Evansville, IN to Golconda, IL

Instead of the the usual fog greeting us this morning, we were met with hundreds of mayflies!

Mayflies everywhere!

After fueling again with some diesel and receiving a  surprise donation of milk from Marty, we bid farewell to Inland Marina, Evansville and the Tropicana Casino.

Tropicana Casino and Hotel

We head downriver and pass through the John T. Myers Lock, which lowers us 28 feet.  This time we are not alone and pass through the lock with a fishing boat.  Once through the lock, the river current is swift, the wind picks up, and the river returns to an ugly muddy brown. The terrain changes and the river banks become steep rocky cliffs.

Ohio River to Golconda

Along the way, we pass Cave In State Park in Southern Illinois. The park boasts tales of pirate ambushes on early Ohio River travelers.  Although the tales may be the tall, the park is beautiful and quite a natural wonder.

Cave In State Park, Southern Illinois

After 112 miles, we arrive at Golconda Marina in Golconda, Illinois.  We are pleasantly surprised to see the boat Kumbaya from our home port of Four Seasons Marina.

A boat from home!

Unfortunately, their journey has not been as smooth as ours. They have had an unexpected  hospital stay in Evansville and a shaft seal leak.  They have called Tow Boat US to help them through the locks tomorrow and onto dockage at Green Turtle Bay, our destination also.  Since the next lock, Smithfield, is down to one chamber and has a backup of barges waiting to pass through, we have decided to travel with Kumbaya and the boat from Tow Boat US.  With a Tow Boat US escort, we are hopeful we will be granted lock through tomorrow. If not, we will return back to Golconda.  Another day down but many more miles to go!