Wednesday - September 22, 2010

Lat 040 18 09; long 090 04 075; Engine 349.19; Fuel 151 gal
Left Tall Timbers marina at around 8:30 am. Since I was the first boat in last night, I was jammed in a corner that made it difficult to get out. Fortunately the marina owner was there to help drag my stern around so that I could turn to get out the narrow channel. This part of the river is relatively flat and has little to recommend to it. There are lots of Asian Carp jumping around in front of and behind the boat. They must be pretty stupid because quite often you hear a thump on the boat hull which means that they have jumped into the hull.
Well, Brenda drove the boat for about an hour today. She is getting used to it starting to understand how the boat reacts.
We decided to anchor out tonight which is the first time since the North Channel. We pulled into about 6 feet of water behind the channel markers and before the bridge at Griggsville – around mile 60.5. The current in the river kept us facing north and with a mud bottom and 50 foot of chain out we had an excellent hold. Three other boats from our traveling convey also anchored here. A couple of the boats were anchored closer to the railway bridge and a few trains ran over the bridge at night which might have made it noisy.
It was pleasant at night and a harvest moon made its appearance which lent a nice light to the anchorage. Around 10:00 pm, a tow came down the river. They run a powerful search light in front of them to ensure they are in the channel. I sat on the bow of our boat and you could see the light long before you could see the tow coming around the bend. It lit up the whole shore. As it came around the bend, the light flashed in our direction and it blinded me as it focused on our location. It was a huge tow and it was an impressive sight as it passed with the search light glowing and all the lights on the barge and tow. Fortunately we were well behind the channel markers, but if the captain lost control of the barges that would not have done much good. These tow captains are really really good. I am constantly amazed how they control such large groups of barges with one tow.