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Tuesday
....
February 28, 2006........ WELCOME RIVERBENDER.COM
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CLICK
ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE
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 Our
River Pictures of the Day
..... Are of Captain Jack
and his son, Jordan, in front of Captain
Jacks Bar and Grill (top) after it was raised up above the 500 year
flood level yesterday. Jack told me that they raised it 14 ft 6
inches.
~~~~
They plan to open for business on March 31 ~~~~
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of mason_schute, a favorite summer hangout for a lot of boaters. This pic was sent in by Steve
Schulte of www.steveschulte.com.
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Long
Shot Saloon ------ Andy
Dallwitz told me he plans to open Long Shot Saloon, at Portage De Sioux,
for the season on Saturday, April 1st.
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Cedar
Hill Restaurant ------ Dave
and Carrie Ash plan to open the restaurant at Cedar
Hill Resort for the season on Saturday, April 22nd.
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Bridge
at Louisiana, Mo ------ Captain
George Shindel, a land captain, reported that the bridge
across the Mississippi River at Louisiana, Mo finally has both lanes open
and 2 way traffic ! Seems like the repairs have been on-going for at
least a year..... maybe more.
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Monday
....
February 27, 2006........ WELCOME RIVERBENDER.COM
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Our
River Pictures of the Day
..... Are of Captain
Jacks Bar and Grill all blocked up and ready to raise above the 500 year
flood level. The raise should be complete this week and they hope to be open by March 31st.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of is of some of the River Crew
gathered at "Camp Carl" for a bon fire and little socializing. The night was a bit chilly but our hosts, Carl and Mary, kept the fire going and as always Carl was cooking up a feast. From left to right in the front row sitting are Bernie, Steve, Sharon, Sue and Pat. From left to right standing are Ernie, Phil, Scott, Robbin, Dani, John and Mary. As you can see the bon fire was really blazing and it stole most of the light from this picture.
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Calhoun
County Ferry Riders ------ There
was a story in the on-line Post Dispatch about the folks that live in Calhoun
County, IL and ride the Ferry to work every day. They say it's not
an inconvenience for them and it’s the farthest thing from a stressful
commute. They talk how they really enjoy the beautiful scenery around
the county and the river.
If
you want to read there story....go to STLtoday.com .
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Sunday
....
February 26, 2006........ WELCOME RIVERBENDER.COM
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CLICK
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is a river sunset sent
in by Debbie. She sure captured the last bit of bright sun as it was
diappearing below the tree line. The yellows turning into blues...those
soft puffy clouds...And that one streak of yellow reflection on the
water.
RiverBill
says....River sunsets are hard to beat ! Thanks Debbie......
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of is of some of the River Crew with the band "Stripper Named Phoebe"
at DAD-E-O's on this day last year.
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Did You Know ----- that
you can sign up for Water Safety Education Classes on-line on the the Missouri
Water Patrol website ?
Check it out.....Go to http://www.boat-ed.com/mo/index.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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9:30
AM Update -
Ptln. Lou Amighetti' of the Missouri State Water
Patrol e-mailed the following info about the Water Safety Education Classes
Riverbill,
Just
so everyone knows, if you take the safety class online, there is an additional
charge each time you take the test. Whether you pass or fail, they
charge you $15.00 each time. An alternative is to attend one of the many
classroom sessions offered around the area. They are taught by officers
of the MSWP and you are able to get all of your questions answered.
Also, I have never had someone tell me that they did not learn something.
Hope that clears things up for everybody.
Patrolman
Lou Amighetti
Missouri
State Water Patrol
District
5/ Alton Pool
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Alton
Block Parties ------ Added
information to the Upcoming Events Calendar about the May 6th, Cinco De
Mayo, Alton Block Party.
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Captain
Jacks Bar and Grill ------ They
have started to prepare the restaurant building at Captain
Jacks to raise it above the 500 year
flood level. They hope to be open by March 31st.
Stay
anchored right here for more info as it becomes available.
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Saturday
....
February 25, 2006........ WELCOME RIVERBENDER.COM
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is an eagles view
of the Alton Riverfront, courtesy of John Hentrich at RiverBender.com.
Its a good shot of the riverfront, with Alton Marina in the foreground, the mill
in the distance and a good view of the downtown area of the city.
The concrete wall along the river is from
the old lock and dam and it is where the City's new dining
and party boat, named Boat at The RiverBend, is / will be moored.
RiverBill
says....Thanks for letting us post a picture from your website John.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of is of an eagle
taking to flight from his branch in a tree. This picture was taken near Alton, IL by picture by Mr. Pat Reid of
Crystal
Photography
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Kinder's
is Opening For the Season on Friday, March 10th ------
Their
business hours will be:
Friday.......Open
at Noon
Saturday...Open
at 11 AM
Sunday.....Open
at 11 AM
Kinder's
will also be open during the week (except Monday) when the weather is
good.
Call
first....618 - 883-2586
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Captain
Jacks Bar and Grill ------ They
have started to prepare the restaurant building at Captain
Jacks to raise it above the 500 year
flood level. They hope to be open by March 31st.
Stay
anchored right here for more info as it becomes available.
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CLICK
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Open
House - Timber Ridge Condo's ------ Open
house today at Timber
Ridge Condo's. Stop by and say hello to Sue Ferguson,
have a hot dog, take a look at the condo's and the great view.
~~~~
It's Life With A View ~~~~
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Mr.
C's Website is On-line Again ------ Mr.C's
Home Repair and Remodeling website was off-line last week because it was
being moved to a new server. It back up and running again. Check it out
!
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Welcome
RiverBender.com to RiverBills.com .....
RiverBills.com has joined forces with RiverBender.com to chart a course of
providing you with more on-line information about the river.....And ...Now, the surrounding
river towns in the Riverbend Area too !
Some
of the highlights RiverBender.com include:
-
Classifieds ...You can list and sell
your boat for free !
-
Discount
Coupons for local businesses. Restaurants, entertainment,
recreation and more.
-
On-line
shopping
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Local
Websites
-
Check
out the ever changing pictures of local scenery, people, landmarks and
river things that are splashed at the top of each of their web pages. You
will even see some RiverBills.com pictures show up from time to time and a
couple of different RiverBills.com Ads.....
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RiverBill's Soapbox .......Lets splash some water on the topic of:
~~~~
Personal Watercraft ~~~~
We
have all seen them swam around our boat like drunken bees, cut in front of us,
jump our wakes and do all kinds of dumb and dangerous things on the river not
paying any attention to other boaters. Don't get me wrong, not all
boaters that ride personal watercraft do this kind of stuff, but there always
seems to be a few out there that I consider a nuisance and they are dangerous
! These few endanger themselves and the the boats around them. For
some reason when some people get on a personal watercraft they seem to leave
all of their common sense at the dock ! Watch out for them !
So what are the laws pertaining to
operating a personal watercraft in Missouri waters ?
Ptln. Lou Amighetti' of the Missouri State Water
Patrol has agreed to help us all understand the laws about owning and
operating a Personal Watercraft. Take a minute and read over them.
Tell your friends that own one and/or operate one to logon and take a look
!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lou
wrote in his e-mail:
RiverBill,
Here
is the law. Also make sure you state to our public that these laws are
intended to keep everyone safe. We, Missouri State Water Patrol, does
not want to see anyone injured or worse, killed, because of the lack of
attention to the law.
Thanks
for your help,
Ptln.
Lou Amighetti
District
5/ Alton Pool
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Personal
watercraft, regulations--personal flotation devices--age
restriction--reasonable and prudent operation--exceptions.
306.142.
1.
No person shall operate a personal watercraft unless each person aboard is
wearing a type I, type II, type III or type V personal flotation device
approved by the United States Coast Guard.
2.
A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by the manufacturer with a
lanyard-type engine cutoff switch shall attach such lanyard to the person's
body, clothing, or personal flotation device as appropriate for the specific
vessel.
3.
No person under fourteen years of age shall operate a personal watercraft on
the waters of this state, except that a person under fourteen years of age may
operate a personal watercraft if a person at least sixteen years of age is
aboard the personal watercraft.
4.
Every personal watercraft shall at all times be operated in a reasonable and
prudent manner. Maneuvers which unreasonably or unnecessarily endanger life,
limb or property, including, but not limited to, weaving through congested
vessel traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel when visibility around such
vessel is obstructed, becoming airborne or completely leaving the water while
crossing the wake of another vessel within one hundred feet of the vessel
creating the wake, operating at a speed in excess of a slow-no wake speed
within fifty feet of any vessel or any person in or on the water, and
operating at such a speed and proximity to another vessel so as to require the
operator to swerve to avoid collision, shall constitute unsafe or reckless
operation of a personal watercraft. No person shall operate a personal
watercraft on any waters of this state for towing a person or persons on water
skis, or a surfboard, or similar device unless there is a person on the
personal watercraft, in addition to the operator, or an approved ski mirror
attached to the personal watercraft, in a position to observe the progress of
the person or persons being towed.
5.
No person who owns a personal watercraft or who has charge over or control of
a personal watercraft shall authorize or knowingly permit the personal
watercraft to be operated in violation of this section, nor shall a parent or
guardian authorize or knowingly permit a child of such parent or guardian to
operate a personal watercraft in violation of this section.
6.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to a person participating in a
regatta, race, marine parade, tournament, or exhibition for which a permit has
been issued by the state water patrol.
Look
for more information from Ptln.
Lou Amighetti in the future about river boating, boating safety and
boating laws.
Enjoy
the water and be safe !
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Friday
....
February 24, 2006.......... WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND !
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Kids
In Cars Fundraiser
..... pictures were sent in
by Kim Shamel. It's river boaters supporting a good cause !
Kim wrote in her e-mail:
Bill,
Boaters
still know how to party. Attached are a couple of pictures of a
marvelous steak and lobster dinner at Concetta's Restaurant on 5th Street in
St. Charles. Kim and Rich Shamel (Sin or Swim and Shamel
Auto Tire) and Carrie
and Dave Ash (Cedar
Hill Resort) were just a few of the party-goers.
The steak and lobster dinner was donated by Gary and Jim, and auctioned
off last year, to the Shamels,
at the annual Kids In Cars fundraiser. Kids In Cars is an organization
trying to raise awareness and change legislation to promote safety of children
in and around vehicles.
The next dinner auction takes place on Saturday, March 4th at 6:30 PM at
Yacavelli's.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of some of Mother Nature's Frozen River
Art t t
. This picture was taken when the river and everything else
was frozen at this time last year.
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DRY
DOCK MARINE & RV SHOW------- Saturday
& Sunday,
May 06 & 07
3250
Hwy 94N / St. Charles, Mo...1 mile north of hwy 370 & 94 N
.
Sell
your Boat, Bike and RV Show and Swap Meet
10:00
am - 5:00 pm
.
For
Reservations and Information
Call.............636
- 949 - 6696
.
Click
here for Grand Opening Flyer
Click
here for Registration Form
RiverBill
says...Got something to sell...Give Rick a call at 636 - 949- 6696.
This
has been added to the Upcoming Events Calendar also.
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Boating
Classes ------ Added a new header "Boating
Education" and new links for the State of Illinois and Missouri... Boat
Safety Classes in the left hand column........Check it out !
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Thursday
....
February 23, 2006
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In
Memory Of Our
Friend Mark !
River
Bill,
Attached
is a picture of everyone's friend, Mark at island 521 on the Alton Pool,
A.K.A M&M ISLAND, with his dog PJ. The M&M comes from the various
people named Mark that frequent M&M island. Unfortunately we will not have
Mark's physical presence at M&M ISLAND this year as he passed
away in his sleep at his home on February 20th, 2006. We will miss you buddy.
You'r
friends at M&M ISLAND
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of the Civil War Memorial built to honor the Confederate Soldiers that died of small pox while in the prison camp hospital that was on an island in the Mississippi River during the Civil War. As inscribed on the base of the memorial their remains still rest beneath the regulation pool of the Melvin Price Lock and Dam. For more information click here. The memorial is located in the Lincoln Shields Recreation Area across the river from Alton, IL.
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Grafton
harbor Update ------ There was an article in the on-line
Alton Telegraph about what is going on at the Grafton Harbor. The
workers are trying to get everything ready by March 1st with a grand opening
scheduled for Memorial Day. The new harbor has 128 cover slips and 42
uncovered transient slips. Go to the on-line
Alton Telegraph for the full story.
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Duck
Club Yacht Club 14th Annual Boat Show, Flea Market, Chilie Blast and Shotgun
Shoot ------ is
planned for 22 and 23 of April. Come
enjoy the marine dealer exhibits, the in-water
& on- land boat show, the boaters flea market, and enjoy the Chilie Blast.
If you are
interested in setting up a booth, tent or table at the Flea Market
please
contact (Al Foster, 314-324-1077) or Joan Shamel, ( 314-503-1637).
If you are interested in showing boats & watercraft, contact Dale Kling
(636-745-9547); Ernie Patti
(314-409-2458); or Jerry Koerner (314-504-3055).
This
is a signature event for
the marina with a
lot of preparation, planning and publicity underway.
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Portage
Grill ---- Is Under New Management.....Check it Out !
~
Open 7 days a week.
~ Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 3pm-6pm,
with $1.75 longnecks and .39 cent wings
~ Sundays $2.00 beers and .39 cent wings during races.
~ Daily lunch specials.
~ Friday night fish specials.
~ Full menu served all day.
We
are located at the corner of Highway J and Common Field Street in beautiful
downtown Portage Des Sioux
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Wednesday
....
February 22, 2006
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1st
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Glenn
Sadowski, out of Woodland Harbor. Glenn snapped a picture of these 2
terns flying in formation and wrote the following e-mail:
G'day
there RiverBill,
It
seems that birds are a popular theme lately, although not as good as the
"Girls of Alton Lake Theme".
This
is a photo that I took today, from the dock at Woodland. I believe these are
terns. If anyone knows otherwise, please advise. I call this "One good
tern deserves...."
Regards,
Glenn
RiverBill
says........What a remarkable picture Glenn. It's another
candidate for National Geographic ! Almost looks religious !
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2nd
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Toni
and Debbie, out of Sherwood Marina. It's a picture of their baby, a pet
macaw, named Lucy
!
Debbie
wrote in her e-mail:
Lucy
is VERY alive, like a two year old that will never grow up! She
likes the boat, she walks around and poops on the dash all day! I have a
job of cleaning up after her constantly! She cant be out when its really
hot, or cold, but I spray her (and us with water) and that cools us down.
The Bayliner isn't fast, and its all enclosed so it gets HOT. We cant
take her on the run about. She wouldn't like that at all! I put a
leash on her foot, you can see it in the picture. Her wings are clipped
but it only keeps them from lifting off, if they get a good wind they can fly.
She is only 9 months old now... just a baby, they live about 80 years.
I will have to will her to someone, (when I get closer to death!) We
could take her to the sand bar, as long as it isn't too hot. We keep a
cage in the boat for her. I just hope she fits in it this summer!
Yes,
Captain Pete is Pete Tully. He probably wont remember us, but he will
remember Lucy, he just loved her and held her for a long time.
We
love your web site, Tony checks the water temp every day! I can tell you
spend a lot of time on it.
Talk
soon,
Debbie
RiverBill
says........I thought it was a stuffed animal at first glance ! I
know some boaters that have some stuffed parrots setting near the dash.
But No...It's real ......What a good picture.
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3rd
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Betty
Bannister. It's picture of three
eagles. The front eagle dropped an fish and the other two are in hot
pursuit of dinner !
RiverBill
says........Just think that moments ago the poor fish was swimming along in
the river minding its own business....probably looking for its own
lunch. Now it's flying along through the air with a very uncertain
fate. Indeed, another picture that belongs in National
Geographic. Thanks for sharing Betty.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of the octagon shaped house on stilts that is about one mile below Winfield Dam on the Illinois side of the river.
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New
Dining & Party Boat For Alton Riverfront ------
According to an article in the on-line Post Dispatch a 48,000square-foot,
three level dining and party boat, named "The Boat At The Riverbend",
is expected to arrive at the Alton Riverfront soon.
Go to STLtoday.com
for the complete story.
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Tuesday
....
February 21, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Greg
Sadowski, out of Woodland Harbor. Greg snapped a picture of these 3
white pelicans as they were taking to flight. He wrote in his
e-mail:
Bill,
These
White Pelicans can be seen all up and down the Mississippi River.
They
are usually in very large numbers, and often I see them flying in a very
large circle.
I
don't know why they fly in the circle? Can anyone tell me? email ontheboat@aol.com
I
startled these 3, Then snapped their picture as they flew off.
A
hazy late afternoon Jan. 24, 06 on Lake Okeechobee.
Greg
RiverBill
says........Thanks an awesome picture Greg. Looks like
one you would see in National Geographic ! Thanks for sharing.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a close up shot of the crane on the top of the Winfield
Dam
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Bill
Would Provide Special Status to Rivers' Confluence ------ Larry Sansone of Port
Arrowhead Marina e-mailed me about an article in the on-line
Post Dispatch.
Senator Jim Talent has plans to introduce a bill that would provide a special
federal designation for the 200 square-mile area around the confluence of the
Mississippi and Missouri rivers. the area would be be known as the
Confluence National Heritage Corridor. Go to
STLtoday.com
for the complete story.
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UMR
Low Water Advisory
------ A Low Water Advisory was issued on 2/19/06 for the Upper
Mississippi River. For more information go to ITCS
Memo2357 .
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United
States Power Squadrons America's Boating Club Boat Smart Course is
today. See Upcoming events...or ....click
here
& here
for more information.
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CLICK ON THE ABOVE PICTURE TO ENLARGE.
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Monday
Morning Ice
..... The above picture is
a shot from the Winfield live-cam showing the ice flows on the river Monday
morning..
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Monday
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February 20, 2006
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Our
River Pictures of the Day
..... of eagles flying
closely were sent in by Betty Bannister. She took these pictures yesterday
and wrote in her e-mail that the eagles were excited to see a little ice on the
river. They were on the move.
RiverBill
says........Thanks for the great pictures Betty ....Keep them coming !
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of the Eagle Rest Area that is located between the river channel and Sandy Slough on the Missouri side of the river at
Winfield Dam. The road that goes over the bridge in the picture goes to the Dam and it is also where the pics of Sandy Slough, that were posted on RiverBill's the last two days, were taken from. You have to go under the bridge and down the slough to get to the river channel from this picnic area .
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Grafton
Ferry Picture Contest Winner ------
for February is Lynne Williams.
Lynne sent in a series of pictures of the Grafton Ferry crossing the
confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers and disturbing a flock of white snow geese
that were floating down the river in its path
! Click
here
to see what happens.
~~~~
Congratulations Lynne ! ~~~~
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Flooding
------ There was an interesting article in Sunday's the on-line Post Dispatch about
Hurricane Katrina and flooding in the St. Louis area. It covers things
that have happen here since the 1993 flood, the short term memory that many
people have about building in flood plains and some Washington politics going
on. Go to STLtoday.com
for the complete story.
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Picture
of Workers Dangling Under Bridge
------ 5 ksdk.com has a good picture of the three worker dangling by safety
harnesses over the Mississippi River at the JB Bridge. Go to
5
ksdk.com , scroll down one or two pictures and take a look..
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Moving
Harbor Building Into
Grafton Harbor
------ Lynne Adams took the above pictures of the Harbor Building being moved
to Grafton Harbor last Thursday. The large on at the bottom is practically
neat because there seems to be eagles flying in the background.
RiverBill
says...Thanks for the pictorial update on Grafton Harbor Lynne.
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Sunday
....
February 19, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Tony
and Debbie. It's a picture of a beautiful orange
and yellow river sunset with a silouette of the lighthouse at the Duck
Club in the foreground. Great shot !
RiverBill
says........Thanks for the picture Tony & Debbie..... send us some
more.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture looking up-river at Sandy Slough from the road that goes to the Winfield Lock and Dam.
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Saturday
....
February 18, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Lou
Amighetti of the Missouri State Water Patrol. Looks like the heaven
is opening up and shining its light down on the river. That bright
spot of sun in the middle of those ominous looking clouds, along with those
beams of light shining down on the river make this a very neat
picture......And then there are those couple of boats that decided not to ride
the storm out !
Lou
wrote in his e-mail that he has this picture on his desktop !
RiverBill
says........Thanks for the picture Lou ...And keep up the good work !
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a photo of Sandy Slough from an area near the road that goes to the Winfield Lock and Dam. The lock and dam are on the left hand side of this picture and river channel can be seen out of the mouth of the slough. This is a popular hangout for a lot of boaters in the Spring when the river is flooding and the water in the slough is deep enough to navigate. In the summer months it pretty much dries up.
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Sunday
....
February 19, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Tony
and Debbie. It's a picture of a beautiful orange
and yellow river sunset with a silouette of the lighthouse at the Duck
Club in the foreground. Great shot !
RiverBill
says........Thanks for the picture Tony & Debbie..... send us some
more.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture looking up-river at Sandy Slough from the road that goes to the Winfield Lock and Dam.
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Saturday
....
February 18, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Lou
Amighetti of the Missouri State Water Patrol. Looks like the heaven
is opening up and shining its light down on the river. That bright
spot of sun in the middle of those ominous looking clouds, along with those
beams of light shining down on the river make this a very neat
picture......And then there are those couple of boats that decided not to ride
the storm out !
Lou
wrote in his e-mail that he has this picture on his desktop !
RiverBill
says........Thanks for the picture Lou ...And keep up the good work !
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a photo of Sandy Slough from an area near the road that goes to the Winfield Lock and Dam. The lock and dam are on the left hand side of this picture and river channel can be seen out of the mouth of the slough. This is a popular hangout for a lot of boaters in the Spring when the river is flooding and the water in the slough is deep enough to navigate. In the summer months it pretty much dries up.
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Friday
....
February 17, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is another entry in the Grafton Ferry Picture Contest by Lynn Williams.
It's actually a series of pictures. The first one, shown above, is of the Grafton Ferry
crossing the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.
Put on your life jacket, throw out your anchor and then click
here
to see what happens when the ferry disturbs the flock of white snow geese in it's path
!
WOW
.. Lets take a ride on the Grafton Ferry !
Those birds taking to flight must have been something to see. Lynne
really did a good job capturing it on camera.
I think that the last picture is the very best. The geese are really
thick in it, but you can see the houses of Grafton in the background. Very
good picture !
RiverBill
says........Lynn...These are pictures are extraordinary......Thanks for
sharing.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a photo of the Clarksville Boat Club with the Lock and Dam 24 in the background. The club is located right below the Dam at the UMR 273 mile marker.
The picture was sent in by Andrea of the cruiser named "River Diva".
RiverBill
says.......I remember when a bunch of us tied up at their courtesy dock one hot summer day a few years ago while waiting for a tow to lock through. After a short
time one of the members from the club came down to the dock and invited us all in to cool off and have a drink. That is what I call "River Hospitality"!
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Sharky's
50 Grease Party is Saturday ------ February
18th-- 50's Grease Party. Dance contest & hula hoop contest. Click
here for complete info.
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Hypothermia - A Winter Boater's Threat ------
I received an e-mail from Patrolman Lou Amighetti, of the Missouri State
Water Patrol, about a news release on the dangers of hypothermia this time of
year.
Lou wrote:
Bill,
I have included a press
release concerning hypothermia.
With the
weather giving us some warmer days, don't let it fool you. The water is
still dangerously cold, wear plenty of layers of warm clothes and don't
forget the p.f.d
Patrolman
Lou Amighetti
Missouri
State Water Patrol
District
5/ Alton Pool
RiverBill
says......Thanks for the information Lou....See ya on the river soon !
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Thursday....
February 16, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is the first entry
into the Grafton Ferry Picture Contest for February.
Its a Grafton
Ferry River Sunset sent in by Lynn Williams. Lynn and her
husband Dale, of Stripper Named Phoebe, have a house with one heck of a
view that sits on the Missouri side of the confluence of the Mississippi
and Illinois Rivers. In this picture Lynn captured the ferry
crossing the confluence just as the last glow of the setting sun was showing
through a clear area between the tree line and the overcast sky, creating a
bright yellow line and unique red streaks that glowed through the
clouds.
RiverBill
says........What a unique picture Lynn !
Send
your entry in for the Grafton
Ferry Picture Contest before 20 Feb for a chance to win 2 round trip
passes on the Ferry.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a photo of the up-river side of Winfield Lock and Dam when the river was within 4 feet of Flood Stage. Notice that all of the gates are raised except for the 3 center ones.
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Illinois
Route 143 Eagles Clean Up Nest ------
According to an article in the on-line Alton Telegraph, the bald eagles that
nest along Illinois Route 143 in Alton spent last Tuesday cleaning up their
famous nest. Go to the on-line
Alton Telegraph for the complete story.
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Bad River Joke ------ I received the following joke in a mass
e-mailing the other day. I thought it was River-Cute.
What
do fish say when they hit a concrete wall ?
>>
Dam <<
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Wednesday....
February 15, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is a river
sunset sent in by Carol Bindbeutel of the boat
"Change In Latitude". Carol wrote in her e-mail:
Hi
Bill,
I may have already sent this to you, but just in case I am sending it
again. I took this on one of our evening rides. We love our sunset
cruises on the river.
See you in a couple of months.
Carole
RiverBill
says......Thanks for the great picture Carol. You certainly
captured a neat sunset. The reflection of the setting sun on the water
and all of those evening colors we see when the sun gets near the tree line.
It's good !
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was an aerial view of a southbound tow heading towards the locks on the up-river side of Winfield Dam. What a view of the river and the surrounding terrain. This is another one of those wonderful pictures taken by Steve Schulte. Check out his website http://www.steveschulte.com.
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Illinois
Initiative To Clean Up Brownfields ------
According to an article in the on-line St. Louis Post Dispatch the State of
Illinois "River Edge Redevelopment Initiative" program will help
river cities clean up brownfields. The article states that brownfields
are former industrial sites that are polluted. Go to STLtoday.com
for the complete story.
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Timber
Ridge Condo's Website ------ Added pictures of the construction
at Timber Ridge Condo's ( posted on RiverBill's yesterday) to the Timber
Ridge Website. Check It out !
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Tuesday....
February 14, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by
Sue Ferguson of Timber
Ridge Condo's. A life with a view.......And what a view it is ....
the confluence
of the Illinois and Mississippi River's right outside of your front
window..
Looks like the construction
on the condo's is moving right along.
Contact Sue at 618-593 -7059 if you are interested in some additional
information.
RiverBill
says......Thanks for the photo update Sue.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a photo of an eagle looking right at the camera as Pat
Reid of "Crystal
Photography took a picture......
Yes, another great eagle picture by
Captain Pat Reid ..........(known in some circles as Captain of the Camera )
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Update
~ Riverfront Amphitheater in Alton ------
According to an article in the on-line Alton Telegraph there will be a public
hearing to elicit public input on the Riverrtont Amphitheater on February 27 at the Alton
City Council Chambers. For the complete story go to on-line
Alton Telegraph .
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Con
Trios Spring Ice Breaker ------ Added info to the Con Trios
website about their upcoming Spring Ice Breaker at Pere Marquette Lodge on
March 24. Click
here for more info.
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Man
Jumps From Clark Bridge in Alton ------ According to an article
in the on-line Alton Telegraph an identified man jumped from the Clark Bridge,
about 80 feet, onto a rock dam late Saturday night. For the complete
story go to on-line
Alton Telegraph
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Fire
At Clarksville Skylift ------
According to an article in the on-line Quincy Harold there was a fire at the
Clarksville Skylift last Friday. For the complete story go to www.whig.com
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Monday....
February 13, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by Nancy
Kreiger. Looks like it was taken from the Missouri side of the
Mississippi River near the Golden Eagle Ferry Landing. That house
always intrigued me. It looks like it is built right over those
limestone caves......And.... they must have one heck of a view
!
Nancy wrote that they were out looking for eagles and then heading to Fast
Eddies on the day she took this picture.
RiverBill
says......Thanks for the great photo Nancy.
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Con
Trios Yacht Club's January Newsletter ------
is out and available on-line at the Con Trios website. Click on their link in
the left hand column and check it out !
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a photo of the new construction going on at the Wind River's Condos that are being built just down-river from the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers near Grafton, IL. This picture was taken
from a spot near the Grafton Ferry Landing on the Missouri side of the
Mississippi River.
Click
here for a photo of the way they
looked on January 29th of this year.
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Captain
Darryll Weil's Pictures from the Boat Show ------
Captain Darryll Weil, of the boat "After You", wrote me
the following e-mail with a link to some of his pictures from the St. Louis
Boat Show. Darryll wrote:
Updated
my website with a few pics from the St. Louis Boat & Sports Show.
Maureen and I volunteered to staff the Show Me the Mississippi booth on
Saturday. Go to my website at http://www.captainweil.com
to see the pics.
Enjoy,
Darryll
River
Bill says.....Thanks for the pictures and info Darryll
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Sunday....
February 12, 2006 2nd edition of the day
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Our
River Pictures of the Day
..... is
of the 2006 Jamaica Daze band.....Stripper
Named Phoebe ! These guys really had everyone rocking and rolling
last night at Rookies. The placed was packed and there were a lot of
River Folks there. Make sure to check them out next time they are
playing near you. Click
here to take a look at their website and schedule..
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More
pictures from Rookies last night...
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
What a coincidence ! .......It was a picture
of brand new river band I had just heard the night
before..... Stripper Named Phoebe.
Dale Williams e-mailed me and told me about the band and a floating
stage they were working on. Thought I would go check them out. The
next day I wrote that they really belt out some good tunes. They had the house really rocking, playing everything from rock to blues and a bit of country. My favorites were "Me and Bobby McGee", "Knocking on Heavens Door" and of course "Rollin on the River".
And now, one year later, the band is a sponsor on RiverBills and has signed up to play at Jamaica Daze
2006. It's been a good year !
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Saturday....
February 11, 2006
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Our
River Pictures of the Day
..... are of
Dale Williams , of the band Stripper
Named Phoebe, and his son with some more big catfish. They caught all
of these guys on rod and reel in the Missouri River. Wow !
The top one is a 68 pound blue cat that Dale caught last year on February
18. The 2nd is 57 pounds and 3rd is 37 pounds.
The
bottom pictures are of Dale's son, Eric, holding a 56 pound flathead.
River
Bill says.....Lets go fishing for the big ones Dale !
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture taken in New Orleans near the French Quarter. It is of the some of the river crew at the Mississippi Riverfront. From left to right - Bill, Judy, Gary and Laura. The riverfront is a very appealing with walkways for pedestrians and many attractions. A good place to spend a few hours relaxing while doing some river watching and people watching. The river was very busy that day. Some of the things we seen include the Riverboat Natchez leaving the dock as it headed down-river for a cruise and another ship heading up-river. "Oh Buoy" - then there are the buoys ! Much, much larger than those used in our area of the river.
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The
Band.... Rail ------ Joe, Lionel, Bobby and Marv belting
out the tunes last night at Sharkys
floating restaurant. As usual, the band was great ...And ... they
did play their rendition of "House of the rising sun". It was
great ! Stop by and see them next time !
Sharkys is one of the few places on the river that is open all Winter.
Stop
in have a drink and a bite to eat.
Say
hello to John and the Sharkys crew -
Open
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday !
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The
Polar Plunge Update ~ Louisiana, Mo ------ I received my
copy of the Visit-Louisiana-Mo.com
newsletter a few days ago with and update about the Polar Plunge and
Special Olymics event they held on January 28th in Louisiana, Mo. Sounds
like it was a blast ! A cold blast for those that jumped in the
Mississippi River that day.
Murrel
wrote in her newsletter:
The
weather didn
'
t cooperate with the festival. It was cold, windy and wet with a steady
downpour. Everyone was wet, even if you didn
'
t go into the
Mississippi River
for the PLUNGE.
This
event was hugely successful. The Polar Plunge is a fund-raising event for the
Special Olympics. The Plungers worked very hard seeking donations; collecting
three times as much as 2005. The total monies raised were close to $5,000.
About
200 people (designated judges for “best costume”) were on the Riverfront
watching. Trophies were awarded to Helen, winner of the "Most
Donations" trophy and Scott, winner of the "Best Costume"
trophy. About 22 people then took the PLUNGE. The YMCA graciously opened their
shower facilities for anyone wanting and/or needing a hot shower after their
plunge.
Changes
were made for 2006. New were the trophies and the "Survivor
Sweatshirts". All plungers collecting over $200 received a free
sweatshirt and a waiver of their registration fee.
See
what a good time you missed! Make plans for next year........ 2007 will be
BIGGER and BETTER (although it will be difficult to be better).
Click
here to view the newsletter
and read the story and see all of the pictures. Sign up for your own
copy.
River
Bill says....Thanks Murrel for the newsletter and update on the Polar Plunge.
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The
band....
Stripper Named Phoebe
is playing at
Rookies this
Saturday Night!
Come out and check
out one of the newest sponsors on RiverBill's.com and this year's Jamaica Daze
Band !
Check out their website and upcoming schedule at
www.snptheband.com
Rookies
is located at Hyw 370 and New Town Blvd In St. Charles.
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Everyone
is welcome .... I hope to see you there !
Make
sure you ask them to play their rendition of Rolling on the River !
The Band starts at 9:00 PM
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Friday....
February 10, 2006
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Our
River Pictures and Story of the Day
..... are from
Rick Sievers. It's another story about the rusting
old houseboat named Ma Belle when she still had some color to her. The
artist rendition of Ma Belle in her prime is at the top and then a couple of
real pictures of the old houseboat follow.
Rick
wrote in his e-mail:
Bill,
Here is a couple of pictures we dug up of Ma Belle. I can't find any of Morris.
There is another funny story about these two pictures. The gentleman you see is
a long time, very close friend and his girlfriend. They live in Atlanta, GA.,
and every so often we get together and it was his turn to be here. We had
recently bought our 39' Sea Ray at the time these were taken, and Dave hadn't
seen the boat yet. Our Sea Ray is pristine, and Ma Belle isn't! In fact, at this
time Morris was already gone for some time and Ma Belle was getting in bad shape
inside. Nasty bilge water had been laying in it for some time and stunk. The
furniture was broken down and dirty. Clutter was everywhere, and things were
rusting and decaying and broken all over. So when they came up to see us, we
were naturally very "anxious" to show our new boat! With the
cooperation of everyone else on the dock, we marched them straight into Ma Belle
and proudly began showing off our new "palace on the river",
describing how we were "going to paint this and that" and
"do some decorating" and "get the furniture recovered" and
so on... My wife even picked up a broom and did a little sweeping, which at that
point was like trying to kill a bull elephant with a flyswatter. Meanwhile, we
were amusedly watching their faces through all this farce and they looked like
they'd been told the IRS made a mistake on their taxes and wanted their first
born male child as payment. They were absolutely blank and had the color of a
linen tablecloth. Dave finally rasped out a weak: "Well, maybe we could
help you clean it up a bit while we're here...hrmpff" To which I replied:
GREAT! lets get a few things and we'll spend the night!! and we left the Ma
Belle. They looked like Marie Antoinette on the way to the guillotine as we
walked down the dock. Of course as we passed our real boat we explained our
accidental misrepresentation and that this was the real one. And of course their
response was, ...well I've never been called things like that before or since.
In fact, I'm not sure what some of those words meant, but they sounded kinda
bad. And all we could do is laugh our nautical butts off. We went back to Ma
Belle and got their "real" opinions of what needed to be done and I
won't say what they were here. The pictures are of them getting back off Ma
Belle after that. We're still friends to this day, but I suspect I've got a
payback coming!
Rick
Sievers
River
Bill says.....Thanks for another good story Rick.
I will bet there are lots of good stories out there about the people that boated
this section of the river before us. If anyone has another story about Ma Belle
or other interesting river happening of times gone by........ please send it in
and share it with us. We would love to hear
it.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was of an eagle sitting in a dead tree on the Missouri side of the river near Alton, IL. with the Clark Bridge in the background. This picture was
taken by Pat Reid of Crystal
Photography.
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Fixed
Date ~ Pimp & The Hoe Ball ------Corrected the date for
Sharky's Pimp
and The Hoe Ball in the Upcoming Events section of
RiverBill's. It's April 1st.
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Mo.
Water Patrol's ~ Marine Theft Prevention Website ------ Added a
hot-link to The Missouri State Water Patrol's Marine Theft Prevention website
in the lower left hand column of this webpage. It has a lot of good
theft prevention tips, including info about equipment identification,
photographing it and recording it. Also includes sections on outboard
motors, props, personal watercraft, trailerable boats, etc. and a marine
security record for your personal use. Check it out..
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Thursday....
February 09, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is a
picture from the
Winfield - Live Cam taken yesterday morning around 8:00 AM. The snow
flakes look orange as they are coming down. It would not be a good
morning to be locking through.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?
It was a picture of the Clark Bridge that crosses the river from Alton, IL to Missouri at the UMR 202.5 mile marker. The blue roofs of the boat docks at the Alton Marina can be seen protruding above the rock breakwater on the far side of the river.
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Water
Projects Bill ------
According to a news article in the on-line Post Dispatch our US Senators are
pushing for a floor vote on legislation this week that would build new locks
on the upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. 80 Senators signed a
letter seeking action on the long delayed Water Resources Act. Go to STLtoday.com
for the complete story.
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More
Pictures Of Grafton Harbor ------ I received an e-mail from
Betty Bannister with more pictures of the new docks getting moved to the
Grafton Harbor last Sunday. Betty has made a DVD of her photographs of
the harbor being constructed that you can see at the Boat Show. Look
for it at the City of Grafton Booth.
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Wednesday....
February 08, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is of a
bald eagle, named Liberty. Pat Reid of Crystal
Photography took a picture of Liberty at Eagles Day in Clarksville, Mo a
couple of weeks ago and imposed it against a backdrop of the American
Flag. An
eagle named Liberty and the American Flag....what a good picture
!
Liberty is about 14 years old and blind because it was hit by a car. He is
described as being very calm in public. He tolerates everything except
but dogs and horses. Liberty has appeared in parades, TV programs and has been
to the White House and the capital several times.
For
more info about Liberty and an opportunity to see him yourself at the Bald
Eagles Programs at the National Great Rivers Museum click
here.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was the picture on RiverBills.com last year on this day ?....... It was a view looking up-river from the top of the one remaining section of the old dam at the Lincoln Shields Recreation Area on the Missouri side of the
Mississippi River
across from Alton, IL.
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Group
Would Oversee Mississippi River Projects
------
According to a news article on 5KSDK.com, a new group, The Mississippi
River Coordinating Council, has been proposed to oversee environmental issues
and economic development for eastern half of more than 600 miles of the
Mississippi River that borders the state of Illinois. Go to 5KSDK.com
for the complete story.
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Grafton
Harbor ~ Update ------ I received an e-mail from
Charlie Wickenhauser, the Manager of Grafton Harbor, with the above pictures
and some info about the progress there. Charlie wrote:
Hi
Bill,
I
wanted to update you on our progress.
We
have completed the utility infrastructure on the land side and are ready for
the dock piers when they arrive.
On
Sunday the 5th of February we moved "A" Dock from the construction
location to Grafton Harbor. Pictures are attached. The last picture shows the
dock pier moored temporarily to the rock levee with the City of Grafton and
the Grafton Harbor shoreline in the background.
The
next dock pier (F) will be ready to move into place in less than two weeks.
It's a covered dock and should be impressive going up the river.
We
will be at the St. Louis Boat Show this week and invite everyone to stop by
the City of Grafton booth to visit with us. We will be leasing slips and
taking transient reservations at the Boat Show.
Thank
you for your continued interest and your help in getting the word out.
Regards,
Charles
Wickenhauser
Manager
charlie@graftonharbor.net
More
pictures of Grafton Harbor tomorrow !
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Tuesday....
February 07, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is
close-up shot of a river
gull gliding through the air taken by Steve Schulte of Steve
Schulte Photography. What a good picture !.
River
Bill says...Keep them pictures coming Steve.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was on www.riverbills.com
last year this time ? It was a photo of is of
bench with a good view at the St.
Charles County
Hide Away Harbor Park . Hide Away
Harbor Park is near the UMR 214.5 mile marker.
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Sailing
Dazzler Update ------ Denny
and Reggie Heisler sent me some pictures of the first leg of their sailing
journey on their boat Dazzler.
Tortola to Punta Gorda.
I also added Reggie's Journal and an e-mail address for Denny. Click on
the "Sailing Dazzler" link in the lower left side of this page
and check it out !
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Monday....
February 06, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is of Dale
Williams and a 57 pound Blue Catfish he caught on a rod and reel a while
back. They are both smiling because Dale caught another big fish and the
cat is smiling because he knows he is going back into the river ! Yes,
Dale put this one back in to grow up a bit more. Catch and Release.
Dale is in the band Stripper Named Phoebe, who will be playing at this year's
Jamaica Daze Party.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was on www.riverbills.com
last year this time ? It was a photo of Our Lady of The
Rivers at Portage De Sioux Click
Here
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Missing
the Super Bowl Commercials ? ------
Captain Darryll Weil, of the boat "After You", e-mailed
me the following info on the Super Bowl commercials:
If
you missed any of the Super Bowl commercials you can see them on AOL Sports at
http://sports.aol.com/nfl/superbowlads?sem=1&ncid=AOLSPR00170000000011
Darryll
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Another
Caribbean Connection ------ I added another Caribbean
Connection link www.orvbridger.com.
It really don't have anything to do with the river, but when a bunch of the
River Rats vacationed in Negril, Jamaica earlier this winter, this guy played
tunes for us all night long on New Years Eve. Orv is a good friend
of mine and the resident guitar player / singer at Margaritaville in NegriI.
He lives on the island 6 to 8 months a year and heads back to Canada in the
Summer when it is warm enough to wear shorts..
Listen to some of his
tunes...He has included one on my favorites " A Pirate Looks At 40"
for your listening pleasure.
Take a look at the photos. There is one of Orv and his boss, Jimmy
Buffett....and....I am actually in one of them ~ laying down on the
patio during a Beer Drinking Contest at the Beach Club a few years
back.
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Portage
Boat Works ------ Captain Glenn Sadowski, out of
Woodland Harbor, sent us some photos of a brand new wooden boat that a company
right here in our own backyard is building. Glen wrote in his
e-mail:
Hi
Bill,
It
was good to see you at Sharky's Super Bowl party this evening.
Attached is a photo
that I took last Tuesday. You might recognize Woodland's very own lovely boat
model, Dana. Look for this boat and the photos that I took of it at the
upcoming St. Louis Boat and Sportshow. It's a fine example of "Great
American Craftsmanship" going on right in our own back yard in
Portage Des Sioux, MO. I have also attached a flyer
describing these local entrepreneurs.
Best
Regards Always,
Glenn
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Sunday....
February 05, 2006 ----Welcome to Super Bowl Day !
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is a
wonderful sunset as seen from the outside deck at Sharky's floating Restaurant
late yesterday afternoon. At the moment this shot was taken the
sun was in a clear spot between the cloud line and the trees on Enterprise
Island. Sharky's is on Dardenne Slough at the UMR 222.5 mile marker.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was on www.riverbills.com
last year this time ? It was a shot of a flock of River Gulls lined
up on a dike just above Palisades with those chalky white limestone bluffs in
the background. What a shot ! Click
Here
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Super
Bowl is this Sunday ---- A bunch of the River Crew is
watching the game at Sharky's. Stop by and watch the game with us.
Click
here for more information
Phone
(636) 250-3003
Website www.sharkyscove.net
River
Bill says........ See you there !
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Saturday....
February 04, 2006 ----Welcome to Super Bowl
Weekend !
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CLICK
ON THE PICTURES ABOVE TO ENLARGE
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Our
River Pictures of the Day
..... were taken
by Betty Bannister. They are photos of the progress at Grafton
Harbor. I have had these since early January, but they got lost in
my "Inbox" some how along with a few other e-mails.
Betty sent us a picture of a spectacular sunset over Grafton Harbor, some of
the harbor progress and a close up of an eagle. Great shots !
River
Bill says....Thanks for the pictures and the pictorial harbor update
Betty....Please send us more !
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was on www.riverbills.com
last year this time ? It was a birds eye view of the rusting Towboat
America when it was moored on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River
just below Winfield Dam. This photo taken by Steve
Schulte. The towboat has since been moved up the Illinois River near
Kampsville,IL.
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Friday....
February 03, 2006 ----Welcome to Super Bowl
Weekend !
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... was sent in by
Captain Carl Seidler. It's a shot of the Grafton
Ferry, a tow and maybe an eagle . Carl took this one last Sunday and
you can tell that the weather was really nice by all of the passengers
standing out on the ferry deck, enjoying the ride and the afternoon.
River
Bill says.....Thanks for the great river picture Carl.
This is the first entry into the Grafton Ferry picture contest for February.
Send us your picture of the ferry for the chance to win two free passes.
For more info, see below..
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was on www.riverbills.com
last year this time ? It was an eagle
looking at the fish he just snatched out of the river. Another
great shot by Captain (of the camera) Pat Reid of Crystal
Photography Go to the Archives
, scroll down to February 3 and check out the entire series of pictures of
this eagle swooping down on his prey, snatching it out of the water and then
looking to see what kind of dinner he just caught.
These pictures are so good they belong in National Geographic !
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Pere
Marquette Park Eagle Watching Programs ------
There was an article about the eagle watching programs at Pere Marquette State
Park in STLtoday.com. Click
here to check it out.
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Thursday....
February 02, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... is an artist
rendition of Ma
Belle all restored to her former glory. You remember how she looked
in the picture
we posted on 11 Jan 2006, rusting away in that old harbor off of
Dardenne Slough. Pat Reid of Crystal
Photography repainted the old scow for us to give everyone an idea of how
she used to look. I would have to say she was a fine looking boat in her
day.
There was some interest expressed in the old boat on the message board and I
noticed one guy, Richard Sievers, seemed to know a lot about
her. I contacted him and ask if he had some additional
information or a story about Ma Belle. He submitted the following account
about the boat, the little old man that used to own her and one adventurous
day at the harbor...... Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Hi
Bill,
We
knew Morris because he was on the same dock as us out at South Shore. He was a
neat old guy. He was a very proud Merchant Marine in W.W.II and kept a lot of
his citations on Ma Belle and had lots of stories of "those days".
He was very proud of the Ma Belle and actually wanted, when he died, to be
buried on it, having it sunk in some deep hole on the river. ..The authorities
didn't think much of his idea.
You
were asking for a story. I don't know if this is what you're looking for, or
if this is funny or not or just one of those " You just had to be
there" things, but I'll send it along and you can edit it, delete it, or
what ever you want with it.
The Ma Belle is a custom made boat built in the 1940's in St. Louis for some
guy whose last name was Stork. It is all steel and of course heavy.
-Very
heavy, 26 tons worth. It was also powered by a single diesel engine, that
sounded like an old ringer washing machine when it ran, to one single screw.
It has one, and only one rudder, Therefore, at slow speeds making steerage was
nearly impossible. Now South Shore is a fairly small marina, and when Morris
first came there he was already in his 80's and a bent over little old man,
and not completely familiar with the boat. One day, shortly after he had come
there, he decided that he wanted to take the "old girl" out for a
spin. It was a nice day and a lot of fellow boaters were out there as
well. He backed out of his slip just fine, but it became quickly obvious that
getting it turned and headed in the right direction was going to be daunting
to say the least. We were over on the other side of the harbor and watched in
horror as Morris came within spitting distance of a boat. Everybody quickly
got up and started helping him try to fend off, but fending off 26 tons of
ship steel is like trying to fend a Burlington Northern locomotive onto a
rail siding with your bare hands. So everyone starts yelling at the poor old
geezer with their ideas of what he needs to do to rectify the situation. As
you can imagine, the Ma Belle was all over the place and every time it would
head for someone's boat, the entire cast and crew of the docks would run full
tilt down the dock in a scene reminiscent of the movie Airplane when the
plane was landing and everybody ran from gate to gate to where he was headed
with arms out and voices raised in a cacophony of " Morris port!
Morris
starboard! Morris back, throttle Morris,
Forward Morris, No Morris!, the other
way Morris!" One time as it swung around, I could see Morris at the
controls and his eyes were the size of dinner plates, and he was working the
controls like Dr. Frankenstein's Igor and was spinning the wheel so fast it
looked like the wheel was going one way and the hand pegs the other!
Amazingly, he never hit a boat, but did put a few kisses on the dock fingers
like a big pinball, which always brought out a recitation of the vowels of the
alphabet, (AAY, EEEee, aye,aye,aye, OH, OH, Yeww!). We finally got
him pointed in the right direction and chugging toward the mouth of the
harbor. In a last insult, a large tree had floated down river and lodged
itself across the left side of the harbor mouth. Everyone watched with an
aghast blank look on their face as Ma Belle sailed right into it and broke a 10-12
inch around piece of the tree off without missing a beat in a monstrous
crrraakk, and out into the river he went. At least he cleared a hole for
everyone else. The rest of us finally inhaled and decided it would be a very
good time to change underwear and go for a boat ride before he got back and
our insurance premiums went up. Most everybody went out and eventually found
him chugging back towards the harbor. It looked like he had a V.I.P. escort.
Of course, no one was going in before him, so everyone else went their way
again for a while. Later on we found the remaining people in the harbor had to
help him get back in the slip in a similar, but not quite as bad scene. After
that, he brought out some friend who was pretty good at skippering the Ma
Belle, much to our relief.
-And that is how boaters learn to drink.
Richard
Sievers
River Bill says.......What a well written story ! I can close my
eyes and almost see the whole thing taking place. Thanks so much for
sharing your memories with us Rick.
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was on www.riverbills.com
last year this time ? It was an eagle cruising along, with his wing
tips "up", right above the surface of the Mississippi River with the
Alton Riverfront in the background. What a shot ! Click
here
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Finally...Some
more Jamaica Daze 2005 photo's ------
Click
here and check them out. More soon to come !
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Bald
Eagle Released Back Into Wild At Brussels ------ A bald
eagle that had been shot last year was released back into the wild last week
at the Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge near Brussels, IL. Go to the on-line
Alton Telegraph to read the story.
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Missouri
Water Patrol Officers In The Off Season ------ Did you
ever wonder what Water Patrol Officers do in the off season ?
According to a News Release from Water Patrol District One (West Central
Missouri), three of their officers are assisting the Highway Patrol's Division
of Drug and Crime Control. Go to Missouri State
Water Patrol News Release N07060004 to read the news release..
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Jan
2006 Visitor Stats ------
are here. 17,572 unique
visits, up just a little from last month. Click
here to view the visitor stats chart.
Thanks
for all of your support !
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Wednesday....
February 01, 2006
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Our
River Picture of the Day
..... a picture of the flag
on the sailboat Dazzler, owned by Denny
and Reggie Heisler, who have given up boating
on the Mississippi for a while to sail the Caribbean ! No one knows
how long they will be gone....some say only months and others say years maybe
!
Anyway, I added a new link in the left hand column named "Caribbean
Connections" and the first connection is to the www.sailingdazzler.com
website. Denny and Reggie are going to keep all of their river friends
up to date with what is going on in their Caribbean adventure......Pictures,
journals and more. Check It Out !
River Bill says.......A lot of people talk it...Denny and Reggie are doing
it. Hats off to them both !
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Last
Year's River Picture On This Day ------
What the heck was on www.riverbills.com
last year this time ? It was another Caribbean Connection.... a picture of some of the
River crew at Jimmy Buffetts Margaritaville in Negril, Jamaica last
January. Click
here
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We
Have A Winner of the 2 Free Passes to The St. Louis Boat Show. ...............
Fred Paolicchi !
Fred was the first one to e-mail me the correct answer. Cobalt
makes 15 different models of boats. Stop by Dri-Port
Marine and check them out.
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~~~ RiverBill's Archives~~~
