Rumpshaker Adventure

DEP 9/9/12@8:30AM

Up at 6AM.  We had coffee and I made cheese omelets for breakfast.  Lily wasn’t ready so Rob took Retzer up to potty and for a walk.  I did the dishes and checked the weather forecast.  When Rob and Retzer got back, I took Lily up while Rob did some maintenance on the Port transmission hose. 

Gutenberg is a quaint little town with a lot of  historical buildings and friendly people.  We learned that there used to be a button factory that manufactured their buttons out of the clam shells that are abundant in the area.  We were given a few of the used shells as souvenirs.  Each has two very precise holes cut out of them! 

I met a nice gentleman, Gary, who was also walking his dog.  He and his ex-fiancé had moved to Gutenberg 2 years prior and bought one of the historic homes on main street.  It was currently being renovated and Gary had been concerned that the wind would take away the cedar shakes that had been delivered earlier in the day and placed on the roof.  I shared our “PITA” story. 

Weather today should be a good 75® and sunny with winds N@12MPH. 

We met a northbound tow that didn’t offer us any room in the channel.  Rob steered just a bit off channel to avoid a collision and dinged a prop an underground tree.  Boat now has a slight vibration when running over 1900 RPM.  We’ll check this out when we find a marina with a boat lift.

Found a nice Courtsy dock right after LD#12.  It’s Bellevue Courtesy Dock, which had a nice beach for the dogs to run off leash.  Saw a LOT of clams in their shell floating up near the shore. 

Decided to travel another 25 miles to Sabula, IA where there is a travelift and we can get a look at the props. 

Sabula offers a nice courtesy dock where you can stay for up to 24 hours at no charge.  We found our port for the night!  We no sooner got our lines tied when we were met by John, a fellow boater and soon to be “Looper!”  He was surprised to see our AGLCA burgee and excited to talk to other “Loopers.”  He asked if we needed a ride for provisions or if we needed any help.  We explained about the prop and our plan to have it looked at.  John went to get his wife, Denni, to meet us and talk about the trip.  We swapped stories over a cocktail.  They recommended breakfast at a local café  within walking distance and promised to check in with us before they left in the morning for Iowa City to pick up their dinghy.

Up at 6AM and had coffee on the boat.

Then walked the dogs and decided to try out the recommended café.  John and Denni were right – most excellent home cooked food.  After breakfast, we walked to “Island City Harbor Marina” and met with Jerry, the head mechanic, owner, and operator.  We agreed to pull the boat and get a good look at the props.  There was a couple of pretty good dings that Jerry pounded out.  Bearings and shafts look ok!

While there, we met Mark, who has completed the loop, and shared stories and information.  It was awesome talking to him and encouraging that he is anxious to do the trip again someday!  SIDE NOTE...Mark and his wife visited us at Barber Marina about a year later when they traveled to Orange Beach, AL. Fun to see them and share stories!