Lansing, Iowa to LaCrosse, Wisconsin

Lock and Dam #8, Genoa, Wisconsin 

In 2018 as we arrived at this lock, there was a barge just entering the lock so we were told it would be nearly 2 hours for it to lock through.  Dan decided he wanted off the boat.  We were secured to the lock and dam jetty wall.  Dan exited the boat onto a narrow footing against the wall as he shimmied toward land (no life jacket, too narrow for Tori).  I called the lock and dam office and spoke to the Lockmaster, Jane, to explain my concern for Dan.  She said she would go check on him.  Dan tells the rest of the story that Jane "was the BEST SMELLING Lockmaster.”  So...2021 as we knew we were coming to her Lock and Dam, we were able to reconnect with her as we locked through.  Jane threw us our lines and we were able to chat a bit.  Dan reiterated his memory of "her being the BEST SMELLING LOCKMASTER.“  Jane was sorry we could not get closer today.  ’Til next time, Jane! ♡♡♡ 

Huge mounds of sand.  Note the size as compared to the pontoon boat!

More reeds vs. lily pads.

We stopped at the LaCrosse Municipal Harbor in 2018 as we began our Great Loop.  The manager of the harbor, Gary, found us a slip then and did again for our one night in LaCrosse.  He was SO EXCITED to know we had completed THE LOOP and made sure to stop by to hear some if our stories and ask some questions.  The neighbor boat owners were very helpful to catch our lines and provide friendly conversation. 

Marquette to Lansing, Iowa

Waking in Marquette to 60 degrees vs. the 80+ of past days.  

Markers, clearly showing location and drought conditions.

Views enroute to Lansing.

Dredge operations, working nonstop to keep enough depth in the river
for commerce.

Scoop by scoop of sand.

View from our port side, barge in the distance to collect more sand from dredge operations...the wakes from passing boats continued rolling towards the Lansing Harbor, the "no wake" signs were only for as you
enter the harbor.

Lansing coming into view.

Lansing Bridge that we traveled south under in 2018.

Mounds of sand at the distant side of the bridge from the barges working nonstop to keep enough depth in the river for commerce.

Calling Lansing to find lodging off the boat, we were told, "No Room at the Inn" in answer to every inquiry.  What we found out was this was Lansing's annual FISH DAYS.  This is a celebration of the town.  We also learned that people book their rooms a year in advance.  A B&B next to the marina said her 1st opening is in December.  So...we found our transient moorage, hooked up to electricity and got our little wagon off the boat and headed toward town.  This marina charges a dollar a foot and five dollars for electricity hookup.  We were not within the jetty wall so we were getting rocked quite a bit, but we were trusting that after sunset the water would calm down.  

We walked to SHEP'S RIVERSIDE restaurant. (Tori remembered from 2018, the door to enter, guiding Dan.) The owner, in 2018, took a photo from his restaurant above the river of the Gammel Dansk as we passed by.  He is now the town Mayor too!!  He also remembered us and followed the blog.   

The water calmed as we had hoped.  We did not close our doors early enough and were distracted, disturbed and bitten by mosquitos.  

I also got stung by a bee in the eve so I was figuring out what was in our first aid kit to help me.  One of the workers at the marina suggested, "go get some mud from the river and make a paste.”  Another person suggested tooth paste.  I had Benadryl gel and cortisone cream.  I could not find my baking soda to make a paste.  So...between the mosquitos and my arm... tonight, we will close up early before the mosquitos wake up!

Guttenberg to Marquette, Iowa

Not far traveling but again threatening weather and heat and humidity, oppressive!  

Guttenberg harbor, well protected.

Lock and Dam #10, Guttenberg.

Pelicans at the Lock.

Mining, stone.  Have to research more.

So... we found moorage, lodging and food near the hotel.  There were tornado warnings for the areas we were traveling.  The storm passed through by late afternoon and the river was calm.  We met and were invited aboard a neighbor house boat.  They also shared some filets of walleye and home brew beer that tasted as good as ALASKAN, in our opinion.  Three couples from Iowa were enjoying each other's company.  They were also curious about our boat, our Great Loop and us.  Kindred Spirits once again.

Our 8/12 am departure from Marquette -- our new friends got up early to say goodbye and help us cast off our lines.

Marquette bridge.

Army Corps of Engineers dredge operation on the move.

Guttenberg Refuge in the Storm

We got off the boat in Guttenberg and found a hotel with air conditioning...ordered out and staying inside while the wild weather rages outside!!

Guttenberg marina building in the foreground, our hotel behind the marina.

The Landing hotel -- historic button factory, and the lock and dam in the distance on the right side.

This building used to be a mother of pearl button factory.  We ordered take out at Norie's.  (Surprised to see lumpia and poncit on the menu.)

The storm was getting closer, so I scurried out to pick up our takeout.  It looked like the sky in the WIZARD OF OZ and Dorothy calling "Auntie Em! Auntie Em!"  We were cool, safe, fed and had a wonderful sleep. 

We saw shells embedded in the limestone block walls that were
exposed in our room.  

We did not see it in use, but the drill bit grinds into the shell.  And (right), the bit that would drill into the shell.

Button making machine.

Collection -- punched through the shells.

Behind glass, button collection.

Mother of pearl buttons.

Did not photograph the clouds that were like the Land of Oz...
trying to avoid lightning.

Clinton Marina to Port of Dubuque, Iowa (aka The Ice Harbor)

The difference between 2021 and 2018 is measurable on the river, especially when looking at the Candlestick Lighthouse, at the Clinton Marina. 

See what drought conditions can do:

SATURDAY travel...more on this below.  Hazy sky and flat light -- difficult for Dan to see in this light condition.  Our 1st lock and dam #13 was the complete opposite of our struggle of the day before.  SMOOTH-- PERFECT!!  

Traveled by thousands of pelicans gathered on shore, in the water and gliding in groups above the water.  

Pelicans have a wing span of 9 feet.  It is amazing to see them gliding over the water.  They rarely flap their wings.  We see the all-white pelicans in large flocks heading south.  We saw them as we traveled on the upper Mississippi and then in Florida.  We watch them diving and catching fish.  Beautiful birds!!

Lots and lots of lily pads!

More sightings of dredge working during these drought times...

Fountains of sand!

Piles of sand deposited on the shore.

The lodging quarters for the dredge workers.

Lock and dam #12 at Bellevue, Iowa, was a repeat of the challenging locking of yesterday minus the move to starboard-- we were not happy.  Another challenge we were forgetting:  Weekend Water Warriors were on the water in Full Force (!!), waking us nonstop with every pass. 

Hurray for Dan's steady hand.

Boats enjoying the exposed sand shore during the drought.

Due to the drought, there were long exposed sandy beaches and boaters snuggled up to the shore.  Personal watercraft zooming and some maneuvering like a rodeo rider with 3 aboard.  WILD!!  THE MOST SCARY MOMENT FOR US WAS AS WE NEARED DUBUQUE:  A pontoon boat loaded with people was on our port, another fast boat had just passed on our starboard, THEN, A 36-foot (approx.) boat came FLYING BETWEEN THE PONTOON AND US!!!  ALL ABOARD WERE LAUGHING and WAVING AT US -- SCARY!!  Dan said, “Didn't we learn, in Florida, not to travel on weekends?”  So...Sunday and Monday -- sitting out travel and restoring us -- the humans and the dog.

Dan and Tori sitting out on the dock next to the tug in the Ice Harbor.