Loopers visit Alton Marina

This month of September is busy with our favorite group, The AGLCA Great Loop as groups come down the Mississippi enroute to Great Turtle Marina on the Cumberland River.  The two must stops on the rivers are Hoppies Marina about 50 miles from Alton where there is fuel, water, and a cute town within walking distance.  Best of all they can meet Fern, owner of Hoppies. She and her husband have owned and operated the marina for decades and she knows all about the river downstream and is kind enough to share that knowledge with the Loopers as  they set on the 200 miles with no services or marinas.

Loopers leave Hoppies and make about 50 miles per day requiring anchoring out on the Mississippi and also on the Ohio.  The two locks, Lock 52 and 53 sometimes are backed up with the tows pushing barges to the Mississippi and from the Mississippi up the Ohio.  When the river is higher, they sometimes lower the wickets and boats can simply pass over the lock without stopping.  Now the river is low so they must wait for their turn in the locks.

Every day, new Loopers come to the marina so Maggi and I wander the docks in the afternoon to look for newcomers. We invite them to Robert's 5:30 briefing about going down the river.  We get phone calls and emails from Loopers letting us pass on their experiences for the others behind them.