- 42.6 miles
- 5 hours 8 minutes
- 8.3 mph average speed
- 5-8 mph winds
We traveled through two locks with nine other Loopers today and passed in front of the Gateway Arch. It was a slow start waiting at the locks and then getting behind a tow on the Chain of Rocks Canal but once we passed St. Louis we were able to move along a lot faster.
Our first lock was the Mel Price Lock where 30% of the world’s grain passes through.
We saw a couple of bald eagles:
Our second lock today was the Chain of Rocks Lock which allows boats to bypass an unnavigable portion of the Mississippi River known as the Chain of Rocks. There is an 8.4 mile canal leading up to the lock. There were not enough floating bollards for all ten boats to tie up to so a couple of us had to raft up to another boat.
After we locked through, we all had to go slow for a while and stay behind a tow through the narrow canal until we were back on the Mississippi.
We finally made it to the Gateway Arch and were able to take a screenshot from a webcam of Perfect Match as she passed in front of the arch:
Hoppies Marina is an iconic Looper stop for several reasons. One, it is the last marina and the last place to get fuel on the Mississippi for 250 miles, two, the owners provide a route briefing for the rivers, and three, it is just so unusual! The marina is actually just several barges that are tied to the shore with chain and cable.
The small town of Kimmswick is a half a mile away and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at LaChance Winery with Kay and Don from Never Land. On the way, we passed the Anheuser Memorial Estate which was built on the banks of the Mississippi in 1867. The Anheuser family purchased the estate in 1945 and it was bequeathed to the city of Kimmswick, along with $1.5 million for the upkeep of the estate, when Mabel-Ruth Anheuser passed away in 2000.
LaChance Winery is located in The Old House, a 1700’s era log cabin. The second story and wing were added in 1831 and it was moved to this location in 1973. Ulysses S. Grant frequently visited the tavern.
