Sunday, September 21. It’s been two weeks since getting back from our vacation. When we got into our pool the last day, we did not head directly for our slip, but cruised around until late afternoon, then finally faced the fact that it was over. Of course, we still come to the boat every weekend. In fact, we took last Friday off to make this a long weekend. We’re cruising south in our pool as I type. It is the last day of summer according to the calendar, but you would not know it by this gloriously perfect sunny day.
We’ve been watching pelicans gather preparatory to their southern migration. They are white with black wing tips, bigger and much more beautiful than their brown cousins that we see in Florida. This morning a large group of them flew directly over our boat. They spiral up and up against the brilliant blue sky, sometimes forming Vs, sometimes just wheeling in great masses of brilliance. Late in the day, the sun turns them golden as we watch in awe. It is only in the past three years that they have been using the Mississippi River as their migration route, so watching them is a relatively new treat.
We’re looking forward to watching the leaves change color. Already the sumac is a deep vermillion. Soon these green rolling bluffs will be ablaze. We make a point of taking an hour’s walk every day we’re on the river. Usually it’s the same route, which takes us by an always lively sports complex, a public boat launch, a park dedicated to fallen war heroes, a sandy beach, an RV park right on the river, a walk through a meadow with its ever-changing flowers and grasses, the Greyhound Park and hotel, a wooded area, and back to the marina. It’s never the same two days in a row, let alone from week to week.
This afternoon we opted to walk in the Mines of Spain, a large forested reserve with Catfish Creek running through it, and challenging hills to hike. Julian Dubuque lies buried there on a tall bluff under a monument that was built in the 1920s, and looks like a castle turret from the river below. Near him lies Chief Peosta, who allowed Dubuque to mine the area, and Peosta’s daughter, who also was Julian Dubuque’s wife.
Yesterday and today brought out quite a few sailboats. I didn’t realize there were so many in our pool – maybe more people are getting into sailing in the Dubuque area. As peaceful as it looks, it can be quite a bit of work. I prefer the laziness of cruising, but of course, there are as many ways to enjoy the river as there are people who do so.
The Upper Mississippi is a friendly place. It is okay to be quite brazen in your people watching, everyone checks out the other boaters. But protocol in Iowa demands that you include a big, friendly wave. We found this is not true on the St. Croix. We figure it’s those snooty Twin Cities folks. Just kidding. Sort of.
We have friends and family coming to join us on the river in the next few weeks. Sharing this river life is the best gift we can give. Maybe through this journal and photos, we have been able to share some of our enjoyment of life on the Mississippi. Who knows? Maybe you will inspired to get some sort of craft and cruise the river, too. If so, we promise to give you a big old Iowa wave! Hope to see you here soon.
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