Still Safe in Grafton Harbor, Il

The first photo shows some of the group of loopers stranded at Grafton, Il. enjoying some snacks and drinks. The second shows a view of an old wall just down stream of the marina. This wall was on dry ground when we arrived here. The third photo shows the same wall as the water rose. A day later the wall was under water. The fourth photo shows some of the group at the end of the dock where the ramp to the ground goes under flood water. The last photo is Carlie, she does not like the water she has to walk through to get to dry gorund so she hoped up into the cart.

We are still in Grafton, Il. We have rented a car with Southern Comfort and went into Alton last evening to eat at Fast Eddies, a grill which is quite famous among loopers as a fun place to get a great hamburger at prices which have not increased for about 20 years. Can you believe a 1/2 pound burger for $1.29? It is a good burger too! We went to St. Louis today and spent the afternoon in the arch. The water was still rising this evening when we got back to the marina. The water is now covering the parking lot from about an inch to several inches deep. We took off our shoes and waded to the ramp leading to the floating dock. It is supposed to crest this evening and then begin to drop in the next day or two. Everyone here expects it will be about the middle of next week before we will be able to begin our travel down the rivers. There are attempts underway by the AGCLA to co-ordinate resumption of the thirty or so boats who are, like us, held-up in the rivers by the floods. We intend to stay put until we are sure we can handle the current in the rivers and the boats ahead of us have cleared out of the limited anchorage spaces down stream from us.

We are now planning to leave Friday morning to drive to Perry, Ia. to visit with Muriel's father. We will drive there on Friday and drive back on Saturday or Sunday. From the best predictions we can find we will probably not be able to start back down the rivers for nearly a week.