This morning was wild! We left our anchorage at the beginning of dawn, and headed back into the Mississippi from our little bay. Immediately on exit you are broadsided with a 4 mph current which knocks your boat sideways. We were expecting this and had everything stowed, and I hit the current at 8 mph giving us steerage. In 3 or 4 minutes we were cruising down the Mississippi at 14 mph just like the paddle wheelers of Old. Now in this part of the river there are large whirlpools, upwelling water on the turns, and pieces of wood and debris everywhere. Also, it was rush hour on the river, and we encountered over 30 large tows going both ways. Busy morning!

After all the fun on the Mississippi you finally hit mile Zero and hang a turn to port, entering the Ohio. Immediately the water calms, becomes clearer, and there is almost no debris. You have arrived!
There is a fair bit of traffic around Cairo, shunting barges to the different terminals, but as you leave Cairo, barge traffic diminishes rapidly. They buoys ( which are now reversed) are wide apart, allowing lots of room for the towboats and you.
When you get to Olmstead Lock, you are ready to start climbing the Ohio
We had a strange lock-through. I called the lock operator about 20 minutes before arrival, and was told to use the river side lock on arrival. When we arrived I called 4 times with no answer. Then the doors silently opened, and a runabout came out. I called again -nothing. We were at the 800 foot mark on the entry wall, and crept closer. At 400 feet, you could just barely see the regular sized traffic signal, on the port side, - green light on. Three billion dollars, and they install street traffic signal. Got to save money where you can! We crept forward expecting a voice to come over the P A saying that we were not signalled in. Nothing. We tied up to a bollard, and the gate closed. The bollards are not floating, and at water level, or 8 feet up.
Interesting.
We rose 4 feet, and the gates silently opened. No horn, no signal. Out we crept. A good lock through, but eerie. At no time did anyone talk to us, or come out of the office. Maybe because it was long weekend?

Another note: as we crossed the site of the old lock, #52, my auto pilot totally lost its heading, and our boat wanted to spin around. Caught it right away, fortunately.
I believe the old metal wickets are still at bottom of river, and the magnetism confuses the flux gate compass.

Now we are anchored in a small bay with steaks on the barbi, and cold beer in hand. A great 105 mile day!
The picture today is one that a lady in Alton took. She was taking pictures of carp jumping, when one of them just missed her husband!