Drift in the River

The river is up and there is much drift in the river.  The boat rumbles as the logs and trees roll under the hull.  The engines stop and then reverse to dislodge anything that might be caught in the rudders or wheels.  It's a noisy trip so far.  Most times the engines lull me to sleep.  The sounds are a constant that tell me we are safely navigating the river.  The beauty is marred by the debris that is floating along beside us.....old tires, plastic, styrofoam, coolers....all sorts of things man has made.  Even grafitti....in the form of a message in a bottle fished out of the river by one of the deckhands.  The excitement overshadowed by the "off color" message inside.  This is not the place to be for a "busy person" or one who is not comfortable with solitude.  Little things delight us out here....stories from those who've worked on the river for many years.  It's a life like no other....

What a beautiful morning out here on the river.  The sky was a beautiful pink orange and the river had a mist rising above it.  The Chief told me it will soon be in the teens in Minneapolis. The beauty and wonder of being in the middle of the river in my own little "cacoon" gives me a sense of peace.  I am able to put the "ugly" of the divorce in another compartment of my life.

My Morning Commute....

The Beginning......

 
Everything is so new right now that my eyes and ears are always open.  I spent most of today with my nose to the galley window watching all the familiar towns as we travelled south toward St. Louis where we will deliver our 12 barges of soybeans.  I'm not sure what we are picking up, but the Captain said at dinner today that he thought we would be going back up to Wynona, WI.

I get up early...around 3 am and am in the galley by 3:45.  I get breakfast over with then prep for dinner and supper.  By 11:30 I am finished with dinner and have time to myself until about 3:30.  I then get supper ready and it is over by about 5:30 or 6 and the rest of the evening is mine. 

It certainly is peaceful out here on the river...quiet sunrises and sunsets.  I tend to spend a lot of time on the forward 2nd deck where I can look over the barges and watch the river go by.