greetings

Greetings from Our Villa,
We are now in Punta Gorda, but not at our marina. A friend from Wisconsin has a beautiful home here in Florida, and they have kindly let us stay aboard our boat in their canal. What a gorgeous area. We miss not having snow for Christmas, but we hear that you all are being dumped on with snow. We do not miss that.
We did not send out Christmas cards this year, so we would like to wish everyone a very blessed Christmas and a happy new year. Will be back on track next year.
Arvilla & Joe

Venice,FL To Punta Gorda,FL

Departed Venice at 0710. Had some current and bridge delay. Sunny and 82 degs. 1440 arrived at a friends house and dock in Punta Gorda. Very choppy on Charlotte Harbor with 3 to 4 foot waves on the starboard side on our easterly course. I forgot to tell Arvilla to put on a patch so it was very uncomfortable for her.
Joe and Arvilla

Gulfport,FL To Venice,FL

Departed Gulfport anchorage at 0700. Arrived at the Venice,FL City Dock at 1400. 51 miles, mostly cloudy and 77 degs for a high temp and light rain in the afternoon.
Joe and Arvilla

Tarpon Springs To Gulfport,FL

Had to wait for half tide so departed Tarpon Springs at 1125. Arrived Gulfport,FL at 1712 after a 42 mile cruise. We are anchored a few hundred feet off the Intercoastal Waterway channel near the Bayway Bridge. 79 degs and sunny today.
Joe and Arvilla

Anclote River Anchorage To Tarpon Springs Marina

Departed the Anclote River anchorage at 1100 and went two miles up the Anclote River to The Landings Marina at Tarpon Springs. Arvilla went shopping near the sponge docks and Joe visited with a friend who spends the winter in New Port Richey. We will be at this marina for two nights. 82 degs and mostly sunny.
Joe and Arvilla

Cedar Key To Tarpon Springs,FL

0655 Departed Cedar Key south west via the Main Ship Channel. The gulf was very choppy for the first few hours. Arvilla said a rosary and the rest of the day was a light chop. 75 degs and sunny all day. 1540 arrived at our anchorage on the Anclote River in Tarpon Springs.
Joe and Arvilla

Steinhatchee,FL To Cedar Key,FL

Departed Steinhatchee at 0730 and had a very pleasant cruise to Cedar Key. Arvilla was able to be in the wheel house for the entire day. The gulf was almost calm. The last two days we have been dodging crab pot markers. They are about 200 feet apart and are everywhere. Some have more line than is needed and it floats just below the surface for 10 or 20 feet. The water is 70 degs so to cold for me to go under the boat and cut the line from the propeller so we make sure to give them a wide berth. 75
degs at 1500 and sunny all day. The channel into Cedar Key is long and took us over an hour to get to our anchorage. There are no docks or marinas here.
Joe and Arvilla

Carrabelle,FL To Steinhatchee,FL

Departed Carrabelle 0645. Crossed the Gulf to Steinhatchee and arrived at 1640. The gulf was rough for most of the day with 3 to 4 foot waves. Mostly sunny with a high temp of 71 degs. Arvilla did great in the rough water, she put on a seasick patch and laid down most of the way. 82 miles today. Two more days in the gulf and then we will be back in protected waters again.
Joe and Arvilla

White City, FL To Carrabelle,FL

Tuesday night at White City we were awakened by about 30 military troops in full armor in the marina. They arrived about 0130 and launched 3 or 4 boats with 70 MM weapons mounted on the bow and stern. They returned in the fog about 0330 and entered the marina at full speed and the large waves woke us up again. They loaded the boats on trailers and departed.
Wednesday departed White City at 0800 in the fog. 1450 arrived at C Quarters Marina at Carrabelle, FL. Desk top computer died so could not get the blog posted until Thursday.
Thursday in port awaiting a weather window to cross the gulf. Wednesday sunny and 71 degs. Thursday sunny and 64 degs.
Joe and Arvilla

Panama City, FL to White city, FL

Walk from 0615 to 0715 and low was 38 degs.
0800 Depart Panama City. 1300 arrive White City Park. Sunny with a high temp of 63 degs.
Joe and Arvilla

Santa Rosa Beach, FL To Panama City, FL

O800 Depart anchorage near Santa Rosa Beach. Desktop computer would not boot up so it took an hour to load FL charts on the laptop computer while we were underway. Arrived Panama City Marina 1400. Short days of running because of the limited places to stop overnight. 72 degs and partly sunny and light chop on the bay.
Joe and Arvilla

Fort Walton Beach, FL To Santa Rosa Beach

0630 went for one hour walk in Fort Walton Beach. Depart Fort Walton Beach 1015. Saw many aircraft doing maneuvers from Eglin Air Force Base. Wish Paul Schmidt was here to identify the plains for us. 68 degs and sunny with very little chop on the bay. 1415 anchored for the night near the Choctawhatchee Bay Bridge( Hy 331) near Santa Rosa Beach, FL.
Joe and Arvilla

Orange Beach, AL To Fort Walton Beach, Fl

Thursday we saw Dolphins in our anchorage.
Friday departed our Orange Beach anchorage at 0705. Saw the Blue Angles practicing near Pensacola. Arrived Fort Walton Beach at 1535. 70 degs and sunny with mostly calm seas. Overnight at Fort Walton Beach City dock. Got in a walk before dark.
Joe and Arvilla

Mobile, AL To Orange Beach, AL

Tuesday, 27 Nov 07. Arrived back on the boat after a one week visit at home for thanksgiving.

Wednesday, 28 Nov 07. Did shopping and laundry.

Thursday, 29 Nov 07. Departed Dog River at Mobile at 0752. Mobile Bay was calm to a light chop. Passed Lu Lu's restaurant which is owned by Jimmy Buffett's sister. 1350 anchored for the night in Ingram bayou near Orange Beach, AL. 71 degs and sunny all day with very little wind.
Joe and Arvilla

Thanksgiving

We Hope everyone is having a Happy Thanksgiving.  We are at home for a week, and we will have the family together for Thanksgiving dinner today.  We want to thank everyone who has commented on our blogs or sent us emails.  We sure enjoy hearing from you.  We will return to our boat on Tuesday.  Then we will be leaving for the Gulf and the intercoastal waterway.  We hope all goes well on that part of our trip.

Arvilla & Joe

Mobile,AL On The Dog River

Sunday,11 Nov 07. Drive to church with a Looper couple from Maine. Shopping trip to Walmart. Saw our first palm tree at our Marina.

Monday, 12 Nov 07. Cleaned boat and dinghy to West Marine on the other side of the Dog River. Arvilla stayed in dinghy due to the 8 ft. climb up to the dock at low tide.

Tuesday, 13 Nov 07. Cleaned the boat. Dinghy to a lower dock near West Marine. Did 1 hour walk near West Marine, Dog River Marina, and Mobile Yacht Club. Too many loose dogs near our marina to do any walking.

Wednesday, 14 Nov 07. Rented a car and drove to New Orleans for the day. Toured mostly The French Quarter and the Garden District. Had lunch in a small place near Bourbon Street. Saw a lot of Katrina damage east of New Orleans on both sides of
I-10.

Thursday, 15 Nov 07. 0430 up in the dark to move dinghy out of the 30 mph north wind. Work on wheel house screen repair. Much too windy to dinghy to other side of river for our walk.

Joe and Arvilla

Tenn-Tom Mile 54 To Dog River At Mobile,AL

0657 Departed Bates Lake anchorage after a low temp of 52 degs. Mobile Bay was flat calm this afternoon and Arvilla was happy about that. Arrived Grand Mariner Marina on the Dog River in Mobile,AL at 1520. Mostly sunny and 75 degs for a high temp. We will stay at this marina for several weeks while we fly home for Thanksgiving.
Joe and Arvilla

Tenn-Tom Mile 99.9 To Tenn-Tom Mile 54

0812 Departed Old Lock one anchorage. Lots of fog during the night. Lots of tow boats and Looper boats today. Saw are first "Pelican" today. It was pushing two barges. 1400 arrived Bates Lake anchorage. Only 4 feet at the entrance and the tide is still falling out. Anchored in 8 feet. Sunny all day and 74 degs at 1330.
Joe and Arvilla

Tenn-Tom Mile 145 To Tenn-Tom Mile 99.9

Departed Bashi Creek anchorage at 0750 after 80 mins of fog delay. Our friends stopped for gas at Bobby's Fish Camp and then we both got in the Coffeeville lock for a total delay of 90 mins. 1455 arrived old lock one cutoff to anchor for the night. Sunny all day with a high of 65 degs. We are at sea level now with no more locks till April.
Joe and Arvilla

Tenn-Tom mile 216.7 To Tenn-Tom Mile 145

Low temp last night was 36 degs. Departed Demopolis,AL at 0610. Five boats total at Demopolis Lock with no delay. 1535 arrived at Bashi Creek at mile 145. Don,t know what city is nearby but Mobile,AL is 88 miles south. Three boats in this small creek at 1600 and talk on the radio sounds like more boats will join us. High this afternoon was 59 degs. with sunny sky all day.
Joe and Arvilla

Tenn-Tom Mile 270 To Tenn-Tom Mile 216.7

Monday night at the anchorage was very interesting. At 1600 about six of the loopers got in their dinghy's and had happy hour because we were at a Corps of Engineers Rec. area and no alcohol was allowed on shore. We elected not to join them and just relax on the aft deck and eventually they drifted near us so we could chat. Lots of neat trawlers in the anchorage, probably ten in all. One boat was home built by the owner who was from Texas. It had a working calliope and the first mate played us
two tunes. Most boats put down a bow anchor and then tied a stern line to shore. High pressure moved in during the night and some of the boats had anchor problems. One boat went right next to shore and another got his stern line tangled under the boat and he was in the water(66 degs) at 0430 to untangle. Several others moved around. We had a bow and stern anchor and held fine all night broadside to the wind with Cee Jay rafted to us with no anchors. One of the boats had a ten foot pine tree attached
to his anchor when he raised it up. Someone got in a dinghy and helped him free it.
Departed the anchorage at 0730 and had no delay at the lock. 1430 arrived at Demopolis,AL Yacht Basin. Lots of looper boats here as this is the last marina until we get to Mobile,AL which is 128 miles south. They also fuel tow boats here and one came in for 12,000 gals of diesel. Sunny and 64 degs for the high temp.
Joe and Arvilla

Tenn-Tom Mile 307.4 To Tenn-Tom Mile 270

Departed Marina Cove at 0815 after 50 minute walk. Only one lock today and lock time was 60 minutes. 1335 arrived at Sumter Recreation area anchorage. Eight looper boats here at 1400.76 degs.at 1400 and sunny all day. Lots of color but no palm trees yet.
Joe and Arvilla

Tenn-Tom Mile 358.2 To Tenn-Tom Mile 307.4

0716 Departed Aberdeen,Ms and got in the Aberdeen Lock as soon as we got there. Had surface fog for the first hour. No lock delay at either lock. 1340 arrived Marina Cove at Carrollton,AL which is 176 miles north of Mobile ,AL. Walked with nine other Loopers to the visitor center 2 miles away and went aboard the retired Corps snag boat "Montgomery". 75 degs and sunny all day. With all the clear weather the nights get down in the 30's and 40's. 8 looper boats in this marina tonight. Down river at
Demopolis,AL the loopers are rafted 4 wide.
Joe and Arvilla

Tenn-Tom Mile 394 To Tenn-Tom Mile 358.2

Departed Midway Marina at 0730 after 15 mins. fog delay. Called the first lock at 0630 and they had the lock ready for us and the next two locks went the same way. Three locks before noon. 1329 arrived Aberdeen Marina with Cee Jay and two other boats. Sunny all day and 70 degs. at 1500. Toped off with diesel before crude is $100 a barrel. Took 38 gallons for 212 miles.
Joe and Arvilla

Ten-Tom Mile 448.7 To Ten-Tom Mile 394

Departed Aqua Yacht Harbor at 0715. Did 3 locks in 2.6 hours. Had to wait at the first lock until all six boats were at the lock then we locked together the rest of the day. 1715 arrived Midway Marina with the other 5 boats. Sunny all day and 70 degs
for the high temp.
Joe and Arvilla

Tennessee River Mile 158.5 To Tennessee River Mile 215.0 and Ten Tom Mile 450 To Ten Tom Mile 448.7

0730 Depart Clifton Marina. 0830 the Delta Queen over took us and gave us a very rough time with their wake because the river was very narrow at that point. Very little current today because the Pickwick Dam was not running any hydro units. We have been heading south the last 3 days but when we call the lock or the tow boats we have to say we are north bound. The Tennessee River flows north so we are heading up stream or north bound. Total lock time at Pickwick lock was 1.4 hours. 1614 turned to
starboard and entered the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. 1634 arrived Aqua Yacht Harbor. Changed oil for second time since leaving Trempealeau.
Joe and Arvilla

Tennessee River Mile 96.0 To Tennessee River mile 158.5

Tuesday evening purchased 133 gallons of diesel and got into slip in the dark. The last diesel fill was 810 miles ago. The current on Monday and Tuesday was 0.1 MPH and on Wednesday the current went up to 1 MPH. We are getting closer to Pickwick Dam and they run hydro units during the day when the demand and price are higher so that is the reason for more current. 1640 arrived Clifton Marina. Mostly sunny all day and 75 degs. at 1600.
Joe and Arvilla

Cumberland River Mile 31.7 To Tennessee River Mile 25.4 To Tennessee River Mile 96.0

We met a couple from Wisconsin Rapids on Monday and they invited us aboard their boat for a Packer party even though we told them we were Viking fans. 10 people on a 53 foot boat with lots of room to spare. O800 Departed Green Turtle Bay after 50 minute walk and 30 minutes of fog delay. 0845 on the Tennessee River for the rest of the day. Sunny all day and 66 degrees at 1600. 1745 arrived Pebble Isle Marina.
Joe and Arvilla

Ohio River Mile 934.5 To Ohio River Mile 922.8 And Cumberland River Mile 0 To Mile 31.7

Lots of big wakes during the night at the Paducah City dock do to small work boats and not the tows. Went for a walk at 0615 and saw all the beautiful murals on the city side off the levee. 0730 departed Paducah with CEE JAY and a 37 foot sail boat from the Green Bay area. 75 mins. lock delay at Barkley Lock, not bad considering that the Kentucky Lock was closed for maintenance and all traffic went through Barkley Lock. 1645 arrived Green Turtle Bay at Grand Rivers, KY. Arvilla did laundry and we
both got a real shower for the first time in about a week. We will stay at Green Turtle Monday night also. Sunny all day and 62 degs for a high temp.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 48.8 To Mile 1.7

Friday 26 Oct 07 departed anchorage after spending the night with 4 other boats. 0.35' rain overnight. 48 degs. overnight low and 57 degs. at noon. Mostly cloudy today. 1230 arrived Angelo Chute at mile 1.7. Current in the chute is 0.80 MPH. One other sailboat from Wisconsin is anchored in chute already. Will leave at first light as current on the Ohio s reported to be 3.5 mph so we will have a hard time running at 4.5 MPH.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 117.3 To Mile 48.8

Thursday 0730 departed Kaskaskia Lock which is 0.5 miles up the Kaskaskia River. Very windy all night but let up just before day break which was good because the wind was setting us against the wall. The temp. this morning was 44 degs. Besides our friends aboard Cee Jay we spent the night with 2 other boats. About one hour under way we meet a tow boat pushing 42 barges. The wheel wash was about 5 feet high at the stern of the tow boat which produced a very bad wake and the desk top computer fell
on its side and quit so had to bring out the lap top computer for the rest of the day. Got the desk top running again after anchoring for the evening. Saw a few bald eagles today. 1340 arrived at the Diversion Channel near Cape Girardeau at mile 48.8. The anchorage is 25 deep, 200 feet wide and 0.3 miles to the low bridge up the channel. No current and a nice spot to get off the river overnight. Cloudy and some rain today. 50 degs. at 1400. We won't have internet until Sunday so cannot check the
comments on our blog.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 158.5 to Mile 117.3

0825 Departed mile 158, Hopies Marine Service after 45 min walk in Kimmswick, MO.
Current is almost 5 MPH. Had to go over some diversion dikes which are similar to wing dams but are in 40 to 70 feet of water. You can see them come up about 5 feet on the depth sounder history screen.
1215 Arrived at the Kaskaskia lock which is a half mile off the Miss. on the Kaskaskia River. Lock master is very friendly and was glad to have us stay here. They also provided 20 amp shore power which is great. Partly sunny and 59 degs. and very windy again.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 218 To Mile 158.5

Tuesday 23 Oct 07 departed Grafton Harbor which is at the mouth of the Illinois River. Very nice new marina. Did 2 locks with 90 mins lock delay. Hit a wing dam at mile 198, no green buoy marking the end and was not watching chart close enough. The water is very muddy and very turbulent below St. Louis. The current is 4 mph so we are making good time. 1530 arrived Hoppie's Marine Service at Mile 158.5. Very wonderful people at Hoppie's. Fern gave us all a class on the waterway all the way to Mobile,
AL.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 283 To Mile 218

Monday departed Mile 283 at 0730. Did 2 locks with 3 hours of lock delay. Very windy, rainy and 45 degs. for high temp. 1735 arrived Grafton Harbor. Had major computer problems so used backup computer and could not do any email. Will try to send this via ham radio on Tuesday.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 283.2

Wind forecast is for 30 MPH guesting to 40 so we will stay in Louisiana,MO for one more day. We may take a road trip to Hannibal,MO with some friends from the Lake of The Ozarks area.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 327 To Mile 283.2

Stayed three nights in Quincy due to high winds. Worked out good because we got to visit with Bill and Diane and some of her family. Departed Quincy 0705. Very windy and lots of floating debris all morning. 90 mins. lock delay. Sunny all day with a high temp. of 68 degs. Arrive Two Rivers Marina across the river from Louisiana,MO at 1310. Possibly stay here two nights.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. Mile 404.5 To Mile 327.2

0830 Depart Burlington, IA. 60 mins. bridge delay and 75 mins. lock delay. Lock 19 had no Tow traffic but lots of maintenance delays. The River is getting very wide and no bluffs for the past few days. No drop at lock 20 and the current has been about 2.5 MPH. With the higher current and the wider channel I have been steering with the computer and mouse. Arrived Quincy Boat Club near Adams Landing at 1848.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 455.5 To Mile 404.5

Five new public docks at Muscatine with 30 & 50 amp. Lots of surge in Muscatine harbor due to high flow on the river. The flow at Lock 18 was 92,158 cubic feet per second (cfs). The flow at Trempealeau on 11 Oct. was 53,000 cfs. So the river has come up a lot. The current was 2.5 mph today.
0830 Departed Muscatine,IA. No lock delay at either lock.
1412 arrived Bluff Harbor Marina at Burlington,IA. Arvilla and Jan walked to town. Rain in AM and partly sunny in PM.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. River Mile 519 To Mile 455.5

0800 Departed Clinton, IA. Did three lockage's with no delay. Temp. got up to 70 deg. in afternoon when sun came out for a few hours. Had engine high temp. late in the morning. Had to stop and remove hose from water sea cock and run a coat hanger through the intake strainer on the bottom of the boat. Suspect Zebra Muscles from our home port of Trempealeau, WI.
1645 arrived Muscatine Municipal Boat Harbor. Arvilla and Jan walked to town.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss.Mile 582 To Mile 519

0910 Depart Dubuque Marina after one hour walk on Levee and new park on river front. Did two locks with no delay. 1645 arrived Clinton Marina. Changed oil. Another cloudy day with high temp. 55 deg.
Joe and Arvilla

Upper Miss. Mile 634.7 to Mile 582

0850 Departed Marquette Marina after filling with 135 gals of diesel. Last fill was Oct 2006! Did 2 locks with only 1 hour lock delay. 35 degrees this morning so it was nice to have shore power. 1620 arrived Dubuque Marina. Home maid pizza is on the dinner menu.
Joe & Arvilla

Upper Miss. Mile 714 to Mile 634.5

Departed Trempealeau, mile 714.3 which is our home port at 0650. Made 4 lockage's and 80 miles. At Marquette Marine at 1650.
For our non boating friends, the mileage on the Upper Mississippi starts at Cairo,IL at the mouth of the Ohio River with
Mile 0. Our home port is mile 714.3 and St. Paul is mile 840.
Joe and Arvilla

America's Great Loop Cruise Routes

Delay Starting Great Loop

Due to a family member's health issue we will be starting the Loop on 11 Oct 07.
Joe and Arvilla

These Two Boats Call the Mississippi River System Home

KEDGE

Al & Rie Peterson

St. Louis Park, MN

OUR VILLA
Joe & Arvilla Glinski

Plover, WI

Joe and Arvilla Glinski took posession of OUR VILLA, hull 56 in Vermont. They cruised norht on Lake Champlain and the Chambly Canal, throught the St. Lowrenece Seaway to Lake Ontario. Then the Trent Servern and Georgian Bay in Canada to Lake Huron and Lake Michiagan to Chicago. Then onto the Illinois river to the Mississippi river, north to their homeport of Trempealeau Wisconsin.


Al and Rie Peterson have logged over 6,000 hours in KEDGE, hull 43, on rivers, lakes and oceans in the Eastern half of the United States. The photograph was take on the St. Croix river which is a tributary of the Mississippit and boundary between Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Starting Great Loop

OUR VILLA is docked at Trempealeau,WI at Upper Mississippi River mile 714. We will start the Loop on 23 Sept 07.
Joe and Arvilla

Our Villa and Kedge

Our Villa and Kedge togehter on the St. Croix river in August 2005.