GLORY DAYS ON THE GREAT LOOP: HOPPIES TO KASKASKIA

DAY 106 SAT. SEPT 25, 2012 “HOPPIES” TO KASKASKIA LOCK.
AM CLEAR COOL PARTLY SUNNY
DEP. HOPPIES 07:10 ARR KASKASKIA LOCK 10:35
D. 41.0 / 2021.4

Kaskaskia Lock is on the Kaskaskia River, and we do not enter it. It is just a stop along the way where cruisers can tie up to a wall overnight, in this case at no charge, but there are no services. It is in this trip we do our first Miss. Mambo. It is both exhilarating and frightening. As we enter a curve in the river, we have to keep to the outside where the current is faster. The turbulence is caused by wing dams extending under water from the inside of the curve to direct the water to the outside. This helps to prevent shoaling in these areas. The good news is we get thru it pretty quickly as the current give us a boost to almost 15 smph. One of the rules at this lock is you cannot tie up to or climb the rail fence. When you see them it is apparent as to why. They are mostly broken off their bases. It is also apparent they were built by the lowest bidder. Since the fences are on the edge of the wall, you have to duck between the rails to get off or on the boat. But we don’t complain, because “happiness is being tied up!” After “Happy Hour” with Gemini and The Cooper, we have a hot dog and bean dinner with Theresa and Don from Great Escape.