Grafton and the end of the Illinois River.

8-30-2024

We were up early and left our anchorage for the short run to Grafton. I was concerned about entering the marina and docking without the use of a thruster, but the marina provided us with an endcap. We were able to tuck in for the Labor Day weekend along with about 10 other looper boats. We were also able to avoid the weekend water craziness at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Initially, we hoped to find a diver to take a look at our thruster, but that did not prove possible. However, we found a boat yard who ag to pull the boat and have a look after the weekend.

Grafton Illinois is a small, old town located at the junction of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. We had long anticipated arriving here because it would mean a farewell to the somewhat challenging Illinois river. The Grafton Marina also has a great reputation in the small adjoining town has a restaurants and things to do. One of those things is a cable car ride to the top of the river bluff, where there is a restaurant as well as a small roller coaster ride through the woods. We took the opportunity to visit with other looper friends (Exodus & Checkmate) on a beautiful warm summer day.

We found an unbelievable woodworking shop on Main Street in Grafton where I paid multiple visits and ultimately bought an antique post office box. The Marina had a great ship store and a terrific restaurant with a view where we spent several pleasant evenings with our new boating friends.

Grafton was also the site of the Taco Tuesday massacre where we took a dock hand's recommendations for a dinner which was comically disappointing.

Our stay in Grafton was prolonged because I had found a boat yard willing to haul our boat and examine the cause of the thruster failure in Port Charles Missouri. This harbor was located just a short distance up the Mississippi river in a very small and very shallow harbor. They hauled Katie B and found that the thruster props were intact, but disconnected from the drive motor. The drive motor was lifted from its mounting and a rubber sleeve, which was the connector between the motor and the driveshaft had obviously been stripped. This was probably the best of any bad news involving the thruster although the closest replacement part was in California. We had the boat placed back in the water and journied back to Grafton to wait for the needed part to show up in the mail. Being 'stranded' in Grafton was quite pleasant.

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Grafton Lighthouse

Mike, Tammy and Dennis

Docktails and dinner