer began to work only intermittently and indication that the electric problem in Green Turtle Bay had not been alleviated. $825 costs on top of the frustration! We arrived at Paris Landing after a fairly lively passage and a lot of spray and found a mechanic, who came minutes after we had called. After working some time he found that the alternator had overheated, which he attributed to a loose wire. He fixed the loose wire and assured us that everything was working appropriately just as the other mechanic had the day before. Am I on my way to paranoia when I have slight doubts that the problem has been fixed?

The slips in Paris Landing were new and spacious. The facilities were clean and the dock master friendly. I had lost another hat and purchased two new ones at the store. When I called the attention of the dock master that he had charged me only for one he assured me it was not a problem. The people in Tennessee are very relaxed and each syllable is drawn out into at least three with a little twang added.

A car with two State Park Rangers picked us up at the Marina to take us for dinner at the Hotel-Resort a couple of miles away. It was all part of the service at the Marina run by the State of Tennessee. We had a great tasting and reasonably priced seafood buffet dinner. The crowd at the dinner and at the Tennessee Walmart store both had an extraordinary number of obese people, at least in my impression.

The sunset over the harbor was glorious. Another Looper boat “All that Chas” had pulled in next two us and they were also impressed by the sunset.

Clifton Marina
Clifton, TN
September 27, 2010

The next day we planned only a short four-hour cruise to Clifton Marina. During the first two hours the electrical problem did not reappear but shortly before we pulled into the marina the alternator stopped charging the batteries. The entrance was rather narrow but well marked. We followed another Looper the Midnight Sun to a great dock. There was a floating restaurant, which served food that explained why we saw so many obese folks. However it tasted well. The Lady in Red and the All that Chas docked a few hours later.

When we began to prepare dinner our safety light above the stove did not come on. None of my tricks worked. We were desperate and gave up cooking dinner. As we talked among boaters the captain of the Midnight Sun, a retired Canadian High School teacher, brought his voltage meter to detect the source of our problem. As we took the screws of the plate from the light of - miracle of miracles - the light came on by itself. Obviously there had been a loose wire. We would not have to starve to death during the last 19 days of our journey.

The battery problem however recurred, this time after running more than six hours. Robert, the fellow with a degree in electrical engineering was friendly enough to take a look at it with his voltmeter but had no answer when we arrived at Pebble Marina . Since the engine, once started, does not need battery power and we did not plan to anchor in the next few days we decided to basically ignore the problem. The worst thing that could happen was that our house batteries ran out of power and we had to manage without a refrigerator, freezer and lights. Since the end of our journey was in sight - only 500 miles and 19 days to go - we wlould have to live with the annoying problem.

On the 27 was my father’s 102nd and my oldest grandson Alex’s 9th birthday. Two years ago most of the family and Alex spent it in Poland at my father’s grave. Two thoughts always come up when I think of my father: What would he think about his descendants and our world today? How much he missed in his life dying at the age of thirty-seven. I have almost lived twice this long.

After docking we had a hamburger at the marina and then took the CC (mariner short for the courtesy car) to town. We needed provisions. The courtesy car had a serious problem: the power steering was not working and I could hardly drive it.

Later a sailing catamaran pulled into the fuel dock next to us. The captain and crew were from Berlin, Germany. Three years ago the captain had sailed with a crew of three across the South Atlantic and since that time he had explored the USA from the water. He was a most friendly fellow who also had traveled Alaska by car and recommended the highway north to the Hudson Bay from Dawson Creek.

Since we had done more than 50 nm we decided to stay for a day and relax before going another 50 nm to Aqua Marina in the State of Mississippi. It would be my last cruising day with David who had been a most cooperative companion during the last ten days although he does not cook. However he does not complain about my culinary adventures and doing the dishes.

Aqua Yacht Harbor
Iuka, MS
September 30, 2010

The 13th Segment of the Great Loop was finished. We left the Clifton Marina a day earlier than planned originally. The Midnight Sun headed into the same direction as we did and so we decided to join them. It took almost eight hours for the 51 nm. Since we still were having electrical problems and the alternator did not charge consistently we never went above 2200 RPM which again allowed us about 7.5 knots speed. It was a leisurely run in excellent weather. We departed rather late because the fog had been dense in our little harbor and on the Tennessee River. The last hurrah on the Tennessee was the Lock lifting us 50 feet into Pickwick Lake. By now David had become an expert in placing line around the bollards, which are recessed into the lock walls. After five further miles we bid good-bye to our friends on the Midnight Sun who had sailed with us since Paris Landing and turned into the Tombigbee where we quickly found the Aqua Yacht Harbor. The transient dock was long and we found already three other Loopers tied on.

David had to go back to St. Louis and I had to pick up my next crew in Memphis about 60 miles away from this little hamlet, Iuka, MS. I rented a car that had to be delivered from the little town of Corinth, MS. It arrived the next morning just after we had cleaned the boat and done the laundry. The car turned out to be a big GM truck, which run comfortably and had lots of room for four people.

We began our drive in the state of Mississippi but in five minutes crossed the border to Tennesse. After two further hours we reached the Mississippi River, which is at least a mile wide here. We did not see any barges or Loopers. Most of the Loopers had taken the same route as we and had gone up the Ohio and the Tennessee Rivers. The ride to St. Louis was not stressful and after dropping David off I turned around and made it back to the Marilsnick by 9:45 PM having driven about 640 miles.

The cotton harvest was just taking place. We saw many of the white fields in their blooms. Some were being harvested with rather large machines: not manual cotton picking any longer. The theme fitted the discussion on NPR where Robert Reich, the former secretary of labor under Clinton tried to explain that the difference between the ultra rich and the middle class had reached a similar proportion as in 1928. Supposedly the rich were not spending their money but speculated with it on the stock market while the middle class chased the real estate boom and when it crashed ended up with a debt they could not service any longer. While his theory of the current depression makes some sense Professor Charles Reich unfortunately did not provide a solution in his discussion. Higher taxes and wealth distribution cannot be the answer.

When I dropped off David Berntsen the 13th Segment of the Loop had been completed. Looking back at our beginning when David and I began the first segment together in Mobile, AL I am impressed by my ignorance at the time and how I have been able to fill in these blank pages in my book of knowledge. Several thoughts entered my mind: gratefulness to my crew and the Captain Above who have kept the Marilsnick safe, gratefulness to all my crews, for my health that at times almost made me consider stopping and gratefulness for the experiences I had so far. Only 450 statute miles to go to Dog River Marina in Mobile and the end of my Great Loop!

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