October 10, 2022

Keokuk, Missouri to Rockport, Illinois (across the river from Louisiana, Missouri)

Kip let me sleep in today and left Keokuk around 6:30 a.m.   

I woke up around 8:00 and Kip was scurrying around taking pictures, talking, all wound up.  I grabbed the coffee pot to pour my first cup, and it was almost empty.  Kip was over caffeinated.   

He told me that the Core of Engineers must have let about 18" of water out of the dam (probably to help those in the lower Mississippi).  He could tell because the water was lower on shore than it was yesterday).  

There are so many homes that succumbed to flooding over the years along the river.  Here are some that were particularly bad.

The daily eagle

Kip captured this pic of another paddleboat near Hannibal, Missouri

Kip has a paper towel fetish.  I find them all over the boat!  I asked him why he doesn't just throw them away and he said, "I might want to reuse them."  

Here is a barge being filled. 

It was in the 70s today, so I spent some time outside reading and enjoying the view.

Kip drove most of the day, so I told him I would drive for a while so he could relax.

Driving the boat!

My first time maneuvering by a barge!

We both get a kick out of the stick houses.  They are so high in the air and look so funny, but they keep the residents from the flood waters.

This one may have been on the parade of homes....

Our home for tonight is Two Rivers Marina in Rockport, Illinois (and will have power and showers).  Rockport is on the east side of the Mississippi river Across from Louisiana, Missouri.

Stats for today:

• Added 68 hours on the boat's motor since we left;
• Drove 10 hours today (80 miles); and 
• Went through three Lock and Dams:  20, 21, and 22.