It's Been a Week

October 4 & 5, 2011

We’ve been on the river for a week now and as of anchoring tonight we’ve gone 460 miles. Most nights we anchor about 5:30, sit out on the cockpit (aft deck), have a cocktail (diet coke), talk about the day and watch the tow boats go by. We’re covering about 60 miles a day. If we took off at dawn and ran until twilight with no stops to explore towns, we could make 100 miles.

Yesterday we went through the Quad Cities – Davenport Iowa. It has an unusual lock in that it is immediately followed by a railroad bridge that needs to swing open for us. The lock master was one of the nicest we have come across. (He just started this job a year ago after two deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan.) He lowered the water in the lock slowly so the railroad bridge would be open when he released us. If we get out of the lock, before the RR bridge is open we have to maneuver in a very tight area while we wait and wait….

Brian and John were able to straighten the arm of the hawse pipe that we thought was destroyed during the second day lock adventure. It took all of their muscle, weight and the leverage of a 24 inch pipe wrench to make it look presentable. We will have to have it replaced eventually; it’s not attached as securely as needed.

After a week of showers, laundry, dishes and normal use we were very low on water. Even though the municipal dock at Muscatine, Iowa closed for business on September 18^th, the water spigot was still working. While we went to lunch at the Mississippi Brewing Company, the boat filled with 400 gallons. Today we stopped in Burlington, Iowa for lunch at Big Muddy’s. These are always a great opportunity for some exercise. Most of the river towns are built on hillsides so it is more than a casual stroll.

The lock master in Gulfport, IL said that somewhere around 900 eagles winter there. We still get excited when we see them and we see them frequently. Female eagles are larger than males. The female will weigh 13 pounds with a wingspan of 7 feet----males 10-12 pounds with a 6 foot wingspan. They can fly up to 10,000 feet in altitude and dive at 100 mph. Watch your small dogs and cats when in eagle territory – they can lift up to 4 pounds.

Just before we leave for lunch, Brian discovers that one of the toilets needs repair. John drives most of the afternoon while Brian installs a new duckbill valve in the head. He didn’t see much of the afternoon’s trip, but he made the repair and all is functioning again—yea! I’ll never again say that he brought too many tools and parts with us. I think he could rebuild any system on this boat. He has the patience of a saint and the mind of an engineer…which makes him a great person to travel with on a boat. No matter how new or how well prepared you think you are---things are going to break. Calling for repairs is expensive and time consuming and sometimes just plain impossible on the water. I’m lucky to have him as my captain. ...but, don't tell him I said so!

Gotta Smile – we’re lovin’ the ride

Entering Lock 15 with RR Bridge at the far end

Gail holding the line as we are lowered

RR Bridge Opens as We Come Out of Lock



Davenport, Iowa the home of Oscar Meyer



Downtown Davenport



John standing on the roof of the pilot house to make sure we clear a bridge

Barges waiting to be filled

John and Brian with the 24 inch pipe wrench fixing the hause pipe



We wait in lock while a small barge gets a bucket of cement
for dam repair.  The repair will go into next year--one bucket at a time



Burlington Lunch

Note that steep hill.  Only one of several we walked!

Tug boats of all sizes move everything on the river