Hoppies to Grand Tower Island

    

Oil or chemical barges loaded 3 X 3

Strong current at times pushing the boat 4 mph faster than normal cruise speed, some areas of turbulence with strong eddy currents and of course the large tows. We have seen 5 X 5 tows that is 5 barges wide X 5 barges long and understand the limit is 5 X 7. When they push upstream they create a large wash behind the tug and it is best to stay clear. The tug captains are generally courteous and will tell us how to proceed as we encounter them. I stand in awe of their capability in directing these barge tows through the river. Barges can be 50 feet wide and 290 feet long a 5 X 7 tow would be 250 feet wide X 2030 feet long. However, in those areas requiring locks the locks limit the size of the tows to 110 feet wide by 1200 feet long, tows can be split at the lock and some of the barges locked through then the balance of the barges and the tug a fascinating process.

Wing Dam

Our first anchorage on this leg of the trip. We are learning about wing dams, piles of rock perpendicular to the river that reduce erosion to the banks and direct the water flow to the main channel. The army corps have built hundreds of these structures, “wing dams” along the river. Well some silt in completely at this water level some are exposed and a few telltale signs indicate if it is a possible anchorage. Vertical walls are good, sandy beaches bad, look for eddy currents off the point, look for sandbars inside of the structure, and then poke your nose into the downstream area below the wing dam to see if it is deep enough. We are looking for a spot that could hold 4 boats if possible or at least 2, deep enough, protected from both the current and the wake of the enormous tows on the river with a clean enough bottom to hold the anchor. Well here we are at Grand Tower Island our first anchorage, all four boats maybe a bit closer than we would like but certainly safe. 

Always 5 O'clock at anchor behind the Wing Dam

Maggie going ashore after anchoring with Bill and Sue