Mile 117 on Mississippi to Green Turtle Bay

10/6/11   Mile 117 to Mile 7
There were many, many barges...all going north except for one.  We went through two narrow bends with underwater weirs which created many eddys and whirlpools--had to power up to get through.  There was a 7 wide northbound barge headed toward us when a 3 wide tow decided to pass him.  We all got to the same place at the same time..a bit tense!  We anchored out north of the I57 bridge at Boston Bar.  Sweetgrass (the anesthesiologists) put out an upstream anchor and we put out a downstream anchor and backed up along side of them, giving us the effect of a bow and stern anchor.  Duke has been so good...he gets on shore and dawn and dusk only unless at a marina.  He definitely knows what the dingy is for...transport to potty.  The challenge is to get the dingy to a place without Mississippi mud.

 
10/7/11 
We left mile 7 on the Mississippi for the Ohio River where we turned upstream at Cairo.  Lots of fleeting barges.  After Cairo the river is quiet.  The lock at Olmstead is under construction so we passed right by.  The second lock (#53) the wickets were down so we sailed right through.  We passed the Delta Mariner....it is big and ugly. 

At lock 52 we waited 45 minutes for a upbound to get out of the lock...,then we got right in.  That lock had a different system.  There were no bollards, so the drop you a hook and pick up your bow and stern line.  Once the chamber is filled, you pull your line back onto your boat.  Anchorage was in the Cumberland towhead...just Sweetgrass and us until about 8:30 pm when another boat pulled in.  Very peaceful anchorage!

10/8/11
We left our anchorage and headed up the cumberland river.  A small barge, the Kansas City was ahead of us.  Jerry (Sweetgrass) called him 4 times and he refused to answer.  We had heard that guys down here prefer women on the radio, so I called him and he responded immediately.  We ask for permission to pass and got it, but we were too slow to get around him.  We told him we'd hold back and he said, "No..you come on ahead maam...I'll power down.  THAT WAS A FIRST!  We got right in the lock at Barkley Lake...it is very tall...57 feet...one of the largest lifts on the loop.  Arrived at Green Turtle Bay around noon...just in time for the Hunters Moon Festival and Parade in town.  Weather is still perfect...warm days and cool nights.  We'll be here through Tuesday morning and then will head for Nashville.