Today we left Hoppie's Marina about 9:45 AM and traveled 42 miles along with Lane and Joyce on Makin' Memories.  Our destination was the Kaskaskia River to tie up on the lock wall.   The Mississippi River traffic was very busy today.  We saw numerous tugs with barges five across and five deep.  Traffic was heavy in both directions.  With the current going down river, we were sometimes traveling as fast as 10-1/2 mph. 

 We arrived at our destination around 1:00 PM and tying up was difficult because the Army Corps of Engineers had two barges tied up to the floating dock at the lock and there were eddies swirling in different directions.  We finally got close enough that I could throw a line to the lockmaster and he helped pull is in.  We used the longest lines we had and tied to the I-beams attaching the railings to the dock.  With all the lines extending out, you'd think we were the Queen Mary.  

The lockmaster helped Lane and Joyce tie up at the opposite end of the floating dock and later, Jimmy and Macy from Outta Here arrived  and rafted with Makin' Memories.  We were invited down to Outta Here for happy hour and chatting and it was nice to get to know everyone.  

Passing a northbound tug and tow on the Mississippi

This southbound tug had a tow 5 barges wide and 5 barges long

This chart shows "wing dams" represented by diagonal black lines where the river bends to the right -- wing dams are built under the water to deflect current and turbulence.  When the water gets too low, the wing dams present a danger of running aground -- sometimes they are visible above the surface of the water.

"Makin' Memories" heading south on the Mississippi passing a tug and tow passing another tug and tow heading north.

The depth finder high elevation is a wing dam

Tonight's back yard -- tied up at the lock dock at the Kaskaskia River Four lines tied to the I-beams holding the fence in place.

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