Alton Marina - ? Days and Counting

We arrived in Grafton, IL on September 8th, on a rising, flooding Illinois River and Mississippi River. We stayed more days than originally planned for the following reasons: the Army Corps of Engineers closed some locks downriver due to construction and flooding, the amount of floating debris in the river, and on advice from Fern at Hoppies Marina. Most, if not all loopers at Grafton decided to wait it out, as did we. After five days with conditions downriver getting worse, we decided to move the boat a short distance downriver to Alton, IL, rent a car and drive back to Evansville Ind. for a few days, while things hopefully improved on the river. We moved the boat to Alton Marina, 16 miles downriver on September 13th. The trip was uneventful except for the fast current. With both engines at idle, ITHAKA was doing 9.5 mph downriver. We arrived in Alton in record time.  Drove back to Evansville on Sunday, September 14th to take care of routine dental and doctor appointments, check on the house, and visit family and friends. We returned to Alton on Friday the 19th and decided to play tourist.

Our first stop was a great museum and the historical site of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1803-1806. Camp River Dubois was the winter camp they established at the junction of the Missouri River and the Mississippi River during the winter of 1803/1804. Since the Mississippi River has changed course over the past two hundred years, their actual camp site is now in the middle of the river. The reconstruction of the camp and the museum is located on the adjacent bank, just south of Alton.

A full size replica of the Keel boat that L&C rowed, sailed, and pulled up the Missouri River.

The internal view of how the interior of the keel boat was packed with all their food and equipment.

Captains Clark and Lewis' cabin at the winter encampment.

Outside of the enclosed encampment. This was the actual size that housed the 60 odd men and one dog that went on the expedition.

A bronze statue of Lewis and Clark and their dog Seaman. The Corps of Discovery, as President Jefferson called their expedition, was one of the finest examples of grit, determination and leadership in American history. To traverse the unexplored lands from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean and return without losing one man to accident or weather or Indians over a three year period, was a feat that has never been equaled since.

On the bluffs overlooking the Illinois River between Grafton and Alton is the painting of the mythical creature Piasa. As the historical markers below relate, this pictograph was first observed in the 1600's by the first white explorers of the Mississippi valley. This is a rendition of what it looked like according to historical records.

One of the better murals in the old town portion of Alton, IL. is painted on the side of a downtown building. 

It is Sunday, September 21st and Ithaka is currently sitting in the Alton Marina with 6" of water under her keel. We plan to leave here tomorrow morning. We'll see what kind of water tomorrow brings...