Just North of Marquette, Iowa MM635
After a string of beautiful days we woke today to heavy rain and thunderstorms. In a lull we pushed off and head north. Gotta love the pilothouse!
Along the shoreline there's a small 'bathtub ring'. The river level is down about two feet exposing the mud bank.
Lady Luck Casino Dock
Coming in yesterday there was a strong and unexpected current pushing Nellie into Lady Luck Casino's dock. As the picture above shows, the dock parallels to the river's flow. My mistake was coming in only 50' off and parallel to the dock. By the time I noticed how quickly we were being pushed in, there was little choice but to stop the boat. It wasn't a pretty landing, but nothing was broken either.
What I learned. (1) Never assume what the current is doing. Stop the boat and see how quickly and which way the boat goes. (2) The current's effect can sneak up on you. I should have given the dock more leeway, say 100' instead of 50'.
Lansing's Mid 1800's Main Street
Today's docking at S&S Marina was perpendicular to the river's flow. We approached the slip slowly and from downstream; so far so good. Bit, with Nellie only a quarter of the way into the slip the fast current pinned her to the downstream finger.
What I learned. There's no way to get Nellie all the way into a slip that's perpendicular to a fast current. But there's a way to make the landing easier. On the approach the skipper should aim at the upstream finger with just enough power to get the hull partially into the slip. Meanwhile, the crew, with fender in hand, should protect the hull from the inevitable impact with the slip's downstream finger. Then it's just a matter placing fenders in the right position while powering the boat slowly forward.
Race to Lock 9
Here's what the race to Lock 9 looked like today. The contestants were both equidistant away but the current was giving the towboat John R. Rivers, and his 15 barge tow, a 4 mph boost. It was nip and tuck until high winds kept him from making a tight turn just above the lock. Wahoo, Nellie won and averted yet another two hour locking delay. When we finally passed the John Rivers he was pulled over to the bank still waiting for the contrary winds to abate. I kind of felt sorry for him.
Marquette, Iowa to Lansing, Iowa
Nellie's in the S&S Marina in Lansing, Iowa, at MM 663. Today's was a very rainy 28 mile trip. Last night's heavy rains filled the waterway with duck weed and other floating debris. The rain was wide spread as every river gage, for the next 200 miles north, is now climbing. Looks like we're going to get more practice operating in currents. The trip total is now 4,049 miles. DBH
