Mississippi River

August 18
Larry and I loaded up the car, and set off from Edmonds towing the boat on a trailer on August 17. After stopping for gas, when we started the car the low oil light came on. The oil level was fine and we saw no evidence of a leak, so we continued to Spokane to have the Subaru dealership check it out. The folks there were very nice and let us park the trailer in their service area while they checked things out. They found no problems and reset the warning and didn’t charge anything for the service. Very kind of them.
Despite the delay, we thought we could make to Billings, MT to spend the night. But when we tried to book a room, all the hotels were full. Apparently it was move-in weekend at the local college. So we ended up in Butte for the night, with a very long day ahead of us.
The next morning we were on the road at 4:36AM. The plan was to meet my brother Tom and his husband Jim at the home of their friends in Staples, MN and spend the night there before heading to Lake Itasca. Marge and Ted were very welcoming, and fed us leftover pizza while we chatted. It was a great way to end the day.

August 19
Day 1
After a wonderful evening chatting with Ted and Marge and Tom and Jim, we went to bed and slept well. This morning we had coffee and a bit of banana bread and some yogurt before heading off to Lake Itasca.
After arriving at Lake Itasca we checked with a local boat rental business to see if they had any recent information about river conditions between Itasca and Bemidji. They referred us to the visitor center, which was also a bust. But we got a good look at the first part of the river and decided to launch at Lake Bemidji. That part of the river didn’t look suitable for my rowboat. Or rather, my rowboat was not suitable for that part of the river. So we grabbed some lunch at the visitor center before heading to Bemidji, telling ourselves we were beginning the trip with a long portage.
At Lake Bemidji, after a brief inspection for invasive species on the bottom of our boat by a state inspector, we launched and loaded the boat. It was about 1:45PM when we waved goodbye to Tom and Jim and rowed away. They’ll take the car and trailer back to their house in Wisconsin and I’ll retrieve them after the voyage.
It was a pleasant day for rowing and we crossed Lake Bemidji in about an hour. For the first couple of hours we were making about 4 miles per hour. Then we came to County Road 12 dam. It was our first portage and it took some time get things organized and figured out. After rolling the boat up a short rise, we rolled it down to the launch point. Since there were stairs to the water, we emptied the boat and carried it down. After reloading and pushing off we immediately encountered a fairly long stretch of shallow Class 1 rapids. After a bit we ran aground and had to give up rowing and walk the boat down the river for quite a distance before we were able to climb back in. Larry manned the oars and I paddled and tried to spot the rocks. Eventually the river deepened enough to row and we made it to Island Point Campsite. After landing in a very muddy spot and scouting a bit, we determined that there was a better landing spot just down river. It had a steep little climb up to the campsite, and a couple of underwater rocks at the landing, but it was better than the first spot. We secured the boat and hauled our stuff up the hill and pitched camp. After a meal it was time for bed. 11 miles for the day. The portage and rapids really slowed us down.

August 20
Day 2
We were packed and on the river by 7:00. A mile downstream we ran Island Point Rapids successfully, and continued on. A good and fun way to start the day.
A mile after that we crossed under County Road 25 bridge, and then continued to Wolf Lake, Lake Androsia, and then into Cass Lake. It had been breezy all morning and it continued as we crossed Cass Lake. It was blowing 10-12 mph with 1-2 foot waves, which took more effort and also made the crossing slower.
After crossing the lake we arrived at Knudsen Dam rec area. The portage there was easier than yesterday’s, and we refined our system and strategies a bit. After portaging we got some water from the campground and then took off.
The wind stayed with us throughout the afternoon, but decreased significantly after 5:30.
We continued on to West Winnie campground, arriving just after 7:00 PM. There was no place to beach the boat near the campground, so we went to the boat landing. We tied the boat to the dock and scouted the area. We found another boat landing in a small cove with an entrance a few yards from the first boat ramp. We rowed over there and tied to the dock. We left the boat there and camped in the parking lot, since the campground is a half mile away. 31 miles today, and we’re finding it difficult to find a comfortable seating position.

August 21
Day 3

After packing up camp, we walked over to the campground, hoping to top off our water supply and to use the facilities. The campground was closed and the water shut down, but the toilets were open. By the time we got back to the boat the wind on Lake Winnibigoshish was increasing.
We rowed south, upwind, hoping to eventually get some protection from the shore. It worked out well, and by the time we got to the boat launch at Richard’s Townsite the wind had decreased. We took a short break there, and then decided to row straight across the lake from there. It was about 9 miles to Tamarack Point. We’d made a few miles before the wind increased again, making the crossing more difficult and slower. The wind was about 10-15mph, and the waves were 2-3 feet. We took another break at Tamarack Point before attempting the final stretch to the dam and portage. Fighting the wind all the way, we eventually we arrived at the Winnie Dam and could not figure out where the portage was. We tied the boat to a bush growing out of the concrete embankment near the dam and climbed up the bank to investigate. While I was poking around the dam looking for any evidence of a proper portage route, Larry went over to the campground to talk to the campground hosts. That very nice couple directed us to Chad’s Pine Resort where there was a boat ramp. We rowed over there and unloaded the boat, and the young man working there helped us carry the boat up the ramp. We placed it on the grass and decided to ask about renting a cabin for the night. There was a two-night minimum and we decided to take a zero day here. We can use a break after crossing three large lakes in three days, and we can deal with some squeaky oars, etc. Laundry and showers are nice, too.
After our showers we went to the bar for supper. It was good food, and a couple of beers went down well, too. The campground hosts were there, too, and we chatted with them again. Tomorrow we’ll rest and take care of a few chores. Chad says he’ll tow our boat over to the launch below the dam when we leave. Nice folks here.

August 22

Day 4

   We spent the day resting and relaxing. Larry rode into Deer River with Chad to mail some excess clothes and equipment home and to pick me up some new gloves and a bit of lubricant for the oars. We adjusted and oiled the forward facing rowing system and cleaned things up a bit. Another burger at the bar, and then it was bedtime. 

August 23

Day 5

   We were up at 6:00 and packed and ready to go when the office opened at around 7:30. After we settled our bill, Chad hooked his four-wheeler to a snowmobile trailer and towed to our boat. We lifted the boat onto the trailer and threw our gear in, and away we went. We drove across the dam and launched at the campground boat ramp. We were rowing by 8:30. 

   It was pleasant rowing, especially after the challenges of Cass Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish, but the views were mostly just tall grasses and reeds, cattails and wild rice. A bit monotonous. We did pass an occasional riverfront home and got barked at by a couple of dogs. And my new gloves gave me more blisters than the old pair. 

Late in the day, we arrived at Schoolcraft State Park. We nosed the boat into the reeds next to the dock, and tied her off. It’s a nice park, but it was mostly empty. We walked around to check things out and found that there was no campground host. So we walked back to the boat ramp, where we’d left the boat, and decided to camp there.  A while later, two guys came down to fish off the end of the dock and we chatted with them for a bit before turning in for the night. 

August 24

Day 5

   We were again on the river about 7:00 and found the rowing pleasant. Lots of tall reeds. We did see a couple of boats and as we neared Cohasset we began to see more houses and docks. After we rowed past the huge Boswell energy plant we saw a few canoes in the reeds, poling the boat along and collecting wild rice. 

   About 11:45 we pulled ashore at the Pokegama Dam rec area boat ramp. We pulled the boat up onto the grass and waited for Jackie’s aunt, uncle, and cousin. They live in Grand Rapids. After the group was together, we went for lunch. 

   But first, we went to the U-Haul place to rent a 20 foot truck. The new plan, hatched at 10:00AM that morning, was to put the boat in the truck, portage it to Minneapolis (skipping all the dam portages between Grand Rapids and Minneapolis). Then we’d drop the boat off at Hidden Falls Park and return the truck to a U-Haul place in Minneapolis. The boat was a bit more difficult to portage the I had anticipated. And with Larry leaving soon, I’d be doing the portages myself. Since I already plan to return with a kayak to make up  the river miles between Itasca and Bemidji, I may as well paddle the stretch between Grand Rapids and Minneapolis, too. 

   After a nice lunch, we took the truck back to the boat ramp and loaded the boat. A couple of nice guys that happened to be there gave us some help. Then we said goodbye to Doug and Jo and headed for Minneapolis, with a brief stop at Walmart for some groceries and a couple of other items. 

   The bad news was that the Minnesota State Fair was in full swing and hotel rooms were not available anywhere. I’ll skip the details, but we ended up at a Radisson in River Falls, Wisconsin- 45 minutes from our intended launch site. We arrived there after 9:00 PM. After a bite to eat and a couple of beers in the hotel bar, it was close to midnight and time for bed. 

August 25

Day 6

   We were up at about 6:00 and went for breakfast in the lobby. We believed the Minneapolis U-Haul place opened at 9:00 and wanted to confirm with them that we could return the truck there. If we couldn’t do that, we’d have to come up with another plan. Fortunately they said they’d accept the return and we headed out just after 9:00. 

   Sunday morning traffic was light, so we got to Hidden Falls and unloaded the boat fairly quickly. After throwing our bags with the important stuff into the truck, we cable locked the boat to a tree and head for the U-Haul store. We gassed the truck up, returned it, and Ubered back to Hidden Falls. We were rowing just after noon. 

   It felt good to be rowing on the wider river, with good views and a few other boats around. We much admired the extended shoreside parks on both sides of the river.  Soon the river transitioned to industrial use, and barges were moored along the river banks. We rowed past the Inver Grove Heights marina, and a few miles further we rowed past another smaller marina. 

   We started scouting for a place to camp around 5:00 and eventually camped on a sandy beach on an island. There is a liveaboard cruiser nosed into the beach at the downstream end of the island. We didn’t see anyone there, but there was a skiff tied off to the larger boat, so someone is there. We’re hoping for a quiet night. 

August 26

Day 7

   About 10:30 PM last night, I woke to hear Larry chatting with the fellow from the live-aboard at the end of the island. He had taken his two large dogs out for an evening stroll and came upon our camp. He seemed like a nice enough fellow. After he left I fell back asleep. 

   We were on the river by 7:00 and made pretty good time. When we got to Lock and Dam #2, we couldn’t find the pull cord to notify the lock master of our presence, so Larry climbed up the ladder to go have chat. He got chewed out for being on federal property, but they let us through anyway. 

   After the lock we stopped at a marina hoping to buy some cold sodas or something, but had no luck. So we topped off our water jugs and continued on. We pulled over to a private float in Hastings that looked a  little disused, and made some lunch. After a short break we headed downstream again. Eventually we were overtaken by a tug pushing barges downriver. When we arrived at Lock and Dam #3 the tug was just locking through. We pushed up to a sand bank a bit upstream and took a break. When the tug was locked through we called the lock and they told us to come ahead. Once into the locks, instead of holding onto lines to stay close to the side we just maintained a position in the middle of the lock. Once clear of the lock we continued another 5.5 miles to Red Wing, where we pulled up to a marina to ask about campgrounds, etc. The nice young lady had no info about campgrounds, but said we could park the boat there overnight for no charge. So we decided do that and to line up a hotel room. The hotel turned out to be more than half a mile from the marina, and the only taxi in town doesn’t work on Monday. So we rolled our gear over to the hotel in a harbor cart and parked the cart next to their luggage cart. We’ll return it in the morning. 

   After a dip in the hotel pool (very refreshing after two straight days of rowing in 96 degree temperatures and who knows what percentage of humidity) we took quick showers and headed for the taproom for supper and a beer. It was another half mile walk. The beer and food satisfied, and while we were. finishing up I saw lightning through the windows. By the time we paid the bill and headed back to the hotel, it was already raining. It increased in intensity on the way back to the hotel, and we were drenched. About 34 miles today, with two locks and a couple of short breaks. 

August 27

Day 8

   In the morning we loaded up the harbor cart and trundled our gear back to the boat. Our “dry” bag with the toilet paper, etc. turned out to be not so dry, so we bailed the water out of the boat and walked uptown to a grocery store for some toilet paper and a couple of other items. Then it was back to the boat to get underway. 

   The humidity of the previous day was less than before last night’s thunderstorm, but gradually increased throughout the day.  We rowed past Frontenac State Park and Lake City while transiting Lake Pepin. The wind wasn’t real strong, and was often with us as we crossed the lake. We stopped for a lunch break at Stockholm Village Park on the Wisconsin side.

Around 5:30 we pulled into Wabasha Marina, and the manager (a nice woman named Summer – a former river tug captain) offered us a slip for the boat and a camping spot for $25. There were clean bathrooms and showers, too. She also pointed us toward a very nice restaurant in town. Wabasha is a pretty little town with some very nice riverside homes, and it was a pleasant walk to and from the restaurant. 

   There was a nice breeze and the tents had dried out by the time we returned from supper and turned in for the night. 32 miles or so for the day. 

August 28

Day 9

   That campsite was our favorite camp spot so far. We were underway by 7:00 again, and the river current was a bit stronger this morning. 

  By 8:30 or so, we had negotiated Lock and Dam 4 and continued downriver. 

   We made pretty good time, and later in the day we passed through Lock #5. The current abated somewhat and our speed dropped a bit, but we still cleared Lock #5A by about 2:30 and we arrived at Dick’s Marina in Winona a half hour or so later. The marina is on an island underneath the Mississippi bridge. We phoned ahead and got instructions for our slip and once we moored the boat, we walked up to the office to pay and to find out about a ride to the hotel. We had no luck. No cabs, no Uber, and I couldn’t get Lyft to work, either. But when we returned to the boat to collect our gear, a nice gentleman named Angus was loading gear onto his boat in the next slip. He took pity on us and gave us a ride to the hotel. 

After dumping our gear in the room, we immediately hit the pool. Then it was dinner at the hotel restaurant and another early bedtime. 34 miles for day. 

August 29

Day 10

   Today is the day Larry signs off of the voyage. He’s rented a car for a one-way trip to the Minneapolis airport for his flight home. He got Enterprise car rental to pick us up and take us to their office for the paperwork. Then we drove to the marina to check on the boat and to remove the forward facing rowing system. It’s been making a lot of noise. So we took the whole thing back to the hotel and took it apart, cleaned it up, and lubricated it before reassembling it. That took about 3 hours. After a quick lunch, we went back to the boat and reinstalled the system. I’m hopeful it will be quieter for a while, anyway. 

   Then it was time for Larry to head for Minneapolis. It’s been great having him on this adventure, and I hope he can return to join me further downriver. I’m going to miss him. 

One great thing about this trip so far has been visiting these river towns – Hastings, Red Wing, Wabasha, Winona. All of them very cool towns with lively downtowns. Maybe not like their heydays, but still going strong. Great architecture, nice parks, friendly people.

August 30

Day 11

   I was up early and pretty much ready to go, but it wasn’t until well after 8:00 before a Lyft driver accepted my ride request. When he dropped me off at the boat harbor,  our neighbor Angus was on the float in front of his boat. Angus is the kind gentleman who gave us a ride to the hotel the other day. A storm had passed through during the night and Angus said he’d pumped my boat out – he estimated 200 gallons! What a great guy! The only snag was the self-inflating life vest got wet during the process and it self-inflated. No worries, I also have a regular paddling life jacket. 

   Because of the Lyft delay, and the need to top off water jugs, I didn’t clear the harbor until 9:15. But I made decent time and was clear of Lock 6 just after noon. I beached the boat near a boat landing just downstream of the dam and had my lunch under a “No Trespassing“ sign. 

   Back on the river, I made good progress. A stiff breeze came and went a few times, kicking up 1-2 foot waves. By 3:15 I was in Lock 7. After clearing the lock, I continued rowing for another couple of hours before starting to look for a camp spot. Soon I spotted this one – a sandy beach with a clear flat spot just inland. So I called it a day around 5:45. 32 miles for the day. The weekend pleasure boaters are zooming back and forth kicking up big wakes, like they’ve done all day. But I have the boat pulled up on the beach far enough to keep it from bouncing in the wakes, and it’s securely tied off to a tree. 

The oars have been quiet today, due to the work we did on them yesterday. I hope they continue that way.

   

August 31
Day 12
The pleasure boaters gave it up around dusk and it was quiet after that. Except for that one coyote howl.
I was on the river before 6:30 and anticipated a productive day. But the river current seemed not as strong today. It was a pleasant morning and around 7:00 I came to a huge Corps of Engineers dredge operation. The string of pipe barges seemed about a mile long. When I passed the barge with the living quarters, I smelled frying bacon. I thought about inviting myself to breakfast, but then remembered Larry’s scolding for being on federal property.
There were no pleasure boaters all morning, until I arrived at Lock 8. About half a dozen power boats and I schooled up there, waiting for a tug with 12 barges to clear the lock. It took more than 45 minutes after the gates were open before the tug cleared the lock.
After clearing the lock, I rowed over to right shore and beached the boat for one last lunch in Minnesota. I wasn’t aware when I crossed into Iowa, but it must have been about 2 hours later.
Soon it was bank to bank power boats, throwing their big wakes at me from all directions. There were very few short moments when I wasn’t dealing with at least one wake – up to 6 wakes at a time, several times. One guy even circled me, close by and throwing a large wake. Why, I don’t know. But with the wakes, a headwind, and the relatively slower river, it was hard to make the miles.
I battled my way to less than a mile upriver from Lansing, Iowa and beached on a sand island. I’d intended to go another hour or so, but those wakes wore me out.
The river quieted gradually and now, just after dusk, there is no traffic. Hoping for a restful night.

September 1

Day 13

The alarm went off at 5:00, but I fell back asleep. Got up at 5:45 and was on the river before 7:00. The river was much quieter this morning, but the wind picked up as I was crossing a wide spot. There were 2 foot waves, so it was hard work for a couple of hours. As I neared Lock and Dam 9 I began to get some protection from sand islands and I finally arrived there at 11:15. The lock master said a tug with barges was locking up and it would be at least an hour and half wait. I rowed over to a couple of tugs moored outside the lock wall and threw a line up on one of the tugs. Then I had some lunch a took a short nap. When the tug cleared the lock, I entered with a half dozen pleasure boats. It was about 1:30 when we cleared the lock. There was another tug/barge unit waiting to lock up. 

   Although the wind was decreasing, pleasure boat traffic was increasing. It was another afternoon battle with wakes, though not as bad as yesterday. It was amazing to see all those boats yesterday and today; all grabbing for that last little bit of summer. 

   Eventually I pulled into the marina at Marquette, Iowa and paid $20 for a slip on the outside. I was concerned about the boat getting beat up  by wakes there, and was rigging extra fenders when a nice guy named Robert offered me a spot on the inside, protected from wakes and wind waves.  After securing the boat I walked a short distance to my hotel for the night. For the second time this trip, there was no shower curtain. I took a shower anyway, rather than wait for a curtain. 

   I’m laundering all my clothes, so I’m wearing a windbreaker and rain pants while doing the laundry. 

   My back has been a little sore the last couple of afternoons- due to battling boat wakes. I’m sure. 

   About 30 miles for each of the last two days, and fairly hard miles. I’ll have to walk a mile and a half to the grocery store for resupply in the morning.  

September 2

Day 14

   I tried to sleep in, but some previous guest had set the alarm clock for 5:30. No going back to sleep after that. The hotel breakfast began at 6:00, and it was measly pickings. I killed time waiting for opening time at a grocery store that Robert had recommended. It was in MacGregor, 1.5 miles downriver, and opened at 8:00. I arrived there at 8:00 and it was a bust for resupply. So I walked down the street to a convenience store and cobbled together a resupply. Not optimal, but it’ll do. 

   The river was still blanketed in fog when I returned from MacGregor at 9:00, so I really hadn’t lost any time with the resupply run. 

  After filling the little cooler with ice, sandwiches, a couple of beers, and some Gatorade, I repackaged some of the resupply items in ziplock bags, loaded it all on the boat, and rowed away. 

   It was pleasant and quiet for the first few hours, but later in the morning the power boats appeared. So from then on until late afternoon I was dealing with boat wakes. Not as bad as yesterday and nothing like the madness near Lansing. But the wakes and a headwind again slowed progress. 

   I arrived at Lock and Dam 10 at about 3:30, pulled the signal cord to let them know I was there, and after a short delay I cleared the lock at about 4:00. 

   From there it was another 9 fairly pleasant miles to Cassville. I was scouting the island across from town when I noticed a park with a dock on the town side. I rowed over and a nice woman off a pontoon boat there gave me some local info. There are bathrooms and showers here, and she thought no one would mind me camping here. She also gave me a couple of local restaurant recommendations. But I had just resupplied, and don’t really need town food yet. So my plan is to wait until dusk to pitch a tent and hope no one notices. One downside is that the park is right next to the train tracks, and the trains love their horns. 

  

September 3

Day 15

   50 years ago on this date I was honorably discharged from the U. S. Coast Guard.   Time flies. 

   I was up at 5:00, having slept poorly. The trains came through seemingly hourly, blasting their whistles while they roared by, little more than 100 feet from my tent. 

   At about 6:30, after packing up camp and loading the boat, I waited a few minutes for a downbound tug with barges to pass before I rowed out into the channel.  I didn’t see another vessel on the river for a couple of hours after that. 

   Around 10:00 the wind picked up to 10-12 mph, kicking up a steep 2 foot wave. With the wind against the current the waves get steeper and closer together. I was in a wide area of the river, so the long fetch didn’t help matters. I fought my way to a small marina next to Mud Lake park, and tied up at the fuel dock. There was no activity, but I spoke with a female employee who said it’d be okay to leave my boat there while I had a picnic lunch. After my lunch and a short nap with my head down on the picnic table, I sallied forth. It seemed the wind had slightly decreased and my weather app said it would continue to decrease. Didn’t happen. I beat my way through the six miles to Lock and Dam 11 in about 3 hours. The lock guys told me there was camping at a park just a couple of miles downstream at a park in Dubuque. But while I was investigating what I thought was the camp site, I called out to ask a passing pontoon boat. They gave me some information on camp spots that didn’t pan out, but also gave me a bag of ice and a bag of cherries. Very nice folks. Iowa nice, they said. 

   Since their info didn’t pan out (I think it was just outdated), I continued to scout. Eventually I spotted a sandy landing spot with room for a tent. Unfortunately it was next to a boat launch. So I beached the boat and made supper. I waited until dusk to pitch the tent. I hope for no disturbance during the night. The trains tonight are across the river, and so far haven’t used their whistles. Woo hoo. 25 miles today. 

September 4

Day 16

   It was a relatively peaceful night. The trains across the river did use their horns a few times, but it was much better than the previous night. 

   I was on the river by 6:30 but as I rowed through Dubuque, I could see low lying fog over the river. So I ducked into the Dubuque Marina next to the river maritime museum and tied the boat up to wait for the fog to burn off. There was a coast guard buoy tender moored across from the marina. I wanted to walk around a bit, but I didn’t know how much it would cost to get back through the security gate. Also, the museum and marina office wouldn’t open until 9:00. So after 30 minutes or so I rowed back out to the river. There was still fog, but it was beginning to dissipate. 

   It was a calm and pleasant morning as I rowed past a large staging area for barges. There wasn’t much traffic on the river – a couple of tug/barge units and several fishermen. About 5 miles above Lock and Dam 12 I beached the boat on a sand island next to a power boat. I chatted with those folks while I had a quick lunch and then continued on my way. 

   I called the lock master on the phone when I was a quarter mile away and rowed straight into the lock with no delay. I entered at 3:00 and exited at 3:10. The lock guys told me about a campground 4 miles downriver. By the time I got there to scout it, the wind had begun to increase, and I decided to call it a day. I beached the boat near some Romanian guys from Chicago who were fishing there. We chatted a bit and then I walked up to the kiosk to pay for my campsite. By the time I walked back to the boat, the wind was decreasing. It’s a nice spot, only a few feet from the boat. There’s a picnic table, fresh water, a pit toilet, and a garbage dumpster. What more could I ask for. Plus, I didn’t have to wait for dusk to pitch the tent. 

September 5

Day 17

   When the alarm went off at 5:00 I heard a tug sounding the fog signal. So I stayed where I was in the warm quilt until 5:30 or so. When I got out of the tent l, I saw that the tug with its barges was nosed into the shore just upriver. I had time to kill before the fog would lift, so I cleaned the boat up a bit. During the night, hundreds of sand flies had swarmed the boat and died. I cleaned them up as best as I could, but I was still finding more of them throughout the day. 

   The tug eventually moved on, sounding the fog signal as it went. Around 7:30 I finished packing up and pushed off. There was still a bit of fog, but it was dissipating. 

   The morning was calm, and it was pleasant rowing for most of the morning. Around 10:30 the wind began to increase, and the velocity was up and down for the rest of the day. I encountered a few tug/barge units, both up-bound and down-bound, but there wasn’t much other traffic. Mostly just a few fishermen. 

   Late in the afternoon, as I approached Lock and Dam 13, the wind increased a bit to about 10mph with gust to 15 and above. The river widened quite a bit for several miles above the dam, so the waves provided a constant struggle. As I approached the dam, I called the lock master on the phone and he said it would be about 15-20 minutes before they’d be ready for me. The waves were rolling in and reflecting back off the break wall as I waited. It was pretty bouncy for about ten minutes there. 

   When the gates opened I rowed into the calm water in the lock, and the gates closed behind me. Rather than hold on to a line as usual, I just stayed in middle of lock. Once clear of the lock, the river was much calmer. I rowed past a tug/barge unit nosed into the beach and continued downstream to Clinton, Iowa. At the marina there was a young woman hosing off the dock. When I asked about a slip for the boat, she pointed me to a spot. After securing the boat I went to the office for the paperwork. $15 per night for a gated marina. Not bad. I booked two nights and then lined up a hotel and a Lyft ride to the hotel. I’m taking a zero day tomorrow to rest and resupply. 

September 6
Day 18
My zero day was restful. I walked to Walmart (the closest option) for resupply, and also picked up a small broom/dustpan to sweep up all the suicidal sand flies in the boat. My choice of hotel was convenient for the resupply, but I couldn’t get an Uber or a Lyft to go back to do a little work on the boat. It’s about 4-5 miles away. So that’ll be a job for the morning. I did schedule an expensive Uber from the hotel to the boat in the morning.

September 7
Day 19

My Uber was scheduled for 7:30, and he was a little early. That suited me fine, since I had a few boat chores to take care of before getting underway. When I got to the boat I discovered that some critter had visited my boat. I’d left a tube of electrolyte tablets in the boat, and the only thing left of that was the plastic cap. I’d also had a small baggie of trash that I’d overlooked, although my visitor had not. There were bits and scraps strewn about. But the biggest insult was that the well-electrolyted critter had crapped on my float vest. I cleaned the mess up, swept up fly carcasses, and rigged an additional fender system to keep the boat from getting beat up at the docks.
I finished my chores by about 8:30. I was waiting for the marina office to open so I could buy a bag of ice for my small cooler, but the sign said they’d open at 10. So I went for a walk around the downtown area and stopped in at Jenny’s diner for a bit of breakfast. Corned beef Benedict- excellent.
After returning to the marina, 10:00 came and went and eventually a young woman arrived just before 11:00. I bought my ice, loaded the cooler, and got underway.
There was a fair breeze blowing, and I made good time with it at my back for a change. I rowed past many fine houses on both sides of the river, and several duck/goose blinds as well. In one spot there were three separate groups of a dozen each goose decoys, anchored in the river. Made me wonder if there was some dude with a shotgun watching me from his blind.
The nice weather continued through the day and at 5:00 I arrived at Lock and Dam 14, where a tug/barge unit had just begun locking down. It was interesting to watch them slowly enter the lock and get the barges stopped. Very little clearance on either side. The hydraulic pressure as the barge raft squeezes into the lock must be very strong. Like a piston entering a cylinder. So they probably need to go slow to keep from damaging the lock gates.
After about an hour and a half I cleared the lock and immediately began looking for a camp spot. I found one just downriver less than a mile, and set up camp. It was getting dark by the time I finished supper. About 26 miles for the day. Not bad for an 11:15 start.

September 8
Day 20

I was awake before the alarm went off, and I lay there in the warm sleeping quilt waiting for the starting bell. There was no fog, and it was still fully dark. Eventually the alarm went off and I reached out of the tent to start the stove for coffee. When the coffee was ready I started in on my cold-soaked oatmeal while sipping coffee and watching the fog form on the river. I packed up camp and loaded the boat, and while sipping the last of the coffee decided to get underway. The plan was to use my navigation app to keep myself out of the channel and therefore clear of any barges.
About an hour after getting underway the fog was completely gone and it was a beautiful and quiet morning. During the night, despite the dry sand where I’d pitched the tent, a large amount of moist sand adhered to the bottom of my tent. My brilliant plan was to spread the tent loosely in the bow of the boat (secured so it couldn’t blow away) and let the sun dry it out. What a mess – sand everywhere. I pulled into a marina that looked deserted, and tried to sweep as much of the sand off the tent as I could. Also swept up any sand in the boat I could get to. After my inadequate clean up I pushed on.
After clearing lock 15 I immediately encountered an upbound tug with barges, and a headwind. I was soon clear of the tug, but the headwind remained with me (against me) for the rest of the day.
Around noon I nosed into a small bit of sandy beach to make a sandwich and after 20 minutes was underway again.
I passed through a barge staging area that must have stretched along the shores for about 5 miles. Also I got passed by the American Serenade, a river cruise ship.
Near the end of the afternoon i scouted the Shady Creek rec area/campground. There was a concrete boat ramp, and no sandy beach – only rock walls. Since there was no place to land the boat without damage, I rowed across the river to camp on an island. There’s a bit of poison ivy around – I’ll need to be careful on the midnight bathroom break. About 29 miles for the day.

September 9
Day 21
I was on the river before sunrise, and it was a calm and cool morning – excellent rowing conditions. Shortly after 9:00 I was in lock 16 and less than an hour later I was moored at an otherwise empty marina in Muscatine, Iowa. Robert, the friendly guy at the marina in Marquette, had recommended a visit to the National Pearl Button Museum in Muscatine. Unfortunately, it was closed today. If it had been later in the day, I might have booked a hotel room and overnighted in order to visit the museum when it opened the next day. Instead I had a second breakfast at a local restaurant, picked up some ice, and got underway again. Interestingly, when I walked up to hostess at the restaurant, she icily asked me, “Can I help you?” I was a bit taken aback, as I’d never encountered that behavior from a hostess before. I stuttered something about breakfast, and when I asked for a table for one, she relaxed a bit. I guess I look more homeless than adventuresome. The breakfast was good and my waitress was very nice. I left her a good tip in the hope that future adventurers will be treated kindly.
The daily headwind appeared around midday, and persisted throughout the afternoon. I arrived at Lock and Dam 17 about 5:15, and saw there was a tug with barges locking up. I knew it would take a while so I scouted for a campsite, and thought I would deal with the lock in the morning. Unfortunately, the first likely looking spot turned out to be a mud trap. The beach looked sandy, but when I got out of the boat I sunk in mud to above my ankles. Thick, greasy, clingy mud. I pushed off from there, dragging my feet in the water to try to get rid of the mud. Then I saw that the tug had already locked up and I rowed over there. It turned out that the tug had just brought up the first 9 barges, and had to lock back down to collect the rest. Then they’d lock back up and connect the barges before leaving. I rowed over to the standby tug moored at the lock, and tied off there, to wait it out.
By the time I finally got locked through, it was 7:25 and getting dark fast. The lock guy told me about a good camping beach a mile or a mile and a half down river. When I had gone a mile with no beach, I crossed the river to a sandy spot and set up camp just as full dark set in. I was so tired I didn’t cook supper; just had a peanut butter sandwich and called it a night. 28 miles, with 2 locks and a couple of hours in Muscatine. In the early days Muscatine had a thriving business in freshwater mussels, and their pearls. Hence the button museum. There’s also an interesting bit about early black settlers there. I’d recommend checking out the Wikipedia page for Muscatine.

September 10
Day 22

Once again, I was on the river before sunrise, and once again the weather was calm and cool. I really enjoy the early mornings on the river. Just me and the geese and pelicans and ducks. And barges.
But once again the headwind showed up, and today it was a bit stronger. 15-20 mph at times. It was a struggle. I nosed into a sand bar for a lunch break around noon and then pushed on. The wind was continuing to increase and I paused in a back eddy to chat for a bit with a guy on the Illinois side. He was a duck hunter, but his blind was across the river on the Iowa side. He said he’d rather pay for the out-of-state Iowa license than deal with the Illinois bureaucracy. A while later I pulled into a small deserted marina and tied up to see if the wind would decrease. I took a short nap and then considered my options. At about 3:30, it seemed the wind was easing, so I got underway again. It was a bit better than before my nap, and it continued to improve all the way to Lock and Dam 18. I called them on the phone when I was a half mile out, and I was able to row right in, with no waiting. After clearing the lock, I intended to go downriver for a bit and find a campsite. But immediately below the dam was an inviting spot. I pulled into the beach, and saw that it had been a party spot. I pitched my tent anyway. I don’t expect any parties on a week night after Labor Day. Flat calm now. I may stop in Burlington, IA tomorrow morning for ice and water. About 26 miles for the day – many of them hard-won miles.

September 11
Day 23
No partiers last night, and I had a peaceful night. In the predawn light I watched a blue heron walking just offshore as it passed the boat, its head and neck stretching forward with each careful step.
The morning was calm as I pushed off, and it continued that way for most of the day. Only a few short puffs of 15mph during the afternoon. In a couple of hours I moored at the municipal dock in Burlington to get some ice and top off my water supply. There was a nice couple there, enjoying the morning, and we chatted for a while before I headed for the nearby Circle-K. I couldn’t find a place to fill my water jugs, so I bought a gallon of water and a bag of ice. My new friend Danielle took one my empty jugs to the nearby restaurant where she worked and filled it for me. Nice folks in these river towns.
Between the river towns, the river is pretty wild. I encountered several logging operations, at least one of which was on an island. And there were many duck blinds set up all along the river.
As the day wore on, I realized I would arrive at Fort Madison late in the afternoon. Since it had been 5 days of rowing since my last shower, I decided to get a hotel room there, if I could.
Just after 4:00 I rowed under a double decker bridge – railway below, highway above, and was at Fort Madison. I rowed over to a power boat that was just drifting, and got some local knowledge from the people aboard. More nice folks.
The marina was right there, so I rowed there and tied up at the fuel dock and went to find the marina manager. The office was closed, so I went to the bar/restaurant in the same building. The bartender went to get the manager and soon I was all set up. I moved the boat to a transient slip, gathered my stuff, and went back to pay the moorage fee. At the manager’s suggestion I booked a room at the Kingsley Inn. When she had a moment, the manager then gave me a ride to the hotel.
After a shower, I walked back to the marina to have supper at the bar. Three tacos and two beers. Then I walked back to the hotel for another early bed time.

September 12
Day 24

I tried to sleep in, but the internal alarm clock had me up at 5:00. I watched the Weather Channel to keep tabs on Tropical Storm Francine, and then went for coffee and breakfast at 6:00. I left the hotel shortly before 8:00 and walked down to the boat to drop my stuff off and clean the boat up. Then I walked back to the Dollar General to pick up a few items for my resupply. I left the marina at around 9:00 and it was another calm morning. Once I cleared Fort Madison the river again became a little wild. In a couple of hours I passed Nauvoo, IL, an historically significant place to LDS and some other religious sects. A little while later I nosed into a grassy beach and had lunch and a short nap. Around 1:00 the wind began to increase and it was a slog to Lock and Dam 19. It was an interesting dam; it had a power plant, and the upstream gate was a drop-down gate rather than the normal swinging gates. Directly after the lock I rowed past Keokuk, IA. From the river it just looked like an industrial hellscape. I’m sure there are positive attributes, I just couldn’t see them from the river. After rowing by the Des Moines River, I was in Missouri. A couple of miles later I camped on an island across from Warsaw, Illinois. Only about 24 miles today, with the late start.

September 13
Day 25

As I was drinking my morning coffee I watched a river cruise ship pass by, northbound. I was packed up and on the river before sunrise and it was another great morning. About 5 minutes after getting underway a fish jumped next to the boat- high enough to have landed in the boat. I’d heard about Asian carp doing that sort of thing – jumping into boats, but I don’t know what kind of fish this was. Every night I hear fish jumping, and from the splashes some of them are quite large.
The river current was a bit stronger today, and I made great time. Until I didn’t. As I approached Lock and Dam 20 the wind picked up quite a bit – steady 15-18 mph with higher gusts. The wind was abeam as I approached the lock and the waves were reflecting off the lee shore, making for a confused and choppy wave situation – it was a real battle to keep from blowing ashore while trying to make way toward the lock. They saw me coming (and struggling) and gave the green light and blew the horn to give me permission to enter. Once in the lock, all was calm. And when the gates opened after the descent the wind had greatly diminished and the waves, while not calm, were much more manageable.
As the afternoon progressed the wind was mostly less than 5 mph with only occasional higher gusts, and I made good time. After going under the three bridges at Quincy, Illinois I passed through the largest barge staging and storing area yet. Maybe a couple of hundred barges , maybe more. At about 5:15 I called Lock 21 on the phone and they said they’d just started a tug/barge locking down and it would be at least an hour and 45 minutes. Since that would be too close to sunset for my liking, and since it was starting to rain, I found a suitable campsite and told the lock master I’d check in with them in the morning. Camped just below Quincy at the mouth of Curtis Creek. 35 miles for the day.

September 14
Day 26

I was packed up and ready to roll by 6:30, but the lock master told me they had another northbound tug and it would be an hour and a half. I nosed into a mud/sand bar, displacing some geese, and whiled away some time playing Wordle and catching up on email. After the tug cleared the lock I rowed into the chamber, and after the descent the gates opened at 8:30 and I was on my way. It was another pleasant morning and the miles came easily. I passed many riverfront cabins on stilts; some pretty nice and architecturally interesting, others basically a double wide on sticks. At around 1:00 I rowed into the marina at Hannibal, MO. I’m planning on a couple of days off here.

September 18
Day 30

Well, a couple of days off in Hannibal turned into three days off. I waited an extra day for a delayed Amazon package – a clamp-on rear view mirror for the boat, in case the forward facing rowing system fails and I have to go old school. My neck doesn’t swivel like it used to, and the mirror will be useful. I have replacement pins ordered for the system, but I’m waiting to see when they might ship.
I was up early and checked out of the hotel, schlepped my stuff back to the boat, set up the mirror, and was back on the river before sun-up. It was a calm morning, very pleasant. But as I approached Lock and Dam 22, I was overtaken by a tug and barges. So I knew I was in for a wait. I was at the lock by 8:45, but the tug was already there. What was supposed to be an hour and a half delay ended up as a three hour delay. I finally cleared the lock at about 12:15, just ahead of another southbound tug.
The day continued pleasant, and I was enjoying being back on the river. I haven’t noticed as many birds today – no pelicans, geese, or ducks. A few miles upstream from Louisiana, MO I was overtaken by the tug I’d snuck through the lock just ahead of. By that time it was after 5:00 and I began to scout for a camping spot. At about 5:30, I found one just across the river from Louisiana and settled in.

September 19
Day 31

I awoke in the predawn with the vestiges of the full moon and saw a blue heron standing in the water, just offshore. When I unzipped my tent , the bird spooked and took off. Then, when packing things up, a toad hopped into my tent and it was a bit of an effort to coax it out – it wanted out, but it took a while to show it the way.
The morning began well, smooth and quiet and calm. But the wind picked up, slowing me a bit, and I arrived at Lock and Dam 24 about a half hour later than anticipated. It was about a 15 minute wait for the lock and soon I was disgorged into river in front of tiny Clarksville. A guy shouted at me from his deck and raised his coffee cup in salute. Not sure there was coffee in that cup.
The wind continued, up and down throughout the day, slowing progress and requiring effort. I passed a northbound tug with fuel barges off the small town of Hamburg, and a few miles later found a likely camp spot. There are deer prints and other prints in the sand here- maybe raccoons? Even so, I’m hoping for a quiet night. 27 miles for the day.

September 20
Day 32

It was still dark when I awoke at 5:00. I made some coffee and sipped it while eating my oatmeal. It had been a relatively quiet night; crickets, cicadas, blue heron squawks, fish jumping, and two passing barge units aside.
As I was packing up, just before taking down the tent, it began to rain. So I crawled back into the tent to wait it out. I was joined by another little frog, who had some trouble finding his way back out. Fortunately it wasn’t a long wait, but I had to roll up a wet tent.
It was a nice day, only breezes. But the starboard rowing system squawked and squealed all morning until the pins finally rotated into a quieter position. The parts should be at my friend Steve’s sister’s house by Monday, and I hope to rebuild it before continuing the voyage.
When I arrived at Lock and Dam 25 there was a northbound tug with barges just departing, and as soon as they were clear I slipped into the lock. Minimal delay.
After clearing the lock I nosed into a beach and had a bit of lunch before carrying on. The day became progressively hotter, and the sun was getting brutal when it came out from behind the clouds. Several miles down the way I noticed boats coming out of a small marina. I flagged down one of them for some local knowledge. They told me there was no store at that marina. When I asked where I might find somewhere to get a cold drink, they mentioned the yacht club several miles ahead, and told me which slough to follow to get there. While we chatted, he reached down and handed me a bottle of water so cold it had ice chips in it. Just what I needed – it really perked me up. Thank you, Tom and Kim!
I pushed on, crossing the ferry landing and turning into the correct slough. I thought I might find a suitable camp spot along the way, but I had no luck. It was getting late in the day, and just before dark I arrived at the Yacht Club of St. Louis. After asking a local boat that was just entering the marina, I was directed to the restaurant. So I moored at the service dock and walked to the restaurant. That turned out to be a bust, but they gave me a phone number. I called and left a message with my phone number. As I was collecting my things from the boat and considering options for a hotel, the guy in the next slip showed up and we chatted for a while. He waited for me to get my hotel reservation and then gave me a ride to the hotel. Thanks much, Ross!
Once in the hotel, I stretched my tent out to let it dry, hit the shower, and then went for a bite to eat. I’ll try to talk to the marina folks tomorrow. About 33 miles for the day.

September 26
Day 38

I haven’t posted in 6 days because I hadn’t been on the river during that time. My forward facing rowing system had been slowly getting worse – the pins have worn and stretched and the system was becoming looser. Despite regular lubrication it regularly squealed and screeched until the pins rotated back into a quieter orientation. I had ordered replacements and had them shipped to my friend Steve’s sister Shari in suburban St. Louis.
After checking with the marina and letting them know how to contact me, I called Shari and she drove to the marina to pick me up. So I spent the next 5 nights and 6 days with Shari and Ken and their family. Great folks, very gracious and kind hosts to this river rat. They even adjusted their schedules so I could have a vehicle to tend to the boat, bail it after the rainstorms, etc. The marina was about 30 minutes from their house.
The parts were promised to ship on Friday, so I anticipated a Monday delivery and back on the river Tuesday. That didn’t happen- the parts didn’t ship until Monday and they arrived mid-day on Wednesday. By the time I had things reassembled it was too late in the day to get underway. The system went back together pretty well, with only a couple of glitches. All in all, it was a great visit with those kind folks, even if it did stretch a bit longer than intended.
So this morning Ken gave me a ride back to the boat. The marina was closed today and the entry gate was closed, so we had to carry the gear from the gate to the boat. I reinstalled the rowing system, stashed the other gear, waved goodbye to Ken, and rowed out of the marina at about 7:45.
It started out as a calm morning, and by about 10:30 I was passing the confluence with the Illinois River. Soon the wind picked up out of the east and the southeast, slowing progress. The wind continued for the rest of the day and by late afternoon I was approaching Lock and Dam 26. I was concerned about the weather effects from Hurricane Helene and had planned to go through the lock and then find a place to camp. The weather is supposed to be very windy and rainy tomorrow. But about 4:30, when I was about a mile upriver from the dam, I spotted a marina and decided to see if I could park the boat there and maybe ride out the weather in a hotel instead of my tent.
They set me up with covered moorage (no bailing water out of the boat), and I booked a hotel room and called an Uber. About 24 miles for the day.

September 29
Day 41

I ended up hunkering down for two days due to weather. The wind and rain on Friday were miserable and I was glad I was holed up in a hotel room and the boat was safe. On Saturday morning the rain was over, but it was still windy, gusting to 35 mph, and I decided to wait another day. I Ubered back to the marina to pay for another day and to check on the boat. Despite the covered mooring, the wind driven rain had deposited about 3 inches of water in the boat, so I bailed that out and headed back to the hotel.
This morning I was up at 5:00 and packed up by 6:30. I Ubered back to the marina and was underway by about 7:15. About 30 minutes later I was in Lock 26 with half a dozen power boats. The morning was nice, just a gentle breeze from the north, and by 9:15 I was passing the confluence of the Missouri River, and by 9:30 I was entering the Chain of Rocks Canal on my way to the last lock. Several power boats passed me in the canal and they locked down just ahead of me. After a 15 minute wait I was locking down and I rowed out of the lock at noon.
After the lock, there was a bit more current and I was cruising. I got the photo op at the St. Louis Arch and kept moving. At about 3:00 my right arm started hurting – it seemed like a tendon in the tricep area. I tried babying it because I didn’t want to stop so early, but by 4:00 I decided to give it a rest and pulled into this sandbar. The arm doesn’t hurt when I’m not rowing. Must be a repetitive motion thing. I hope it’s better tomorrow.
Another wrinkle on the day was when I pulled my tent out of its stuff sack. There was a strong smell of putrefaction. I couldn’t figure it out until I pitched the tent. I’d removed a toad from the tent when I was packing up a few days ago. Apparently there was a second toad that morning, and it got rolled up in the tent. So I removed the carcass and sponged the tent down as well as I could and it’s airing out now. 33 miles and 2 locks today.

September 30
Day 42 I was camped just upriver from the Highway 255 bridge. The coyotes howled twice - the first around 10:30; the second at about 5:45, as I was having my coffee. Both times, it sounded like they were south of the bridge, not too close. Successful night for them, apparently.

Once again up at 5:30, underway before sunrise. It was a calm day, and the rowing was pleasant. The rebuilt rowing system is performing well, and this was my first full day on the river after the dams. So, with a little more current, I was able to row 52 miles in 10 hours before pitching camp on this gravel bar just downriver from the Kaskaskia River confluence. Lewis and Clark apparently camped on the island just behind me in November 1803. I might have pushed on further, but I was uncertain about camping spots in the next few miles downriver. And who am I to disagree with Lewis and Clark? It’s good to set up the tent and let last night’s condensation dry out a bit anyway. Not all days will be this productive, but it was nice to pass 50 miles.

October 1
Day 43

I was on the river by 6:30 and it was another calm morning. There has been a significant increase in barge traffic as I’ve moved down the river. There are bigger tows now, too, since they are not constrained by the size of the locks (no locks from here to the Gulf). The biggest tow I’ve seen so far is 20 barges – 5 rows, 4 wide.
The wind began to increase later in the morning and, but it was from the north. So it helped rather than hindered progress. Although it made the wakes from the tugs a bit rougher.
Early in the day I passed by the prison at Chester. I was hoping I might find a place to leave the boat for a few minutes and get some water and ice. But there wasn’t much to Chester except the prison.
During the day I was overtaken by about a dozen power cruisers. I think they’re on the Great Loop – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Loop?wprov=sfti1

One of them offered me a sandwich, but I politely declined. It might have had Miracle Whip or something. Another asked if I needed anything, but again I declined. Nice folks.
The miles were a bit more difficult than yesterday, but I still managed 56 miles in about 10 hours. It’s about 8-9 miles to Cape Girardeau, and Im hoping to get some fresh water and ice there.

October 2
Day 44

It was noisy where I camped last night. There was a mill or something with a large engine running all night. Trains and their whistles. And then there was the coyote howling and barking at around midnight, seemingly fairly close. I don’t think it was the “welcome to the neighborhood” speech. I was awake for a while after that, before finally drifting off to sleep. No tracks around the camp this morning, so maybe it was the intruder alert for his buddies.
I was again on the river before dawn. I love these early mornings on the river. At about 8:30 I beached on a muddy sliver of beach near the boat ramp at Cape Girardeau and climbed up the rocky slope to the parking lot. After disposing of my trash, I called an Uber to take me to a convenience store for water and ice. Also beer and Gatorade, to give the ice something to work with. By about 9:15 I was pushing off the mud beach and continuing down the river.
There was a lot of barge traffic today – the biggest was 30 barges of gravel heading downriver. I passed another Corps of Engineers dredging operation and had my picture taken as I rowed past. I was also overtaken by a few more power cruisers, and noticed a couple of them taking photos, too. The Unknown Oarsman.
At the the end of the day, I tried in vain to find a beach with cell coverage. I’m apparently in another dead zone e for cell service. So at about 5:30 I gave up and camped on this sand beach. I did spot a deer as I was hunting for a camp spot. First one since Minnesota, I think.
About 44 miles today. Tomorrow I should pass Upper River Mile 0 at the confluence with the Ohio River. The Lower River Miles begin counting down from 952 there.

October 3
Day 45

The Illinois coyotes across the river were howling and yipping at about 6:00 this morning. Two groups; one directly across the river from me, and the other group was downstream a ways.
The last three nights the river has dropped overnight. The first two nights were just a few inches. Last night the boat was left high and dry. I had to muscle it back into the water before loading up the camping gear.
As I was pushing off, fog was beginning to form on the river. I figured it would burn off as the sun rose higher, and determined to stay close to shore and well out of the channel. But instead of dissipating, the fog thickened as the sun rose. At one point I ran aground on an underwater sandbar. I had to get out of the boat to get over the bar, and there was a steep drop off so I had to crawl back aboard quickly. Eventually the fog began to clear up at around 9:00, and it was a pleasant day after that.
At about 11:00 I passed the confluence of the Ohio River, and passed Mile 0 of the Upper River Miles. 1421 miles from the headwaters. But I skipped about 300 total miles in Minnesota, so I’ve come over 1100 miles so far.
There was plenty of barge traffic all day, and I was trying to stay out of the main channel, and shortcutting when I could. But the river is so low that some underwater dikes are showing – essentially creating short rapids. So I moved back to near the edge of the channel and followed the buoys. Trying to stay out of trouble.
At around 5:15 I spotted this island between two dikes, with a nice sandy beach. Only bird tracks and old deer tracks. It’s on the Kentucky side. As I was setting up camp a large flock of geese flew over, headed south. It was so still that I heard their wings flapping. Magical.

I just heard some Kentucky coyotes howling at sunset. I’d have thought those Kentucky Davy Crockett types would have done away with all them varmints by this point.

October 4
Day 46

The coyotes were howling at first light again, and I had to haul the boat back to the water again. The river level continues to drop.
It was another pleasant morning, but as the sun rose higher, so did the temperature. My shirt was soaked through with perspiration. About 15 miles above New Madrid a boat pulled up to chat. The two guys told me that New Madrid was having a festival and a fishing tournament, and it would be worth a visit. They assured me that there was a dock for the boat. So I thought, why not? Maybe a zero in New Madrid. But there was no dock. The current was running pretty hard at the boat ramp above town, and there was no dock, so I continued down the channel until the next boat ramp. Still no dock. I tied off to a barge alongside the shore and went to investigate. Unfortunately, there is a dangerous dike across the channel downstream between the island and the mainland.
I walked over to the police department to ask for some local knowledge. I ended up talking with the assistant police chief, who warned me about the dike (I’d already had my suspicions) and he took me around town to look for potential camp spots. None of them had access to a toilet, so he was kind enough to drive me a few miles to the next town so I could get a hotel room. He also contacted the barge owner to get permission to leave my boat there overnight. Very kind and helpful. Thank you, Brandon!
So, I have about a mile or more to row back upstream to get out of the box canyon I wandered into. But at least I was able to recharge my electronics and to top off my fresh water supply. Brandon also offered to give me a ride back to the boat in the morning. Very nice folks on the river.

October 5
Day 47

I woke up at 4:00, and couldn’t get back to sleep. So I read for a while, took another shower, climbed into my freshly laundered clothes (the hotel had a guest laundry), partook of the pitiful hotel breakfast, and wandered over to the truck stop next door to pick up some more fresh water. I texted Brandon at 8:00 and he showed up a few minutes later. At the boat he helped carry my stuff down to the barge, and cast off my last line. Really glad to have met that dude. The river level had dropped overnight and the barge was aground, but my boat was floating and the lines were tight and the boat was leaning. No big issue. Slacked the lines and all was well. But because the river level had dropped, that infamous dike (Thunder Dike, Brandon called it) was probably more exposed, and that helped slow the current in the channel. It took me about 25 minutes to row clear of the island and join the main channel. Better than I had feared.

It was a pleasant day, hardly any wind, but lots of barge traffic. I was staying just out of the buoyed channel, trying to stay close to the channel to take advantage of the current. At one point I was meeting a northbound tug and I was about 10 yards outside a green buoy as the tug was approaching. He sounded the danger signal, and I immediately started rowing hard, away from the channel. There was no real problem there, but I guess I made him nervous and I really regret that. He did turn tight on that buoy, and his prop wash churned up a lot of muddy water, so I guess he had his hands full. Having been on the other side of similar situations in Alaska, I sympathize with the guy, and I’m glad he let his concerns be known.
After that, the barge traffic continued. At about 5:00 I spotted this beach, well away from the channel, and rowed in to set up camp. I’m on the Kentucky side. About 40 miles for the day. About 115 miles to Memphis. No photos today. The sun always seemed to be in the wrong place for a photo today. But here’s a sunset shot from the tent, while I wait for my dinner to rehydrate.

October 6
Day 48 No coyotes during the night, for a change. But once again the river level had dropped overnight and I had to haul the boat back to the river. Everyone I’ve talked to about it thinks the river should be rising, after Helene, but it doesn’t seem so. I hope not, because I’m camped on a gravel beach kind of close to the river. I hate to get too far from the boat. If it does rise during the night, I’ll deal with it. It was a pleasant day, if a little warm. I dipped my shirt and my hat in the river a couple of times to help cool off. Lots of barge traffic today, and fortunately I was mostly able to set myself up on the inside of the curves, where the wakes aren’t as severe as they are on the outside banks. But the barges were incessant and I witnessed several passing situations and instances where on held up for the other on a tight curve. I enjoy watching these guys work. Around 2:00 a john boat with Tennessee registration pulled alongside and offered me a cold Gatorade. I drank it so fast I got a headache. It was much appreciated. At around 5:15 I pulled up on this gravel beach. It’s not the best, but it looks like there’s nothing else suitable in the next couple of miles. 10 hours is enough rowing for one day, anyway. 49 miles for the day. About 66 miles to Memphis. Oh, yeah - I’m in Arkansas, looking at Tennessee across the river.

October 7
Day 49

I thought I had taken care of all the skeeters and noseeums after I zipped up the tent, but at around midnight I awoke to a mosquito buzzing at my ear. With murder on my mind, I pulled on the headlamp to begin the hunt. I was surprised to see about a dozen mosquitoes and several noseeums flittering about. The first three skeeters I killed all left blood stains on the tent roof. My blood. The crafty buggers had apparently hidden in the dark corners waiting for their moment. After finishing the killing spree, I fell back asleep.
I had to muscle the boat back to the water again; the river level continues to fall. It was another peaceful morning. I counted 12 northbound barge units in the first three hours, and the barge traffic continued throughout the day. I was crossing the channel every few miles, to stay on the inside of the curves. It worked out well, especially when the wind increased a bit and made the tug wakes larger and rougher. The inside of the curve was always a little less rough since the wakes had further to travel before reflecting off the river bank.
The wind was up and down during the afternoon, mostly from behind, and by about 4:30 it had increased to a steady 15-20 mph. I wanted to go a bit farther, but I started looking for a suitable camp spot as the wind kept increasing. I fought my way to a steep sand beach with a muddy shoreline. I pulled the boat up and unloaded it, collecting a lot of mud on the soles of my sandals. Soon after setting up a less than optimal camp site, the wind dropped off. But I wasn’t moving at that point. No skeeters at this camp, but lots of black flies. Dozens buzzing the net on both sides of the tent. 54 miles for the day. About 12 miles to Memphis, where I plan to end the voyage for this year.

October 8
Day 50

The river had dropped overnight, and I muscled the boat back to the water and loaded up. I negotiated the shoals just offshore that had appeared overnight, and was soon back on the river, just outside the channel. It was a pleasant and calm morning, lots of blue herons. At about 9:30 I was turning into the Mud Island channel, and rowing up the channel toward the marina. I tied up to the fuel dock and since no one was around, I called the number on their sign. The marina manager answered and told me they were closed that day. I explained my situation- I’d rowed down the Mississippi and was looking for a place to keep the boat until I could return to retrieve it. He asked me to wait while he checked a few things and said he’d call back soon. True to his word, he soon called and gave me directions to a covered slip and said we’d settle up when I returned for the boat. Perfect!
So I rowed over to the designated slip and secured the boat. Then I spent some time cleaning the boat up and figuring out what to take and what to leave behind. After hauling my trash and my backpack up the ramp, I sat in the shade and lined up a hotel room, and then an Uber to the hotel. They let me check in early, so after a shower I walked over to Central BBQ and had an excellent lunch. I have a flight home in the morning.

October 11
After a smooth trip, Memphis to Salt Lake City to Seattle, I arrived home in the early afternoon. I unpacked my gear, washed clothes, cleaned the tent, aired out the sleeping quilt (I’ll wash it later) and tried to adjust to home life.
The trip was a good one, and I was still going strong when I had to stop due to other commitments. But Larry and I are talking about returning with kayaks next year, to finish the Minnesota miles we skipped. If it goes well, maybe we’ll decide to do the stretch from Memphis to the Gulf, as well. Who knows. There are 1421 Upper River Miles and we skipped about 300 of those. So I rowed about 1121 Upper River Miles. The Lower River Miles begin counting down from 952 at the confluence with the Ohio River. Memphis is at LRM 736 or so. So I rowed about 216 Lower River Miles, making a total of 1336 miles. There were challenges- wind, traffic, slow currents behind the dams, etc. But I was lucky enough to be sheltered in town for the big storms, which was a blessing. The boat I built performed very well, especially in the rough water from wakes and in the big lakes in northern Minnesota. I’m looking forward to getting her home for a shipyard period in the garage. She needs a bit of TLC at this point.
I met lots of nice folks along the way – Summer at the Wabasha Marina; Angus in Winona; Brandon in New Madrid; to name just a few. I really enjoyed the early mornings on the river, and I truly enjoyed visiting the river towns along the way. I’m already planning for next year, and reflecting on what equipment and strategies worked well and what could be improved for next year. When that time comes, I’ll be posting updates here.