LOOP Report 10/07/2004

October, 6th 2004

Hoppie’s Marina, Imperial, Missouri.

Have carried on to the Alton Marina on the Mississippi river just north of St.Louis, Missouri. Wouldn’t you know it, the river is still very beige and running under our keel at a faster pace. Instead of 10.5 MPH top speed on the lake we are now going down rivers at 13.5 MPH.

Must mention that the fish jump high here and one landed on our back deck while running. Pat insisted we put the poor thing back in the river. Seems this is an invasive Asian Carp. Stories abound of them knocking people out of their fishing boats. We are now believers.

The marina has been the best so far with a covered slip and facilities matching some better hotels. Tried the huge hot tub next to the pool in the evening, rotating coloured lights made it seem very relaxing. The boats here are mostly 36’ and upwards of 60’.Quite a few are here for a break on doing the loop.

One boat we met while tied to a barge a few nights ago was a 34’American Tug cruiser from Duluth which came from top of Lake Superior. They had a run in with some irate fishermen with a boat called “cavemen” accusing them of a large destructive wake and were trying to get them to stop so they could board. The captain apologized and just kept moving on. So we are being keen with binocs along the shore as these events has been known to scam boaters.

While in the Alton Marina we finally put up the mast again as there are no more railway bridge obstacles. We cleared the roof by 2” only after filling the tanks with fresh water. Thought we should have greased the top of the anchor light. Lots of history around Alton,Illinois.

Now under way down the river passing St.Louis and it’s enormous metal (Stainless Steel?) covered arch on the shore dedicated to the city being the gateway to the west. Many pioneers went from here to the wild-west by stage coach and later by rail. Lewis and Clark set off on their expedition from here in 1804. Also this was the home of US President Thomas Jefferson and the arch was built to honour his vision of a Continental United States. But they forgot to create or develop a marina for us on the river shore. Not even a dock to tie up to. Huckleberry Finn would have had to carry on with his raft, guess that’s why he didn’t come this far north.

So Chinook went right on past down river to our next port of call “Hoppies Marina”. It was on the RDB or Right Descending Bank. Arrived to find a couple of old barges and a fuelling station and as we approached noticed our port instruments dropped to zero. We landed and shut down all systems ,…but…holly cow!…port engine is still on and no way to shut it off. Cruisers in front, Cruisers behind,…smoke…everyone watching,..some neighbourly advice that didn’t work,… went into the basement (bilge-engines room) and looked at the electronics package on top of engine and found inside a loose connection. Put it back on and the engine would now turn off with the key and all instruments came back on. This was an another test and we passed once again. This area of the river has been 37 to 50 feet higher during flooding in July, August, and September. That’s why everything is on floating barges. Booked in for a few days, as we are awaiting Susan to fly back to St.Louis and join our expedition again. In the meantime have rented a car and are being camera tourists in a rental car. Hope the river doesn’t rise while we are in Town. They guarantee not in October. Must say this river could use some more water, it’s at it’s lowest ever, as we have seen many town and marina docks up on shore. At Tall Timbers Marina in Havana, Illinois we touched the silt bottom going in but had plenty once in at the dock. It’s kind of tense when a depth sounder reads –0.5.in silt or mud. Kind of slid into the hole in the wall there while running in neutral.

In St.Louis we went to see the Arch tower from ground level and also saw the Union Train Station which has been transformed into a shopping mall and hotel. They did a great job of saving an old train station and it’s history was also included in the architectural package.

Have gone to the Library of History and Research on the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympics (Forest Park) This would have been a great place to visit then as the Fair was enormous and full of wondrous new ideas such as electricity. We found new information on my mother’s father and my grandfather and the place he lived with his father and mother and family in Missouri before immigrating to Nanaimo, British Columbia, called “Grape Grove, Ray County, Missouri”. This gives some new leads on ancestors before 1880. They came from Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. I mentioned to a research librarian that I had heard they lived near a town where Jessie James once traveled through while being hunted. He said that would be Ray County, and he went to the 1880 US Census for Ray County and the family was registered.

A Lucky Break for family genealogy!

Upon getting back to Hoppie”s Marina we find the marina filled with more large boats headed south, some we met back in Alton. Everyone standing on the deck comparing notes on what to do for the next couple of days down river. Hoppi and wife Fern know it all and hold sessions for everyone who wants to know the latest conditions. This they do from their armchairs on the deck of the barges. Apparently for over 30 years.

Our next part of the trip is pretty much without anywhere to get service so will be on anchor or tied to lock walls. We carry a lot of diesel and water so no problem. Once we get to the Kentucky lakes it supposedly really gets special for it’s pretty shores.

Ted, Pat, David, Susan

LOOP Report 09/28/2004

Tuesday, Sept.28, 2004

Ottawa, Illinois, USA (yes, the name of the town is correct)
Golly Gee Whizikers, staying at “The 4 Star Marina” in Ottawa, it’s up a crick with half a foot under our keel. And it has taken some 2-days from Chicago and has been exhilerating, breath-taking and downright stressful, to understand you need to sit behind a humoungus tug docking a barge load the size of a lacross field. This is a major 1-hr exercise in boat handling for everyone. But,.. back up canal to Chicago… Arrived by car Thursday thanks to Hertz and found our boat with David and Sue ready to bust out for the locks and down river. But first did a tour of Navy wharf (Coney Island, Wonderland and large sized tourists). Went for dinner on the advice of good friend Martin to Shaw’s Crab House. Dinner was a treat as we were expecting just a simple seafood dinner. Forget that!! Martin knows his high end gourmet stuff and I mean stuffed. A great place, but rich food.

Back to the boat, for adventure next day. But need to tell you a niffty other story about getting through USA Customs Border Protection before carrying on. Pat had a medical test (Ultrasound) 5:30 PM on Wed. and when arriving at the border at midnight the officer asked who had just been to the hospital? They asked us very politely to drive the car through a special gateway. Then asked pat to go to the office and that I should drive through the gate again. Then I was asked to leave the car and also go to the office. Turns out pat was radioactive and glowing from the injection and they had a gieger device at the entrance. Made their day and gave us a little penetrating thrill unexpectedly.

So now we are on the river and moving nicely straight through the city “spectacular”…and on through big locks, drops of 40’ and 30’. Some very industrial sections with many coal fired electrical plants and other cement, gravel, scrap and rail yards. Once out of that area the river is tree lined and gets wider as we go. The water is a nice beige colour, Chicago Sanitary Canal might have some bearing on that. Overnight stayed on the wall in Joliet and woke up to a Carp Fishing Derby, these are serious fisherman! Still so hot the bimini is up and the sunglasses are on. Arrived at 4-star marina to find 1/2 foot of water under the keel.Needless to say the water is low in this section. Actually this is rated as –4-star unless you like honky tonk bars, people were arriving at nidnight looking to party. Got away next morning in more bright sunshine and blue sky, this weather is unbelievable, have a feeling we’ll pay for this later somehow. Had to wait 3-hours at Starved Rock lock. Barges had first go into the lock and they squeezeee..ee.e them in 3 abreast, tug and all, sometimes they will break it up into 2 sections - they’re that long, we have seen them pushing as many as 12 barges in front of them. When passing, we always ask their preference as it takes a while, us going at a fast pace of 10 miles an hour and they surging ahead at 6 miles an hour. When they steer around a corner in the river they block it all so we wait behind. Can’t argue with tonnage.Everyone is very kind to us on radio and are meeting friendly locals giving us good advice. Have arrived in Peoria at the IVY yacht and canoe club. Good dock, electricity, water and internet service.Sue has headed back to Alliston/Toronto for meetings by rental car with our new boating friends on the 38’ trawler “Boomer”. We are servicing engines with filters and oil as we have put on more than 100 hours.Will stay another day and then head for St.Louis next, picking up Sue down that direction in one week.Still have blue sky today but heavy winds stirring up the river. Must mention coming into this Marina we registered minus 1/2 foot so suspect soft bottom, this place is shallow! All is well and we are having serious fun !!!!

Ted and Pat and David and Sue.

LOOP Report 09/16/2004

09/16/2004

Saturday, September 16

Chicago, Burnham Harbour

Saturday finds the Chinook in Burnham Harbour in downtown Chicago. The day is beautiful with blue skies, light winds and a temperature just below 80. This is a very attractive harbour where we are one of the smallest boats around.

The park setting goes all along the Chicago waterfront. We are directly east of Soldiers' Field, the home of the Chicago Bears football team. Immediately south of us it the huge Convention Centre called McCormack Park. To the north is the Field Museum and the Chicago Aquarium and a huge planetarium which goes out into the water. We have been fortunate to see two fireworks displays since we arrived last tuesday from a trip across the lake from Benton Harbour/St. Joseph. We were fortunate to cross Lake Michigan in a relatively calm see as the next three days brought high winds which would have prevented us from getting here in one piece.

Ted and Pat are in Toronto and following some medical tests for Pat they will be rejoining the boat on Wednesday/Thursday when we will resume our trip with an entrance into the Chicago canal and on down the Illinois river. The canal starts with a lock which prevents all of Lake Michigan from draining down the Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. My suspicion is that a lot of the Great Lakes is funnelled down this canal when we are asleep as there have been few complaints in recent years about low water in the canals and rivers (Mississippi) all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

More later in the days and weeks ahead.

LOOP Report 09/13/2004

09/13/2004

Dear looper snoopers,

Our last news had us headed for Frankfort,Michigan. Well as of today Pat and Ted are back in Toronto for this week for various medical tests and dental work. To my amazement a cinnamon bun removed a chunk of silver from somewhere down in the south end. Anyways it took us one day in a drop off rental car to cross from Muskegon, Michigan to Port Huron only to find a 2-hour wait on the bridge before being let through our tattered Canadian flag customs. We Canadians look a little shabby to tourists crossing. But, we made it in one day so got a good refund since we thought it would take 2 days.
Now,…Back on the big gigantic Michigan lake, Frankfort was a good harbour, very nice marina, good facilities. It took us 8 hours to get there on a following 2-foot surf and under a hot sun. This weather has been perfect! We run off shore about 1-2 miles out and are hitting tremendous speeds of 9.5 to 12 MPH. This new GPS and radar give us a highway to follow as David and Sue set up the waypoints the night before on the master computer and then we transfer info to the bridge in the AM.
The locals love to fish salmon on this lake and are outside of every harbour on the way down. Seems that approx: every 50 miles there is an entrance to a safe harbour, usually with a nice quaint town on a nice quiet lake. We moved on to Pentwater, Michigan, again a great ride down hill, the water has gone from 67 to 56 degrees since Mackinac. The shore line is mostly sand dunes and cliffs all the way but manicured and protected by parks people.
Lots of big Cruisers, seems Chicago boaters store boats up the coast as it is cheaper. Have included attachment of one of the nicer cruisers with it’s own car transportation.
Cruised on again to Muskegon, Michigan, where the entrance way has a retired Submarine “Silversides” and a coast guard cutter with heavy artillery on forward deck for navy museum buffs I suspect. We also have seen many lighthouses so David has kept his camera hot shooting pics.
Also must mention the menus have been prepared with much creative thought. Good things keep appearing out of various holds and cupboards like magic.
The wheel changes hands about every 2 –3 hours and for the most part we have not strayed off the path, actually I strayed for a moment in a late night bar called Whitney’s when David shyly introduced me to a young rock and roller who was insistent we should do the “slide”. Pat and Sue were looking the other way at the time. Gave us all something to remember in Charlevoix.
So, while we’re here now in Toronto, The crew has gone on towards Chicago with the “Chinook” and currently are in Benton Harbour having dinner with another trawler doing the loop that we have been travelling along with since Charlevoix. We’ll catch up with them soon by plane or car or train.
Will say bye for now, Anything left out or a need to know further details please email us at tedpluspatlarson@aol.com
Cheers!

LOOP Report 09/03/2004

Loop Report 09/03/2004

Dear friends of loopers,
Well, here we are in USA , at Drummond Island Yacht Haven.Cleared Homeland Security without a hitch. All papers are in order. Absolutly no inspection, amazing considering all the various phone calls previously with many customs personnel. Have had great weather all the way since leaving, now that’s a change from the so called summer. Have been making approx: 10 miles per hr. have kept the top down most of the way, today surfing with a soft rolling following sea. The meals are terrific thanks to 2 great cooks on board. We’ve been putting in approx: 5-8 hours a day running. Pat has had some trouble after throwing a dock line to far so her shoulder needed a shot and now she is recovering. X-rays show a small problem with rotater cuff. anyways we are proceeding on to Mackinaw Island Sept 3rd to enjoy some fudge and horseplay.We got a lot of good info on where to eat and enjoy blues in Chicago from another boater so looking forward to getting down the lake soon. Pat is expecting to get back to Toronto on the Sept.12th for a few other tests before continuing.Can’t say enough about how well all is going so far, David’s electronic navigation with Susan’s way points on GPS is putting us down a railroad track better than the CPR could do through old Rosedale.Our new radar is clever and very selective on picking up all detail within range. We have to leave it to the binocs to get us a close up on any bikinis and so far that part of our navigation services are lacking.Books are being read and some ongoing discussions of politiks but not worth commenting on .We strung up a spanking new Canadian flag so as to make sure everyone knows we come from the wild wooly north. And to top off the list David has more hair on his chin now than on the higher regions.then of course I finally had to find a barber in Little Current and I think after 35 years in business I gave him a challenge of a lifetime, beard and all.not to mention the bowl cut he gave me, $11. Can you beat that.!! AS you can now appreciate we are heading in a southern direction to catch the fading summer temps.We finally are heading south and landed at Mackinac Island ala Disney OldWorld today at 2:30 PM to enjoy a reserved dock for us. The day was again beautiful with glass like conditions until the last hour of running the wind switched to NW and made for a nice ride into the harbour. Of course the horses and fudge are still here with all the bicycles. Had great joy in telling the dock master that his Michigan State Flag was flying upside down .There was some conflict re power cords in our socket on landing but Sue straightened out the neighbour and dock staff and power was provided quickly with out the rath about to come down on them if they did’nt shape up, of course again David and I stayed in the shadows.The boats are big and awesome here.Dinner at the Fench Outpost was just the ticket after long days running here.something in the order of 5-6 hours a day.Staying another day to rest and then on to Charlevoix.Have reached Charlevoix on calm waters and haze. At town dock, great little town. Had to stay another day because of 6-8 footers outside. Tomorrow we head south on the lake for Frankfort mich.

See ya! Ted, Pat, David And Sue.

water levels

Last year our levels changed dramatically, take a look.

Summer Fun

Great summer, terrific weather, kids of all ages played on Tabasakwa Island. Also finally sold our Trawler to some boating folks on Lake Huron. "Chinooktoo" can now get some more care and restoration. The log cabin has been taking a weather beating also so now attacking the attackees. As you can see the hot tub is the cornerstone for children big and small. Expect to see our water levels go up and down as per last year coming fall. Grandson caught a fish, yoweeeee!!!! The Regatta this summer saw Masters Men and Women swim going to this cabin also, congrats to our daughter and our son. We never stop seeing the kids having fun.