We are thrilled...this slip is even better than we had thought.....visited with all sorts of folks...met up with Rick aboard Nautical Dreamer who had been a good source of info as we traversed the Illinois...gathered info about the area ...then off to Paducah (which is a 30 minute car trip)... car rented and plane tickets for Floyd to get the truck...stop at Lowe’s and Walmart...power washer and groceries...we are good! Enjoyed a lovely evening on the cleaner dock in the two nice chairs that someone left behind....Dakota is learning the rules ....and we are determined to sleep late tomorrow!
Oh, and laundry! Laundry laundry!!

Monday morning photos of our new view....

I provided the communication link for the day...Hunt the lockmaster at Barkley lock and dam became my new best friend....there are issues with a Kentucky Lock and Barkley lock. Workers and construction trying to thwart progress of those nasty Asian Carp....we got the scoop from Hunt and then we added those four gas cans to our tank and the Paducah guys showed up so we bought 50 gallons more...though the hose would only reach the one tank...so we’re a little lopsided. Some would say that’s normal for us. ...contacted SaSea Sally and Taryn Aweigh..left Paducah in a parade headed for the Cumberland River... it’s Sunday...not many tows. Weather looks good!! 30% chance of late afternoon storms...but we hope to be there!

Yeah, right! I’m not buying s lottery ticket today! Just like yesterday...we watched that thunderhead develop...wind came up...and we drove right into it...slow going! Shower was brief but just a nerve racking....and as luck would have it we rounded to bend facing the lock just as the working dredge had quit for the day and was going up. We all fit in quite nicely for the 57’ lift into Barkley Lake! Thank you, Hunt!!

Taryn Aweigh peeled off to go anchor out and enjoy some quiet...SaSea Sally headed to the transient dock...and we headed to pier 5...trying to find slip 20... where we thought it would be! All full....so we headed to the gas dock.

A little walking and talking...filed our application to join the Yacht club...and we’ve arrived.  It seems that Slip 20 is on the back side of the pier...shade in the afternoon and it already has a small deck built at the front. It does seems a little unkept...so first thing tomorrow is rental car and purchase of a power washer!

In the mean time it’s off to celebration dinner at the Yacht club ...woo hoo! We are finally here!!

Surprise surprise...we are up at oDark thirty...must be a new routine...one I intend to break ASAP! Good news is I got some great new boat photos...maybe my new favorites of TUMBELWEED...

We rounded the bend..and there was Paducah in the distance...sun is going down...three boats there and they are all at dinner! No one to catch our lines as we dock ...but you know what, we got this! Piece of cake!! Plugged in...AC humming...We are here...14 and a half hours of solid boating!! Locks we encountered were drive bys...with no wake zones...we are beat! But elated !! The hardest longest day ever...TUMBLEWEED and Captain Floyd preformed well ...despite the pressure the weather gods developed!

And Dakota is on a mission...it’s a long uphill walk to shore...where a small skunk is scurrying away...thank god for quick reactions and strong leashes or we’d been dealing with another problem for sure!

Our friends returned...we had an hour or so of great conversation...alcohol and made plans to travel together up the Cumberland to Green Turtle Bay ...and we were OUT.

When it’s two o’clock and you’re just reaching the halfway point....oh, my....Cairo was busy busy busy...barges parked everywhere...Dakota looking anxiously at grass...but nope! We’re now going upstream against current on the Ohio...water is green instead of mud brown. No swirling water.... there are locks under construction...and a huge no wake zone that slow our progress. But we’ve heard from SaSea Sally and Taryn Aweigh...they are both in Paducah waiting for us. We encourage them to not wait to eat with us...looks like we won’t arrive until sunset or after...which is 824 pm....not that we know exactly!! We are using every bit of daylight.!!

And just as we approached Metropolis...the wind began a sweeping change and the clouds gathered...it was a huge pop up rain storm! We cleared the fly bridge and Captain Floyd prepared to push on...though blinding rain. He says it’s like driving in fog but you get wet! Dakota and I ducked inside...but we were a nervous wreck! Or two! Rain rain...wind wind...and prayers prayers! And then poof it’s clear...and a beautiful sunset ...

It was a warm night....and we have that hot night on the Illinois when Becky was crewing with us for a comparison...so not bad. And anxiety about the day ahead ...so not good sleep...and awake early...that dinghy ride to shore went well...except the water is going down so there was mud to avoid this morning. Can’t say we accomplished that at all! Great start..muddy foot prints everywhere. More projects. We are underway before 6...hoping to get more push as we travel farther...but it is 150 miles.  We’ve never ever even thought to try that much. The 120 from Tall Timbers to Grafton last Tuesday was a first in distance and now 150...but we are round the final turn and we just want to get there...we can do this! Again tows and barges coming and going...the winner of the how many can I push award goes to the big guy and his little friend pushing 5 across and 6 deep...

The boat chart gives you a good idea of why it takes so long to get any where on the river....and that S  curve into Cairo is a turbulent mess...and we were greeted by other interesting folks throughout the day...

The AMERICAN QUEEN in Cape Girardeau...and her sister the AMERICAN DUCHESS cruising empty up the Mississippi..