Hoppie's

Friday, September 28, 2012



Hoppie's Marina



The area around the marina is silting in due to a wingdam.
As a result, Hoppie's has already lost some of its dockage.



Hoppie's Marina, 158.5 RDB, is probably the most popular stop on the Great Loop. The marina is run by Charles and Fern Hopkins and their daughter assisting. Everyone stops here! It is simply a series of barges connected together. What make this place so special are two things, the family and the fuel. This will be our last place to fuel up for the next 250 miles! We have spent many hours strategizing over this leg of our journey. Our boat hold 280 gallons of gasoline and we average 1 mile per gallon. That would be 280 miles.... So what is the big concern? The unknown. How will the river current effect our mileage. We are traveling downstream on the Mississippi but on the Ohio we will be heading upstream. In addition, we will be anchoring out the next 3-4 nights.

Before Fern spoke, Mike, Anita and I walked into the nearby town of Kimmswick., MO. (Fern gave Don a ride on her golf cart.) It reminded me of Blanchard, a small town near home. We ate at the Blue Owl and it was delicious! A home style cooking venue with a flair. We even had pie! Many cute shops were in town but we didn't want to miss Fern's talk so we headed back.

Kimmswick foot bridge

The Blue Owl restaurant, great dinner and pies!

Charles is a man of few words but he was very helpful as we were hooking up our electrical. Fern is an icon on the river. Once all the boats on the dock were secured Fern gave her 'talk'. She updated us of the latest conditions on the river for the next 250 miles. Everyone sat in a circle, pen and paper or charts and IPads in hand. Fern listed the best anchorages, latest hazards, lock conditions, even hints on passing tows. It lasted about an hour and we were grateful for her knowledge.

Fern (at head of table) begins the talk

"Men, if the tow captains don't answer you, have your wife call them."

 

Everyone listens intently to her pearls of wisdom
(Limelight, Catmandu, Seaquil, Irish Attitude and Our Bubble)



A lifetime of river knowledge



If Hoppie's Marina was not here, it would end the loop for many of us with smaller fuel tanks. We filled 4, 5 gallon gas containers and hoped it would be the insurance we would need to make it the 250 miles to Green Turtle Bay. With fingers crossed and loaded with new found knowledge we cast off the next morning.