Overview

The Big Getter Voyage Map
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In the summer of 2008 I will be taking a pontoon houseboat down the Mississippi River from Minneapolis St. Paul to the Gulf of Mexico. It will be my home and vessel as I descend the mighty Mississip. This will be a healthy and relaxing trip, an adventure worth experiencing, and a good-livin-hell-of-a-time. For six years this trip has been living as a fantastical goal within me. I know the beginning is around the bend, and that makes me smile like I just lost my training wheels.

The boat is not traditional in many ways except for that it floats. It is a unique HPB (human powered boat) that in basic appearance looks like a hybrid between a cataraft on steroids and a traditional houseboat. There are four different systems of propulsion that can be operated individually or in conjunction with one another. Its primary form of power comes from two pedal-driven-propeller stations located at the stern on both sides of the boat. They resemble recumbent bicycles with a propeller instead of wheels. In addition, there is a set of oars for rowing on the front deck. The boat also has, for those occasions when the current is strong, sweeps that can be operated from the top of the cabin. Sweeps are long oars that resemble gigantic hockey sticks. They protrude fore and aft of the boat and are used for steering and lateral movement but not necessarily to gain downstream momentum. Lastly there is an outboard motor that can be used in emergencies, for safety and to make up lost time.

The 3-foot diameter inflatable pontoons are 22 feet long and are attached to a frame constructed from 2” Aluminum pipe. The frame also doubles as the skeletal structure, which supports a hanging floor, two side decks, a front deck and a cabin. Plywood that is cut to the right dimensions and fastened to the aluminum pipe forms the floor and decks. As for the cabin, it is waterproof nylon, canvas and mesh all sewn together and fitted around the aluminum pipe. Inside the cabin there are four berths, a living area, a kitchen and storage. Oh yeah there is a bathroom too, outfitted with all the amenities a camping king would expect.

From June through August I’ll weave approximately 1800 miles through 10 states to the ever-nearing Gulf Coast. Geographically speaking the Mississippi River is separated into two sections, the upper and lower, with the dividing point lying at the confluence with the Ohio River. Both section are as unique as they are long and will offer a river front glimpse at Middle America. One major difference of the Upper Mississippi is that it is a series of pools created by channel dams, while the lower half is free flowing. Due to this, the average current will be much faster downstream of the Ohio River. Along the way I will ‘lock through’ 27 locks, visit the homes of Mark Twain and Elvis, dodge barge traffic, and do some fishing and sunbathing. I intend to explore as much as possible, learn what I can and enjoy life to brim.

If you’d like to come, believe me, I want you to. In fact, I want as much company as possible. The cabin will sleep four, so I hope to have three others with me at all times. The invitation is open to everyone and anyone, family, friends, friends of friends, and especially to characters I meet along the way. There is an itinerary in the blog archive that will help you choose when, where and for how long you would like to join the adventure. Don't worry; I expect the trip will take me 100 days, so you'll have all summer to fit in a Mississippi get-a-way.

Navigation Tips

Once you have selected a blog from the blog archive you will have to scroll down to view it.  ;)  

Day 81, 26 Miles - MM 149 to MM 123

A great blue heron takes a raft ride

My future kevel

I can't remember when I first started admiring the barges gigantic cleats, which are called kevels, but it was early in the trip. There have been several barge workers who I have asked for an extra one. They laughed under their breath and couldn't believe why I'd want one. For over two months now I have been hoping to get a kevel and then, today, the next to last day of the trip, I struck gold. Kathy and I were minding our Ps and Qs and staying out of the way of all the Death Stars that travel these parts when some barge workers yelled for us to come over. We obliged them and visited for a while. Eventually I asked if they had any giant cleats hanging around that I could have. They chuckled in unison and one fellow said "They weigh several hundred pounds, it might sink your ship." Another man chimed in, "if I dropped it from here it'd pop that little blue balloon and send you for a sputtering ride." I chuckled with them but really I could have done with less comments and more kevels. A third fellow said that the next barge up was being cut into pieces to haul off to the scrap yard and if I made nice with the Mexicans they would probably cut one off for me. He offered to ask for me and within 15 minutes a couple of welders were making my dream come true. The Kevel fell with a thud onto the sand and after I cooled it down with some Mississippi water the two guys helped me lift it up onto the Big Getter. I couldn't believe how heavy it was and finally understood why all those guys had laughed at me. When we pushed the boat out into the water I realized that the kevel, which was on the front deck had raised the stern out of the water so far that the outboard's propellers were above water. Kathy and I painstakingly rolled it inside the cabin and the boat regained its sleek trim. I was finally kevel rich, although I have no idea what I am going to do with it.

Here it comes

A ship of Barges (there are 33 barges here and the largest tow I've seen had 56 barges)

It is still peaceful aboard the Big Getter

The real scale (I am still at least one hundred feet in front of the ship)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's a great photo with the Big Getter next to that behemoth ship. It really provides some scale.

The ship with all the barges stacked side-ways is interesting. To give that some scale, those 33 barges can hold as much freight as about 2,000 semi truck trailers.

Pa

August 25, 2008 at 10:13 AM

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