Mike and Yonetta's Great Loop Adventure: Back on the Ohio River and Paducah

Yesterday we finished the upper Mississippi and turned down the Ohio River to start the last leg of our journey home. The Ohio River current is against us for this last leg of the journey as we knew it would be. We have slowed down from 11 miles an hour to stepping up the rpm and still only getting about 6 and half miles an hour. The left turn down the Ohio at Cairo brought on barges, barges and more barges. We got to take a look at the construction still under way on the new Olmsted Lock at mile 964.8 scheduled to open sometimes in 2013. We then went over the wicket at Dam 53 which was a first for this trip and then came to Lock and Dam 52. The small chamber for pleasure craft is closed and so we had to wait in line with the barges for the large lock here. Wait we did! It was 4 hours later that we were taken through. We were only 4 miles from our evening stop in Paducah and then came the wait. We left the lock at 10:30 pm. We were not going to travel at night on this trip but we had no other choice but to complete the last 4 miles in the dark. Just one more challenge for the captain. He loves a challenge he says. We have spent Labor Day here in Paducah tied to a courtesy dock. Most stores were closed but there was a large parade and music and food all day in the town parking lot. NOW FOR THE BIG NEWS!! WE WILL CROSS OUR WAKE SOMETIME TOMORROW AFTERNOON!!!!! WOW! Record time! We will have finished the loop in under six months and on average people usually take a year. At this time we plan to finish heading up the Ohio retracing some miles to reach home. Our plan at this time looks like we will be home at noon on Saturday! If you are around we would like to see you at Inland Marina where our boat stays.