Marco Island to Marathon, FL...We Crossed Our Wake!!!

AGLCA ‘The Great Loop’ Image Ad from Passage Maker Magazine

Yes, we did it…we crossed our wake!  For those ‘non-loopers’ out there that is the term used to signify that you have completed your circle and ‘crossed over’ your own boat wake.  After a year of travel (we took the boat to Marathon, FL this time last year), over 5,000 nautical miles, 17 states, one province, all five of the Great Lakes and 58 locks we can now officially hoist our Gold ‘Loopers’ burgee. We were fortunate enough to celebrate this milestone with our great friends Suzette & Steve (AKA Gumby) Grant who came on board the Independence at Marco Island, FL.  We have a nice cruise south to Shark River Inlet (56 NM) where we anchored for the evening.  That night we had a massive lightning and thunder storm that lasted for two hours. The storm passed uncomfortably close to the boat and once that concern passed us by the winds started. Blowing a constant 20 knots for hours and shifting direction 180 degrees in the middle of the night and finally dropping off at about 1AM allowing us a few hours of rest. The new ‘Rocna’ anchor was amazing and held fast through the night. The next morning we lift anchor and head south only to find that our autopilot is malfunctioning.  After a few hours of troubleshooting and finally rebooting the whole system we seem to have the autopilot back online. As we continue south there is a storm building and we get a bit of rain as we enter the shallows to Marlin Bay Resort & Marina in Marathon, FL (36NM).  Tied-up at the slip we crack a beer with our friends and celebrate the end of one adventure and the beginning of another.

‘Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.  So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore! Dream! Discover!’   Mark Twain

Retiring our well-worn first time White ‘Loopers’ burgee & raising the Gold burgee which signifies that you have completed ‘The Loop’. Photo by Gumby Grant (pardon the hairdos…it was a little windy on the fly bridge)

It’s all about the crew…Larry with current crew Suzette & Gumby Grant. Over the last year we have had a total of 19 visiting crew members…thanks for all your help & fun along the way.

Suzette & Gumby Grant with Larry at Marco Island, FL

More pirate ships at Marco Island, FL

Our anchorage at Shark River Inlet on the way to Marathon, FL

Who knew this is where Wilson ended-up…in Castaway’s Bar & Grill in Marathon, FL. He even has a cocktail named after him now.

One of the best restaurants we have ever been to. The Florida Keys Steak & Lobster House in Marathon, FL. www.flkeyssteakandlobster.com

The Pirates Seafood Platter over pasta

Tuna Lovers Special sushi roll

We did not get the Tomahawk…but I believe one could have fed the four of us!

While at the slip in Marathon, FL we had a visit at the stern of the boat by a very large manatee.

She came to drink the fresh water that was falling from a leak at the dock water line. Manatees love fresh water, it is like candy to them and therefore is not good for them in great quantities. Evidently, it upsets the balance of their system and will make them quite ill.

You can perhaps get a better idea of how large she is in this image. We think she was approximately 700 pounds

She then came over to Larry and started to dine on the sea grass. Photo by Gumby Grant

We also visited the Marathon Turtle Hospital. They admit about 200 sick turtles a year and release approximately 75. Many will stay at the hospital or be moved to a zoo or marine reserve.

This Loggerhead turtle has an injury to her shell and was in a great deal of discomfort

Trinity is a Green sea turtle with a shark bite that took her back flipper and a bit of her shell

This is Gumby’s’ namesake turtle, which came in with an intestinal parasite but seems to be doing great and will be released soon.

The gang at the Sunset Bar at Marathon, FL. Our buddies Rich and Connie (from Looper boat Allure) are here too. They crossed their wake a while ago and we now have a chance to celebrate together. So great to see you guys!

Longboat Key, Venice, Fort Myers to Naples, FL

A bit of a scramble to get underway from Palmetto/Bradenton. We want to give a big thank you to our friend Marilyn Bradley in Sarasota who helped wrangle all of our Amazon Prime deliveries. We wish we had more time together. We head to Longboat Key on a breezy but a pleasant enough day. The ICW is a bit shallow in places and there are a few bridge openings to wait on but we arrive at Longboat Key Club Marina in Longboat Key, FL (22NM) at about one o’clock in the afternoon.  After checking in we meet our Looper friends Regina and Joern who live right near the marina. We have a lovely dinner in their gorgeous home that overlooks both the ICW and the Gulf of Mexico.  What a special and delicious dinner - thank you for your hospitality! The next few days are spent working on routes/charts while the temperatures in South Florida dip and the wind blows (and the iguanas fall).  We get a few workouts in at the swanky and exclusive clubs in the area and a chance for another visit with our friends before heading off to Venice, FL (18NM) for a night.  The next morning we exit the Venice inlet to the Gulf of Mexico and have a nice cruise (but with many crab pots) to Fort Myers, FL (58NM). This is our third visit to this fun beach town and we were pleased to have a chance to say hello to our friends who live here, Randa and Bill Veach, who we met in Cuba a few years ago. Nephew Patrick McCullough was also close by and able to visit as he was in South Florida to attend a function the next day. The following morning we head further south to Naples, FL (18NM).  Another high end shopping town but don’t worry we found some local fun too.

Regina and I on her Longboat Key balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico

When temperatures in Florida dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit the iguanas start to fall from the trees…no kidding!

Friends, Regina & Joern, we are so happy to have met along ‘The Loop’

Sarasota Sushi night

Leaving Sarasota Bay and heading South on the ICW

Blackburn Swing Bridge has a clearance of 9 feet. One of the few old swing bridges left along the ICW in these parts.

Larry in his new Captains’ bench in the shallow waters of the ICW. The average depth over the last few transit days has been about 9 feet in depth (we draw a bit over 5 feet)

Docked at the Venice Yacht Club, Venice, FL

Love this boat name and hailing port which was docked at the Venice Yacht Club, Venice, FL

The Venice Inlet and the Gulf of Mexico at sunset

Our escort across the bay entering Fort Myers, FL

The charter fisherman at Pink Shell Marina, Fort Myers are very superstitious

Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico at Fort Myers, FL

Pirates like sunsets too.

Sunrise from Pink Shell Marina, Fort Myers, FL

PIrate cruise boat up the ICW…they fire cannons too

So great to have Patrick McCullough visit the Independence in Fort Myers, FL

A little local color along the walk to town in Fort Myers, FL

Our friends Randa & Bill Veach live in this sweet town of Fort Myers Beach, FL. He was singing & playing guitar this night at the Tuckaway Cafe.

Bill Veach is running for town council…good luck Bill!

The Naples Inlet is a little hairy in the wind and chop

Our birth at the Naples City Dock Marina

The pelicans are very friendly in Naples, FL

Naples, FL makes it a little harder to find some local flavor but we found the Parrot Bar and can also recommend the Riverside bar too in the ‘Tin City’ area.

Exiting Naples along the ICW and a few humble homes that line the water…..

Exiting the Naples Inlet

A nice day for a short cruise south to Marco Island, FL

"Chance favors the prepared mind." ~ Louis Pasteur

I also like. “There’s no harm in hoping for the best as long as you’re prepared for the worst.” ~ Stephen King

Larry takes receipt of the two new spare propellers

We are back in Florida, at the Riviera Dunes Marina in Palmetto, getting ready for the next set of adventures. Amazon Prime is making good money off of us, as is West Marine, Publix, Costco, etc. Larry is in full force prep-mode from bow to stern. The biggest item being the two, four blade Michigan propellers. They measure 32 inches and weigh about 125 pounds each. It was amazing we could fit them both into our little rental car. Lifting them onto the boat and getting them into the engine room and secured was not as difficult as you might think due to Larry’s midnight planning sessions (otherwise known as sleepless nights). Other projects have included installation of a new fly-bridge captains bench at the helm station, stocking the engine room with replacement zincs, filters, oil, etc., and of course provisioning the freezer and refrigerator. Yes, that pesky refrigerator appears to be functioning properly. Larry threw new computer parts at that thing like pasta on a wall. A new inverter board and a new main control board appear to have done the trick. With the fridge working we could pay a visit to the brand new Costco in Bradenton followed by Publix. Larry also had to change our MSI (Maritime Safety Information) code on the VHF (Very High Frequency) Marin Radio as we will be entering international waters and a new code is required. He has also spent countless hours researching and downloading pages of charts and transferring them onto our Navionics electronic charting system for the new areas we are heading toward. So much to do in so little time…

Truly amazing what you can fit in a four-seater rental car…

Ready for transfer to the marina

Ready for transfer to the boat and into the engine room for storage…hopefully never to be used!

Speaking of fitting tall things into small spaces…how Larry crawled into this little hole is beyond me. He had to lengthen the water line to the fridge so we could pull it away from the wall far enough to replace the computer parts.

Let’s hope this is the last time I take this picture…

The all important visit to Costco

This is only a portion of what it takes to provision the boat

As Larry says…his work is never done…and it is never straight forward either. You have to dismantle the entire helm station control panel to get to the back of the VHF radio in the center of the consol. Thank goodness we found a great guy who would meet us at the marina and download our new MSI number, otherwise we would have had to pull the two radios and drive them to Miami.

So all work and no fun is just no fun…so went and had some fun at ‘Woody’s’

Back to sunrises and sunsets…I know you missed them! Sunrise at the Riviera Dunes Marina, Palmetto, FL

Happy Holidays…Cruising into 2020

Celebrations in the waiting…Our 5,000 Nautical Mile pennant and our ‘Crossing our Wake’ Looper’s completion pennant. We will hoist them along with a beer when we get back on board the Independence.

Happy Holidays to all who read this. Larry and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a fabulous New Year. We will return to the boat in January to continue our cruising to Key West, FL. We will call this the end of our ‘Loop’, as we started last year in Marathon, FL…close enough! Larry is in intense planning mode for the next year where we will bring the Independence South through Central American waters to the Panama Canal and then North to the West Coast of Mexico. We hope to make the following stops along the way; Key West, Dry Tortugas, Isla Mujeres, Belize, Placencia, Bay Islands, Honduras, San Andres, Panama area to Panama Canal, West coast of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and end the cruising year at Puerto Vallarta. Let the adventure begin! We hope you will cruise with us in 2020. Until then, Happy New Year!

Planning mode

2020 Cruising Plan

The Captain’s Post #4 - Logs, Trees, Stumps, Tires and Runaway Barges...AKA The Rivers

Post by Larry McCullough

I must say, cruising down the rivers, leaving Chicago and ending in Mobile Bay was an experience. An experience that I would not particularly like to do again. The gamut of emotions ran from relaxation to a bit of fear, mad to jubilation. But in the end there was satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. It was not easy!

I prepared the boat and my psyche well for the journey and I think Jamie and I handled it very well, we were prepared. I was very relieved that when we left Chicago I felt very competent in my handling skills of the boat and very confident in the boat itself. Independence weighs in at close to 90,000 lbs. and 59 feet in length, one of the largest boats on the Loop. Turning the boat on its axis was easy, been there done that on other boats I had, now I could do that with current and wind. In addition, I now had mastered moving the boat sideways, quite handy when approaching a dock. Leaving Chicago all my skills were to be tested.

The Torrence Bridge on the Calumet River is a 21 foot clearance NOT the 28 reported by the Bridge Tender

Being ‘prepared’ was tested immediately leaving Chicago. The Calumet river was busy with commercial traffic, tugs maneuvering barges and towing them… I was prepared for that. As we approached a bridge we asked for it to be raised even though we had already lowered the radar arch to get under a bridge farther down river…we were prepared. What you can not prepare for is a bridge operator telling you the clearance of a bridge is five feet higher than it actually is, but we were prepared and had remeasured our clearance the day before and knew that even with his incorrect clearance figure we would be okay (I informed the operator of his mistake and he ignored us).

Later in the day we approached the bridge on the Illinois River with a 19 foot clearance, the bridge that we had to have the radar arch lowered for, we cleared it with one foot to spare and no stress…we were prepared. A bit trickier further down river with heavy barge traffic on the narrow river, an electric field barrier to keep out the Asian Carp, a bit more stress but okay. Finally, it was time to tie up for the evening on the wall in Joliet, crack open a beer or two for a little stress relief, to celebrate our accomplishment.

The Santa Fe Rail Road Swing Bridge on the Des Plaines River, IL...with 12 inches to spare!

The next few days have been well documented by Jamie on previous blog post therefore I will not repeat many of the details. What we did encounter were many things that we expected, delays at locks due to construction, etc.. What we did not expect were the delays being much longer than expected resulting in one night of having to travel to 10 PM. Looking back I am glad we had that night run, an adventure that we handled very well, something to be proud of.

Jamie takes watch on the bollard tie while we wait for our lock opening at the Marseilles Lock, Illinois River

There were some great towns to visit on the rivers, fun to walk around and get a cold one with the hot days we were experiencing. As we approached the Mississippi River I was looking forward to having a rest in Alton, a very enjoyable town.

The Mississippi was an experience, 220 miles to the Ohio River with no decent anchorages and no marinas, this was going to be tough. Did I mention currents, whirlpools, massive tugs pushing 15 barges, and the 100 plus degree heat? We did it, another accomplishment, feather in the hat, another beer pulled out of the fridge (only after the boat is secure for the evening).

Plenty of traffic on the river

Another nice break in Paducah KY, then more rivers. The Cumberland, Tennessee Rivers and The Land Between The Lakes, then the Tenn-Tom, 234 miles of a man-made waterway, sometimes boring except when a tug is pushing three wide barges, quite nerve wracking. But we mad it, glad we did it, glad it was over.

Just another morning on the fly-bridge. Commute hour on the Illinois River

Don’t mind us, we’ll just squeak on by on the Tenn-Tom Waterway, MS

Windmill propeller blades being shipped by barge on the Mississippi River

One tug pushes and another pulls this load on the Ohio River

Another barge on the Warrior River, right before reaching Demopolis, AL

Arriving in Demopolis was a relief, ready for the home stretch, barely (in relative terms) any miles left of the rivers…NOT! As Jamie previously documented the boat was in great shape. Although we had some pretty good thuds on the journey the props were in great shape, no scrapes and both stabilizers were still there! Time for some pampering, wash & wax, haul out and bottom paint. Time to go home for a quick trip since it had been six months. Time to wait until November 1st when our insurance company said we could go lower than latitude 32.

Back in Demopolis, itching to leave on November 1st. No hurricanes but plenty of rain to the point of the rivers being at flood stage. Well, we weren’t prepared for that. We borrowed the marina car and drove to see what the river looked further down river. We arrived at the Demopolis Lock and Dam and observed trees, branches and an assortment of garbage floating by but I felt that it was safe to continue our voyage the next morning. While observing the river we noticed activity with a tug and small tender boat, what are they up to I thought. Turned out a barge broke away from it’s mooring upriver, floated down the river and went over the dam! Okay, now we also have to worry about untended barges floating down the river, how do you prepare for that?!? So much for some of the anchorages…how do you sleep with the thought of runaway barges?

The tug’s small tender runs a line across the raging Tombigbee River to try and attach it to the run-away barges (on the other side of the bank). Amazing how the barges stayed upright after going over the spill-way (in background of photo).

That night there was a meeting at the marina to determine how many boats would be leaving in the morning and to get a fresh report on river conditions and find out how the boats that left earlier in the day managed. I brought a pen and paper to write down the names of the boats, being prepared meant I was now the ‘point man’ for the morning’s activities. That meant contacting the lock master (at 5:30 am) for a good time to leave and to let all 12 boats know via VHF radio so we could go through the lock together. Knowing a big day was ahead I wanted to go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep. At about 9 PM in comes an 80 foot boat run by a captain with no owner aboard. He informed me of his plans to leave early and go to Bobby’s Fish Camp, where the other 12 boats planned to tie up for the next night. The captain said he would leave about an hour after the 12 boats left.

The next morning I am up before 5:00AM sucking down some coffee thinking about the day ahead. I call the lock master and find out some barges are coming upriver and we better get moving earlier than planned, before first light. I get on the radio and make the planned broadcast letting the boats know we have an earlier than thought lock opening. The 12 of us take off and as we are approaching the lock here comes the 80 footer (Jamie has already posted some great pictures from the lock and journey that day).

Cruising single-file to avoid debris and tugs lurking in the fog

We all proceed down the river in single file for many miles and then the 80 footer takes off. We later learn that he hit debris and bent the props of the boat. All the other boats were taking their time but when it is not ‘your’ boat I guess it does not matter. From then on he was restricted to around 9 knots, not the 15 he had been doing.

We make it down the 83 nautical miles to Bobby’s Fish Camp and there is the 80 footer taking up most of the dock. I inform him that there are 12 more boats that need to tie up for the night and he needs to make room by pulling forward on the 150 foot dock and prepare for boats to raft up to him. He informs me that he had a reservation (Bobby’s does not take reservations) and he did not want me to raft up to his boat. How does one prepare for this? Well, being Irish is one way and I gave him my opinion.

The next three hours were spent rafting the other boats and using the extra 400 feet of line on the boat to tie off to trees on shore and taking some of the strain off the dock, all while trees and branches were floating by with some hitting Independence. At about midnight a tug and barge go by and produced a wake that tossed all the boats.

That extra 400 feet of line came in use after all. Three hours later the 12 boats (AND the 80 footer) are all tied-up safely

The next morning we had planned a long run to try to make it all the way to Mobile, but no, the lock master would not let us enter until noon, so much for a long day. We took off any way with 2 other boats and made it to a nice anchorage for the night (luckily no runaway barges).

Fog and tugs & tows…another morning on the river

We had an incredible sunset after anchoring and opening the fridge again. The next morning the fog had rolled in making the visibility about ¼ mile. AIS was now crucial, radar was limited to the bends in the river but the AIS would let us know who and what was coming upriver. In one of those instances I spotted two tugs and barges coming our way. I contacted the lead tug and asked would he like us to be on the “One or Two Whistle” (taking them on our port or starboard sides). He informed us to take him “on the one whistle”. There were many bends in the river and I thought I would wait for him on one of the straights. The current was over 4 knots with tress and branches floating by on all sides. The current pushed us downstream fast and he was going upstream slow, we met at a bend in the river. I stayed on his one, up against the green markers that I could see. The tug captain was up against the greens also, forcing me to leave the channel and get close to the bank of the river. As I approached the rear of the tug to try to get back in the channel the tug captain hails me on the radio and points out a green marker that has been dragged under the water by the current and we are headed right at it! Quick turn to starboard and we pass the danger. I get back on the radio and tell the tug captain I would like to buy him many cocktails that evening, he laughs, and we are on way down river.

The river markers are hard to see when they are pulled under by high water and and huge currents

As we get closer to Mobile the tide action of the Gulf starts to affect the rivers and we are encountering less debris, a relief. Mobile is a welcome sight, Jamie and I at this time are very relieved to be done with the rivers, we did it, an accomplishment, been there done that, don’t need to do it again. Another hour to our marina for the night and tie up the boat, open up the fridge and…that’s another story!

The Captain deserves a cold one! last stop before Mobile Bay on the Tombigbee River, AL

Crossing the Gulf of Mexico - Carrabelle, FL to Bradenton, FL

We say our goodbyes to our Looper friends and cast off at about 10:30 AM from Carrabelle, FL. The first few hours are uneventful and pleasant as we exit the channel and head East and then South along the ‘barge line’ as had been recommended to us at the Moorings Marina. Minimal waves and a beautiful sunset over the Gulf of Mexico leave us feeling hopeful that this will be an uneventful and dare I say, easy trip. The trouble starts around 1:00 AM when Larry has barely put his head down for a nap. At the helm station I get a jolt of adrenaline as I see a crab pot float by on the port side and then one on starboard. I put the boat in neutral and get Larry back at the helm while I run out to the bow with the hand held spot to light a path that will get us out of the crab pot field. Well, that was unexpected, as we purposely chose this ‘recommended’ heading to avoid crab pots...so much for local knowledge! Three hours of picking our way through crab pot fields got pretty old and pretty stressful. We finally lose the pots when we move further offshore. Larry eventually gets a nap and we transit the remaining dark hours without incident. We were both so happy to see the sun rise and finally get to the St. Petersburg inlet and Bradenton, FL (190NM). The trip was 25 hours from start to finish. It would have been so nice without those darn crab pots...but then I would never have seen the dolphins playing on our bow in the middle of the night, or the turtles and rays that dashed off into deeper water. It is good to have the Gulf Crossing behind us, kind of an ‘overnight shakedown’, if you will. We learned a lot about how to minimize background light in the salon by sticking ‘post-it’ notes over offending electronic panels, not to freak-out that your radar is not functioning properly just because there is no traffic with-in your 8 mile radius for hours, when to take naps, when to start drinking coffee and how well intended advice can be just like flotsam and jetsam...just words floating out to sea.

Our completed route as recorded by our Inreach Garmin, 190 NM or 217 statute miles

Safety first! Our life raft (prefilled with safety equipment), SOS beacon, foghorn, stabilizing binoculars, life vests, cell phone pouches & battery packs, knife and ditch bags

Out the channel and course plotted…

Nice day to cross the Gulf of Mexico

An extraordinary sunset…

…but an even more appreciated and beautiful sunrise

Our welcome party in Tampa Bay

This picture is looking back at the Manatee River Railroad Bridge that closes between 11:00 AM & 1:00PM. We approached the bridge at 10:45AM and it was closed…1/2 mile from our destination! We used the horn, we hailed the bridge and we called the phone number on the bridge. Thank goodness they opened the bridge for us.

No time to nap as the Independence got her first bath in months and is sitting pretty…

…prettier than us - the tired but happy crew…cheers to us!

Fort Walton Beach to Panama City to Carrabelle, FL

We depart Pensacola, FL and have a nice cruise to Fort Walton Beach, FL (38NM) where we will spend two nights to wait out a big storm and a cold front. The weather does turn during the night and we get wind gusting up to 30 knots and buckets of rain. We keep the heat up on the boat the following night as the temperature dips below freezing and as we prepare to leave the next day there is ice/frost on the decks of the Independence. We cruise to an anchorage outside of Panama City, FL (41NM) along with our friends Rich & Connie (and their crew, Bentley & Rudy) on Looper boat ‘Allure’. On we all go the next day in overcast skies and after eight hours finally tie-up at the marina in Carrabelle, FL (71NM) just in time to greet the rain. We will spend the next two nights in Carrabelle and wait for our weather-window to make the Gulf crossing to the west coast of Florida.

The calm before the storm. A pretty sunset over Fort Walton Beach at Two Georges Marina

The rising full moon and holiday lights

So lucky as yet another enthusiastic pod of dolphins ride our bow in the bay of Panama City

Our buddy Bentley and her chauffeur, Rich on Allure’s tender in the anchorage off of Panama City

The Independence at anchor outside of Panama City, FL. Photo by Larry

Hurricane Michael (Oct. 2018) was a terror to the Panama City area and beyond, snapping large trees in half, blowing away entire homes, marinas and boats with it’s 160 mile an hour winds.

More Hurricane Michael damage along the ICW out of Panama City

Quite a few good bars in Carrabelle, FL including Harry’s Bars

Parts of Harry’s didn’t fare as well as others after Hurricane Michael

A day pic of Fathom’s. Great seafood and live music to follow…

…but first a drink at C-Quarters

Eric and Friends perform at ‘Fathoms’

Larry took this photo of what he feels is a perfect Christmas tree at Harry’s Bar

A first blush look at the winds during our Gulf Crossing, which will be 240 statute miles and will take approximately a day of solid travel. Our first overnight transit.

Mobile Bay, AL, Fairhope, AL to Pensacola, FL

We depart Dog River Marina, AL and head out the shallow channels and across the shallow Mobile Bay toward Fairhope, AL (32NM). We are thrilled with the company of a few pods of dolphins that ride the bow of Independence for over twenty minutes until we reach the Intracoastal Waterway. Back in the salt and in the ICW it is a short cruise to the Wharf Marina where we spend a couple days as the wind is forecast to blow. Larry and crew get a few projects done, one being replacing our old anchor with a new heavier ‘Rocna’ anchor. A few more miles up the ICW brings us to the Palafox Marina in Pensacola, FL (24NM) where it is ‘Homecoming’ weekend for The Blue Angels and the air show is in full swing as we proceed toward the marina. This is the older and charming part of Pensacola with plenty of places to eat and drink and a nice BayFront Trail to jog. My cousins head to the Naval Air Museum where they have an amazing day. I will make note that you can only enter the base by private car or approved taxi services and NOT an Uber or Lyft as it is on a military base. From here we will continue to harbor-hop along the Gulf and wait for our window to cross over to the West Coast and the Sarasota area of Florida.

Darryl watches the approach of a pod dolphins as we cross Mobile Bay, AL

Our dolphin friends rode the bow for over 20 minutes…

There are three dolphins in this photo

It is the off season at The Wharf in Gulf Shores so it was pretty quiet and VERY cold

A Great Blue Heron braves the chilly weather

We brave the chilly weather with Looper friends Connie & Rich to visit the bar ‘Flora-Bama’ (on the Florida/Alabama border). They poor a little booze in this place as the boys are quite impressed with.

The song writers conference is underway and there are many groups playing music this night, On stage while we where there was Dallas Moore, John Newcome and Bo Roberts

Larry, Connie & Rich in front of the famous bra collection at Flora-Bama

On our way to Pensacola, FL we cross the 5,000 mile mark

Back in Florida

A nice warm day is welcome as we tie-up at Palafox Marina. Shelley & Darryl looking good on the Independence

Darryl, Shelley, Larry, Connie and Rich at the Palafox Marina, Pensacola, FL

The fountain in the historic Seville Square in Pensacola, FL

A little history…

,,,a little sunset,,,

…and a little tequila with a little ‘Butter Tart’. Thanks to Connie of ‘The Allure’ I finally got to taste a butter tart!

The Last of the Rivers & the Last of the Locks!

I·ro·ny /ˈīrənē/ a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.

Well, I can’t say that the last few days have been amusing but the irony is quite palpable. If you have read the latest post from the Captain you will understand our momentary insurance debacle. By adhering to our insurance providers mandates (of staying above latitude 32 until Nov. 1st - to keep us safe from hurricanes) meant putting all the work and expense of our brand new bottom paint, intact stabilizers and props at jeopardy by the rising waters, current and debris of the Tombigbee River. Demopolis, AL and the surrounding area received over 11 inches of rain in the last week therefore the river is approaching flood stage and it is undetermined when it will crest. We actually put our departure on hold for two days thinking that the rivers might recede but finally decided to take the risk and get these rivers and locks behind us. With a boatload of information on current river, flood and pool stages provided by Ed Offshack and Kyle Kieper’s evening briefings at the Kingfisher Marina in Demopolis, AL we set out at daybreak. Larry has his ‘Looper Leadership’ moment when he takes the lead for 12 other Looper boats and contacts the Demopolis Lock and Dam lock master to schedule our lock through time. As we leave the dock at 6:30AM there was just a shard of light available with gathering mist and fog. I have the hand-held spot at the bow and point out the large logs and debris to be avoided. We reach the lock and find our bollard, some boats raft together, but we all make it inside and lock through within an hour (including one 80 foot vessel driven by a paid Captain). Out of the lock the current is strong but not crazy, settling into a three knot push as we weave our way through the logs, trees, random boards and trash lifted from the river and creek banks. Seven hours later we arrive at Bobby’s Fish Camp (83NM) and attempt to dock. The little dock at this way-point, right on the Tombigbee River, is only 150 feet long and to no surprise the large vessel (that shall go unnamed) snaked up 80 feet of prime real estate. Larry attempts to convince this Captain to move forward so we can get on the dock to begin the rafting process (the heaviest boats must be on the inside so the lighter/smaller vessels can raft up to them) but he is uncooperative and we have to wait for two boats to finish their attempt at fueling before we tie-up. Long story short, it takes three hours to raft, dock and secure all 12 boats to the spindly little dock with a raging current and flying debris...we need a cocktail!!! After a great dinner of grilled catfish at Bobby’s we call it a night, at least until mid-night when we are all ‘waked’ by a tug and tow crashing up river and throwing a massive wake into all of us leaving boats to rock and roll for over 40 minutes. The fun doesn’t end the next morning as the first lock through is only for five vessels and the rest of us are left on the dock at Bobby’s to deal with the tug and tow traffic vying for a space/time to lock through the Coffeeville Lock and Dam...the LAST lock! Finally, we are allowed to lock through at noon and head down river with two other Looper boats. We run for three hours and get to Tombigbee River Mile Marker 78 Sunflower Cutoff (34NM) which is off the main channel and well marked where we anchor for the night. The current is running two knots but the anchor holds well with 175 feet of chain out and we have a pretty and peaceful night on the hook. The following day brings us to the end of the Tombigbee River as it flows into the Mobile River and finally to Dog River Marina off Mobile Bay, AL (79NM) where my patient relatives from Calgary, Alberta Canada will meet us at the boat.

Thank you to Ed Offshack & Kyle Kieper for their informative 5:00PM Loopers info sessions at Kingfisher’s Marina in Demopolis, AL. The information they provided about water levels on the Tombigbee River, getting through the locks and where to anchor along the way was invaluable.

Jamie at dawn, on the bow pointing out obstructions with the hand held spot light. Picture by Larry

This amazing photo was taken by Larry as he looked over the stern of the boat on our transit to the Demopolis Lock

Entering the Demopolis Lock with many other Looper boats. Picture by Larry

Pulling into the Demopolis Lock with the Dam at the right. It is 7:00AM and the sun is just coming up. You can see five other boats behind us and there were eight more on their way.

Exiting the Demopolis Lock, Larry prepares to take on the 4 knot current and the swirling debris

Thank you to Ed Offshack & Kyle Kieper for this great photo of Independence exiting the Demopolis Lock. We know how cold you were standing there to take these photos and we so appreciate it!

Did I mention it was cold on the river that day? I think the high for the day was 48 degrees Fahrenheit

Bobby’s Fish Camp dock with the 80 footer soaking up the dock space

Watching trees float by as the rest of the Loopers bide their time, swimming upstream, and waiting to raft up at Bobby’s

Larry, Conrad and Lars run over 400 feet of line to secure the boats to the dock and the dock to the trees

Rafting at Bobby’s…four in the front row…

…four in the second row…

….three on the third row and one at the back of the pack for good measure

After three hours of securing boats at Bobby’s Fish Camp Larry finally gets a cocktail…It is amazing how all of the Loopers came together to make sure all the boats were safe and secure…what an awesome crew!

The gang’s all here…we head up to Bobby’s for dinner

Great grilled catfish and baked potato….

Yep…I can understand how this cat feels….it was a bit of a stressful day

The last lock…Coffeeville Lock and Dam. The river is so high that the normal drop of 34 feet at this lock is now just two feet and takes only 20 minutes…

Sunflower Cutoff anchorage at mile 78.6 on the Tombigbee River. A pretty sunset as the tug and tow slip by Looper boats the Allure and The Answer

A little more traffic the next morning with fog to boot…always something to up the ante!

Yet another hazard on the river are the submerged river markers. The water is so high there is only the suggestion that the markers are there from the ripple caused by the current

The skyline at the Mobile waterfront

A few very fancy looking war ships on the way to Mobile Bay, AL

A coal plant on the way to Mobile Bay, AL

Sunset at Dog River Marina, Mobile, AL

Celebrating the end of the rivers…the end of the locks with Rich and Connie of Allure and my cousins Darryl and Shelley

Sculpture in Mobile

The main square in Mobile

And yes…how ironic…when you have company your refrigerator will always breakdown. I am so lucky to have cousins that will charge right in and trouble shoot with Larry

True…

The Captain's Post #3 - “You’re Cancelled”

Post by Larry McCullough

Excuse me, but here comes a bit of complaining…What ever happened to customer service?

I better back up a bit and start from the beginning, well not quite, but about two weeks ago…One thing I have learned from this trip is to be prepared and get all your ducks lined up so that you have as few problems as possible as events unfold.

Along those lines I wanted to talk to my boat Insurance Broker about the plans for 2020, where we plan to leave Florida in February and head to an island off of Cancun MX called Isla Mujeres, then down to Belize, Bay Islands in Honduras and through the Panama Canal. I called the broker and she asked me to fill out an itinerary sheet that included where we currently are and plans for the next year then fax it back to her. I did as requested and the next morning I received a phone call from her saying I am now cancelled because I am currently outside of the approved area for my current insurance coverage…What?!? Ok I am Irish, WHAT?!? I then proceeded to tell her that I have informed them of our entire plans for this past year last May and that we were doing ‘The Great Loop’ and I was in Demopolis AL, above latitude 32 (as instructed by the insurance company to avoid hurricanes in the Gulf). 

Insurance company’s reply; “I am sorry, but you will receive a written notice within 24 hours that you are cancelled immediately”. It didn’t take me more than 15 minutes to bombard her with 4 emails; a rider attached to the policy stating we had permission to go down the rivers we were, and are on, a copy of the policy stating we were doing ‘The Great Loop’, a map of ‘The Great Loop’, and coordinates of Demopolis, AL stating it is above latitude 32. Proving she, and the insurance company were incorrect.

I think; I showed them! Hah! Then I waited for that call where they say; “We are so sorry Mr. McCullough, our mistake, I/we apologize profusely”. Nope! No phone call, no email, just my Irish boiling.

I waited until 4 PM (they had called with the cancellation at 9:30AM), over six hours, so I give up and called ‘my broker’ who replied “I sent them the information and they acknowledged that you are in your approved coverage area and they will get a written statement out within 48 hours that you are not cancelled but they will not renew with you with your current itinerary”. Oh thank you so much for working so hard for me, for standing up for me, for checking my policy for the obvious errors of the insurance company…Not!

Knowing what I pay per year, and knowing that insurance brokers get about 10% commission I figure they make about $250 to $500 per hour ‘servicing’ me (nice way to put it), well not any more with this broker.

As a side note, we are now currently stuck in Demopolis, AL with the river approaching flood stage due to the recent rain and the fact that we had to wait at this latitude until November 1st before leaving due to the limitations placed on us by the insurance company!

I have attached a graph where you will notice the river levels, and anticipated levels, from October 31st.

Haul-out in Demopolis, AL

Larry drove Independence into the sling at the Demopolis Yacht Basin and we eagerly awaited the lift to see what the last 4,700 nautical miles had meant to the bottom of the boat. We were pleasantly surprised to see nothing out of the usual, a little algae on the paint, but that was it. Considering all of the incredibly shallow water, narrow rivers, submerged trees and flotsam and jetsam, we were very happy that the hull, props & stabilizer fins are all fine. The great crew at the boat yard pressure washed the hull and will sand and put a new coat of bottom paint on her, in addition to new zinks and an oil change. On our return, she will be all set to continue down river and make the crossing to the West coast of Florida and beyond…

Driving into the sling with guidance from the crew of the Demopolis Yacht Basin boat yard

Fred works the lift & sling while Larry steers her in

Cameron pressure washes the hull in preparation for a light sanding and a fresh coat of bottom paint

Pleased to see that both the stabilizer fins are in good shape…just a need a scrub & paint

Both the propellers look good too

Pressure washed and ready for a light sanding and a coat of bottom paint

The Tenn-Tom and It's Ten Locks

The ten locks we will transit downstream to Demopolis, AL in 253 miles down the Tenn-Tom (Map and Information courtesy Skipper Bob Publications, ‘Chicago to Mobile’, 14th edition).

The Tennessee - Tombigbee (Tenn-Tom) Waterway broke ground in 1972 and opened in 1985. The waterway cost 2 billion dollars to build and amazingly enough was completed 6 months ahead of schedule. This project moved more earth than was moved building the Panama Canal and the waterway shortens the trip for vessels to various ports by as much as 720 miles. The Tenn-Tom starts at Pickwick Lake and begins the long downhill run to Mobile Bay. We will lock down (drop) 341 feet over the distance of 450 miles.

Off we go from Grand Harbor Marina, at Pickwick Lake, toward the Tenn-Tom at 8:00AM. Not too sure what to expect as the first lock we are headed to, the Jamie Whitten lock and dam, had a massive oil spill occur inside the lock 3 weeks ago. This unfortunate event has delayed commercial traffic (around 22 tug and tows) which are now waiting to clear the lock, leaving P.C.’s (pleasure crafts) to wait for a chance to jump in. We are pleasantly surprised when we arrive four hours downstream to find the lock doors open and the lock master welcoming us in. Our lock-luck sticks and we make it through the other two locks without delay to end our day at Midway Marina, Fulton, MS (47NM). Another similar day on the Tenn-Tom, with just a little side note at the Rankin Lock (4th lock) where a tug and tow, that had down-locked right before us, side-swiped the lock door ripping off two of the top fenders and the ladder. There was debris in the lock chamber and downstream as well, but no issue with the performance of the lock doors…thank goodness! We had just a minor (one hour) wait at the last lock of the day and then we anchor for the night in a little cove off the river called Blue Bluff, Aberdeen, MS (35NM). A sweaty night with out power but pretty and no wind to shift the boat around while on the hook. We take our 7th lock on the Tenn-Tom strait off the next morning and then cruise into a shallow slip at Columbus Marina, Columbus, MS (23NM). We stay in Columbus for two nights as Maggie disembarks and the remaining crew takes time to get a few chores done and take in a few sites in town. Columbus is a town of 24,000 and appears to be doing well or at least holding its own. We tour the childhood home of playwright Tennessee Williams and then walk around town to see the old buildings and homes and of course sample a few cold beverages. From Columbus we move downriver through the last remaining three locks without delay or drama. We anchor directly after the Heflin Lock and Dam up an Ox Bow off the Tombigbee, AL at MM265 (70NM). It is another hot and sweaty night on the river without power. In addition, the anchor alarm sounds a few times throughout the night when the river changes course (making the boat come about) due to the upstream lock letting out huge amounts of water in short periods of time. So we are happy to get going the next morning and make a somewhat anticlimactic arrival at Demopolis, AL (40NM). This stop marks over 4,700 NM in our trip. We are 90 percent done with the Great Loop and it seems surreal to be leaving the boat here for a few weeks to get her bottom painted and new zinks applied. We will restart the Loop after the end of ‘Hurricane Season’ (October 30th) and I will have new stories to tell. Until then, happy fall, happy Halloween and smooth sailing wherever the wind takes you.

This part of the Tenn-Tom is called the ‘Divide Cut’ and gets pretty skinny when you pass a tug and tows

It was hard to see the red light at the Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam (which tells you not to enter) as the Osprey nest covered it…we loved seeing the green light!

Down locking the 84 feet at the Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam. There is still oil on the side of the lock due to the spill that occurred three weeks ago but it is not too bad and the water in the lock is clear.

Almost at the bottom of the Jamie Whitten Lock

The forth lock downstream on the Tenn-Tom is the Rankin Lock and as we enter we notice debris floating in the chamber. As it turns out, the barge that had just gone through the lock before us had scrapped the lock door ripping off the top two left fenders and part of the ladder. The lock master alerted us that there may be debris downstream

Larry holds up just a small portion of the fender that had been ripped from the lock door (behind him in the background). Most pieces were five to ten feet long.

The sunset at our anchorage at Blue Bluff, Aberdeen, MS

The sunrise at Blue Bluff the next morning while anchored

Another little stow-away hitched a ride with us from Blue Bluff to Columbus, MS

Larry took this amazing photo today while cruising on the Tenn-Tom

The childhood home of playwright Tennessee Williams in Columbus, MS

A few old ‘Playbills’ from Tennessee Williams’ plays

Lillajo Ford is the fabulous tour guide at the Tennessee Williams house

Walking around Columbus, MS to take a peek at the old buildings

A great 1924 movie theatre that a couple young entrepreneurs turned into a bar and nightclub

The concession area is a bar and the movie theatre is the nightclub (still under renovation while open)

A great, colorful old building

Larry and Owen take a peek at the renovations going on inside the old Merchants and Farmers Bank

There were so many amazing old homes scattered throughout Columbus, MS…but this home was particularly amazing

A dredger works 24 hours a day to open & deepen the river channels

The Tenn-Tom is a working river with tugs & tows and metal recycling plants along the way…

However, there are gorgeous stretches of river with no traces of anything man made

These are the ‘White Cliffs at Epes’, I believe they are limestone

4,757 nautical miles and here we are at Demopolis, AL…cheers to us!

Land Between The Lakes, Tennessee River and Pickwick Lake, TN

We depart Green Turtle Bay Marina on Lake Barkley and head through the canal to Kentucky Lake, so it makes sense that this area is called ‘The Land Between the Lakes’ (or The LBL). The lakes were created in 1959 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of Barkley Dam on the Cumberland River (and later constructed the Kentucky Dam). These lakes are one of the world’s largest man-made bodies of water, thus creating the largest inland peninsula in the U.S., the LBL. We head south on Kentucky Lake to Paris Landing Marina, Buchanan, TN (42NM). It is such a nice day that we immediately put the tender in the water and run across the lake to check out a few of the local watering holes…it being a Saturday and the last day of summer. We get a ‘like home’ kind of feeling as the water is the same color as the San Francisco Bay and the hills look very similar to our Bay hills as well. We move on downriver to Pebble Isle Marina, New Johnsonville, TN (25NM) which has a shallow and narrow entrance of 16 to 9 feet and an even more shallow dockside depth of 5 and change (at least the bottom is mud). We move on toward Clifton Marina, Clifton, TN (62NM) officially leaving Kentucky Lake and now cruising on the Tennessee River. This is truly the prettiest scenery we have seen in a few weeks. It is still green and clean along the river banks with beautiful limestone cliffs and sandy beaches. The river is wide with just a little current, a few gentle turns and little to no traffic. The entrance to Clifton Marina is not for the faint of heart, however, as it is very narrow and Larry has to work the current and wind as he moves the boat through the skinny and shallow (7 ft.) entrance. We have a nice walk around this little town and then meet four other looper-couples for dinner at the marina. We get moving early the next day and get to Pickwick Lock and Dam in about six hours. We have a 40 minute wait to up-lock the 57 feet and then enter Pickwick Lake. Right before the marina there is a location on the lake where, geographically, you are in three states at once; Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. We spend three nights at the Grand Harbor Marina, Counce, TN (58NM) as the Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam (downstream) is just clearing the backlog of commercial traffic due to an oil spill inside the lock 3 weeks ago. We take advantage of the time and the marina’s loaner car (thank you Neeley, you’re the best Harbor Master!) to visit the Shiloh National Military Park. If you are in the area and have the time it is well worth the visit. Start at the visitor’s center and watch the re-enactment film then drive the battlefield tour. The land is so beautiful and peaceful now that it is difficult to imagine the carnage of the two day battle resulting in 24,000 casualties. Tomorrow we hope to begin our travels on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (Tenn-Tom). The Tenn-Tom is a 234 mile man-made waterway that will take us from Pickwick Lake/Tennessee River to the junction of the Black Warrior-Tombigbee River system near Demopolis, Alabama and through a series of 10 locks.

Eggners Ferry Highway Fixed Bridge on Kentucky Lake, TN - The Land Between The Lakes

Skipper the African Grey Parrot at Green Turtle Bay Marina, Yes, a real parrot and no, the owners are not pirates.

They don’t call it Green Turtle Bay for nothin’…

The Green Turtles are used to being fed

Fat Daddy’s Tiki Bar on Kentucky Lake, Dover, TN

A nice jog through Paris Landing State Park on this last day of summer & the leaves are already falling

A Paris Landing State Park Beach

On my jog around the Paris Landing State Park I came across Bradford Cemetery with only a handful of old gravesites

The Breakers Bar and Grill has great live music just up the lake from Paris Landing Marina

Leaving The Breakers in the tender on Kentucky Lake

A decommissioned railroad bridge on Kentucky Lake

The shallow and narrow entry to Pebble Isle Marina off Kentucky Lake

My first wild armadillo…a baby just roaming the marina looking for a snack

Sunset from Pebble Isle Marina, New Johnsonville, TN

Not much traffic on this section of the pretty Tennessee River

Pretty limestone cliffs along the Tennessee River

The narrow and shallow entrance to Clifton Marina in Clifton, TN

The town of Clifton is rich with Civil War history. This site on the Tennessee River is where General Nathan Bedford Forrest and his cavalry crossed the river to raid and sever General Ulysses S. Grant’s supply lines. Clifton is also the birth place of the first Pulitzer Prize winner T.S. Stribling for his novel ‘The Store’ published in 1933.

Main Street, Clifton, TN

Independence tucked snuggly into her slip at Clifton Marina

Dinner at the Clifton Marina with Loopers from boats; Paddy Wagon, The Answer, Bahama Voyager and Sea Cups

Leaving Clifton heading south on the Tennessee River toward Grand Harbor, TN

The Pickwick Lock and Dam is quite large with a 57 foot up-lock to Pickwick Lake

The gates are open and some loopers are at their bollards…Owen prepares to snag ours

The Shiloh National Cemetery at Shiloh National Military Park. Twenty four thousand people were lost or wounded during this two day battle in 1862.

The site of the Shiloh Civil War battle took place right on the Tennessee River - you pass it if you are a Looper and hardly know it’s there.

Iowa’s memorial to their fallen soldiers of Shiloh

The Confederate Memorial honors the South’s ‘Lost Cause’ on Shiloh battlefield. The United Daughters of the Confederacy erected the memorial in 1917

A replica (1999) of the Shiloh Meeting House, the log Methodist church were the battle started and thus gave the name.

The Corinth, Mississippi courthouse built in 1880

Somethings you only see in the south….Pickle-pops and…

…an axe throwing gym.

Running the Rivers - Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio to the Cumberland

At the Hardin Riverdock the tie-up is free if you dine at the restaurant. We obviously arrived too late the night before to be able to have dinner but not to worry, they serve a mean breakfast. Fueled-up with eggs and potatoes we cruise downstream toward the confluence of the Illinois River and the Mississippi River. We have traveled down the Illinois River for 303.4 miles and at Grafton, IL we meet the Mississippi River at mile 221.5. Just a few miles downriver is Alton, IL (40NM), where we dock for two evenings. On arrival we top-off the diesel, pump-out the head and give the boat a bath. It is amazing how filthy the boat gets, between the industrial areas, the mucky river-water and the bugs it is nice to see her clean (at least for a day!). Larry and I explore Alton which is the first town we have stopped at that actually has hills. But far beyond its’ hills, it is Alton’s history that is great to experience. We are lucky enough to meet Don Huber at the Catdaddy’s Tavern and low-and-behold he is the town historian. We learn that Lincoln almost fought a duel on an island near here until the challenger realized that Lincoln’s reach extended his own. Don also tells us about the assassination of journalist Elijah P. Lovejoy in 1837 (an ardent abolitionist), in addition to Alton being the site of the first State Prison in Illinois during civil war times. The next day we take the bikes out to explore many of the historic sites that Don has told us about and then end the day at Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, a great place to people-watch, listen to live music and have a couple cold ones. Up early and feeling lucky to clear the Mel Price Lock and Dam 26 and the Chain of Rocks Lock and Dam 27 within an hour and half. We keep cruisin’ down the Mississippi River to St. Louis with its’ traffic jam of tugs and tows. Not to mention the river runs pretty fast at your stern here and controlling the boat in these busy channels with oncoming traffic is a herculean effort on Larry’s part. Further downriver we tie-up for the evening on the wall at Kaskaskia Lock at mile 117.5 on the Mississippi River (86NM). With the river running fast at our stern (4 knot push at times) we rack up the miles today with a long run down the Mississippi River to the Ohio River. There just are not many options for places to stop or safe places to anchor on the Mississippi so we keep cruising along and make it through the new Olmsted Lock to an anchorage called ‘Bean Branch Creek’ on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River (144NM). The next day we have a short run to Paducah, KY (20NM) where will spend two nights at the City Marina. We have a nice time in this ‘big - little town’ as the locals say and move on through the Cumberland River to the catch the Barkley Lock just as it is opening - what luck! We will spend two nights at Green Turtle Bay Marina in Grand Rivers, Kentucky (40NM).

Independence at her end-tie under the New Clark Highway Bridge, Alton, IL on the Mississippi River

Wandering the hills of Alton at sunset

Catdaddy’s is a great place for a cold one. We were so fortunate to meet Alton’s town historian Don Huber and get a list of ‘don’t miss’ sites to see.

Musician Miles Davis was born here in Alton, IL

The remains of the first state prison in Illinois dating back to 1830. Civil war confederate soldiers were held at this prison.

Charming brick homes and brick lined streets still remain in Alton.

We bike around town and visit the Alton Cemetery to see the Elijah P. Lovejoy memorial. Lovejoy was a journalist who wrote passionately about abolishing slavery in 1833. He was consequently murdered by a mob of pro slavery Missourians in 1837

The monument to Elijah P. Lovejoy, journalist & editor, social reformer & minister

We leave our ‘bikes’ with the other ‘bikes’ (Harley riders love Fast Eddie’s)

The world renowned Fast Eddie’s Bon Air. In 1921 Anheuser Busch opened this bar at 4th, Pearl & Broadway. Ten years later they sold to Sam Balaco who gave it to his son and 50 years later it was sold to Eddie Sholar. Eddie has quadrupled the size of the establishment from 80 chairs to over 400. Over 2,000 barrels of beer and thousands of cases of cans & bottles, not to mention liquor, are served yearly.

Frosty beers served in big, ice cold, chunky glasses at just one of the many bars in this huge place

The ‘Bon Air’ area of Fast Eddie’s where you can eat, drink and enjoy live music. Great people watching too.

Back on the Mississippi River we get up to a four knot push, making this 144 nautical mile day bearable…

Had to get a picture in front of the St. Louis Arch (thank you Maggie)

We turn off the Mississippi River and on to the Ohio River toward Paducah

Our little stowaway from the Kaskaskia lock & dam was onboard for 24 hours then disappeared as mysteriously as he appeared.

The Olmsted Lock and Dam. This lock & dam took 25 years to build (opening in 2018) and cost 3 billion dollars. It replaces locks 52 and 53 along the Ohio river. We were immediately allowed through and the lift is only eight feet.

The sunrise from our anchorage on the Ohio River

The Paducah City Marina on the Ohio River was just completed a few years ago

Sweet old buildings of Paducah

The Queen of the Mississippi is an overnight cruise boat that runs the waters of the Ohio River

Meriwether Lewis & Williams Clark came by these shores on their westward journey to the Pacific Ocean and were greeted by many of the native american people living on this land. Evidently, Meriwether Lewis bought his Newfoundland dog, Seaman, for $25 dollars in 1803, but in 1827, Williams Clark paid only a $5.00 transfer fee for the land where Paducah and McCracken County now stand.

Autumn is on it’s way to Paducah. This cute guy is in front of a great bar called Shandies, where a great bartender name John works

Charming old buildings on Broadway in Paducah

The old Columbia theatre on Broadway was built in 1926 by W. Earl Gore and went dark in 1987. The Columbia Theatre Restoration Project is trying to save this great landmark

The ‘Wall to Wall’ murals are painted on the floods walls that protect the town. They take you through Paducah’s history from the time of the Native Americans, fur trading & fishing, the importance of the river to the economy of the town, civil war and locomotive history. Paducah was also a major long distance telephone switching hub (until 1979) and at the dawn of the atomic age entered the uranium enrichment program. The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant remains the nation’s only uranium enrichment facility and a global supplier of enriched uranium for electricity production.

I particularly like this wall scene of a tug captain in his Pilot House pushing his tows

This panel portrays the events of the 1937 flood that devastated 90 percent of a thriving Paducah. It is one of the many panels painted on the flood walls that protect Paducah from the Ohio River. The wall cost eight million dollars and is twelve miles long and three feet above the 1937 flood levels.

This marker on Broadway shows the 60.8 foot height of the 1937 flood waters

This town has seen a lot…

We visit our good friend Buck Bradley and share a little bit of his favorite Maker’s Mark Whiskey with him…like old times. We love and miss you Buck!

Leaving Paducah on the Ohio River you transfer over to the Cumberland River and 40 miles later you enter the very impressive Barkley Lock and Dam. We were lucky and the doors to lock opened just as we arrived.

The massive Barkley Lock doors close and you are lifted quickly but smoothly up 57 feet

Where else would we end up but at the ‘Thirsty Turtle’ at Green Turtle Bay Marina in Grand Rivers, KY. I love the names of their craft beers

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly...Marseilles Lock, Starved Rock Lock and La Grange Lock, IL

We wake up to a rainy day at Joliet and depart the wall at 8:00AM with five other Loopers heading to the Brandon Road Lock and Dam and the Dresden Lock and Dam. We end-up being a bit early, by an hour or so, but we eventually lock through and actually raft a boat (tie a boat to our boat) in the lock for the first time. The push to get going early is stemmed by the fact that we need to make a lock time at Marseilles Lock 26 miles down river. This lock is under construction and has restricted hours when ‘pleasure crafts’ (P.C.’s) can lock through. We arrive early as the lock tender has instructed and then have to wait at one of the large bollards. Unfortunately, the wall near the lock is not available for P.C.’s as we had been led to believe. An hour and a half later we lock through and are on our way to Ottawa, IL (37NM) Heritage Harbor for the night. Our second ‘problem lock’ is Starved Rock Lock. It has the same construction/restricted lock openings for P.C.’s. So, thinking strategically, we move a few miles downstream to a fuel dock at Starved Rock (7NM). This location is only two miles from the lock so we figure that this will be better for our 05:00 transit. By the way, this is our first, and as it turns out, very eventful, dark transit. We have a high-power spot mounted on the brow of the boat and a hand held spot as well. The captain has the radar and nav screens active, but let me tell you, nothing prepares you for the hundred plus foot tug and tow coming your way in the black of night. Larry, once again, cool as a cucumber, lets the tug ‘n tow slip smoothly by. Waiting for the tow to pass cost us time and we miss the early bird lock and have to tie up to another large bollard and wait until 06:30. We have the lock to ourselves and then a long but uneventful transit down the Illinois River to Peoria (59NM). We leave the municipal docks at Peoria and lock through the Peoria Lock and Dam without any issues. The lock is only an 8 foot drop, no bollards or lines, Larry holds us in the middle and we exit about 20 minutes later. A long day down the Illinois River checking depths, and double checking river markers as there are many that have been dragged out of position by the massive tug and tows or are missing all together. In addition there are plenty of snags (trees wedged into the bottom of the river) so we have to be diligent about looking for these, not to mention Larry having to maneuver around the goliath tugs and tows in these narrow channels. Eight hours later we arrive at Beardstown (61NM) where there are barges you can tie up to for the night and then climb up a steep stairway to get over their breakwater and into town. Rereading what I have just written, I am thinking how lucky we were to make all these locks with just an hour or two’s wait....our lock-luck is about to change. Out of Beardstown we head to the La Grange Lock, just an hour down river. Thinking that it is smooth sailing after our two problem locks we are absolutely gobsmacked to learn that they have started post-flood maintenance and there will be a three hour wait. Well, we use our time wisely, we ride the exercise bike, read, practice spanish and play cards. One o’clock rolls around and we find out that a tug with fifteen tows has to lock through...cut to the chase it is nearly a six hour wait to clear this lock. This was not good for so many reasons, but mainly because our tie-up this evening is six hours away and it is four o’clock. You do the math and yes, that means two hours of dark transit and arrival far after cocktail hour! I am sure by now, you all have guessed I have not grown accustomed to running at night. Well, practice makes perfect I guess and we will just chalk it up to experience. We have a great captain and a great crew. All hands were on deck to look for logs and snags and use the hand-held spot to shine on the reflective river markers. Learning how to effectively use the spot-light mounted on the boat increases my confidence in running the river at night, however, the car ferry zipping across the river every five minutes and the massive tug and tow (however nice on the VHF) rounding a blind corner was just unnerving. Ultimately, it comes down to the captain and his capabilities. I will shout from the mountaintop (if there were any in this flat land) my affirmations on how accomplished a captain Larry is at this time. He was calm and sure and got us to Hardin (67NM) safe and sound. Thank you Cap!

On the wall at Joliet with the bimini and arch back in place. Louis Joliet was an early French explorer and fur trader who first dreamed of the idea of connecting the Illinois River to Lake Michigan (photo by Larry)

Rainy morning at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam

A little traffic on the river heading to the next lock

We raft sailboat Breathe (stepped down mast for bridge clearance) with us in the Dresden Lock and Dam

Owen takes watch on the bollard tie while we wait for our lock opening at the Marseilles Lock

Ottawa’s Washington Square was the site of the first of seven debates between Lincoln and Douglas for U.S. Senator in 1858. It is estimated that 14,000 people showed up to hear the debate and, the then little know Abraham Lincoln (just a young lawyer) gained political traction as he spoke about abolishing slavery and state’s rights.

Waiting for the Starved Rock Lock at five o’clock in the morning

Happy to put Starved Rock in the ‘rear view mirror’

The Municipal Marina at Peoria

Abe came through Peoria, IL on the debate tour. The statue is dedicated to fallen soldiers and sailors built in 1899

The Peoria, IL courthouse

The ‘8 Bit Arcade Bar’ has a fantastic Venice Carnival mural at the side of the building

At 8 Bit, buy a beer and play all your favorite games from decades past

Larry found his favorite - ‘Galaxian’!

Peoria Lock and Dam is a breeze

Something is wrong with this picture….river markers are often scooped up by barges or moved by high water…keep sharp!

The ‘Barge Dock’ at Beardstown, IL. The water crested this wall this past spring and did not recede until July

Main Street Beardstown, IL

Awesome bar ‘The Nook’ with a fantastic bartender ‘Brittany’ is conveniently located next to the recovery center…

Lincoln spent time in this town as well at the courthouse on the left

The steep steps back to the Independence

Sunset on the Illinois River

Waiting for our opening at the La Grange Lock and Dam…this tug and his fifteen tows took almost two hours to lock up river

This dredger is amazing but just one more obstacle between us and our destination

Sunrise on the Illinois River at Hardin, IL

The barge dock at Hardin, IL. You can dock for free if you have a meal at the Riverdock Restaurant. We intended to have dinner but did not arrive until 10:00PM, so we had breakfast and it was fantastic. You can see the high water mark from this last year’s’ flood on their sign at the word ‘Riverdock’.

The Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Rail Road Swing Bridge, IL

The afternoon before we leave Chicago the crew takes down the bimini (cover on the top of the fly bridge) and lowers the arch in preparation for the dreaded low clearance Santa Fe railroad (RR) bridge at mile 301.5 on the Calumet River/Illinois River. Independence is too tall, even with her arch down, to pass under the bridges on the Chicago River which have a 17 foot clearance (Independence needs 18 feet). So the less sexy, very industrial route of the Calumet is our path ahead. The, now fixed, Santa Fe RR swing bridge normally has a clearance of 19 feet, however with this years’ high water levels the actual height has varied and has caused quite the chatter on the ‘Looper’ websites (AGLCA forum). Larry and I check these sights every morning to get an idea if the water level is dropping and what others have experienced. After saying a sad goodbye to Chris Adams the morning of our departure, we leave the Chicago Yacht Club bright and early and head south 10 miles to the Calumet River opening. This is by far the most industrial and busiest river we have been on so far. In the harbor we scurry past a massive ship preparing to enter the river to load salt and we end-up behind a tug and tow (barge). Larry slowly maneuvers us behind the tug & tow and we patiently wait for bridge openings. At one bridge the tug is so slow as he carefully makes the twists and turns of the river (he is probably 170 feet long) that once through the bridge the bridge tender starts lowering the span while we are on approach. We are not sure if we should stick or pass under until the tender (on VHF) says ‘better hurry it up!’. Larry throttles up and we are fine but that certainly isn't how it’s done in Florida! One bridge after the next we draw closer to the Santa Fe. After approximately 39 bridges (and one lock - Thomas O’Brien) the Calumet River joins the sultry sounding Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal - don’t fall in the water here. This canal permits ship traffic to go south in addition to all of Chicago’s sanitary waste (treated we hope) keeping it out of Lake Michigan. Finally, after a year of sweating the idea of passing under the Sante Fe...getting the arch cut, painted, repainted, measuring and remeasuring, we pass under the bridge with room to spare and a huge sigh of relief. The long day ends with one more lock which we make by just minutes. As we approach the lock door is coming up the kind lock tender at Lockport Lock lowers it for us. It would be a four hour wait if we had not caught that lock. We arrive at the Joliet wall, tie up and raise the arch and replace the bimini putting another hurdle behind us.

Leaving Chicago for the Calumet River on a bluebird morning

Our last moments on Lake Michigan and Great Lakes - entering Calumet River Harbor

The busy harbor

The tug and tow ahead of us navigates the narrow river…

…and the narrow bridges

The 95th Street bridge barely stayed open for us to pass (stern view)

Bridge tender Janet made us wait for this opening. Looking back at the busy river front

A taste of things to come…the Torrence bridge (fixed) had about 21 feet of clearance but the bridge tender told us 28…NOT!

More bridges

A nice park here and there

The confluence of the Calumet River and the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal

The approach to the Santa Fe Rail Road Swing Bridge that no longer swings

Closer….

Show time…here we go…

This bridge is looking a little past her prime

Not much room between the highest point on the boat (arch down - 18 foot clearance) and the bridge clearance of 19 feet

Over and done…all in the past now

The Asian Carp Electric Field

They are serious about keeping these invasive fish out of the Great Lakes…this is the back up generator in case there is a power outage

The Lockport lock tender was kind enough to lower the wall/gate for us - Thank you!

The gate is up and we drop 40 feet

Our first ‘floating bollard’. They are very nice

Out we go toward Joliet, IL

Chicago, IL

The morning we are set to leave from Hammond weather moves in early with rain, wind, thunder and lightning. The newly installed Sirius weather tracking system serves us well that day, as Larry watches for the break in the system and we make the quick, clean run to Chicago (14NM) and dock at the Chicago Yacht Club. We spend the next three days exploring the city and are happily joined by Chris Adams (a returning crew member!) to help celebrate Larry’s birthday in the Windy City.

If you have time…check out this link to a recent article written about our trip…https://cruisingodyssey.com/

A blustery day coming into Chicago Harbor from Hammond

The Chicago skyline and the pretty blue water of Lake Michigan

The sun sets over Independence at her slip in the Chicago Yacht Club

The evening view isn’t too bad from the bow of the boat

Sunrise from the stern of the boat

A jog over to Navy Pier

A crisp morning made for good skyline photos from the pier

The Navy Pier was first a military station in WWI then in WWII the pier was used for pilot training orientation

The Art Institute of Chicago has a staggering collection of impressionist art and so much more. Here Monet paintings keep company with Rodin’s Eve

Monet’s haystacks

Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884

Wood, American Gothic, 1930

Hooper, Nighthawks, 1942

Lichtenstein, Foot Medication, 1974

Takashi Murakami, Mr. Pointy, 2011

The Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park

This sculpture is called ‘Cloud Gate’ but the locals call it ‘The Bean’, in Millennium Park

Millenium Park walkway…picture one

Picture two

A walk up Michigan Avenue and I fell in love with this entry to 333 North Michigan built in 1928

Crossing the Chicago River at the Michigan Avenue Bridge

Up 95 floors (1,127 ft.) in the John Hancock building (1969) to check out the views

When you are in a bar up 1,127 ft and there is a beer made just for them you have to try it

Spectacular views from the Signature Room

The dining room at The Signature Room

From the highs to the lows…we go underground for our next beer at Streeter’s Tavern…Chris is back!

An absolute must when you are in Chicago is the Architectural tour. We chose the Chicago Architecture Center’s Tour on the boat ‘First Lady’. The Wrigley Building

This city is truly has the best blend of old and new architecture. Carbide and Carbon building (with real gold leaf top) and Thirty Five East Wacker

During the 90 minute tour you pass under 27 bridges, called Trunnion bascule bridges

These townhouses are right along the river & designed by Harry Weese in the late 1980’s

Sears Tower

The only condo complex with a marina…the architect did not believe in right angles

Going back down the Chicago River

This skyline view is from the entrance of the Chicago River

Have to play mini golf on Larry’s birthday. So happy Chris Adam’s could rejoin the crew

Last night in Chicago, we celebrate with dinner at the oldest Italian restaurant in the city. The Italian Village first opened in 1927

Our little booth was fantastic

So was the food…Chris had the White Fish Piccata, Larry the Veal Saltimbocca and I had the Frutti di Mare.

A nightcap at their little bar was a must

When we returned to the boat the Navy Pier was having a fireworks display…what a great end to an amazing trip to Chicago…I love this city!

The Captain's Post #2 - It's All About the Boat

Post by Larry McCullough

Over the last few months several people have asked me “why that boat?” some people went as far to say “that’s an overkill”. Well, pardon me! Actually, it’s been quite the conversation starter, “what kind of boat is that?”. Independence is a Nordhavn Coastal Pilot, 59 feet long (end of the bow pulpit to the end of the swim platform and 50 feet long at the water line.

Why Nordhavn?…you ask, well maybe not you, but several people have: Nordhavn has a reputation as building some of the strongest most seaworthy recreational boats in the world. I say the world because you will find Nordhavns all over the world. Safety, for obvious reasons, was one of our top priorities. The Coastal Pilot has the highest storm rating designation. Not that I ever want to test the full capabilities of the boat but just a few days ago we were in Lake Michigan (nicknamed ‘The Washing Machine’} and the seas were much larger than any weather service was predicting, 7, 8 maybe even some 9 footers where we had some “green water” over the bow. Not only were they relatively large but confused, meaning coming from different directions. Having cruised most of the West Coast those do not sound that large, but it is all about the spacing. The ones we had were maybe every 2 to 3 seconds. My prior experience on the Pacific Coast was that if they were 10 feet not that big of a deal if they were 12 to 15 seconds apart.

In one of the many articles I read about Nordhavns (most often in Passage Maker) one of the founders was being interviewed about the design. One of his comments that  really resonated with me was regarding the hull thickness and why, because someday there is a good chance that the boat could hit the bottom or something in the water like a log. Nordhavn also has a reputation for using only the highest quality components.

I would not call Independence, or for that matter any Nordhavn a ‘Weekend Boat’ meaning just using it for a few hours over the weekend. It is a boat made for cruising and racking up the miles. We took off from Jupiter Florida in April and today is September 1, we have already gone over 3,800 nautical miles (NM). Our plan is to go through the Panama Canal and up the Pacific to the San Francisco Bay Area and eventually all the way to Alaska. So no Ma’am, it is not an overkill.

 Nordhavn built their reputation on trawlers, Independence is not a trawler but a semi displacement boat. What’s that mean?…in short it can go faster. A trawler is full displacement and it’s maximum speed is the square root of it’s water line length multiplied by 1.34. It can not go any faster than that even with larger engines. Put simply, Independence’s hull is designed, that when given more power, it rises out of the water and can reach speeds of 20 knots. We rarely go over 12 knots and find that we cruise in the 8.5 to 9 knot range and experience a fuel consumption of around one nautical mile to the gallon. Slowing the boat down to 7 knots we have found we can average around a fuel burn of around 5 gallons per hour in ideal conditions, ie little wind and no current.

Independence holds 1,100 gallons of diesel. That works out to a range of close to 900 NM at 9 knots with a very comfortable reserve cushion. On a long passage slowing the boat down to 7 knots we have a range of around 1,300 miles with a comfortable reserve (of course winds, waves and currents must fit into the calculation also).

 Independence is hull number one of their Coastal Pilot model, it was a demo boat when we bought it. The boat came with many extras that made it close to a “turn key” boat for us: Furuno electronic package that included: radar; auto-pilot; chart plotting. I am constantly learning new ways to use the Furuno equipment and recently added Sirius Weather to the system. Also included with the boat were the stabilizers which I have come to love.

 The last five months have been an incredible learning experience. Exploring North America as we have, I have come to appreciate what a beautiful country we and the Canadians have. I have learned that when approaching a town from the water you can estimate how many breweries they might have by the number of tall church steeples. I have also learned to appreciate, and love Independence. At first I was very intimidated with all that we were undertaking but sometimes you just have to go for it and fine tune things as you go. Being 59 feet long Independence is usually one of the largest boats when we pull into a harbor. I am proud at what we have done so far. We have been through locks (30+), fought the 5 knot current at Hell Gate (East River NYC), docked during 25 knot winds and I am continually surprised at how well the boat handles and can be maneuvered. I have also appreciated the extra power in those currents and wind. No, the boat is not an “overkill” but just right for us.

Engine room with twin 715 HP Cummins Diesel

Grand Haven to St. Joseph, MI to Hammond, IN

We ended-up spending three nights in Ludington due to high winds of 20 knots and waves reaching over 9 feet in height on Lake Michigan.  Larry was very productive with the down time, as he was able to identify the problem with the windshield wiper, order a replacement and install the new wiper motor.  Finally, we get to move on to Grand Haven (61NM) but sadly had to forego the port of Pentwater due to the weather hold and lost days. The trip southward to Grand Haven was a little rolly at first with four foot waves and good size swells coming in sets. We enter Grand Haven harbor and proceed toward Grand Isle Marina, where, FYI if you cannot clear a 25-foot vertical clearance you must contact the bridge tender of the U.S. HWY 31 bascule bridge for an opening. Openings are once an hour on the half-hour and you can reach the bridge tender by VHF channel 16. After clearing the bridge we try to hail the marina but frustratingly, we get no response.  We need to pump the head and so we move toward the fuel dock and pump station. The station slips are narrow looking and as the dock hand finally emerges we ask her if she knows the width...sadly she does not, nor does she know anything about our reservation or what our slip assignment is. I will just cut to the chase and say that the dock help at this marina is very unreliable, unknowledgeable and unapologetic about it. If you can reserve a slip at the Grand Haven Municipal Marina or secure a space on the city wall you will be better served. The town of Grand Haven is a sweet town with a great Main Street, microbreweries, and some lovely beaches.

After two nights at Grand Haven we push on to St. Joseph (67NM) in smooth water. There is bad weather coming so we had to sadly pass by Saugatuck and South Haven in order to make our reservations in Chicago. But we are so happy we stopped in St. Joseph as it is such a cute little town bustling with Labor Day weekend activity. The beaches and boardwalks are packed and the main street is jammed with people. I still can’t believe how many ice cream stores there are in Michigan. The salmon run has just started in the waters outside the ‘St. Jo’ channel and fishing boats are criss-crossing as they trawl, often with no attention given to where they are going or to whom is coming toward them. The channel and harbor were dredged from the original St. Joseph River first by private investors in the 1860’s and later by the U.S. Corps of Engineers who removed a large sandbar and placed protective piers on either side of the channel in the 1930's. St. Joseph was a shipbuilding town from the 1830’s until the late 1900’s as lumber was in great supply. Sailing and steam-powered vessels were built here for lake and river navigation. The shipbuilding and commercial fishing economies soon gave way to tourism, as is the norm for these small coastal towns.

A nice day trip to Hammond (50NM) that started a bit choppy with 2 footers and then flattened out to just a ripple. Hammond is only 14 nautical miles from Chicago so we will, hopefully, be able to get in tomorrow well before any of the big forecasted winds are set to hit. We feel so sad for the people in the beautiful Abacos Islands who have been hit so hard by hurricane Dorian and hope our Jupiter friends will be safe over the next few days to come.

Grand Haven channel with its charming lighthouse and breakwater

U.S. Hwy 31 bascule bridge heading to Grand Isle Marina…don’t forget to call for an opening or you will sit there all day!

A great day for a bike ride to the breakwater and out to the Grand Haven lighthouse

Time for mini golf…this hazard was a challenge for me but not for Larry as he won again!

Have to have a brew at Oddside Brewery which is in a great old brick building that used to be a piano factory

The Oddside beer menu…I would like to be a ‘fly on the wall’ when they come up with some of these names

The old news stand is still in business

Religion and art…The First Reformed Church has quite the history, as seen below…

Tenacious!

Entering St. Joseph channel this trawler cuts right across our bow with four trawling lines out at his stern

The St. Joseph River Yacht Club at the entrance to West Basin Marina

Upstream from the channel on the St. Joseph River with the swing bridge in the distance

We stop and listen to the St. Joseph Municipal Band (conducted by Dr. Donald Moely) performing at the John Howard Bandshell.

A fireman’s memorial from 1898

This is the third St. Joseph swing bridge. This bridge was built in 1904 & is owned & maintained by the CSX (Chessie & Seaboard Expanded) Transportation. The Independence is in the marina across the river.

More great beer names at the Silver Harbor Brewery in St. Joseph

Sweet mural down the alley

The old Silver Beach Amusement Park at St. Joseph, built in 1891, had a carousel, roller rink, indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, beer garden, penny arcade, ballroom and a wooden roller coaster

A newer carousel now sits at the site of the old amusement park

Later in the evening this little swing bridge gets quite busy

Departing ‘St. Jo’ on a nice calm morning

A smooth crossing on Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to Hammond as we weave between sailboats in a regatta to Chicago

Goodnight Hammond, IN

Frankfort to Ludington, MI - Weather Hold!

A damp and rolling ride to Frankfort (35NM) with 3-foot swells quite close together. As we clear the channel and enter the turning basin in Betsie Bay we begin to see fish jumping from the water. Actually, not just jumping but literally breeching and slamming themselves onto the waters’ surface. After we tie-up I ask the dock managers what kind of fish they are. Kim and Corey (Frankfort Municipal Marina) tell us they are salmon. Most likely females on their way up to the Betsie River to spawn. These females are laden with eggs and they body-slam themselves against the water to loosen the eggs in preparation to lay them. If this is factual or not, I am not sure but it was an amazing sight to see these huge fish popping out of the water as we came into port. I later read that this county has a very modern fish rearing facility ‘The Michigan Platte River Fish Hatchery’ which produces Coho, Chinook and Steelhead. Frankfort became a township in 1859 and the early economy was based on the lumber industry, commercial fishing and fruit farming. Fruit farming (cherries) remains an industry but primarily, tourism now provides the main economy in Frankfort. We walk out to the beach and around town and of course have to sample the local ales at the Stormcloud Brewing Company.

So our trip to Ludington (56NM) was quite intense. The winds were up and the waves were reported to be 4 feet. We were trying to decide if we should stay or go when we hear that the following day is reported to be even worse, so we decide to make a run for it. It turns out to be a bit more hairy then what was reported. The waves were at least 7 feet, one coming after another crashing over the bow…for five hours. Larry did a great job grinding away without a break until right before we enter the harbor. He would vary the throttle speed to keep the boat from crashing down off the peaks of the bigger waves, however he had to do this visually impaired as the windshield wiper in front of the captain’s helm station quit less than an hour into the trip. So, needless to say, we were all very happy to see the multi-colored waters of Ludington Harbor. The tannin-filled river water mixes with beach sand and blue lake water and looks quite strange as you approach. The Pere Marquette Lake is blissfully smooth with only a light breeze. We fill up on diesel, as Owen has done his research of this area and found fuel here is 10 cents less than any other marina. That makes a bit of difference when you are purchasing 1,000 gallons. Finally, we are safely in our slip where it looks like we will be for an additional day (or two) until the winds and water calm.

Entering the channel to Frankfort and Betsie Bay

The First Congregational Church built in 1868. The message board reads ‘Souler Powered By The Son’

There are some very sweet homes in Frankfort

Older brick buildings stand alongside their newer neighbors

Not necessarily a beach day, but still very pretty at the breakwater

Too bad the old Hotel Frontenac burned down…what an amazing building it must have been

This home sits right on the beach and every window had a sailboat model. The copper downspout is fabulous

These copper ship motif gates are perfect too

The Stormcloud brewery sits right next to the movie theatre

I recommend the ‘Rainmaker’ Ale

Heading into a big weather day, departing Frankfort

Five hours of this…

The pretty mixed-up waters are a sight to see as you enter Ludington Harbor

The tanin from the river, the kicked-up bottom sand and the blue lake water make quite a mix

The Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse. Great Lakes lighthouses were evidently built during a short period of time in the mid to late 1800’s. Of the 247 lighthouses originally built about 124 remain. They are mostly constructed with brick or stone to withstand the brutal winter storms. The lighthouses are generally similar in construction and tend to be square shaped and functional in design.

The SS Badger Lake Michigan Car Ferry is the last coal-fired passaenger vessel operating on the Great Lakes. It has been in use since 1953 and runs the 62 miles between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. It is 410 feet long, draws 24 feet and carries 620 passengers & 180 vehicles of all kinds. She may still burn coal, as the Steam Ship (SS) has been given historical status, but the coal ash is now off-loaded on shore (instead of dumped into the lake) and used to make cement.

Charming ‘Maude’s Garage’ in Ludington…I bought a few things in this sweet vintage shop

The Mason County Courthouse in Ludington was built in 1893

The Courthouse was designed by Grand Rapids architect Sidney J. Osgood and built in the ‘Richardsonian Romanesque’ style (said the info plaque). The rock is Jacobsville sandstone from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

The Sand Bar is the locals bar owned and run by Dawn. She is awesome and a huge music lover who has brought big name rockers to Ludington.

Happy hour at The Sand Bar…two dollar - twenty ounce draft PBR’s

Dawn’s Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame at The Sand Bar…James Hetfield (lead singer of Metallica), Lynch Mob and many other notables have played in this little bar

We shake things up a little & order a flight at the Jamesport Brewing Company. The IPA won the taste test

Having had a jeep we understand the statement

A jog North on MI 116 brings you out to Lakeview Cemetery. This is the Civil War monument belonging to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). ‘Membership was limited to veterans of the American Civil War who served as soldiers, sailors or marines during the period 1861 to 1865’ (info from ‘Ludington Michigan’ website.

Below the GAR memorial are the markers from soldiers that fought in the First World War and the Second World War.

Back on MI 116 heading South…

This Coast Guard Station at the entrance of the Ludington Harbor was built in 2003 when the 1932 Life-Saving Station became obsolete

Always time for 18 holes!

SS Badger sails into the sunset (photo courtesy of Maggie Doherty)