Mechanical Beasts

The commercial industry does more sputtering than spewing and more gabanging than gushing. The noise pollution is obvious but I haven’t seen any three-eyed fish yet. Often as I pass by factories I wonder what goes on behind the windowless walls and barbed wire fencing. Smoke stacks and piles of coal, conveyer belts and monstrous backhoes are foreign to me and intrigue my curiosity. The dredgers dig and the barges tote and I wish for a glimpse inside those mechanical beasts.

Day 12, 29 Miles - Below Lock 8 to Below lock 9

Our acquaintance was fate,

he served as first mate,

and there wasn't a fish that was safe.

He was tried and was trued,

came without a bad mood,

and never complained of foot chafe.

He's a good man to know,

who speaks rather slow,

and hunts stoves with best of the rest.

I'd steer and he'd stare,

tell stories and swear,

our friendship I'd never have guessed.

One might say he is gruff,

but don't care for stuff,

he is rich in love and in life.

I said farewell,

he just grunted "ah hell,"

and headed for home and his wife.

Lansing's now lonely,

and I am the only,

bound to do all the work by myself.

He forgot his green mug,

I've named it the Tug,

which sits solemnly upon his shelf.

Lansing

Day 11, 21 Miles - La Crosse to 2 Miles Below Lock 8

This was the first 15 barge tow we've seen. John said he was gonna put a mile between us and the barge but it ended up being quiet a bit less. I am starting to see tugs for the second time, of course they are heading in the opposite direction. A nice head wind hit us today and we beat across a no name lake to lock 8 where we said good by to Adam. Unfortunately we couldn't find a boat landing so we let him off on the railroad tracks. He was a great help and I think would have enjoyed staying onboard a bit longer if he didn't have a return flight to Israel tomorrow. I explained to him about the nonexistent public transportation here in the united states so he is going to try his thumbing skills out. Not long after we had passed through the lock I noticed that he had forgotten his shoes. I hope hitching is easy barefooted. The wind continued to howl so we dropped anchor the first place we could. About the time dinner was ready I noticed a boat in the distance coming down a side channel. "Was that boat there before?" I asked John. "Sure wasn't" he replied. I took a closer look and could faintly make out a sheet of plastic flailing in the wind, a tell tail sign of Evangeline. "Ah hell thats Bill." John agreed with me and we threw ona little more food in anticipation of company.Dinner was ham, carrots, beans and rice with a special sauce care of Kyle and Emily. We all chatted for a while and then I took Max and Bill back there house in the dinghy Drum-Man. The wind continued to rip but the clouds were awesome and the sky turned pink with the setting sun.

Day Markers and Bird Houses

Every lock has it’s own unique bird feeder. Some are elegant models of old steamers. Others are mini mansion. I saw one that looked like what the Jetsons would have for their pet cliff swallows.

Day markers seem to be a favorite hangout for the bigger birds.

Driving Through the Driving Rain

John operates the outboard with a throttle extender that we fashioned out of pvc pipe. 

The visibility is drastically compromised but we are dry. 

John drives while I look out the windows to navigate.

The Big Getter Voyage Map

Hyfte, you rock. Thanks so much.

Day 10, 28 Miles - Winona to La Crosse

If yesterday’s weather was amazing I must be in heaven, because today there was hardly a cloud in the sky and a tail wind. At one point, according to our GPS, we were floating a speedy 3.5 mph. After 20 minutes of rowing I shipped the oars because I couldn’t row fast enough to keep up with our speed. I was slowing us down with every stroke. We fired up the engine as we passed through La Crosse. In the middle of town, on the Minnesota side, we eyed a marina with a gas pump and restaurant. I manned the rear sweep and began our approach.  We only planned on a few gallons of gas and a bag of ice but the atmosphere was so inviting we stayed for a drink. One of the other patrons told us that all the diners inside were gawking as we came into view and someone had exclaimed "why that's Huck himself. Everyone, according to the patron had cheered when I started to turn the boat towards the Marina. The Three of us are appreciating a restaurant meal at Pettibone Point, listening to a local band play mostly seventies tunes and enjoying the view of La Crosse on the other side of the river. Our chariot of adventure is anchored not far away and we are trusting the dinghy Drum-Man to get us home. I wish you all were here.

Day 9, 11 Miles - 2 Miles Below Lock 5 to Winona

John and I on Big Lake near Minneiska, MN

The Dredge Thompson

Amazing, it didn’t rain today. John and I couldn’t have had a better day. We dried everything out and aired out our damp bedding. Big Getter looked like a floating garage sale, although no one came by. We cruised by the little town of Fountain City, which had a disappointing fountain but boasted the highest point on the Mississippi River and also was home to the dredge Thompson which is supposedly the main dredge for the entire river. By early afternoon we were tied to a tree next to the 30-dollar a night yacht club in Winona, which is a very young, hip town. The aroma of patchouli was on every corner and I felt high just being there. Adam joined us in the mid afternoon and we hit the mostly dead streets after dinner for a little taste of the local watering holes.

Can I get some sun

I just can’t believe the weather here in Minnesota, it is relentlessly shitty. I’ve experienced warmer days in Alaska and drier days in the Amazon, and the mosquitoes aren’t as bad in either of those places. I’ve now had a week of rain, wind, hail and tornado warnings. The 5-day extended forecast goes something like this: scattered thunderstorms and head winds, suckerrrr. The cabin has held the water out well and although we feel damp our house is dry. Just a few moments ago, we are anchored upstream of Winona with the hatches battened, John stepped out into the downpour and said “oh it’s getting’ pretty out here” in all earnestly. I laughed to myself and thought, yeah compared to the 62 mile an hour storm that rocked us yesterday. His good nature and oblivious attitude toward the elements are well received.

Day 8, 23 miles - Wabasha to 2 miles below lock 5

Peter Brown and his associates were watching us all evening but we had no idea. We woke up feeling a little damp spirited and rowed across the river (in the rain naturally) to find some ice and a bathroom. It was too early for the Mississippi Parkside Marina’s general store so we strolled through Wabasha’s streets to keep warm while searching for a cold bag of ice to carry. I had one of those moments when you just feel stupid. We were back on the river by nine o’clock and enjoying a reprieve from the heavy skies, when an onlooker shouted to us from the bank. He admired our vessel verbally and we shouted back and forth between the rumbles of bridge traffic overhead. John and I enjoy all the rubberneckers and attention. Above the man there were three more people peering at us through binoculars from a fifth floor balcony. I introduced myself and yelled the website to the enthusiastic fellow. He said he would check it out and that his name was Peter Brown. John and I continued to enjoy the absence of rain and rowed away. As we were locking thru lock 4 some two hours downstream, there appeared Peter and his binocular bearing friends. Again we were shouting to one another but this time it was to overcome the sound of our engine. We chose a boat ramp at the power plant around the bend to meet. Peter his wife Ellen and their two friends were very inquisitive and complimentary of Big Getter. We learned of how they watched us the night before and longed to kayak out to visit. Peter shared some local river history with us about how they used to use sweeps on huge log rafts. It was a pleasure to make their acquaintance and a compliment that they tracked us down. Hopefully we will be able to have them aboard for dinner sometime soon.

From: "Peter Brown"
To: justusmclarty@yahoo.com

Justus, Thanks for pulling over in Alma so we could meet you and check out
Big Getter. We were very inspired by your journey and your ingenuity. Here
is a photo of a lumber raft at Read's Landing, MN (about 2 miles upstream
of where you anchored last night near Wabasha). I thought you would enjoy
seeing all the sweeps on the front end. Best wishes from the four of us:
Susan and Bill Sands, Ellen & Peter Brown
Peter Brown
Wabasha, MN