photos of past days on the loop- Those are rocks in that water !! And we fit in that bridge !! Still learning with the photos input !?!?

Native Son photos

Native Son

Rats !!! I had photos, and for some reason they did not go with the last post !?!? Will try again later, I'm ready to pitch the pc in the river !!

Native Son

September 27,2012

We are back in the shop for the vibration !! A lot of time and money spent and we still have a vibration, not as bad but not something Rich is happy with.

We had a great time at Grand Harbor Marina, Counce, TN, visiting with our Looper friends and dear friends from Memphis/Higden came to see us and spent the night. We had an electrical problem and Jim helped Rich fix that. Holly and I caught up with friend and family news from the last 10 months. Again the props felt better from the upper helm, but down in the living quarters we could feel the vibration. So now we are down the river a few miles and the props are back at the shop. The fancy,expensive electronic adjustment wasn't right…We are tied up to a dock with now props, but we can run the ac and live as usual.

Our good friends on CBay, Rusty and Jan crossed their wake when we went into Grand Harbor. Crossing you wake means you just crossed where you began the Loop. They were so much fun to be with we already miss them. Friends on Blue Heron (Craig and Barbara) beat us to Grand Haven and it was good to be with them also. Barbara put me on to a new (to me) way to add photos so let's hope it works, think it is operator error on my part. Weather is great, this am the water was like a mirror. We had a 150 ft Yacht come in last night, what anyone wants one that big on these waters is beyond me. On our way to Grand Harbor we saw a flock of white pelicans, which was a real treat, and a couple of bald eagles. Nice to be in rivers again. Back to the charts and books to see where we will go from here. Here's hoping the photos will pop right on !! Well I got a few on, now if I can remember how I did it !! These show one of the locks on the Trent Severn Canal in Canada, a little out of sequence, but then at least I got them on. Rich is returning from a grocery run !!

Native Son

September 27,2012

We are back in the shop for the vibration !! A lot of time and money spent and we still have a vibration, not as bad but not something Rich is happy with.

We had a great time at Grand Harbor Marina, Counce, TN, visiting with our Looper friends and dear friends from Memphis/Higden came to see us and spent the night. We had an electrical problem and Jim helped Rich fix that. Holly and I caught up with friend and family news from the last 10 months. Again the props felt better from the upper helm, but down in the living quarters we could feel the vibration. So now we are down the river a few miles and the props are back at the shop. The fancy,expensive electronic adjustment wasn't right…We are tied up to a dock with now props, but we can run the ac and live as usual.

Our good friends on CBay, Rusty and Jan crossed their wake when we went into Grand Harbor. Crossing you wake means you just crossed where you began the Loop. They were so much fun to be with we already miss them. Friends on Blue Heron (Craig and Barbara) beat us to Grand Haven and it was good to be with them also. Barbara put me on to a new (to me) way to add photos so let's hope it works, think it is operator error on my part. Weather is great, this am the water was like a mirror. We had a 150 ft Yacht come in last night, what anyone wants one that big on these waters is beyond me. On our way to Grand Harbor we saw a flock of white pelicans, which was a real treat, and a couple of bald eagles. Nice to be in rivers again. Back to the charts and books to see where we will go from here. Here's hoping the photos will pop right on !! Well I got a few on, now if I can remember how I did it !! These show one of the locks on the Trent Severn Canal in Canada, a little out of sequence, but then at least I got them on. Rich is returning from a grocery run !!

Sept 16th Dawn and Matthew left us at the Great Lakes Naval Station, and we headed for Chicago. We chose to go thru the city route rather than the canal around Chicago. Really enjoyed going thru Chicago, I was surprised at the number of restaurants along the way and again flowers everywhere. We did end up waiting about 45 min on a Amtrack Bridge to open. Kept looking for Oprah to greet us but no luck. We then tied up for the night on an abandoned dock listed in our travel book. Other than a pack of coyotes howling it was a nice quiet spot. On our way to Joliet, we went over an electric fish barrier, to keep the Carp out of Lake Michigan. En route we went thru 3 locks. Upon arrival in Joliet someone from the dock yelled "Hi Merry K " and were greated by some of our "Looper" friends. On our way again, we saw a pontoon boat with about 6 guys fishing with compound bows...Carp were jumping everywhere. The next day a carp jumped into our friends dinghy, and the boat behind us reported they had 2 jump in their dinghy, our dinghy is too high for them to reach. A few days later we tied up at a Tug Service Barge for the night, the tug captain gave us a tour of his helm, pretty plush, really nice guy. Next we met the Mighty Mississippi, and went in to Port St Charles, here we had the boat hauled and and checked the props and had some work done. Rich stayed with the boat and I went with some friends to Grant's Farm, the Looper Asso. Harbor Host and his wife took us and looked after all of us Loopers while we were there. Grant's Farm is owned by the Anheuser Busch family. Was very interesting, this is the home of their Clydsdale Horses, which were just beautiful. Also had great pastures witih many exotic animals from around the world. Had a good German lunch and there was free beer for those who wanted it. We left Port St Charles for Alton, and decided that the props still had a vibration. So we turned around and went back to have the props checked again, they worked on it and the next am we went again to Alton. We just got out in the Mississippi and the starboard engine over heated, so we went back again to Pt St Charles, the impeller was shot. They had to order one, would be there in the morning. Got that fixed and again we headed for Alton. There we checked out the Casino, went to dinner at Mac's Time Out, after a long wait for our food, it was super cold !! They gave us our meals free plus a $25.00 gift Certificate. Left Alton and went thru our first lock on the Mississippi River. We passed where the Missouri and Miss. meet. and went on to Hoppies at Kimmswick, MO. The Marina is several barges tied together, and they have fuel, and it is a long way before there is fuel available again. We then went to anchor near Olmstead Lock, anchored and a tug informed us we were in their work area, well we did not move and should have anchored on the Ky side, but we were gone before they started working in the am. On to Green Turtle Bay, KY, still with bad vibrations, so as I type the props are off to be aligned electronically this time, hope that is the problem.. Hope to have the props back by Friday, they put us back in the water so we will have a/c while we wait. We had 3 long days of traveling with barges, locks etc..Only lock 53 was a bear, the worse one yet. They tied your bow line up for you to hold, and Rich had to keep the boat lined up with the engines, in the swirling water from the lock. So now we have a few days to get reorganixed, see the area and enjoy friends. Praying the props will be good again. Still is an amazing trip, loving it. Spent 2 hours last night trying to add photos, again no success....will try again later.

August 18, 2012 Wow, where did the time go ? Behind again on the blog. You cannot believe how much we do and how tired we are at the end of the day....not complaining, but once we eat we just quit...everyday is a new trip, which means more navigating, studying the charts, reading about the area we are about to enter and keep the engine/ hour logs We were disappointed in the Chocolate Factory, no free samples and no tour, but we got a lotof walking in finding it twice, it was closed the first trip. We did get something yummy at the Bakery. Next we anchored off of Spook island, very peaceful, we did some chores and read a rare thing on this trip....a newspaper !!  The wind came up during the night and had to get up several times to make sure we weren't dragging, even though we have an anchor drag alarm. We went through one lock, and tied up at Asburnham (Lock 20), Rich rode to town to buy a new toilet seat, turned out the forward head was leaking (fresh water thankfully) and it was cheaper to buy a toilet than parts to repair it. Another installation project.  We continued on going through more locks, spotted a Piper Cub on floats in Rice Lake (named by the Indians for it's wild rice).Stoney Lake was amazing, so beautiful, little islands everywhere with houses and boat houses.  One island had one bldg on it, a church ! While at a lock here in the night I heard something crash in the galley, with my flashlight I found a raccoon half way in the galley window...then I heard a crash in the forward head, thankfully the door was closed and I wasn't about to open it, went after Rich and sure enough another raccoon half way in !! We went through more locks, stopping at lock. 35, at iRosedale, Ontario, nice place but really a  tourist stop. We had a beautiful park just off the wall by our boat.  Went through Balsam Lake, highest point on the Trent Severn Canal Waterway, from here we started locking down instead of up.. Kirkfield Lock is 48 ft. down. actually it is a big bathtub they put your boat in check out the Kirkfield Lock on the web, it is amazing.  Later we went though the "Big Chute" lock, it is something else, we were on train rails....The Trent Severn Waterway was the best yet, beauty everywhere you looked, Canadian flags everywhere along with flowers even if it was on a shack, garage or mansion. We left the Trent Severn at Severn Sound and the Georgian Bay was next and lovely as well. We anchored in Hopewell Bay and the Loons put on quite a show for us, delightful.Later we were on our way and a trawler was in front of us, trying a narrow passage, they radioed us don't come this way, several channels were confusing with the bouys and the skinny shallow water, some places not much wider that our boat (14ft) with major rocks on each side,; We did go thru one we said never again, we were almost holding our breath to get through. We stayed in Georgian Bay quite awile, enjoying quiet anchoring etc. we took the dinghy up in Baie Fine and hiked up to Topaz Lake, that is Rich did, I got about 50 yards from the lake and had to quit, my tennis shoes were so slick I could not stand up !! Rich went on took some photos and we headed back to the dinghy, with my shoes in Rich's tennis shoes and Rich in stocking feet....What a Guy !! Two guys passed us carrying their canoes over the portage. We stayed in Little Current several days as I got sick, took a cab to the hospital where they had a clinic I could go to Rich rode his bike up and down all day chasing rx, atm's etc..another story too long to write about. I lost 4 days literally and so glad when well again. We stopped at Cockburn Island where in the winter the population is 1 !! The excitement there is when the ferry comes with supplies...dumps them off on the dock and people find their stuff!!Stayed there 2 nights due to the weather. On we went with several anchorages heading for Bois Blanc Island, where dear friends have a lovely home. We again got weathered in across Lake Huron from Bois Blanc Island. We tried twice to go but it was too rough so we holed up at a neat Marina. We finally go to Bois Blanc, and Bill and Carole greeted us. Dawn, Jim and Matthew arrived on the last ferry after missing 2 other ferries. We had a great time there with the Carole and Bill, again bad weather for crossing the Macinac Straits, so we stayed and Bill and Carole kept us busy, we made a 15 mile atv ride in the forest etc..absolutely wonderul trip. Saw otters, beavers, and deer and Bill took Matthew fishing on Lake Mary. From there we went to Macinac Island, where there are no motorized vehicles. Quainy,busy tourist place but we enjoyed it. Took a horse/buggy tour and went to the fort. Next is where I am today in Petoskey, MI at the marina, again too windy to travel lake Michigan.Jim D had to go home and Dawn and Matthew are staying with us to Chicago if all goes as planned.Caught up with more Looper friends along the way. This stop our generator acted up, and after surveying the situation Rich calle a mechanic. All fixed and now we are waiting for lower seas.While here the kids working at the harbor have been something else. They took us to Walmart, took Matt fishing, brought us salmon and we had them for dinner last night.Today Dawn and I hitched a ride to the casino near Walmart to pick up a few things, called the town shuttle to find out they aren't working on Sat so we got a cab home. August 25th. Our computer is acting up, can't add photos today, so I will go on with our adventure. Next port was Leland,mi, where we toured fish town, bought some whitefish at the fish mkt, and dawn cooked it from the recipe of a local lady, was great! Frankfort,mi was next,where Matt spotted a mink ! Interesting place. Got it's name in an unusual way. There was a fisherman there named Frank, and the snows were really bad, so the Indians built a wall of snow between his place and the lake, a fort thus Frankfort. In White Lake, the swans were our greeters. Dawn & Matt did laundry, while in the lounge the laundry doors got locked with our laundry and Dawn's lap top!! she left notes everywhere for the dock crew and as soon as they got there they brought our stuff. Aug 28th, We enjoyed several more small towns, saw a fantastic light and music show one evening. A lady in another marina, came by and said if you need to go to the market I can take you tomorrow !! How fortunate, for one of our stops the taxi fare was $30.00. We connected again with more loopers at various marinas. Today we left Michigan City, IN and arrived at Great Lake Naval Station, north of Chicago, tied up to a wall with power and water. Rough water coming over but not too bad. In one town a Marine store came and picked us up and brought us back, got a few things we needed and some we haven't been able to find elsewhere. Dawn & Matt are off this afternoon with friends that moved here some years ago. They leave the 31st after 455 miles with us. Just wish they could have been with us in Canada, but sooo glad they were able to join us. Spent a bunch to get the pc going again so will try and add some photos. Happy Labor Day all. Still can't add photos, will have to find some help, so here is the blog for now.