Lock 52 is Old and Big
Yesterday, six hours after arriving at Lock 52, we finally got the green light. It was 7pm. I now understand why Lock 52, completed in 1928, is being replaced: it takes 10 times longer to get through as compared to newer locks.
Down the Placid Ohio, Then the Wind Started Blowing
This morning, around 10:30am, the SW wind started blowing a solid 20 with gusts to 30 mph. We beat into two to three foot, narrowly spaced, foam topped waves. I got seasick, it was just like being on the Chesapeake!
Olmstead Lock--This is what $2.9B Looks Like
The Olmstead Lock and Dam is a busy worksite. We had to wait 45 minutes before being cleared through.
Fort Defiance in Illinois Separates the Mississippi (l) from the Ohio (r)
At 1pm we made a right turn onto the Mighty Mississippi. Goodbye Ohio River. Our speed instantly dropped to 3 mph--a walking pace. Eight mph is Nellie's normal speed. At this rate it's going to be a long 185 mile slog to reach the Mississippi's first lock (#27) and the more placid waters above it.
Whoa, a 5 mph Current on a Nun in the Mississippi
I'm surprised how rustic the Mississippi is in these parts. It feels a lot like the bayous north of Mobile as the shorelines are completely devoid of development.
Little Nellie Tracks Our Position on the Paper Chart.
At Ables Point, Missouri, MM 12, we found a place to anchor for the night which is well out of the fast current. That's a true luxury in these parts! Today's average speed on the Mississippi was 3.6 mph. We went 54 miles and now have 3,386 miles under the keel. DBH
