Coop Vanguard and Helper Tug
Exiting Bluff Harbor Marina we find ourselves behind the towboat Coop Vanguard. With him infront of us we're looking at four hours of delay going through today's two locks. With 50 miles between us and the marina in Muscatine, Iowa, it looks to be a long day...
Wahoo, Coop Vanguard pulled over to the shore and we went right on by!
A Hopper Barge Taking on 3,000,000 Lbs of Grain
The Invisible Town of New Boston, Illinois
As previously mentioned, some towns hide behind walls and some hide behind levees. Some towns just plain hide. New Boston, Illinois is a case in point. According to the charts New Boston is a fair sized town right on the water. But, good luck trying to spot it. As the picture above shows, there's nothing there but a tree-lined bluff.
The River's Breaching It's Banks
While waiting below Lock and Dam 18 we got a VHF call warning us that all its Tainter gates were opening and that we should expect a lot of debris in the water. They weren't kidding. It looked like the charge of the stick brigade. Being somewhat versed in the military arts, we turned tail and ran.
Floating Through Lock 17
With the Tainter gates open, the dam's head and tail heights are the same. Which begs the question, why is locking through even necessary? The answer is simple: one set of doors must always be kept closed because the door-actuators don't have the horsepower to overcome the river's current. That's why Nellie had to lock through at 17. The upside? It only took five minutes :-)
Burlington, Iowa to Muscatine, Iowa
Tonight Nellie's in the Municipal Marina in Muscatine, Iowa. It took 10 hours to go 53 miles. The trip total is now 3,839 miles. DBH
