Day 96
Monday, August 25, 2008
6:40 AM CDT
Location: Grafton, IL.
Weather: 62* with 83% humidity with light NNE winds...82* and 20% chance of rain predicted today.
Here is a shot from the back or our boat this morning in Grafton Harbor...just before the sun came over the hills. That's the Mississippi River in the distance.
I know I mentioned this before but the view off the back of our boat is really cool. I’m looking due East...I can’t see the sun yet...but there is this beautiful “glow” of the sun behind the hills (I’ve included a picture I just took, but it does not do it justice). It’s a little cool out, so I turned on the heater in the helm area and it’s a perfect 72* inside. The morning is awesome, and the coffee’s tasting great. I’m only going to give a short update this morning because I am going to include “Deb’s 2 cents”. People have asked for Deb to chime in on these updates...so she is going to do so.
Navigation note: I’ve mentioned I keep track of river heights “called stages” along the waterways we travel because it can really effect where we stop. Well I have been tracking this (every day) since June 24th when the Mississippi had all that rain and terrible flooding. Anyway...the river stage in St. Louis during that time was 38.57 at it highest point (flood level is 30.00 and the highest ever recorded was in 93 when it got to 49.58) today that same river stage is 4.15...and predicted to drop even more. On August 2nd the river stage was 30.66...it has dropped over 26 feet in a little over 3 weeks. Amazing.
Yesterday was a lazy day on HQ. It was not a travel day so we were in no hurry to get going. Deb made pancakes and bacon (one of my favorite breakfasts) and after breakfast we cleaned up the boat because we did not do that on Saturday. About 11 we walked into Grafton...a short walk...and looked at all the local establishments. Grafton is a small river town and has definitely decided to cater to the boaters and people who enjoy the river. Small craft shops, and restaurants all along the water. I even went with Deb to a flea market just down the street. I didn’t last long...maybe Deb will go back today. They do have an outside bar that sits right in front of the flea market...and right on the river...so maybe I’ll walk with her. After lunch we bought fresh catfish (which Deb cooked for dinner) and came back to the boat. I watched the NASCAR race I had recorded the night before, and Deb went to the marina pool. During our catfish dinner we watched the movie “Shooter”...and I made it all the way to 9:30 before going to bed (must have been the nap during the NASCAR race).
Today we really have no plans. I keep a list of items I want to do to the boat...so maybe I’ll work on that. Also maybe walk back into town and check more things out. Heartland Boating Magazine had an article on Grafton in it’s latest issue and Deb and I read it last night...so she has some ideas of places to go (although I really think we saw everything yesterday)
Tomorrow we plan to travel a short 15 miles to Alton, IL and spend 2 nights there.
So much for my update...here is “Deb’s 2 cents”...
Here is how Deb spend some of here time while we are cruising along...sitting out front reading here book.
Saturday, 8/23/08Hey All!
It’s Saturday night, 10:15 pm and BK’s in bed. There are several kinds of music blaring from different boats in the covered dock that we are tied to and cocktails are being passed around. While Bob has always enjoyed the early morning quiet of the marina to update the web page and plan his day, I like the evening marina noises and sitting up top to people watch…which is what I’m doing right now! I thought this would be a good time to take a few minutes to add my 2 cents to BK’s daily logs. (I love laptops!)
We are finally on our way south again after spending a wonderful summer in Ottawa. It’s hard to believe that we pulled into Heritage Harbor on June 2nd and it’s already the middle of August! When we came to Heritage Harbor it looked a lot like a construction zone…dump trucks, cement trucks, gravel trucks, landscapers, people building docks, planting trees, seeding hillsides. Now, after only 2 ½ months, there’s a new pavilion, a sand volleyball area, beautiful landscaping and even grass! They’re putting in the infrastructure for the housing area and I they’re going to start the hotel & conference center this fall. Things are moving along quickly! Everyone there was so helpful to us and we can’t wait to see what the Harbor looks like in a couple years when we get back!
The weather started out a little funny in June...lots of wind (I hate the wind!) and a few weird storms, but then it settled into a hot and sunny couple of months...perfect for water fun! There were lots of people around with boats (sisters, brother, niece, friends), so there was always something happening on the river! Beccah, Jeff & the kids made the hour and a half drive quite a few times to play on the river with Grandma & Grandpa K. Both grandkids are 11 years old now and true water rats...we love it! We packed a lot in during our stay…boating, fishing, swimming & hanging with family & friends…(not to mention, Bianchi’s pizza, Polancic’s tenderloins, and Tones Cones!) We had our truck and our 21' Boston Whaler with us while we were in Ottawa and so had wheels on land for groceries & laundry, and a fun small boat to use while we were there.
We also squeezed in a family vacation in July, renting a houseboat on Kentucky Lake for a week with the kids and grandkids. The weather was hot enough to keep us all in the water pretty much all the time and we got the kids on a double tube that was a blast! They bounced off, rolled off, and slid off so many times I thought they'd get discouraged, but they always came up coughing and sputtering, with huge smiles on their faces and grabbing for the tube... "Let's go again!" And it was very cool to realize that after a week, when we got back to Headquarters, we both felt glad to be 'home'. After living aboard since May, it finally feels like home! All in all, it was wonderful to have this bonus time with everyone...a GREAT summer!
But after 78 days of fun in the sun and on the water, it was time to move on and on Wednesday, May 20th, we pulled out of Heritage Harbor to resume our cruising life. Passing under the railroad bridge at the west end of Ottawa for the last time (at least for a few years anyway) was with mixed feelings...excited to once again be on our way, but realizing that we would be away from everyone for so long. We've been 'living' in Ottawa for over 2 months and have gotten kinda dug in.
The night before we left, we had 'one last evening' together in Ottawa with family (Bianchi’s pizza!) and then at our first stop on our way down the Illinois, my sister (Annie) & bro-in-law (Les) plus a couple of friends came for another 'last evening' together. Then, at our 2nd stop (in Peoria), my sister Jeanie & Terry met us on HQ and we walked across the street to a pub for one more 'last evening' together! (It's hard to let go!)
But on Friday morning Bob and I headed south again on the Illinois, knowing that it will just be the 2 of us for awhile. This is what we’ve been looking forward to…just cruising and checking out new places together. Tonight we’re in Grafton, IL. We have heard that Grafton is a great place to visit and so will stay a few days to check it out. (We’ve already spied a restaurant that serves Cajun food called “The Rotten Apple” that has definite possibilities!) We’re tied to a T-dock and it’s a little rocky-roley but promises to calm down tonight. But even with the little bit of rocking, this slip is way better than last night…tied to a work barge with 2 oil drums on deck burning something that was making black smoke. (I saw paint cans on fire on the barge at the base of the oil drums…not IN the drums! Yipes!) They put it out right away, so I think the lung damage was held to a minimum. Oddly enough, the overnight charge is the same for both places!
After getting the boat secure and checking in with the dock master, we put away our Illinois River charts and will get out the Mississippi River charts for awhile. But that’s not for a couple of days. Tomorrow (after the boat is washed and wiped down of course) we’ll take a walk into town to explore…maybe split a cheeseburger for lunch. That’s as far as we got in our plans for the future!
Keep reading the blog…we’ve got a new system for the pictures so you’ll see more from now on. Enjoy the rest of the summer…cold weather will be here soon enough. Well – for some of us anyway! Key West – here we come! -Debbie
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