9/1 Mile 0 of the Upper Mississippi and onto the Ohio River Construction

We got an early start today on our final run on the Mississippi.  We found a stowaway on board.  He was very green.  I wondered how he had hopped on the boat, until I saw him hop off.  This bad boy can jump.

The morning light was beautiful.

The Mississippi is broken down into the Upper and Lower Mississippi.  The confluence of the Ohio River is Mile 0 of the Upper Mississippi.  The current continued strong on the Mississippi and we were traveling at 11.5-12.5 knots without increasing the RPMs on the engine.

I got this unusual selfie.  I looked down into the compass and the light was just right that I could see my reflection.  Here is my compass selfie.

We came to Mile 0 in Cairo, Il.  Here you make a left turn onto the Ohio River.  The Ohio drains into the Mississippi, so now the current was against us.  One could see the difference in the water color. 

Fort Defiance was strategically placed at this confluence and the state park was visible on shore.

Here is a picture looking back up the Mississippi with Ft. Defiance in the middle and the Ohio to the right.

Finally, we headed up the Ohio.

There is a huge construction project at the Olmstead Lock and Dam.

 They are replacing two small outdated ones with a huge lock and dam with two lock chambers and a large dam that they will be able to open in sections.  The pictures below will tickle the hearts of many that I know.  The size of the equipment being used to do this job is impressive.  Also, most of this is on barges and floating.  There is a lift with a railroad car.  It will carry over 5,000 tons! 

There are two barges that have 4 cement mixers each. 

Here is a picture of three the dams that are being built across the river. 

The lock was open and we could go right through but they had a tow ready to guide us through the area after that where one of the dams was being dismantled.

  Here is Tug 32 and our guide.

Tonight, we are at anchor on the Ohio at an anchorage known as Bean Branch Creek.  It really is just deep water on the side of this stretch of the Ohio.  The creek looks like it would be navigable in a canoe or kayak.  We are safely out of the channel and the anchor holds well. 

Tomorrow, we head to Green Turtle Bay, a resort marina on Lake Barkley in Kentucky.  We have two more locks to do before then.

Lat 37 degrees 12.30 North
Long 88 degrees 53.07 West