Chack Chack on the Great Loop Leg 3

Captains Cat · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:04 am Post subject:

Great story Eric. Drive safely, the most hazardous part of your trip starts now...

Charlie

helm · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:20 pm Post subject:

Heather and I are leaving tomorrow for Chicago to rejoin Chack Chack for the trip down the Inland Rivers to Tennessee. This leg will take us down the Illinois, 240 miles on the Mississippi, up the Ohio into Kentucky Lake where we will leave the boat again at Pebble Isle Marina at the South end of the Lake, then spend a few days in Nashville before we head back to Oregon.

In case you haven't heard it is now impossible to get from Lake Michigan to the Illinois River under your own power. Asian carp have been slowly coming up river and the Corp of Engineers has electrified a portion of the Chicago Sanitary Canal and closed it to all but steel hulled diesel powered boats. Currently the AGLCA has a long list of those stranded to the north. If you aren't trailerable the only option is to obtain a transit permit from the USCG and arrange a dead head tow through the fish barrier to the tune of $600. We were fortunate to have left our CD 25 on its trailer at Riverdale Marina and when I heard about the closure we contacted Three Rivers Marina in Channahon. The owner Harry set us up with Elmo at Elmos auto transport who towed the boat down to Three Rivers for $125 on the trailer. Harry and crew are going to launch the boat tomorrow and have it ready for us to spend the night and head south on Wednesday. Probably make Ottawa Illinois Wednesday then Peoria Thursday. We will keep the posts going and try to get some pictures up as well
Cheers
Eric

Byrdman · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:25 am Post subject:

Hey Eric! Running down the other side of the Great Loop.... No carp on this side... Mr. Green

Have a safe trip and enjoy the TN waters. Keep me posted when in the Nashville area.... Live in Clarksville, visit Nashville often, and have family on up river on the Cumberland at between MM 230 thru MM236 RDB area.

I should be "home" between 18Sep thru about 2-3 weeks after then....then, back on the loop.

Byrdman
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toyman · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:31 pm Post subject:

Dang Eric, I had forgotten all about you heading for KY Lake in Sept. We were kinda headed that way last week - before Labor Day. Jan called several marinas and got the all full message, so we came on over to Table Rock in Missouri. Maybe the paths will cross some where else in the future.

How's the 200 Suzuki - able to plane the loaded boat easier ?

"Wild Blue" may be down in the KY Lake area when you reach there - don't know for sure, Jim & Joan plan just slightly more than we do.

helm · Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:58 pm Post subject:

Chahack Chack managed to bypass the Carp Captives by trailering from Riverdale Marina to Three Rivers. Thanks so much to Elmo and Harry, you guys rock big time.

Well we got to Midway Tuesday and it looked like Midway all over again. First a car crashed into a building, then on I55 a tanker truck on fire, our driver slowed down and all I could say was speed up!

Harry at Three Rivers could not of been more helpful, they had the boat launched, the trailer carefully cared for and most of all hauled Heather and I down to the boat with all the stuff we had bought at the Super Wal Mart.

Well, Wednesday we took off for Ottawa where thanks to some fellow AGLCA members we hooked up with free moorage, power and water all on the town wall. Heather and I walked into town, had a nice dinner at a Thai place then back to the boat.

Thursday was a trip down to Peoria. One lock down from Ottawa, passed a couple of tows, one kind enough to respond to us when we requested which side to pass on. Peoria is quite, and seems to have had better days. Still we had a nice time and met some nice folks.

Friday is off to Grafton, 160 miles, no worries with the Suzuki 200, cruising speeds are in the 25 to 30 knot range at around 4200 rpm. We plan on visiting St. Charles and St Louis then we will be at Hoppies on the 13th to fuel up for our trip to Kentucky Lake. 240 Miles and no gas is just at the end of our fumes. We went to a great hardware store in Peoria just off the water and bought 3 five gallon gas gans just in case we find out our range is shy.
Cheers
Erick Chack managed to bypass the Carp Captives by trailering from Riverdale Marina to Three Rivers. Thanks so much to Elmo and Harry, you guys rock big time.

Well we got to Midway Tuesday and it looked like Midway all over again. First a car crashed into a building, then on I55 a tanker truck on fire, our driver slowed down and all I could say was speed up!

Harry at Three Rivers could not of been more helpful, they had the boat launched, the trailer carefully cared for and most of all hauled Heather and I down to the boat with all the stuff we had bought at the Super Wal Mart.

Well, Wednesday we took off for Ottawa where thanks to some fellow AGLCA members we hooked up with free moorage, power and water all on the town wall. Heather and I walked into town, had a nice dinner at a Thai place then back to the boat.

Thursday was a trip down to Peoria. One lock down from Ottawa, passed a couple of tows, one kind enough to respond to us when we requested which side to pass on. Peoria is quite, and seems to have had better days. Still we had a nice time and met some nice folks.

Friday is off to Grafton, 160 miles, no worries with the Suzuki 200, cruising speeds are in the 25 to 30 knot range at around 4200 rpm. We plan on visiting St. Charles and St Louis then we will be at Hoppies on the 13th to fuel up for our trip to Kentucky Lake. 240 Miles and no gas is just at the end of our fumes. We went to a great hardware store in Peoria just off the water and bought 3 five gallon gas gans just in case we find out our range is shy.
Cheers
Eric

Byrdman · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:07 pm Post subject:

Eric.... did you just say that twice?? Cut and patsted, pasted...or are you just a bit wasted as you cut and pasted?

Hate it when that happens...

Safe travels
Safe travels

Byrdman
Byrdman
Mr. Green

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helm · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:05 am Post subject:

We made Grafton today, 160 miles and two locks. Had thought about staying in Havana but they are having an Octoberfest this weekend and the marina was full.

Grafton is a nice town near the confluence of the Mississipi, Missouri, and Illinois River, they had a parade on the river today in rememberance of the 9/11 then a potluck at the marina - nice folks.

Tomorrow we are visiting St. Louis by car, no way to tie up on the river and visit the city. Sunday off to Hoppies.

And Patrick look no double post today - hope to see you while we are in Tennessee

Best
Eric

Byrdman · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:30 pm Post subject:

Grin...

I hate it when that happens Eric!!

Will continue to track and hope to get together. St. Augustine tonight, Daytona Beach on Monday...then on to Coco Beach area...and shuttle to Orlando airport for a couple weeks on land and making some Auburn football games....then, back to the boat where ever it is. Some issues now with the Moorehaven Lock on the cut thru....so... who knows when they will really open it. Some bright work set up in the Stuart FL area for DARLING....

Bad accident at Green Turtle Marina on Saturday. Boat burned, caught some others on fire, one life lost. Bad deal...but damage was reduced due to the efforts of many.

Be safe!

Byrdman...wondering south on the eastern side of ICW
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helm · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:09 pm Post subject:

Saturday we took a car down to St Louis to see the city as there is no way to dock along the river on you way down the Mississippi. Enjoy going to the Arch and took the tour through the Anneheuser Busch brewery.

Today we left Grafton, entered the Mississipi and made the 70 mile trip to Hoppies in Kimmswick, Missouri. Its a classic place built on barges moored out in the river. Last fuel for 270 miles until we reach Green Turtle Bay on Kentucky Lake. We met Fern on the dock who went over the river charts with us pointing out safe anchorages along the river and dangerous the river makes where you certainly do not want to meet a tow.

Tomorrow its 140 miles or so to Cape Girardeu where we can anchor off river in a diversion canal, then Tuesday its off to Kentucky Lake.
Best
Eric

helm · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:37 pm Post subject:

Monday turned out to be a great day. We cruised down the Mississippi from Hoppies with no problems although the current in some of the river bends is amazing - big whirlpools and eddies. Since we were making good time we headed up the Ohio with the idea to stay on the town dock in Paducaha Kentucky which although officially frowned upon people can usually do if they arrive late. We had two locks on the Ohio, the first was ready for us and we locked up and continued North. The second lock was a different story. Its a two chamber lock, one was down and there were tows backed up on both sides of the river from the day prior waiting to lock through. The lock master told us that it would be around 5 hours before we could lock through and since it was 4 pm that didn't sound to appealing. We decided to anchor out of the channel on the Kentucky side of the river where there were two other cruising boats in the same situation. Amazingly one was Freebird who we had traveled with on most of the Trent-Severn. We rafted up with them overnight and the lockmaster put us through at 6:30 AM.

From Paducah there are two routes into Kentucky lake, 22 miles and a single chamber lock, or around 50 miles with a two chamber lock. We were at the end of a 270 mile run with no fuel stops available and chose the shorter Tennessee river route. We waited at the lock for about three hours for a tow to come through and then locked through with Freebird and made Kentucky Lake Dam Marina were we are spending the night.

Saw another CD25 here from Colorado named Rambler but no body on board - any body know them?

Well know we are on Kentucky Lake with numerous anchorages and marinas for the week before we leave our boat at Pebble Isle and head over to Nashville for the weekend.
Best
Eric

helm · Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:10 am Post subject:

We are slowly putting up pictures from our trip down Lake Michigan to Chicago. I will get the Inland waterway pictures up soon.
We are just getting ready to leave Pebble Isle on our way to Scipio Creek in Apalachicola
Best to all of you
Eric

Papillon · Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:45 am Post subject:

Eric,
I am enjoying your travel log so very much. Hope to follow in your wake in a few years and I am sure I will benefit from you old timers for blazing the trail for me. Wink

Keep them coming and if your path brings you to my backdoor here in Naples, please contact me...the welcome matt is always out.

dotnmarty · Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:50 am Post subject:

Thanks very much for the great photos and comments. Really enjoyed them.
MartyP