mississippi river trip

[brianD]

Heading up to the Iowa border from st Louis this weekend. Any places not to miss? Maps don't show much past Quincy till we get to keokuk. Thought I would see if anyone has any cool places I should go.

[Bamaman]

Hope your river conditions are better than ours in the Mid South.

I went out to the lake today, and the waves were not whitecaps. They were swells. September went from warm and storms to relatively cold (mid 40's at night.)

I guess that blows our 200 mile river trip downstream from Chattanooga. We will have some good, still river days between now and Thanksgiving, however. But there will be no more swimming.

[cnachtma]

I am up further north in Dubuque area and don't know much about the river that far south, but I would assume the water is super low down there like it is up here. You should be fine if you stay in the channel, but be very careful if you wander out of it.
Chad

[kryptonite]

I've been wanting to do that trip, can't get the wife interested and never have enough time.

Are you camping out, or finding marinas to stay at?

How many day trip do you figure it being? Have to figure some lock delays along the way.

[STEVEBRENDA]

Check the locks. Our cement supplier had/has two barges of cement that can't get thru the locks due to rocks waswhing into the lock. As we speak, I have been informed that thay still have not opened the lock.

You will like the water above Lock and Dam 25. The water even gets progressivley better.

[kryptonite]

Here's a link to track lock closures and delays.

http://ingrambarge.com/default.aspx?v=b ... ces/delays

[brianD]

Locks look good so far. Nothing ominous in today's LNM. we are sleeping on the boat. I've only been as far as Hannibal so this is a new adventure. We are getting the boat wet tonight and leaving first thing in the am. I figure we will stop at kinders for a nice breakfast and just head up from there. If we don't make it, Damn. We will just have to keep trying.

Not many marinas according to Quimby. So we have extra fuel.

Celebrating my buddy's 10 year anniversary of heart valve surgery.

Had to temporarily rename the boat to "city slickers" "honeymoon" wouldn't fly with just two dudes.

[STEVEBRENDA]

You might look a little deeper

Lock 27 (Upper Miss 185.5) is currently closed to navigation due to a

damaged protection cell. Both chambers are currently closed.

This would be at Alton pool/ Granite City

http://www.acltrac.com/lockclosures.asp?cat=riverinfo

[kryptonite]

You might look a little deeper

Lock 27 (Upper Miss 185.5) is currently closed to navigation due to a

damaged protection cell. Both chambers are currently closed.

This would be at Alton pool/ Granite City

http://www.acltrac.com/lockclosures.asp?cat=riverinfo

I believe that is the chain of rocks lock. That is south of Melvin Price (Alton). He in venturing north so should be ok.

[brianD]

Fueling up now. Beautiful night. Here's to a new adventure!!

[kryptonite]

Have a good trip! Take some pictures and notes to share along the way.

[kryptonite]

You might look a little deeper

Lock 27 (Upper Miss 185.5) is currently closed to navigation due to a

damaged protection cell. Both chambers are currently closed.

This would be at Alton pool/ Granite City

http://www.acltrac.com/lockclosures.asp?cat=riverinfo

Was just thinking, most people from out of the area don't know the river around the St. Louis area. I'll shed a little light on the subject.

I would say around 95% of the pleasure boating on the river in the St.Louis area happens on the Alton Pool (Pool 26). The river is not very friendly to rec boaters south of Alton (Mel Price lock and dam) Commercial traffic is very heavy and there are no marinas at all. The Alton pool is very large because it also includes part of the Illinois river without any lock and dams in the way. There are numerous marinas and a few restaurants on the Alton pool, marinas more so on the Missouri side of the river.

So I would say that BrianD dropped the boat into the Alton pool to start his journey.

[brianD]

Kryptonite. You are correct. Dropped in at port Charles. Now in Quincy. 4 locks and spending the night at "a Keller marina" at the 337 mIle marker. seems to be a nice place.

Would be on the hook but weather sounds like t-storms and heavy winds.

I will post pics when I get home.

Lock and dam 27 aparently opened so there is about 60 barges heading up. Might not make Iowa Aztecs a result.

[STEVEBRENDA]

Sounds like a nice trip. Enjoy. We used to trailer and launch out of Elseberry. There were getting to be to many idiots on the Alton pool. Beside, the further you go up the river, the river seemed to have more character.

Enjoy, hope you don't get soaked this afternoon.

[kryptonite]

How was your trip?