Boston Bar

This blog will chronicle our (Pat and Patty Anderson's)

cruising adventures on the Great Loop!

DAY 169 - September 16, 2017

Yesterday we figured out where to get gas near the boat ramp in the Little River Diversion Channel, on the south side rather than the north side where the ramp is. Today was the day to do it! Naturally, since physical exertion will be involved, the temperature had to be in the high 80s! We have had a run of hot days but since it is September, the nights have been cool. 

The run from Hoppies to Green Turtle Bay is, as we calculate it, 248 miles without any fuel dock. This was originally concerning, then as we progressed and saw our fuel economy, I figured we would not have any problem. Then a couple of boaters at Fern's session at Hoppies told me going upstream on the Ohio was a killer for fuel economy. So doing what we can to ensure that we have enough fuel entails leaving Cape Girardeau and the LIttle River Diversion Channel with a full fuel tank!

I put our new gas container in the kayak and paddled to the south shore. I did not take the West Marine folding cart (as Patty suggested), as I thought from Frank Knight's description that I would be cutting through a grassy field. Big mistake! I chose the wrong location to climb to the top of the bank too, which was fairly steep and covered with rocks. As soon as I got to the top of the bank, I could see the Rhodes 101 truck stop, very close, and right at the bottom of the freeway ramp! I'm a quick learner, and I will be bringing the folding cart for the subsequent trips! I filled the gas container, bought my gallon jug of water, and started lugging it back. A little climb up to the top of the ramp, then downhill to the bottom of the ramp where a little trail leads back down to the top of the bank above the Diversion Channel. I went back down the same way I had come up, put the gas container and water jug in the kayak, and paddled back to the boat.

Patty put the first container of gas into the tank while I rested in the kayak. My heart rate was up there after just one trip, and I figured I would need to make three more trips! It would be easier with the folding cart of course, and Patty pointed out a much easier spot for me to get up and down the bank. I drank half a liter of water and rested for a little while, and then I was off for trip number 2! This went much, much better, since I was taking the easy way up the bank, and quicker because as soon as I reached the freeway ramp, I was able to use the folding cart. I left the cart at the bottom of the freeway ramp, since it would not roll over the rough ground down to the top of the bank!

Gas delivery system! West Marine folding cart and no-spill gas container!

After trip number two, there are ten gallons more gas in the tank! After a short rest, I was on my way back to the truck stop with trip number 3. Patty suggested that 15 gallons might fill the tank, and that I should bring the cart back with me. As I was coming down the ramp I was doubting myself whether I had four trips in me! As it turned out, the third container filled the tank with about half a gallon left over. We had made the trip from Hoppies to the Little River Diversion Channel of 102 miles on 14.5 gallons of gas, about 7 mpg with the push from the current.

We will be leaving the Little River Diversion Channel with 100 gallons of gas. It is about 49 miles more downstream on the Mississippi to the junction with the Ohio. It is then 58 miles up the Ohio, and 32 miles up the Cumberland to Green Turtle Bay on Lake Barkley, or 90 total miles upstream. We have done everything we can, now we shall have to see how we fare going upstream!

We chose Boston Bar at Mile 7 as our anchorage for tonight, as the other alternative, Angelo Towhead at Mile 1, was disfavored by both Skipper Bob and Fern. When we pulled off the river at Boston Bar, another Looper boat, Pharm Life, was already anchored there (the owners of Pharm Life are retired phamacists, and I am guessing that the sale of their pharmacy bought their new boat!). I got the kayak down, and tried to figure out where I could possibly land Baxter. It did not go well, and I am not excited about having to do it again tomorrow morning.

The river level is really, really low. That means any apparent "land" was until very recently submerged. The soil is full of water, and more than once already, I have stepped out of the kayak only to sink up to my knees in the muck. I could tell just by looking that Boston Bar would be as bad or worse as any other landing spot. So I got muddy feet, and Baxter got muddy paws, and the kayak got covered with mud, but at least Baxter got to shore! Patty suggested that in the morning, maybe I could just nose up to the shore, and urge Baxter to get off while I stay in the kayak. "Come" is not one of his tricks, but I will probably give it a try!

Since I was a muddy mess, the cockpit was a muddy mess, and Patty was sticky from the heat, we gave all 3 a shower with our raw water washdown system.  As long as you can stand cold water, it is a pretty easy way to get clean. Felt good!