The day is sunny and a bit cloudy. We took our time and ate breakfast while planning our next move. We left Quincy about 8:00 am heading for Burlington, Iowa. The first lock we had a one hour wait, so we anchored and made some calls. When the lock was ready for us, we couldn't get the anchor up. It was hooked on a cable, so we fiddled with that for a few minutes and finally got it unhooked.
We locked again in Keokuk, Iowa. It was a really neat lock. It had floating moorings (which I had Kip explain to me). Floating moorings are a tie-up that we put our line / rope on and it floats with the water level. We went up 38'. The gate that usually opens to let the boats out was a sinking gate (it just disappeared in the water and we drove over it).
There's tons of debris again, so we are swerving trying to avoid the logs. A huge barge went by, and the anchor at the bow of the boat actually touched the water it was so big. We also saw a stilt house with a tree smashed through the roof (I added that picture above).
We stopped at Fort Madison to look around and get ice. Most of the town is deserted, but they had a boat casino and a few restaurants. We were in the Captain Kirk's Marina and had the best barbeque sandwiches ever! The docks wobbled when you walked on them, the swing bridge beeped when it swung, and the trains blew their whistles every time they went by, so we decided to continue on the Burlington.
We made it under the Burlington swingbridge by a foot or so, and went to the Bluff Harbor Marina to spend the night. We walked around checking out the marina and the showers. When Kip opened the door of the bathroom, a bird was in it. We decided to shower on the boat tonight (we haven't used it yet, so this is a good excuse to do so). There was a really neat boat lift at this marina. It loaded the boat from storage on a platform, and the platform went down and put the boat into the water (see picture above). Neat idea, huh?
Kip has decided to mount the grill on the boat tonight (it is actually mounted straight !!! it looks crooked in picture only). He is drilling a hole in the wood. I can't watch! I guess we are making supper on the boat tonight! We also decided that we are going to add another 30 amp power cord when we get home. Also, for Dana, the sailor's clock that kept him awake is now wound up again and working!!! We love it, but we also sleep in the v-bunks where we can't hear it at night! ha ha
About 8:00, we decided to find the DQ. We asked a couple from town and they said it was 2 blocks further. After about 2 miles, we found it. We started walking back, and a train was going over the tracks, so we had to stop and wait. The train stopped. Then, another train came, and it stopped too! We have no idea how to get back to the marina and we're stuck. We thought about crawling over the trains, but Kip thought we might get killed. So, we walked up a couple of blocks to a deserted warehouse district. Completely deserted. We sat for about 1 hour trying to figure out what to do... we tried to get into the warehouses to look around, no luck. All of a sudden we hear a chain clanking and a lantern swinging from down the tracks. A 350 pound, beer bellied, railroad working appeared, glistening in sweat. He was checking the air lines. We asked him how we could get through, and he said to follow him. We walked with him about 3 blocks, and we asked again where to go. He said, just let me get a few cars ahead and then crawl over the train to the road on the other side. So, that's what we did. Then, walking home, Kip found a payphone and called his dad, Carlo, collect, to tell him about the day (because it was getting late and we left our cell phones at the boat).
We went about 65 miles today. Kip has been taking pictures of all of the Roamers we've seen on our trip. You can see these pictures at http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/chris-craft-roamer-discussion/7202-taking-our-roamer-back-lake-city-mn.html#post45465
For more information about Roamers in general, here's a link:
2 comments:
Hello Captain & First Mate, sounds like you two are doing just fine on your own.
The picture of the bridge if I remember it's in St Louis that is as far as I went. We stayed at the Alton Marina.
Dana & Suzy where in LC with 9 girls on there boat. Dana said there was no room for him to sleep so he wnt to his in-laws for the night. Glad to her Carlo is doing good. They said bein on the trip was awesume.
We thought the river bank in St. Louis was not very clean or attrective.
later, mia :)
I just got caught up on your travels. Looks like you guys are really enjoying yourselves. What an experience! Too bad Carlo broke his leg. Hope all is going well for him. Kip, do you have your first aid kit that we gave you??
Hey, Kula really likes that Apples to Apples game. Her and her high school friends played that a lot!
It was so nice to see the girls at Nitasha's grad party! I can't believe our girls are all grown up now!
I hope that we are able to connect when you get back so that we can check out the new boat! Give us a call so we can come down to Lake City! See you soon!
Al & Wendy
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