Paducah to the Mississippi River

After a "one eye" night we brewed a pot of coffee and opened a package of sweet rolls and carefully untied from the now infamous Big E Marina and headed out for our cruise on the Ohio and ultimately the Big Muddy. There were a couple of locks on the Ohio that the "book" said, "if the water was at the proper level craft could navigate over the wickets and bypass the locks." Well, I had never navigated over a wicket and didn't really want to begin now. I had decided to take the safe route and use the lock. As I recall, it was about an hour and a half to lock #52 and when I realized I was approaching a lock I couldn't see a dam. I began to believe there was a "low head" dam and I couldn't see it because water was releasing over the dam. I was confused at that point which isn't an unusual occurrence but the fear of falling over the dam made the confusion a little more disconcerting. I called the lock master and had no response. I'm getting closer to the dam and still no word from the lock master. I guess my voice telegraphed my uneasiness with the situation and the lock master finally answered my calls. His words were something to the nature of "the wickets are down, proceed over the dam". I asked him to repeat his orders and the second time sounded exactly like the first. At that point, I asked him if he really meant for me to go over the dam and he realized this was my first wicket dam crossing and he quickly reassured me that no harm would come to boat or crew. I still didn't like the idea very much but he was right and we continued down the river hull intact, even if my confidence was severely bruised. We approached wicket dam #53 about 10:00am and I handled it with no hesitation. Mississippi River MM 953.8, the mouth of the Ohio River and I see the biggest river I've ever seen in my life. I've seen the Mississippi on lots of occasions but never from this vantage point. It is immense and before I knew what happening the current takes Detour down stream and on our way to Caruthersville and our first night on the Mighty Mississippi. I haven't talked much about Bo, my son, and his good friend Jack. As you recall, they joined me in Memphis and drove with me to Kuttawa Ky to make the trip to Memphis. It's amazing, they slept like babies at the Big E and had no concern at all as we faced the "wickets" on the Ohio. However, they like me were quite excited about getting to the Mississippi River. If you grow up in Mississippi you learn the lore of the "Mother of Waters" early in life and to finally be cruising her is a real thrill. The thrill is multiplied by the known and the unknown. The known fact is that it is the most dangerous navigable river in the US not only from the strength and unpredictable nature of the river itself, but also from the many large towboats pushing unimaginably huge rafts of barges. The tows, while dangerous, can be seen and as long as you have power and headway, you can avoid contact which is not the case with the floating logs and other debris. Many times these river hazards can not be seen as they are held suspended just under the surface by the strong currents. On several occasions, we experienced large cypress logs that had been forced deep under the surface by passing tows "pop" up from the depths from behind the large vessels. We quickly learned to stay very clear of the river traffic. All in all, a trip down the Mississippi in a pleasure craft can be risky to boat, life and limb but never mistake the fact that to have completed it is one of the most rewarding feats of my entire life. I really didn't dwell on the dangers of the trip before or during the experience. I since then have thought a great deal about them. I was always aware of the perils and the danger to me, Bo and others on the trip but I also felt equipped to make a safe cruise and prepared to meet the dangers as they might arise. I didn't talk about it much during the cruise of the Mississippi, I didn't want others to worry but I know Bo and later Mickey always knew too the possibility of some sort of catastrophe.