Cold Day in Paradise (or Iowa!)

September 13, 2014
I can't remember the last time it was this cold in September!  It was 35 degrees this morning as we were getting ready to leave Guttenburg, and had risen to a steamy 37 by the time we left!  This time Kathy added another windbreaker under her fleece, making for 5 layers on the top!



Guttenburg City Marina

Some of you have seen our boat, but many have not.  One of the things that makes the weather so very important is that our tiller, or our steering station, if you will, is in an open cockpit.  That means that, as one drives the boat, one is outside with just a small bimini...overhead covering...to deflect any weather.  Lots of boats have steering stations inside the boat  (we don't), or what is called a dodger, which is kind of like a windshield with an attached top and sides to deflect the wind.  We don't have that, either.   So we are outside, in the elements with just our clothing (and our undying devotion, of course) to keep us warm.  We look fondly at boats with the above.

We sojourned down the river toward Dubuque, IA. It was to be a short trip. Engine worked great.  We were struck by the amount of undeveloped land there is along the river. And then, on the top of cliffs, we would see mansions that looked down on the river.

The sun was out, and the wind was down, which helped warm us up.



Trying to pass the Sierra Dawn on the river

The way one navigates the river, is that there is a channel that has depth.  Going down river, there are red buoys on the left, or port side.  Green ones on the right or starboard side.  I actually found that it was easier seeing the colors of the buoys in the mist and the rain, because there was a contrast of color.  When the sun came out this morning, the buoys were more difficult to see.  The trees were reflected in the water, making the green ones very hard to see.  But gosh, what a beautiful, albeit cold, day.

 

We got to Lock 12 , and that was a two hour escapade  Barges going this way, that way, and they have preference over entering the dock.  There was also a railroad swing bridge that was not documented on our maps and charts..

Two cool things.  
The Dubuque Municipal Marina is very nice.  it only accommodates transient boaters, no full timers.  It also houses the National Mississippi Museum and Aquarium, where we spent a few hours looking at the history of the river, and seeing the stuff that slinks around and in the river.  Including reptiles and snakes.

A really neat thing that Tim says happens all the time, is that we met some folks.  One of the flags that we fly is for the America's Great Loop Cruisers Association (AGLCA).  Just as a note, that is an association for folks who do what we are doing. 

As we were finishing supper, and about to hook up the electricity, two gentlemen came by and told us that they had left their card in our hatch.

One, a guy by the name of Joe Pica, is quite the writer on cruising the rivers.  Tim has read his stuff.  The other was someone who had just met Joe, and his wife, Kathy. Joe and Kathy live on their boat full time.  No land home. Gorgeous boat.  We chatted with them for awhile.  I asked them if they had been to the grocery store and if it was in walkable distance.  Yes, and no was the answer.  The other couple, John and Pam, offered to take me to the grocery, along about 9 PM after dinner.  Didn't know these folks from Adam.  But sure enough, they came and got me, we went to the HY VEE, she took half of my list and got stuff,  and we provisioned the boat for another week. All because of a little flag that identified what we were doing.  Amazing. 

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