Closing the Loop, Cumberland River

Bridge at Cairo, IL

 We depart our calm anchorage just after 7AM after taking up our stern and bow anchor.  We have another 110 mile day, half with the 6 MPH push on the Mississippi and the rest against a 3 mph current on the Ohio. We arrive at 4:30PM. The Ohio river level was elevated due to heavy rains in Tennessee around Nashville we learn.  

Approaching Paducah on the Ohio

There are anchorages not as far but we elect to push on as we are able to run 20 MPH if necessary.  We did speed up a few times but the Ohio River was busy with towboats who would not appreciate a 4 foot wake from us.  Again we saw no pleasure craft today just towboats every where from Cairo to Paducah, busy with river commerce.

 We passed the lock and dam under construction on the Ohio to replace locks 53 and 52, known as Olmstead.  20 years and not near completion. 
It did cross my mind on this leg of our journey what does one do if there is engine trouble or a collision with drift damages the props and shafts. No AAA out here.
  

We pass Paducah and  turn up the Cumberland River to an anchorage behind Cumberland Towhead Island. great spot though the current is running. We set the anchor with plenty of chain rode and watch carefully, we are holding, though Tom isn't so sure about this.  If we drift back, it is into the Ohio River channel.  Tom checks our position several times in the night, we hold our position.  Great having an anchor watch crew.  We grill out again.

Tom is used to running every day so this anchoring out is a new gig.  I promise him tomorrow we have a short day and he can run at the next stop.  No cooking either.

When we entered the anchorage we had completed the journey known as the great loop which we started in October of 2007 as we left Cincinnati for FL on IH.  A great journey of 7000 plus miles.  Great Loop description