Day 5 - Dubuque to Savanna, IL

We got on the water late today in order to take care of the problem of our missing gas tank. We kept the Blue Fin at the American Marina in Dubuque and the parts store there had a gas tank with the appropriate connections to hook up to my Mercury motor and it was a size that would fit on the swim platform located on the back of the boat. Mary's cousin Sue visited us at the marina to see us off and the two of them kept busy catching up on people and things while I went about the business of purchasing the new tank and securing it to the boat. This time I used dual straps to provide some redundancy against one of them coming loose. I'm toying with an idea along the lines of tying a small cord to it that is in turn attached to something near me that produces an audible or visual signal if it goes over board. The concept is to inform me so I can retrieve it instead of noticing it 40 miles after it happens. A cow bell might work, and even if the tank is completely full of gas it will still float as the density of gas to water is about 5 to 8, unless of course the cow bell is too big and pulls it down.

Mary and her cousin Sue sitting in the Blue Fin. 

The Dubuque harbor.
The Julien Hotel where we stayed overnight is the bigger brick building in the center.

The view out of our hotel window. River towns are old and picturesque.

We left American Marina around 11:00 AM and moved a few miles downstream to the nicer Dubuque Marina to purchase some gas and ice. I didn't expect it to happen so soon but a fellow named Brad came up to me and out of the blue asked if I was the guy traveling to the gulf. We introduced ourselves and I came to learn that the word of our trip  had spread through talk between boaters waiting in the lock chambers.  Remember my reference to the boat named Liquid Assets two days ago.  That's how Brad had found out and in our continuing conversation  I came to learn that I had passed him a few times thus far on our trip. I suppose the river is like a small town where everyone knows everyone else and the business they're about. If you could picture a town 2 miles wide and 1000 miles long it probably forces people to unavoidably cross paths like a crowded hallway.

A public landing at Bellevue, IA.  We stopped here to get some iced coffee.  Mmm, mmm, mmm, was it tasty?  Notice the river is getting big.  This is just downstream of dam #13 and usually the river necks down somewhat below a dam. Not so much here.

We approached the upstream side of lock #13 and I usually wait until I get to within 2000 ft to make a call on the radio requesting a lock-through.  This time when I called I got no response. That's not too unusual as sometimes they turn on their red-yellow-green traffic-like signal as an indicator that they are at least aware of your presence. Nothing was happening so I tried the radio again on both channels 14 and 16 that are monitored by the lock-masters.  Getting no response I decided to idle the boat up to the pull cord located in a recess along the concrete wall leading into the lock chamber.  When you pull it a load horn sounds out that I believe must be from a railroad locomotive. You could easily hear it a half mile away. Still nothing.  Now about 20 minutes had passed and still no acknowledgement from anyone. I knew there were workers around because I could see someone mowing the lawn on a riding tractor. I decided to make a phone call and got an answer on the fourth ring. I was told that the lock attendants were busy cutting the lawn and they would get to me soon. After I finally got into the lock chamber the lock master told me I needed to make sure they know I'm out there waiting so they could serve me. How, he asked, could he tell if I wanted to lock through or if I was just sitting above the dam fishing. I just smiled and said the smell of the mowed lawn was nice.  To be fair they are probably decompressing from the holiday and weekend busyness.

We pulled up on this beach for a rest. Notice only one other boat. Two days ago you couldn't have wedged a kayak onto this beach.  It's now getting really warm. Near 90 degrees, hot midday sun, and the humidity is rising.

We made the 25 mile distance from Bellevue, IA to Savanna, IL easily and I'm happy to report that we only saw one other boat and it was far away in the backwater probably fishing. The water is now smooth and the cruising is effortless, like I've been waiting for since we started out 5 days ago.

I get a real bang out of this warning.
There are numerous such signs stretching 20 plus miles
along the Savanna Army ammunition depot.

I made a detour and started up the Galena River.  I used to do this when I was a kid and you can make it the 10 miles inland to Galena, IL during high water. A century and a half ago paddle wheel boats would take this same route. Today I stopped short because too many years have passed since I've been here and without some local advice I worry about running aground as there really is no good way out of this area.

A lucky shot with the camera.

Because the Blue Fin is packed so tightly and efficiently there is no room for additional items and accordingly, there is in force a prohibition against collecting souvenirs. I found this clam shell and couldn't resist.  These things made great ash trays back when smoking was still cool.

If all goes as our one day planning horizon allows we'll be in Muscatine, IA tomorrow night.