Grafton Harbor in Grafton, IL to Alton Marina in Alton, IL
Day #85: Rain overnight but nothing severe. Up at 6:30 A.M. for coffee, grapefruit and gingersnaps. We watched the local news. Cool and sunny outside this morning. We waited for Grafton Harbor Marina to open so that we could return their power pigtail at 9:00 A.M. At 9:05 A.M. we started the engines and at 9:15 A.M we were underway. At 9:25 A.M. we were at the confluence buoy where the Illinois and Mississippi rivers meet. We were averaging 11.5-12.0 miles per hour with the current push. Normal speed is 8.5 without the current push. "Baytripper" texted they are on their way back to Alton from Minnesota. We passed under the Clark Bridge and right after going under the bridge we turned going back under the bridge a second time to access the marina. We were stirring up mud on our way into the marina, Mike followed the marina's instructions to stay to the left when entering the channel and we didn't bump the bottom on our way into the channel. We were assigned J-20 but it was a covered slip since the dockhand had not shown up we went into J-24 which was an uncovered slip. I used the "Jesus" line snagging the cleat on the dock and getting the line to the mid cleat on the boat. The dockhand showed up just as Mike was getting off the boat we were told that we didn't need to move to a different slip. We are right under the Clark Bridge. We traveled 16.0 miles today (974 miles for the trip so far). At 12:35 P.M. Mike and I went for a walk in downtown Alton. There is a very nice walking path and foot bridge to get to the downtown. Alton is full of bars and antique stores. The lady in the office told us that the grocery store will pick us up and bring us back to the marina but that it wasn't the safest to walk to the grocery store. After walking the town Mike and I headed back to the boat sitting up on the flying bridge. We can see the Melvin Price Lock and Dam from the flying bridge. We will be able to call on Sunday morning to see about locking through if for some reason there is a wait we can stay at the marina in our slip until it is time. Jim stopped by he is local gentleman boater whose son watches AIS for boats coming into the marina then he sends his dad to meet the boaters. We visited with Jim for a bit he is very knowledgeable of the river system. Roger from "Miss Utah" stopped by to say "hi". He kept his boat in Bay City at Skipper Buds during the winter months. Mike made his roast beef, green pepper and cheese sandwiches for dinner. Fellow loopers Jay and Penni from "Tyche" whose boat is next to "Parrot Bay" got back from their bus tour of St. Louis so we talked to them for a bit. We are now in for the evening for blogging, boat jobs, cribbage and reading.
Looking down the Mississippi branch as it joins the Illinois River.
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| Confluence buoy where the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers join. |
Beautiful limestone cliffs between Grafton and Alton.
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| Tug "Coral Dawn" with the limestone cliffs in the background. |
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White pelicans
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Alton's Clark Bridge with the ACLCA burgee.
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Argosy Casino from the river.
Going under the Clark Bridge the first time to get to the marina.
Turning "Parrot Bay" around now going back under the Clark Bridge to get to the marina that is right under the bridge.
Grafton, IL to Alton, IL
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| Check out the bathrooms and shower rooms here at the marina. They even give you towels to use. |
"Parrot Bay in her slip right under the Clark Bridge in Alton.
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Lighthouse decoration at the Alton Marina.
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Argosy Casino from land. It is very colorful.
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Alton has multiple streets that are red brick.
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Park dedicated to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates.
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| Statues of Lincoln and Douglas debate. |
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"Welcome to Alton" with Lincoln-Douglas statues.
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Looking down on the town of Alton.
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| One of the stores that Mike and I walked through while we were checking out the town. |
From the flying bridge we can see the Melvin Price Locks and Dam.
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Mike cooking up roast beef, green pepper and cheese sandwiches for dinner.
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Clark Bridge lit up this evening.
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| Alton Marina lighthouse all lit up this evening. |
