TUESDAY
31 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
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Welcome
New Advertiser !
CRANCER INSURANCE AGENCY
YOUR
LOCAL INDEPENDENT INSURANCE
AGENCY IN ST. LOUIS, TRUSTED SINCE 1980
Crancer Insurance Agency has been providing the
Missouri, Illinois and Texas areas with all types of insurance
since its establishment in 1980. We are dedicated to finding
each client a customized insurance plan that fits their specific
budget and needs. We provide insurance for auto, home, life,
health, boat,
motorcycle, commercial and much more!
Crancer Insurance Agency specializes in Boat Insurance in St.
Louis
Click
here
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Portage des
Sioux Moon
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
click pic to
enlarge
The Picture of the Day ..... was sent to us by
Dorothy Miller who hails out of Portage des Sioux, Mo....
Dorothy snapped this picture about 12:30AM Monday morning.
What a neat shot !
Shooting
Stars
Meteor
Activity Outlook for March 28 - April 3, 2020...
click here
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The Boathouse
is
TEMPORALLY CLOSED
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
All
Music Has Been Cancelled Due To The Covid19
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click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
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First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
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Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
Pool 26 of the Mississippi
River
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2018..... were sent to Andy Dallwitz
of My River Home Boat Harbor & Resort
Bill,
Alex and Rob just raised an old steel hull Chris Craft that came
with the marina. She had been underneath a dock finger since the
Rat Run. The guys got her up after working two days using four
3" pumps and two 2" pumps.
Andy Dallwaitz
Note:
"My River Home Boat Harbor & Resort" is now "Longshot Marina."
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Get Away From It All
Practice Social
Distancing in a BOAT
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
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More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
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River News
!
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
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Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH
25, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Pool 15 (Mile
493.2 Mile 482.9),
Pool 17 (Mile
457.1 Mile 437.1),
Pool 18 (Mile
437.0 Mile 410.5),
Pool 20 (Mile
364.1 Mile 343.2),
Pool 22 (Mile
324.8 Mile 301.2),
Pool 24 (Mile
301.1 Mile 273.4),
Pool 25 (Mile
273.3 Mile 241.4) and
Pool 26 (Mile
241.1 Mile 200.5).
Down-streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel
is equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has
a minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 6
Copperas (Mile 145.5 Mile 129.0),
Zone 5 Havana
(Mile 128.9 Mile 102.0),
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3),
Zone 3
Meredosia (Mile 80.2 Mile 50.0),
Zone 2 Hardin
(Mile 49.9 Mile 10.0) and
Zone 1
Grafton (Mile 9.0 Mile 0.0). High water and drift potential
may be encountered in this area. Mariners are advised to
minimize wake and exercise caution. Avoid laying up on saturated
levees. Mariners should be experienced in high water conditions
and avoid down-streaming operations if possible. Mariners should
remain vigilant to an increase in debris and maneuver
appropriately. Be aware that a buildup of debris in fleeting
areas may have occurred and take appropriate actions to prevent
breakaways. Exercise caution in all meeting and overtaking
situations, as swift currents may be present. Navigational buoys
may have been dragged off station, so remain cautious while
transiting.
MISSOURI RIVER
The following areas
are in the high water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP
Annex:
Jefferson Reach
(Mile 200.0 Mile 100.0) and
Washington Reach
(Mile 100.0 Mile 0.0).
Recreational vessel
traffic is highly discouraged. Towboat operators should
exercise caution, minimize wake where possible and be
experienced in high water operations as extreme high water and
drift may be experienced. Exercise caution when down-streaming,
be aware of bridge clearances prior to transit and favor the
center of the channel. Mariners should pre-identify suitable
lay-up areas in the event of a river closure and avoid laying up
on levees. Fleeting areas should have a towboat attend fleets at
all times and have a breakaway plan in place. Aids to navigation
may have been dragged off station, damaged or destroyed, so
remain cautious while transiting.
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
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RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,892 members as of
03-31-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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Monday April 13, 2020
Missouri Flood Recovery
Flood Recovery Advisory Meeting Will Be
Online........
The Flood Recovery Advisory Working Group in
Jefferson City, Mo has announced that they will be hosting a
meeting at 1 pm on Monday, April 13th.
Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19,
this meeting will be open to the public only online. The public
will be able to make comments during the meeting.
The meeting will be broadcast live online and
recorded for later viewing. The FRAWG will announce a call-in
number during the public comment portion of the meeting........
Click here
to read this news article from kfvs12.com.
With Photo.
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Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time. Check it out:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
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Reprinted from Lewis Boats Facrbook...
click here.
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Hide Away Harbor Park Closed
Mississippi River Near Portage des Sioux,
Mo........
Reprinted from St. Charles County Parks Facrbook...
click here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Two Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at Louisiana, Mo
Virtual Sale Still Going On Until
Friday........
Reprinted from Two
Rivers Facebook...
click here
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World Wide Marine Training LLC
Classes To Be Rescheduled........
WE AT WORLD WIDE MARINE TRAINING WANT TO WISH
EVERYONE GOOD HEALTH AT THIS TIME.
WE WILL BE OPERATING OUR BUSINESS FROM OUR HOMES. CALL US . ANY
CLASSES THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED DURING THE CURRENT MONTH
AND THE NEXT MONTH WILL BE RESCHEDULED JUST AS SOON AS OUR
STATES DETERMINE IT IS SAFE. WE WILL REMAIN IN CLOSE CONTACT BY
PHONE WITH YOU. PLEASE STAY SAFE.
CAPTAIN DONNA PEASE 252-249-2135 OR 252-670-2038........
Reprinted from World Wide marine Training Facrbook...
click here.
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
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Lake Of The Ozarks
The Spring Harbor Hop Has Been
Cancelled........
For the past 23 years, the Spring Harbor Hop
has ushered in the start of the boating season at the Lake of
the Ozarks. This year, the event has been cancelled, as
concerns over the coronavirus have extended into May.
The Harbor Hop is organized by the Lake of
the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau, and Tim Jacobsen, the
CVB Executive Director says that the decision to call off the
event was a tough one.
Jacobsen says that there is more to planning
the Harbor Hop than people realize, with having to coordinate
with between 40 and 50 waterfront locations and 100 dealers.
The event is typically held on the first
weekend in May, and is basically a giant poker game on the
water. Participants stop at participating establishments,
collect cards to form a poker hand, which is turned in for
prizes for the best and worst hands........
Click here
to read this news article from lakeexpo.com.
With Photo.
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Lake Of The Ozarks
Bagnell Dam Running At Full
Generation........
The springtime rains have arrived at the
Lake, and the operators of the Bagnell Dam have been running the
dam at full, or near-full generation all day, every day in order
to keep up.
As of 10 am Monday morning, the level of the
Lake was 655.6 feet, and the level of the Osage River was 567.65
feet. The level of Truman Lake was just over 717 feet.
More rainfall is in the forecast Tuesday and
this coming weekend, so the Bagnell Dam operators are expecting
to run heavy generation all week........
Click here
to read more from lakeexpo.com. With
Photo.
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Marine Jobs
Surroundings Trade Only....
A few of the jobs listed this week include:
~ Boat Deliveries - Koch Marine
~ Parts Dept Manager-All Island Marine Corp
~ District Sales Manager TX, LA District - Suzuki
Check out the marine jobs on the Trade
Only Job Board...
click here
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River
History....
31 March 1973 in River History
Flood of 1973
The Mississippi River, at St. Louis, reached it's peak flood level during
the record breaking 77 day flood.
The extended flood caused more than $1 billion in damages and 33 deaths.
The cause of the 1973 flood is attributed to above average rain fall that
started in October 1972 in the river basins that feed river. More than
normal amouts of water flowed down the river throughout the winter, setting
the stage for major flooding when the March rains started.
Most of the Midwest was already saturated, the Mighty Mississippi began
rising and inundating communities along the river. The worst came in early
April when many levees failed south of St. Louis and the river claimed 6
million acres of ground......
Source.... This Day in History.com
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Lake Of The Ozarks
High Winds Swamp Two Boats........
This past weekend's warmer temperatures at
the Lake of the Ozarks were accompanied by powerful wind gusts
that blasted through the area. For two boaters, the wind was
more than their boats could handle.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports
that around 2:45 pm Saturday afternoon, 53 year old Robert
Lachance was running a 1983 Polar 16 foot aluminum boat near the
52 Mile Marker, when high winds created waves that swamped
Lachance's boat, causing it to capsize. Lachance and at least
one other passenger were tossed into the water. While they were
not wearing life jackets, they were able to re-board the vessel,
which was safely towed to shore.
Around 11 am Sunday morning, 61 year old
David Voss was running an 18 foot 2014 Xpress aluminum boat near
the 3.9 Mile Marker of the Gravois Arm, when he encountered high
winds. Voss turned the boat around but it began taking on water
and sank. Voss was wearing a life jacket. Reportedly, he was
some 200 yards from shore, and had been in the water for some
time before another boater spotted him and rescued him. Lake
Tow towed the boat to shore........
Click here
to read this news article from lakeexpo.com.
With Photo.
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Potomac River Near Washington D.C.
Boat Does Doughnuts After Man Thrown
Overboard........
At around noon on Sunday, a boat began doing
doughnuts in the Potomac River after hitting a wave that threw
the boat's pilot into the water.
A passerby helped the man get out of the
water and brought him to shore. Responders were able to gain
control of the empty boat while it continued to turn circles in
the river near Washington D.C.'s Georgetown neighborhood........
Click here
to read this news
tidbit from semissourian.com.
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Cruise Ship News
Carnival Corp Suspends Voyages To May
15th........
On Monday, Cunard, the operator of Carnival
Corp's luxury cruise ships announced that they would be
extending the suspension of all cruises to May 15th, due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
Simon Palethorpe, president of Cunard says
that the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak are affecting personal
routines, businesses and restricting travel around the globe.
Cunard has extended their shutdown from April
11 to May 15th. They will be offering a 125 percent credit for
future cruises to travelers affected by the current cruise
suspension........
Click here
to read this news report from marinelink.com.
With Photo.
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
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What's Going On This Week |
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3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
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Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
03-24-20
Temporarily Closed
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
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bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
03-24-20
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available for
rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and delivery
soon, but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
Website...N/A
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
03/20/2020
Calhoun Ferry Companys priority is
the health and safety of our crew and passengers.
We received a call today from the U.S. Coast Guard advising us
that all passengers will be required to stay in their vehicles
when crossing the ferry. This is in response to the restrictions
placed on gatherings of 10 or more people. This will remain in
effect until the restrictions are lifted.
We are cleaning and disinfecting all crew areas and all ferry
passes as we receive them.
Starting tomorrow 03/21/2020 we will be reducing our hours to
eliminate the late night shift on Friday and Saturday. This will
remain in effect until the restrictions are lifted. Hours will
be Monday through Saturday 5am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
We will all get through this together by working together for a
better tomorrow. Stay safe!
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
03-24-20
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster Bar are
"Closed."
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
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Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
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Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-24-20
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they tell us to
close.
We are very careful about things.
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
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Reprinted from Lewis Boats Facrbook...
click here.
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Longshot
Marina
Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Longshot Saloon..Opening May 2, 2020
03-24-20
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
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Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
03-24-20
As a family and small
business, we are here to support our community!
Riviera Too will be offering a sack lunch for children under the
age of 18, accompanied by a parent, between 11am-12pm Monday
through Friday. The lunch includes a turkey or ham sandwich, a
bag of chips, and a cookie.
Thanks, RT
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
03-23-20
St. Charles Boat & Motor update:
Due to the unprecedented time that
the country is experiencing, we are implementing some additions
to our normal routine:
At this time, we remain open for business, operating with a
small staff. For the safety of our customers, our staff, and our
families, in addition to our normal operations, we are offering
some alternative means of interacting with us as well for both
purchasing products (from parts to a new boat) and for your
service needs.
If youd like to shop any new or used inventory with us with
minimized social interaction, we can schedule individual
appointments or send you a virtual video tour of a unit. You can
always shop our inventory on our website as well, at
www.stcharlesboat.com. We currently have some huge discounts
on our in stock inventory! If youre interested in a private
appointment, please e-mail us at zeke@stcharlesboat.com or you
can call us at 636-947-0106 during normal business hours.
For your service needs, we can schedule a touchless drop off and
pick-up with you. For touchless drop off or pick-up, e-mail
Jerry at jerry@stcharlesboat.com or Zeke at zeke@stcharlesboat.com
for scheduling and instructions.
We realize that this too will pass and we can return to a more
normal routine, which means getting back to boating for many of
us!
We will keep our customers updated by posting on our
website and
Facebook page.
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
Mar 27 Apr 4
Virtual Spring Inventory Destockage Sale
02-27-20 Update..
Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
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Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
Wood marina Spring Promotion
Attention - New Slip Customers
50% Off Any Available Slip
03-24-20
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020 |
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Andy
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
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Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
|
Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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MONDAY
30 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
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Welcome
New Advertiser !
CRANCER INSURANCE AGENCY
YOUR
LOCAL INDEPENDENT INSURANCE
AGENCY IN ST. LOUIS, TRUSTED SINCE 1980
Crancer Insurance Agency has been providing the
Missouri, Illinois and Texas areas with all types of insurance
since its establishment in 1980. We are dedicated to finding
each client a customized insurance plan that fits their specific
budget and needs. We provide insurance for auto, home, life,
health, boat,
motorcycle, commercial and much more!
Crancer Insurance Agency specializes in Boat Insurance in St.
Louis
Click
here
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Grafton Flag
and Ferry Landing
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
click pic to
enlarge
The Pictures of the Day ..... were sent to us by
Capt'n Rick Skiles...
Hi Bill,
My wife & I were out cursing and ended up at the ferry landing.
The river was angry, pics of Grafton flag & landing. Water is
over Grafton Ferry Road about 10 - 12 inches
Thanks for your sight, gives all us rats hope.
Rick Skiles
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Social
Distancing
click pic to
enlarge
The Picture of the Day ..... was sent to us by
Kayla Zeller
Social Distancing is done best
when you run out in front!
Photo from
Performance Propeller Facebook...
click here |
|
Social
Distancing
click pic to
enlarge
The Picture of the Day ..... is from the
Boathouse Food and Deck WebCam
Plenty of space to
Social Distance
out here !
Be safe and follow the current guidelines on social
distancing...
Don't create crowded beaches !
We sure do not want the
river shut down to recreational boating.
Go to
www.RiverWebCams.com
for the last 10 pictures from
camera |
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The Boathouse
is CLOSED
through
Thursday April 2
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
April Music Schedule..
click here
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday
with bands every Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday
afternoons.
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click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
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First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
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Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
St. Louis Yacht
Club
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River on Dardenne Slough
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2019..... was sent to us by Capt'n John Love
Hi Bill,
Here's a picture of St Louis Yacht Club Friday night. Still high
and dry. Last club standing!
John Love
Duck Club
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Get Away From It All
Practice Social
Distancing in a BOAT
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
|
More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
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River News
!
|
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
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Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH
25, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Pool 15 (Mile
493.2 Mile 482.9),
Pool 17 (Mile
457.1 Mile 437.1),
Pool 18 (Mile
437.0 Mile 410.5),
Pool 20 (Mile
364.1 Mile 343.2),
Pool 22 (Mile
324.8 Mile 301.2),
Pool 24 (Mile
301.1 Mile 273.4),
Pool 25 (Mile
273.3 Mile 241.4) and
Pool 26 (Mile
241.1 Mile 200.5).
Down-streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel
is equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has
a minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 6
Copperas (Mile 145.5 Mile 129.0),
Zone 5 Havana
(Mile 128.9 Mile 102.0),
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3),
Zone 3
Meredosia (Mile 80.2 Mile 50.0),
Zone 2 Hardin
(Mile 49.9 Mile 10.0) and
Zone 1
Grafton (Mile 9.0 Mile 0.0). High water and drift potential
may be encountered in this area. Mariners are advised to
minimize wake and exercise caution. Avoid laying up on saturated
levees. Mariners should be experienced in high water conditions
and avoid down-streaming operations if possible. Mariners should
remain vigilant to an increase in debris and maneuver
appropriately. Be aware that a buildup of debris in fleeting
areas may have occurred and take appropriate actions to prevent
breakaways. Exercise caution in all meeting and overtaking
situations, as swift currents may be present. Navigational buoys
may have been dragged off station, so remain cautious while
transiting.
MISSOURI RIVER
The following areas
are in the high water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP
Annex:
Jefferson Reach
(Mile 200.0 Mile 100.0) and
Washington Reach
(Mile 100.0 Mile 0.0).
Recreational vessel
traffic is highly discouraged. Towboat operators should
exercise caution, minimize wake where possible and be
experienced in high water operations as extreme high water and
drift may be experienced. Exercise caution when down-streaming,
be aware of bridge clearances prior to transit and favor the
center of the channel. Mariners should pre-identify suitable
lay-up areas in the event of a river closure and avoid laying up
on levees. Fleeting areas should have a towboat attend fleets at
all times and have a breakaway plan in place. Aids to navigation
may have been dragged off station, damaged or destroyed, so
remain cautious while transiting.
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
|
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RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,892 members as of
03-30-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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Missouri Flooding News
Spring Flooding Has Arrived In
Missouri........
Spring flooding has arrived in Missouri, as
the Missouri, Meramec and Bourbeuse Rivers all rose out of their
banks within the past week.
In Washington, Missouri, the Missouri River
crested twice above the 20 foot flood stage. On March 21, the
Missouri River rose to 22.05 feet. It fell down to near flood
stage before cresting again at 21.49 feet last Tuesday.
On March 20, the Meramec River rose to 13.19
feet on Sullivan's Gauge in Crawford County. It crested again
at 13.68 on Wednesday, March 25th. Flood stage is 11 feet.
On March 21, the Bourbeuse River in Union
crested at 15.29 feet. after falling to around 5 feet, it
crested again on Thursday at 10.88 feet. Flood stage at Union
is 15 feet........
Click here
to read more from emissourian.com.
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Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time. Check it out:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
|
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Looking Up The
Mississippi River At Aitkin, Minnesota
National Weather Service Issues Flood
Warning ........
Recent rainfall, warmer temperatures and
snowmelt have combined to cause strong rises along the Upper
reaches of the Mississippi River.
The National Weather Service in Duluth,
Minnesota has issued a flood warning for the Mississippi River
at Aitkin, Minnesota, as they expect the river to rise this
week.
As of 7:30 pm Sunday, the Mississippi River
was at 12.5 feet, with a flood stage of 13 feet. The river is
forecasted to rise to 14.2 feet by Thursday morning........
Click here
to read this news tidbit from brainerddispatch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aitkin, MN is about 130 miles north of St. Paul, MN
St. Paul is forecasted to rise to "Minor" Flood Stage by the end
of the week
As of 4:00AM 3-30-20
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Looking Down the
Mississippi River Southern, IL and Southern, MO
Cape Girardeau, New Madrid and Thebes
........
On Sunday, the National Weather Service in
Paducah, Kentucky continued the flood warning for the
Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau and New Madrid in Missouri
and Thebes in Illinois.
Minor to moderate flooding will continue.
The Mississippi River is forecasted to remain fairly steady for
the next several days prior to beginning a slow fall.
The flood warning for the Mississippi River
at New Madrid will remain in effect until further notice. As of
11 am Sunday morning, the Mississippi River was at 39.3 feet.
Flood stage is 34.0 feet. Minor flooding is in the
forecast........
Source: wsiltv.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cape Girardeau is about 115 miles south of St. Louis
Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, Mo
Click here
As of 4:30AM 3-30-20
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
|
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Got Some Time On Your Hands ?
Take an on-line Boating Course........
Official Missouri Boating Safety Course
Online
Take this Missouriapproved course to
complete your online boating safety education
Click here for more information
Illinois DNR Safety
Boating Safety Education
Click here for more information
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River
History....
30 March 2018 in River History
Mississippi River at St. Louis
Work crews slide a 2,165 foot long, 20 million pound section of the east
bound lanes of the Poplar Street Bridge nine feet south so as additional
lanes could be added to the existing bridge structure rather than building
an entirely new bridge.
The Missouri Department of Transportation reported that the span was moved
at a rate of about 10 inches per hour. The move was completed in one day
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Missouri River Near Booneville,
Missouri
MSHP Searching For Man In The
River........
On Sunday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol
announced that they are searching for a man in his 30s who went
into the Missouri River.
Around 11:40 am Sunday, a Missouri State
Highway Patrol Trooper saw what appeared to be a motorist assist
on the Missouri River Bridge.
As the Trooper approached the vehicle, the
man jumped over the side of the bridge. He resurfaced briefly
before disappearing. Responders searched for the man on land,
water and in the air........
Click here
to read this news story from abc17news.com.
With Photo.
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Ribbon Cutting took place Sept 4, 2018
Ohio River Near Olmstead, Illinois
The Olmstead Locks & Dam Project
Received National Award........
The Olmstead Locks and Dam project along the
Ohio River near Olmstead, Illinois recently was named one of the
American Society of Civil Engineers' top 10 outstanding
engineering projects.
Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Louisville District received the Outstanding Civil
Engineering Achievement Honor Award on March 13th during a
ceremony in Washington D.C..
The Corps learned about the award after the
American Society of Civil Engineers decided to contact the
district to write an article about the project. It was then
selected as one of the top 10 outstanding engineering projects.
The $3 billion Olmstead project was necessary
for keeping America's waterways moving by eliminating two
bottlenecks at two antiquated Locks........
Click here
to read this news article from waterwaysjournal.net.
With Photo.
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
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What's Going On This Week |
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3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
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Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
03-24-20
Temporarily Closed
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
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bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
03-24-20
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available for
rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and delivery
soon, but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
Website...N/A
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
03/20/2020
Calhoun Ferry Companys priority is
the health and safety of our crew and passengers.
We received a call today from the U.S. Coast Guard advising us
that all passengers will be required to stay in their vehicles
when crossing the ferry. This is in response to the restrictions
placed on gatherings of 10 or more people. This will remain in
effect until the restrictions are lifted.
We are cleaning and disinfecting all crew areas and all ferry
passes as we receive them.
Starting tomorrow 03/21/2020 we will be reducing our hours to
eliminate the late night shift on Friday and Saturday. This will
remain in effect until the restrictions are lifted. Hours will
be Monday through Saturday 5am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
We will all get through this together by working together for a
better tomorrow. Stay safe!
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
03-24-20
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster Bar are
"Closed."
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
|
Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
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Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-24-20
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they tell us to
close.
We are very careful about things.
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
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Longshot
Marina
Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Longshot Saloon..Opening May 2, 2020
03-24-20
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
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Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
03-24-20
As a family and small
business, we are here to support our community!
Riviera Too will be offering a sack lunch for children under the
age of 18, accompanied by a parent, between 11am-12pm Monday
through Friday. The lunch includes a turkey or ham sandwich, a
bag of chips, and a cookie.
Thanks, RT
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
03-23-20
St. Charles Boat & Motor update:
Due to the unprecedented time that
the country is experiencing, we are implementing some additions
to our normal routine:
At this time, we remain open for business, operating with a
small staff. For the safety of our customers, our staff, and our
families, in addition to our normal operations, we are offering
some alternative means of interacting with us as well for both
purchasing products (from parts to a new boat) and for your
service needs.
If youd like to shop any new or used inventory with us with
minimized social interaction, we can schedule individual
appointments or send you a virtual video tour of a unit. You can
always shop our inventory on our website as well, at
www.stcharlesboat.com. We currently have some huge discounts
on our in stock inventory! If youre interested in a private
appointment, please e-mail us at zeke@stcharlesboat.com or you
can call us at 636-947-0106 during normal business hours.
For your service needs, we can schedule a touchless drop off and
pick-up with you. For touchless drop off or pick-up, e-mail
Jerry at jerry@stcharlesboat.com or Zeke at zeke@stcharlesboat.com
for scheduling and instructions.
We realize that this too will pass and we can return to a more
normal routine, which means getting back to boating for many of
us!
We will keep our customers updated by posting on our
website and
Facebook page.
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
Mar 27 Apr 4
Virtual Spring Inventory Destockage Sale
02-27-20 Update..
Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
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Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
Wood marina Spring Promotion
Attention - New Slip Customers
50% Off Any Available Slip
03-24-20
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020 |
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Andy
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
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Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
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Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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THE WEEKEND
Sat, Sun..28, 29 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
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Welcome
New Advertiser !
CRANCER INSURANCE AGENCY
YOUR
LOCAL INDEPENDENT INSURANCE
AGENCY IN ST. LOUIS, TRUSTED SINCE 1980
Crancer Insurance Agency has been providing the
Missouri, Illinois and Texas areas with all types of insurance
since its establishment in 1980. We are dedicated to finding
each client a customized insurance plan that fits their specific
budget and needs. We provide insurance for auto, home, life,
health, boat,
motorcycle, commercial and much more!
Crancer Insurance Agency specializes in Boat Insurance in St.
Louis
Click
here
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Lou's Happy Birthday Sunset
Dardenne Slough of Pool 26 of
the Mississippi River
Sun Pic
click pic to
enlarge
The Picture of the Day ..... was sent to us by Capt'n
Lou Lenkman of the cruiser... Willpower
Sunset on the Dardenne Slough
just for my
Birthday
YAHOO !
RiverBill says... Happy Birthday Lou |
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Meanwhile...
1,576 Miles
South of St. Louis from
Negril Beach
on
the
Caribbean Sea
Sat Pic
click pic to
enlarge
The Picture of the Day ..... was posted on
Facebook by my friend Armi Mac, who spends most of her winter in
Negril, Jamaica
Friday's Sunset
RiverBill says...
Wow, what a great picture Armi. Thanks for letting us repost it
!
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Pool 26 of the Mississippi
River
Sat Pic
click pic to
enlarge
The Picture of the Day ..... was sent to us by Capt'n
Brad Maher who hails out of the Alton Motorboat Club...
Thursday Sunset
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Duck Blind Island
Pool 26 of the Mississippi
River
Sat Pic
click pic to
enlarge
The Picturs of the Day ..... was sent to us by Capt'n
Brad Maher who hails out of the Alton Motorboat Club...
New Flag on DB Island
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RiverBills Stuff Sighting
Cape Coral,
Florida
Sat Pic
Click pic to enlarge
A RiverBills Visor
Sighting.....
was sent to us by Capt'n Gary Meinershagen who hails out
of the Yacht Club of St. Louis in the houseboat...... Beads
First photo
Captain Joe Grygiel, who hails out of the Duck Club, with his
son Zak.
Second
photo
Future Captain Zak at the helm sporting a RiverBills visor this
past weekend while staying warm in Cape Coral Fl.
RiverBills Sticker Sighting Page
Click here and check it out...
RiverBill says... Thanks for taking RiverBills with you
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The Boathouse
is CLOSED
through
Thursday April 2
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
April Music Schedule..
click here
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday
with bands every Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday
afternoons.
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click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
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First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
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Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
Dock Dynasty
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River at Eagle's Landing
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2015.....
It's Brian and the "Tree Man"
in front of Dock Dynasty
Look at that wild tree hair !
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Get Away From It All
Practice Social
Distancing in a BOAT
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
|
More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
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River News
!
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Added Sunday
Reader Commentary........
Ahoy Bill,
Perhaps the thanks for a job well done don't flow your way often
enough. However, consider this my thanks to you for keeping your
website up and running with relevant and entertaining postings.
Each morning I click on to get my daily update on all things
related to river happenings. With all that is going on currently
it sure is great to relax with a cup of coffee and let you guide
us through our waterways.
Take care, Skipper.
We'll see you around the bend.
Arlie Appler
Thanks so much for
the kind words Arlie.
RiverBill and crew
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Added Sunday
Bangert Island on thr Missouri River at St. Charles
Riverport Development........
Reprinted from Great Rivers Habitat
Alliance Facebook
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Added Sunday
The Boathouse Update for 2020
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River........
Reprinted
from the Boathouse Facebook ...
click here
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Added Sunday
Mississippi River at Hannibal, Mo
Flood Gates Installed........
Reprinted from WGEM.com ...
click here
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Added Sunday
Illinois River Near Ottawa, Illinois
Flood Watch Is In Effect Until
Tuesday........
The National Weather Service in Chicago,
Illinois has issued a flood watch for the Illinois River in
Ottawa, Illinois. it will be in effect through Tuesday evening,
and covers the Illinois River from Heritage Harbor, east of
Ottawa downstream to the Starved Rock Lock and Dam.
This weekend's storms raised the possibility
of minor flooding along the Illinois River. Flood stage may be
reached by Sunday evening.
A flood watch has also been issued for the
Illinois River near La Salle, Illinois. The Illinois River is
expected to rise two feet above flood stage, which will cover
the lower parking lot at Starved Rock State Park........
Click here
to read this news report from mywebtimes.com.
With Photo.
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Added Sunday
Mississippi And Rock Rivers In The Quad
Cities
The Mississippi And Rock Rivers Headed
Over Flood Stage This Week........
This coming week, both the Mississippi and
Rock Rivers are expected to rise will beyond flood stages, as
heavy rainfall inundated both the Rock and Mississippi River
basins over the weekend.
On Saturday, hydrologist Jessica Brooks with
the National Weather Service in Moline, Illinois said that the
Rock River at Moline is expected to crest at 14.5 feet on
Tuesday. Flood stage for the Rock River at Moline is 12 feet.
As of 7:30 pm Saturday evening, it was at 11.63 feet.
The Mississippi River at Lock and Dam No.15
at Rock Island, Illinois is forecasted to reach 16.8 feet by
Wednesday and remain there for several days. Flood stage for the
Mississippi River at Rock Island is 15 feet........
Click here
to read this news article from qctimes.com.
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Added Sunday
Flooding and Coronavirus
1 Mississippi........
Reprinted from 1 Mississippi
Facebook....
click here
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Added Sunday
Mississippi And Ohio Rivers
High Water Closes Ferries Again........
Last week, the Dorena-Hickman Ferry crossing
the Mississippi river, which connects Missouri Route A and Route
77 near Dorena, Missouri with KY 1354 near Hickman, Kentucky was
closed again because of floodwaters covering the Kentucky
landing.
As of March 26th, the Kentucky Transportation
Cabinet announced that they expect to reopen the ferry on April
6th...The ferry had been shut down from February 11th through
March 2nd, also due to river flooding.
Along the Lower Ohio River, the Cave-In-Rock
Ferry closed on March 26th when the Ohio River rose over 42 feet
on the Shawneetown, Illinois Gauge. As of 10 am on March 26th,
the Ohio River was at 42.7 feet on the Shawneetown Gauge and
rising........
Click here
to read this news article from waterwaysjournal.net.
With Photo
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Added Sunday
Flooding and Coronavirus
1 Mississippi........
Reprinted from 1 Mississippi
Facebook....
click here
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Added Sunday
Mississippi River Flood Mitigation
Public/Private Group Offers Bonds For
Flood Mitigation Funding........
Early this month, members of the Mississippi
River Cities & Towns Initiative announced the creation of a new
public/private financing tool that will assist river communities
with handling problems brought about by more frequent flooding.
The MRCTI teamed up with Quantified Ventures
to form the Environmental Impact Bond Challenge, with the
support of the McKnight and Walton Family Foundations.
An EIB is an outcome-based financing tool
that offers funding up-front for innovative environmental
programs, either to guide a new method that has yet to be
proven, or to ramp up solutions that have bees tested on a small
scale. Private investors will pay for the up-front costs.
If the project succeeds, the city or public
agency will repay the private investors. If the project fails,
the public entity is reportedly protected by it's creditors by
taking on only carefully vetted projects, or projects that have
been proven on a small scale.
Memphis, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana
are the first two winners of the Environmental Impact Bond
Challenge........
Click here
to read this news report from waterwaysjournal.net.
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Added Sunday
Coronavirus in Florida
Recreational Boaters........
Read this story on flfa.com news....
click here
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Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
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Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH
25, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Pool 15 (Mile
493.2 Mile 482.9),
Pool 17 (Mile
457.1 Mile 437.1),
Pool 18 (Mile
437.0 Mile 410.5),
Pool 20 (Mile
364.1 Mile 343.2),
Pool 22 (Mile
324.8 Mile 301.2),
Pool 24 (Mile
301.1 Mile 273.4),
Pool 25 (Mile
273.3 Mile 241.4) and
Pool 26 (Mile
241.1 Mile 200.5).
Down-streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel
is equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has
a minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 6
Copperas (Mile 145.5 Mile 129.0),
Zone 5 Havana
(Mile 128.9 Mile 102.0),
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3),
Zone 3
Meredosia (Mile 80.2 Mile 50.0),
Zone 2 Hardin
(Mile 49.9 Mile 10.0) and
Zone 1
Grafton (Mile 9.0 Mile 0.0). High water and drift potential
may be encountered in this area. Mariners are advised to
minimize wake and exercise caution. Avoid laying up on saturated
levees. Mariners should be experienced in high water conditions
and avoid down-streaming operations if possible. Mariners should
remain vigilant to an increase in debris and maneuver
appropriately. Be aware that a buildup of debris in fleeting
areas may have occurred and take appropriate actions to prevent
breakaways. Exercise caution in all meeting and overtaking
situations, as swift currents may be present. Navigational buoys
may have been dragged off station, so remain cautious while
transiting.
MISSOURI RIVER
The following areas
are in the high water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP
Annex:
Jefferson Reach
(Mile 200.0 Mile 100.0) and
Washington Reach
(Mile 100.0 Mile 0.0).
Recreational vessel
traffic is highly discouraged. Towboat operators should
exercise caution, minimize wake where possible and be
experienced in high water operations as extreme high water and
drift may be experienced. Exercise caution when down-streaming,
be aware of bridge clearances prior to transit and favor the
center of the channel. Mariners should pre-identify suitable
lay-up areas in the event of a river closure and avoid laying up
on levees. Fleeting areas should have a towboat attend fleets at
all times and have a breakaway plan in place. Aids to navigation
may have been dragged off station, damaged or destroyed, so
remain cautious while transiting.
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
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RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,882 members as of
03-28-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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Marina Updates
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River .......
There are a lot of rumors going around about marinas closing, so
we contacted as many marinas as we could yesterday for a current
status:
Alton Marina
Temporarily Closed
Grafton Harbor
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster
Bar are "Closed."
Harbor Point Yacht Club
The Clubhouse is open and water is scheduled to be
turned on by April 1st
http://www.harborpoint.us
John's Boat Harbor
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they
tell us to close.
We are very careful about things.
Lake Center Marina
(Added
03-26-20)
Open for business, but not on weekends until
April
Longshot Marina
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening
Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
North Shore Marina
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available
for rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and
delivery soon,
but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Polestar Boating Center
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Port Charles Harbor
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
Our parts department is open and again a lot of that business is
done over the phone, we can ship to our customers anything they
need.
We are still scheduling service repairs and getting things ready
for spring!
We hope all is well for everyone!
Two Branch Marina
Open for business
Woodland Marina
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020
Yacht Club of St. Louis
(Added
03-25-20)
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Due the COVID-19 outbreak the service yard is experiencing
delays in shipping which is causing a slight backup. If you have
any questions or concerns please email the service manager Jeff
Digman.
jeff@yachtclubstl.com.
Shop and office will be closed to customer walk-ins. Please just
give us a call or email!
Thank you
Keep your anchor right
here for more information on other marinas not yet mentioned
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Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time. Check it out:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
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Missouri River Days
Cancelled ........
.
Reprinted from Missouri River Relif
Facebook...
click here
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Executive Order
Florida Recreational Boaters........
.
Recreational
Vessel Update
Executive Order 20-09 has been enacted to reflect
direction from Governor DeSantis, the Florida Department of
Health and the CDC. Effective immediately, all recreational
boats must be at least 50 feet apart. Each recreational vessel
must not have more than 10 people on board.
Reprinted from MyFWCFish and
Wildlife...
click here
Thanks
Ron Ramjet For the news tip
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Mississippi River Flood Outlook
AccuWeather Forecasts Areas With
Highest Likelihood Of Flooding........
During last year's historic flooding, an
estimated $12.5 million in total damages and economic losses.
AccuWeahter's long range forecast is predicting moderate to
possible severe flooding for the Midwest portion of the nation.
According to AccuWeather's Lead Long-Range
Meteorologist Paul Pastelok, flood risks are expected to
continue along the Lower Mississippi River region. He says that
the saturated ground and more rainfall can cause flooding into
early summertime.
Other parts of the nation will be avoiding
the types of flooding that occurred last year because of a
milder winter. The flooding along the Mississippi River was
mostly driven by heavy snowmelt and excessive rainfall across
the northern plains........
Click here
to read this news article from accuweather.com.
With Photos.
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
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Wittmond Hotel
Brussels, Illinois........
Reprinted from Wittmond Hotel Facebook...
click here
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Mississippi River Near New Orleans,
Louisiana
A Container Ship Ran Aground Along The
Mississippi River........
Friday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard
responded to reports of a container vessel running aground
along the Lower Mississippi River.
At 3:20 am Friday morning, watchstanders with
Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report that the
Liberian flagged container ship, Belita had run aground
near the 81 Mile Marker.
Sector New Orleans vessel traffic service has
mandated a one way traffic restriction in the immediate area
around the grounded ship........
Click here
to read this news article from coastguardnews.com.
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River
History....
March 28, 2012 in River History
A carpenter working on the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge in downtown
St. Louis plunged to his death in the river when a barge-mounted lift
toppled. The employee was working on pilings from a boom lift that was
placed on a secured barge. The mobile piece of equipment was not secured to
the barge and tipped over into the water taking the employee in the boom
with it. His body was found attached to the lift. OSHA cited the three
general contractors and the subcontractor for three violations totaling
$15,300.
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Fishing News
Washington State Closed Recreational
Fishing Because Of COVID-19........
The Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife reported that the state of Washington has closed the
state to recreational fishing and shellfishing in order to curb
the spread of the coronavirus.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
announced that they would support Washington's action by
suspending recreational salmon fishing along the Columbia River,
as well as at the fisheries.
The Washington recreational fishing
moratorium will remain in effect until April 8. Officials in
Oregon note that other fishing opportunities are available, by
anglers should maintain "sturgeon distancing"........
Click here to read this news report from tradeonlytoday.com.
With Photo.
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Mississippi River Near New Orleans,
Louisiana
Flooding Still A Threat Despite Falling
River Levels........
While the Mississippi River at New Orleans,
Louisiana is continuing to fall, there is still a serious threat
of flooding across approximately a third of the nation.
Last week, the river fell below 15 feet at
the Carrollton gauge. With the decrease in river levels, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has lifted the ban on working near
the levees and reduced the levee inspections from once per day
to twice per week.
Weather forecasters are predicting heavy
rainfall for the Mississippi River Valley north of Louisiana.
This could pose a threat of flooding for Louisiana........
Click here
to read this news article from wbrz.com.
With Photo
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
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What's Going On This Week |
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3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
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Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
03-24-20
Temporarily Closed
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
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bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
03-24-20
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available for
rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and delivery
soon, but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
Website...N/A
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
03/20/2020
Calhoun Ferry Companys priority is
the health and safety of our crew and passengers.
We received a call today from the U.S. Coast Guard advising us
that all passengers will be required to stay in their vehicles
when crossing the ferry. This is in response to the restrictions
placed on gatherings of 10 or more people. This will remain in
effect until the restrictions are lifted.
We are cleaning and disinfecting all crew areas and all ferry
passes as we receive them.
Starting tomorrow 03/21/2020 we will be reducing our hours to
eliminate the late night shift on Friday and Saturday. This will
remain in effect until the restrictions are lifted. Hours will
be Monday through Saturday 5am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
We will all get through this together by working together for a
better tomorrow. Stay safe!
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
03-24-20
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster Bar are
"Closed."
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
|
Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
|
|
Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
|
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-24-20
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they tell us to
close.
We are very careful about things.
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
|
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Longshot
Marina
Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Longshot Saloon..Opening May 2, 2020
03-24-20
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
|
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
|
|
Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
03-24-20
As a family and small
business, we are here to support our community!
Riviera Too will be offering a sack lunch for children under the
age of 18, accompanied by a parent, between 11am-12pm Monday
through Friday. The lunch includes a turkey or ham sandwich, a
bag of chips, and a cookie.
Thanks, RT
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
03-23-20
St. Charles Boat & Motor update:
Due to the unprecedented time that
the country is experiencing, we are implementing some additions
to our normal routine:
At this time, we remain open for business, operating with a
small staff. For the safety of our customers, our staff, and our
families, in addition to our normal operations, we are offering
some alternative means of interacting with us as well for both
purchasing products (from parts to a new boat) and for your
service needs.
If youd like to shop any new or used inventory with us with
minimized social interaction, we can schedule individual
appointments or send you a virtual video tour of a unit. You can
always shop our inventory on our website as well, at
www.stcharlesboat.com. We currently have some huge discounts
on our in stock inventory! If youre interested in a private
appointment, please e-mail us at zeke@stcharlesboat.com or you
can call us at 636-947-0106 during normal business hours.
For your service needs, we can schedule a touchless drop off and
pick-up with you. For touchless drop off or pick-up, e-mail
Jerry at jerry@stcharlesboat.com or Zeke at zeke@stcharlesboat.com
for scheduling and instructions.
We realize that this too will pass and we can return to a more
normal routine, which means getting back to boating for many of
us!
We will keep our customers updated by posting on our
website and
Facebook page.
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
03-16-20
Store Inventory Sale & Sock Burn
Postponed !
02-27-20 Update..Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
|
Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
03-24-20
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020 |
|
Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Andy
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
|
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Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
|
Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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FRIDAY
27 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
|
|
Welcome
New Advertiser !
CRANCER INSURANCE AGENCY
YOUR
LOCAL INDEPENDENT INSURANCE
AGENCY IN ST. LOUIS, TRUSTED SINCE 1980
Crancer Insurance Agency has been providing the
Missouri, Illinois and Texas areas with all types of insurance
since its establishment in 1980. We are dedicated to finding
each client a customized insurance plan that fits their specific
budget and needs. We provide insurance for auto, home, life,
health, boat,
motorcycle, commercial and much more!
Crancer Insurance Agency specializes in Boat Insurance in St.
Louis
Click
here
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Wednesday Ride
Pool 26 of the Mississippi
River
click pic to
enlarge
The Pictures of the Day ..... were sent to us by Capt'n
Mike Stanczak
Hey Bill,
Took the Sea-Doo out Wednesday. Water's moving fast, not much to
debris!
Mike
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Went Boating
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
click
pic to enlarge
The Pictures of the Day.......were
sent to us by Lisa Hickey who hails out of the Yacht Club of St.
Louis in the boat..."Texas Lady."
Hey Bill,
Hope you are well.
We are unemployed at this time so
.. we went boating.
Kinders made me sad.
The eagle made me happy.
Hope to see you soon. (from 6 ft)
Lisa
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RiverBills Sticker Sighting
Saint James
City, Florida
Click pic to enlarge
A RiverBills Sticker
Sighting.....
was posted by Judi Cahill.
Just Hanging !
RiverBills Sticker Sighting Page
Click here and check it out...
RiverBill says... Thanks for taking RiverBills with you
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The Boathouse
is CLOSED
for some cosmetic projects
March 2 through
Thursday April 2
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
April Music Schedule..
click here
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday
with bands every Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday
afternoons.
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|
click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
|
|
First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
|
|
Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
at Portage des
Sioux
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2019..... was posted by Capt'n Mark Newlin on
RiverBills Boater's Group. The owner emailed us
with the following:
Bill,
It's the "American Beauty" a 46' 1969 Chris Craft Aqua Home.
Myself and Barry Munsell were taking it to it's new home at the
Yacht Club of St. Louis.
Debris in the river....
Ran across 2 major logs, but mostly small debris. Grafton has a
little heavier debris than down by Alton.
Chris Musket
Yacht Club of St. Louis
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Spring is here !
Summer is around
the corner !
List your Boat on RiverBills
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
|
More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
|
|
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River News
!
|
|
Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
|
|
Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH
25, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Pool 15 (Mile
493.2 Mile 482.9),
Pool 17 (Mile
457.1 Mile 437.1),
Pool 18 (Mile
437.0 Mile 410.5),
Pool 20 (Mile
364.1 Mile 343.2),
Pool 22 (Mile
324.8 Mile 301.2),
Pool 24 (Mile
301.1 Mile 273.4),
Pool 25 (Mile
273.3 Mile 241.4) and
Pool 26 (Mile
241.1 Mile 200.5).
Down-streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel
is equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has
a minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 6
Copperas (Mile 145.5 Mile 129.0),
Zone 5 Havana
(Mile 128.9 Mile 102.0),
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3),
Zone 3
Meredosia (Mile 80.2 Mile 50.0),
Zone 2 Hardin
(Mile 49.9 Mile 10.0) and
Zone 1
Grafton (Mile 9.0 Mile 0.0). High water and drift potential
may be encountered in this area. Mariners are advised to
minimize wake and exercise caution. Avoid laying up on saturated
levees. Mariners should be experienced in high water conditions
and avoid down-streaming operations if possible. Mariners should
remain vigilant to an increase in debris and maneuver
appropriately. Be aware that a buildup of debris in fleeting
areas may have occurred and take appropriate actions to prevent
breakaways. Exercise caution in all meeting and overtaking
situations, as swift currents may be present. Navigational buoys
may have been dragged off station, so remain cautious while
transiting.
MISSOURI RIVER
The following areas
are in the high water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP
Annex:
Jefferson Reach
(Mile 200.0 Mile 100.0) and
Washington Reach
(Mile 100.0 Mile 0.0).
Recreational vessel
traffic is highly discouraged. Towboat operators should
exercise caution, minimize wake where possible and be
experienced in high water operations as extreme high water and
drift may be experienced. Exercise caution when down-streaming,
be aware of bridge clearances prior to transit and favor the
center of the channel. Mariners should pre-identify suitable
lay-up areas in the event of a river closure and avoid laying up
on levees. Fleeting areas should have a towboat attend fleets at
all times and have a breakaway plan in place. Aids to navigation
may have been dragged off station, damaged or destroyed, so
remain cautious while transiting.
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
|
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
|
|
RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,880 members as of
03-27-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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Marina Updates
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River .......
There are a lot of rumors going around about marinas closing, so
we contacted as many marinas as we could yesterday for a current
status:
Alton Marina
Temporarily Closed
Grafton Harbor
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster
Bar are "Closed."
Harbor Point Yacht Club
The Clubhouse is open and water is scheduled to be
turned on by April 1st
http://www.harborpoint.us
John's Boat Harbor
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they
tell us to close.
We are very careful about things.
Lake Center Marina
(Added
03-26-20)
Open for business, but not on weekends until
April
Longshot Marina
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening
Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
North Shore Marina
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available
for rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and
delivery soon,
but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Polestar Boating Center
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Port Charles Harbor
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
Our parts department is open and again a lot of that business is
done over the phone, we can ship to our customers anything they
need.
We are still scheduling service repairs and getting things ready
for spring!
We hope all is well for everyone!
Two Branch Marina
Open for business
Woodland Marina
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020
Yacht Club of St. Louis
(Added
03-25-20)
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Due the COVID-19 outbreak the service yard is experiencing
delays in shipping which is causing a slight backup. If you have
any questions or concerns please email the service manager Jeff
Digman.
jeff@yachtclubstl.com.
Shop and office will be closed to customer walk-ins. Please just
give us a call or email!
Thank you
Keep your anchor right
here for more information on other marinas not yet mentioned
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Two Rivers Marina
Virtual Inventory Clearance Sale
Pool 24 of the Mississippi River at Louisiana, Mo .......
Reprinted from the Two Rivers Marina
Facebook...
click here
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Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time. Check it out:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
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Boat Manufacturer
MasterCraft Temporarily Stopping
Manufacturing........
MasterCraft Boat Holdings, Inc. recently
announced that they would be suspending operations in an effort
to protect the health of their employees while balancing
wholesale production with retail demand.
The halt in operations will take place at the
manufacturing facilities for all of their brands, including
MasterCraft, NauticStar, Crest and Aviara as of March 26, 2020.
As for the corporate employees, a work from home policy has been
instituted.
To determine the length of the shutdown, the
company will evaluate and consider the health of their
employees, state and federal mandates as well as other
factors........
Click here
to read this news report from boatingindustry.com.
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Boating Lifestyle
Virtual Boat Show: A Perfect Cure For
Coronavirus Captivity....
For the foreseeable future, the coronavirus
pandemic if forcing families to shelter-in-place, so some boat
dealers and show organizers have come up with an alternative to
traditional boat shows as gatherings are all but banned.
On Friday, Denison Yachting is launching A
Boat Show From Your Couch, noting that the event is a
socially distanced boat show experience.
Bob Denison, owner of Denison Yachting says
that they were trying to figure out a way to allow people to
interact and shop online at a boat show. He adds that boats are
the ultimate social distancing vehicle........
Click here
to read this news article from tradeonlytoday.com.
Click here
to check out the virtual boat show.
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
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Mark Twain Lake
Corps Increases Mark Twain Lake
Restrictions.........
On Thursday the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
announced that they had closed off all access to the federally
operated public areas at Mark Twain Lake.
The new restrictions join the previously made
restrictions made last week and includes boat ramps, day use
areas, pavilions and camping areas.
In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
reversed their earlier decision and will now cancel all camping
reservations that had been scheduled through April 30........
Click here
to read this news article from hannibal.net.
With Photo.
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The Waterways Journal
Throwback Photo Contest........
Reprinted from the Waterways Journal facebook...
click here |
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Mississippi River At Alton, Illinois
Behind-The-Scenes Work Continues On
Riverview Drive Wall........
Lately, the news has been focused on either
the rising Mississippi River or the coronavirus. City
governments, in addition to preparing for the impending doom,
are carrying out business as usual.
In Alton, the prepwork surrounding the
necessary repairs to the Riverview Drive retaining wall collapse
is ongoing. The city is nearing the stage in the project where
they may have a proposal to consider during the next council
meeting.
According to Alton's Public Works Director
Bob Barnhart, the work involved in repairing the Riverview Drive
retaining wall will be tricky to say the least. The soil under
the wall and the adjacent street will need to be stabilized at a
cost of over $1 million........
Click here to read this news tidbit from altondailynews.com.
With Audio
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The St. Louis Aquarium
Take A Virtual Diving Tour Of The St.
Louis Aquarium........
Thursday morning, divers with the animal care
team at the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station shot a virtual
tour of the aquarium, and hosted it via Facebook Live.
During the dive, viewers will learn about the
basics of diving with sharks, rays and other sea creatures. The
divers will also discuss the equipment they use as well as how
they work with their favorite animals.
The St. Louis Aquarium will continue hosting
weekly Facebook Live videos ion Tuesdays and Thursdays. They
will also offer a "Quaranstream" virtual visit to the aquarium
on Facebook each Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 an to 11
pm.. The Quaranstreams will consist of real-time video set to
relaxing music........
Click here
to read this news story from kmov.com.
With Photo.
Click here
to watch the
virtual tour from Facebook.com.
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Mississippi River At Burlington, Iowa
The River Is Expected To Remain At 17
Feet.........
Officials say that the Mississippi River at
Burlington, Iowa will remain at 17 feet for the next several
days. They are not sure when to expect the river to begin to
fall.
According to Peter Speck, a meteorologist
with the National Weather Service, rainfall will determine when
the Mississippi River will begin to fall.
There is rain in the forecast for the
weekend, which caused the forecast to include a long, drawn out
crest. The current flooding is caused by snowmelt........
Click here
to read this news article from thehawkeye.com.
With Photo.
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
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What's Going On This Week |
|
3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
|
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Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
03-24-20
Temporarily Closed
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
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bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
03-24-20
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available for
rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and delivery
soon, but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
Website...N/A
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
03/20/2020
Calhoun Ferry Companys priority is
the health and safety of our crew and passengers.
We received a call today from the U.S. Coast Guard advising us
that all passengers will be required to stay in their vehicles
when crossing the ferry. This is in response to the restrictions
placed on gatherings of 10 or more people. This will remain in
effect until the restrictions are lifted.
We are cleaning and disinfecting all crew areas and all ferry
passes as we receive them.
Starting tomorrow 03/21/2020 we will be reducing our hours to
eliminate the late night shift on Friday and Saturday. This will
remain in effect until the restrictions are lifted. Hours will
be Monday through Saturday 5am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
We will all get through this together by working together for a
better tomorrow. Stay safe!
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
03-24-20
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster Bar are
"Closed."
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
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Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
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Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-24-20
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they tell us to
close.
We are very careful about things.
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
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Longshot
Marina
Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Longshot Saloon..Opening May 2, 2020
03-24-20
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
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Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
03-24-20
As a family and small
business, we are here to support our community!
Riviera Too will be offering a sack lunch for children under the
age of 18, accompanied by a parent, between 11am-12pm Monday
through Friday. The lunch includes a turkey or ham sandwich, a
bag of chips, and a cookie.
Thanks, RT
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
03-23-20
St. Charles Boat & Motor update:
Due to the unprecedented time that
the country is experiencing, we are implementing some additions
to our normal routine:
At this time, we remain open for business, operating with a
small staff. For the safety of our customers, our staff, and our
families, in addition to our normal operations, we are offering
some alternative means of interacting with us as well for both
purchasing products (from parts to a new boat) and for your
service needs.
If youd like to shop any new or used inventory with us with
minimized social interaction, we can schedule individual
appointments or send you a virtual video tour of a unit. You can
always shop our inventory on our website as well, at
www.stcharlesboat.com. We currently have some huge discounts
on our in stock inventory! If youre interested in a private
appointment, please e-mail us at zeke@stcharlesboat.com or you
can call us at 636-947-0106 during normal business hours.
For your service needs, we can schedule a touchless drop off and
pick-up with you. For touchless drop off or pick-up, e-mail
Jerry at jerry@stcharlesboat.com or Zeke at zeke@stcharlesboat.com
for scheduling and instructions.
We realize that this too will pass and we can return to a more
normal routine, which means getting back to boating for many of
us!
We will keep our customers updated by posting on our
website and
Facebook page.
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
03-16-20
Store Inventory Sale & Sock Burn
Postponed !
02-27-20 Update..Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
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Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
03-24-20
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020 |
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Andy
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
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Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
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Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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THURSDAY
26 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
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The Ramjet
Report
Living
in Florida aboard the
Ginger G
click pic to
enlarge
The Pictures of the Day ..... were sent to us by Capt'n Ramjet
formally of Pool 26 of the Mississippi River, now living in Florida....
Hi Bill,
Hi Everyone,
Ive been really busy working off shore.
I have a lot of great clients on an island you can only access
by boat. Currently the assistant island manager.
Ive been working with and for some very resourceful people. As
well as a 5 mile by boat commute most days.
The virus has not been detected in anyone on the forgotten coast
as of today. We have been protecting ourselves anyway. I was
looking threw my notes and realized I havent sent the story in
about my tour on the Rollin Stone a 110 shrimpin ship. I will
soon it will be a 5 part story. Its difficult to have a bad day
down here. Especially with the sound and sea.
Talk to yall again soon
RAMJET, RAVEN, and of course CAPTAIN POWDER!
Follow Raven
and I @ Ron Ramjet Niehaus on Facebook ...
click here |
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The Travels of
Captain Harry Ragland
Amphicar Ride
at Disney
Springs last week
Walt Disney
World Resort near Orlando, FL
click
pic to enlarge
The Picture of the Day.......was
sent to us by
Captain Harry Ragland
.
We were at Disney the last two days it
was open and then we moved on to Disney Springs for more
shopping. We couldnt resist a ride in one of their classic
Amphicars.
Everyone is fine after the crowds and the
plane flights.
Im still optimistic for a 2020 boating
season.
Captain Harry Ragland.
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The Boathouse
is CLOSED
for some cosmetic projects
March 2 through
Thursday April 2
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
April Music Schedule..
click here
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday
with bands every Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday
afternoons.
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click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
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First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
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Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
The
Crew of the Desperados
Key
West, Florida
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2018..... was sent to us by Capt'n Capt'n Scott Hawkins
The crew of the Desperados
in Key West
getting ready to leave
Monday morning back to
Harbor Point Yacht
Club.
Captain Gary ,
Captain Scott and Roger.
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Spring is here !
Summer is around
the corner !
List your Boat on RiverBills
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
|
More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
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River News
!
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Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
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Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH
25, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Pool 15 (Mile
493.2 Mile 482.9),
Pool 17 (Mile
457.1 Mile 437.1),
Pool 18 (Mile
437.0 Mile 410.5),
Pool 20 (Mile
364.1 Mile 343.2),
Pool 22 (Mile
324.8 Mile 301.2),
Pool 24 (Mile
301.1 Mile 273.4),
Pool 25 (Mile
273.3 Mile 241.4) and
Pool 26 (Mile
241.1 Mile 200.5).
Down-streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel
is equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has
a minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY - Update
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 6
Copperas (Mile 145.5 Mile 129.0),
Zone 5 Havana
(Mile 128.9 Mile 102.0),
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3),
Zone 3
Meredosia (Mile 80.2 Mile 50.0),
Zone 2 Hardin
(Mile 49.9 Mile 10.0) and
Zone 1
Grafton (Mile 9.0 Mile 0.0). High water and drift potential
may be encountered in this area. Mariners are advised to
minimize wake and exercise caution. Avoid laying up on saturated
levees. Mariners should be experienced in high water conditions
and avoid down-streaming operations if possible. Mariners should
remain vigilant to an increase in debris and maneuver
appropriately. Be aware that a buildup of debris in fleeting
areas may have occurred and take appropriate actions to prevent
breakaways. Exercise caution in all meeting and overtaking
situations, as swift currents may be present. Navigational buoys
may have been dragged off station, so remain cautious while
transiting.
MISSOURI RIVER
The following areas
are in the high water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP
Annex:
Jefferson Reach
(Mile 200.0 Mile 100.0) and
Washington Reach
(Mile 100.0 Mile 0.0).
Recreational vessel
traffic is highly discouraged. Towboat operators should
exercise caution, minimize wake where possible and be
experienced in high water operations as extreme high water and
drift may be experienced. Exercise caution when down-streaming,
be aware of bridge clearances prior to transit and favor the
center of the channel. Mariners should pre-identify suitable
lay-up areas in the event of a river closure and avoid laying up
on levees. Fleeting areas should have a towboat attend fleets at
all times and have a breakaway plan in place. Aids to navigation
may have been dragged off station, damaged or destroyed, so
remain cautious while transiting.
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
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RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,875 members as of
03-26-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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Marina Updates
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River .......
There are a lot of rumors going around about marinas closing, so
we contacted as many marinas as we could yesterday for a current
status:
Alton Marina
Temporarily Closed
Grafton Harbor
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster
Bar are "Closed."
Harbor Point Yacht Club
The Clubhouse is open and water is scheduled to be
turned on by April 1st
http://www.harborpoint.us
John's Boat Harbor
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they
tell us to close.
We are very careful about things.
Lake Center Marina
(Added
03-26-20)
Open for business, but not on weekends until
April
Longshot Marina
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening
Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
North Shore Marina
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available
for rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and
delivery soon,
but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Polestar Boating Center
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Port Charles Harbor
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
Our parts department is open and again a lot of that business is
done over the phone, we can ship to our customers anything they
need.
We are still scheduling service repairs and getting things ready
for spring!
We hope all is well for everyone!
Two Branch Marina
Open for business
Woodland Marina
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020
Yacht Club of St. Louis
(Added
03-25-20)
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Due the COVID-19 outbreak the service yard is experiencing
delays in shipping which is causing a slight backup. If you have
any questions or concerns please email the service manager Jeff
Digman.
jeff@yachtclubstl.com.
Shop and office will be closed to customer walk-ins. Please just
give us a call or email!
Thank you
Keep your anchor right
here for more information on other marinas not yet mentioned
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Service Yard .......
Reprinted from the Yacht Club of St. Louis Facebook...
click here
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Service Yard .......
Reprinted from the UnCharted Service Facebook...
click here
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Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time. Check it out:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
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Mississippi River Near Grafton,
Illinois
As Grafton Is Recovering From
Flooding.... Coronavirus Hits....
It has been a rough 12 months for the City of
Grafton, Illinois. Last year, the city was hit by flooding, and
now the coronavirus has arrived.
During 2019, the flooding cost the shops and
restaurants of Grafton millions of dollars. Just as the
businesses were hoping to rebound, the coronavirus quarantines
went into effect.
Some minor flooding is forecasted for this
weekend, and if Grafton gets swamped this year and virus is
still spreading, Grafton Mayoe Rick Eberlin believes that the
town is prepared........
Click here
to read this news story from fox2now.com.
With Video. |
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
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John's Boat Harbor
Glenna's River Forecast.....
Reprinted from John's Boat Harbor Facebook...
click here
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St. Louis District, US Army Corps of Engineers
Submit Public Testimony to Mississippi River Commission.....
Reprinted from St. Louis District, US Army Corps of Enginers
Facebook...
click here
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Missouri Fishing News
Record 40 Pound Brown Trout Caught....
Is It A Real Record?
Back in September, angler Bill Babler caught
a record-breaking brown trout which weighed in at 40 pounds, six
ounces. This fish bested the old brown trout record by close to
six pounds.
Angler Al Agnew sees the catch as a problem,
as this particular fish, which was caught on Lake Taneycomo, was
a "triploid" brown trout. The fish was artificially made
sterile at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery so it could grow large
quickly.
Agnew does acknowledge Babler's success, but
he believes that the conservation department should have a
separate record category for the triploid trout........
Click here
to read this news story from lakeexpo.com.
With Photo.
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River
History....
March 26, 1913 in River History
The Ohio River Basin flood reached a peak. Ten inches rains over a wide area
of the Ohio River Basin inundated cities in Ohio, drowning 467 people, and
causing $147 million dollars damage. The Miami River at Dayton reached a
level eight feet higher than ever before. The flood, caused by warm weather
and heavy rains, was the second mostly deadly of record for the nation.
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Boat Manufacturer News
Formula, Sunseeker, Princess Halt
Production Temporarily........
Formula Boats has sent a letter to their
employees announcing that they would be stopping production of
their boats because of a governor mandate. They also sent a
letter to customers announcing that their Decatur, Indiana
factory would shut down through April 6th.
Sunseeker, the largest employer in Poole,
England suspended operations for the majority of their staff.
The company said that following the Prime Minister's COVID-19
update, Sunseeker International will be halting production until
the end of April.
Princess Yachts announced that they would be
sending the majority of their 3,000 employees home for the
"foreseeable future" on furlough........
Click here
to read this
news article from tradeonlytoday.com.
With
Photo.
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More Boat Manufacturer News
White River Marine Group Reducing
Workforce........
White River Marine Group, the manufacturer of
Tracker, Ranger, Triton, Nitro, Sun Tracker, Regency, Tahoe and
Mako boat lines, has announced they would be laying off around
350 people at seven of their facilities.
White River Marine released a statement that
they are saddened about the personal effects the COVID-19
outbreak is having on their dedicated team members.
The statement further says that White River
Marine, like many other manufacturers, are having to temporarily
reduce their workforce. The company intended to rehire those
laid off as soon as conditions allow........
Click here
to read this news article from tradeonlytoday.com.
With Photo.
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Boat Sales
Registrations Up 10% In Main Powerboat
Categories........
Preliminary data released by Statistical
Surveys Inc. shows that during February, boat registrations
increased by 10.7 percent year-to-date in the main powerboat
categories and 9.6 percent year-over-year.
The preliminary data also reveals that
overall, the marine industry saw a 7.9 percent increase
year-to-date and a 7.4 percent increase over February 2019.
The data showed that January's momentum was
increasing again, which is somewhat disheartening as commerce
will virtually stop in March because of the COVID-19
outbreak........
Click here
to read this news report from tradeonlytoday.com.
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James River Near Galena, Missouri
Unique Y-Bridge Is A One-Of-A-Kind In
Missouri........
There are plenty of unique things in
Missouri, including one of the few Y-bridges in the United
States. The unique bridge spans the James River near Galena,
Missouri.
Construction on the Y-bridge began in 1926,
and was dedicated in November of 1927. Much of the gravel and
sand used in the span's construction was sourced from the James
river itself.
The Y design was chosen due to the position
of the bridge between the river and a steep bluff The bridge
was closed to vehicular traffic in 1986 and was added to the
National Register of Historic Places in 1991........
Click here
to read more from onlyinyourstate.com.
With Photos.
https://www.mapquest.com/us/missouri/galena-mo-282031218
The above link takes you to the region of the state where the
bridge is located. If you click on the satellite view, the Y
bridge is visible... it isn't shown on the actual map.
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
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What's Going On This Week |
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3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
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Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
03-24-20
Temporarily Closed
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
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bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
03-24-20
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available for
rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and delivery
soon, but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
03/20/2020
Calhoun Ferry Companys priority is
the health and safety of our crew and passengers.
We received a call today from the U.S. Coast Guard advising us
that all passengers will be required to stay in their vehicles
when crossing the ferry. This is in response to the restrictions
placed on gatherings of 10 or more people. This will remain in
effect until the restrictions are lifted.
We are cleaning and disinfecting all crew areas and all ferry
passes as we receive them.
Starting tomorrow 03/21/2020 we will be reducing our hours to
eliminate the late night shift on Friday and Saturday. This will
remain in effect until the restrictions are lifted. Hours will
be Monday through Saturday 5am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
We will all get through this together by working together for a
better tomorrow. Stay safe!
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
03-24-20
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster Bar are
"Closed."
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
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Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
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Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-24-20
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they tell us to
close.
We are very careful about things.
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
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Longshot
Marina
Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Longshot Saloon..Opening May 2, 2020
03-24-20
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
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Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
03-24-20
As a family and small
business, we are here to support our community!
Riviera Too will be offering a sack lunch for children under the
age of 18, accompanied by a parent, between 11am-12pm Monday
through Friday. The lunch includes a turkey or ham sandwich, a
bag of chips, and a cookie.
Thanks, RT
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
03-23-20
St. Charles Boat & Motor update:
Due to the unprecedented time that
the country is experiencing, we are implementing some additions
to our normal routine:
At this time, we remain open for business, operating with a
small staff. For the safety of our customers, our staff, and our
families, in addition to our normal operations, we are offering
some alternative means of interacting with us as well for both
purchasing products (from parts to a new boat) and for your
service needs.
If youd like to shop any new or used inventory with us with
minimized social interaction, we can schedule individual
appointments or send you a virtual video tour of a unit. You can
always shop our inventory on our website as well, at
www.stcharlesboat.com. We currently have some huge discounts
on our in stock inventory! If youre interested in a private
appointment, please e-mail us at zeke@stcharlesboat.com or you
can call us at 636-947-0106 during normal business hours.
For your service needs, we can schedule a touchless drop off and
pick-up with you. For touchless drop off or pick-up, e-mail
Jerry at jerry@stcharlesboat.com or Zeke at zeke@stcharlesboat.com
for scheduling and instructions.
We realize that this too will pass and we can return to a more
normal routine, which means getting back to boating for many of
us!
We will keep our customers updated by posting on our
website and
Facebook page.
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
03-16-20
Store Inventory Sale & Sock Burn
Postponed !
02-27-20 Update..Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
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Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
03-24-20
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020 |
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Andy
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
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Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
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Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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WEDNESDAY
25 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
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Longshot Marina
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
click
pic to enlarge
The Picture of the Day.......was
sent to us by Andy Dallwitz of
Longshot Marina
We
just got excavator delivered
for spring and summer projects
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The Boathouse
is CLOSED
for some cosmetic projects
March 2 through
Thursday April 2
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
April Music Schedule..
click here
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday
with bands every Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday
afternoons.
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click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
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First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
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Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
The "New"
2016 Shark Boat
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi RIver
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2016..... were taken at Port Charles Marina
Captain Tim was at it again. Tim and Barnacle Bill had
just finished a 23 day build of a new custom Shark Boat for a
tour company based in San Diego, Ca. The new boat was to be
used to give shark rides on Mission Bay.
Underneath all the "Shark" fiberglass is a 22 foot Tahoe deck
boat that provides a lot of room for site seeing passengers.
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Spring is here !
Summer is around
the corner !
List your Boat on RiverBills
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
|
More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
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River News
!
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Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
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Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH 18, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 28 (Mile
185.4 Mile 160.1) and
Zone 29 (Mile
160.0 Mile 109.9).
Down-
streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel is
equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has a
minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY
The following area is in the high
water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3).
High
water and drift potential may be encountered in this area.
Mariners are advised to minimize wake and exercise caution.
Avoid laying up on saturated levees. Mariners should be
experienced in high water conditions and avoid down-streaming
operations if possible. Mariners should remain vigilant to an
increase in debris and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate actions to prevent breakaways. Exercise caution in
all meeting and overtaking situations, as swift currents may be
present. Navigational buoys may have been dragged off station,
so remain cautious while transiting
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
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RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,870 members as of
03-25-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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Marina Updates
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River .......
There are a lot of rumors going around about marinas closing, so
we contacted as many marinas as we could yesterday for a current
status:
Alton Marina
Temporarily Closed
Grafton Harbor
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster
Bar are "Closed."
Harbor Point Yacht Club
The Clubhouse is open and water is scheduled to be
turned on by April 1st
http://www.harborpoint.us
John's Boat Harbor
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they
tell us to close.
We are very careful about things.
Longshot Marina
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening
Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
North Shore Marina
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available
for rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and
delivery soon,
but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Polestar Boating Center
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Port Charles Harbor
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
Our parts department is open and again a lot of that business is
done over the phone, we can ship to our customers anything they
need.
We are still scheduling service repairs and getting things ready
for spring!
We hope all is well for everyone!
Two Branch Marina
Open for business
Woodland Marina
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020
Yacht Club of St. Louis
(Added
03-25-20)
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more
Keep your anchor right
here for more information on other marinas not yet mentioned
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Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time. Check it out:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
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Riviera Too
Snack
Lunch For Children
03-24-20
As a family and small
business, we are here to support our community!
Riviera Too will be offering a sack lunch for children under the
age of 18, accompanied by a parent, between 11am-12pm Monday
through Friday. The lunch includes a turkey or ham sandwich, a
bag of chips, and a cookie.
Thanks, RT
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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Missouri Fishing News
No Fishing Permit Required To
Fish Starting Friday........
On Tuesday, the Missouri Department
of Conservation announced that after Friday, a fishing
permit will not be necessary to fish in Missouri waters.
The Missouri Department of
Conservation says that they will be waiving the
requirements for fishing permits or trout tags from
March 27 through April 15 in order to help Missourians
looking for recreation while maintaining distance from
other people.
The limits on fishing methods and
other regulations will still be in effect and the permit
waiver will not apply to anyone whose fishing privileges
had been suspended prior to Friday........
Click here
to read this news article from stltoday.com. With Photo
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
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Marine Manufacturers
Many Marine Manufacturers Suspending
Operations........
Since the novel coronavirus outbreak is an
ever-evolving situation, several marine industry manufacturers
have made the decision to shutter their operations, at least
temporarily.
Last week, Brunswick Corporation and Yamaha
Motor Corporation, U.S.A. had announced they they were
suspending production at several of their manufacturing plants.
Malibu Boats, Inc. and Winnebago Industries
Inc., parent company for Chris-Craft have also announced that
they were stopping production in an effort to mitigate the
spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus........
Click here
to read this news report from boatingindustry.com.
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Mississippi River Flood Outlook
River Cities Prep For Two-Front Fight,
Floods & COVID-19........
Currently, cities and towns along the
Mississippi River are preparing for a pair of overlapping
calamities, the coronavirus pandemic and a high likelihood of
flooding this spring.
Last week, the National Weather Service
forecasted moderate flooding along much of the Mississippi River
Valley, with major flooding likely to occur in Iowa and
Illinois.
In Louisiana, officials from the National
Weather Service predict moderate flooding along the Mississippi
River from Arkansas to LaPlace, where the Bonnet Carre Spillway
can divert floodwater into Lake Ponchartrain........
Click here
to read this news article from nola.com.
With Photo.
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River
History....
March 25, 2017 in River History
The restaurant at the Yacht Club of St. Louis opened for the season under
the new management of Mark Bauchman.
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Upcoming Event... Sat, April 25,
2020
Alton Motorboat Club
Jon Boat Jamboree Rescheduled
Reprinted from
Alton Motorboat Club Facebook...
click here
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Boating Legislation
NMMA, Outdoor Recreation Partners Call
For Federal Relief........
The National Marine Manufacturers Association
recently announced that they are currently working with marine
industry stakeholders and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable to
call on Congress and the Trump administration to address the
pressing needs of the recreational boating industry when
considering forthcoming federal relief packages.
The NMMA, Marine Retailers Association of the
Americas and the Association of Marina Industries penned a
letter to Congressional leaders requesting that recreational
boating industry's priorities be addressed in federal relief
responses.
Noting the importance of the recreational
boating industry on local economies, the NMMA, MRAA and the AMI
have called on legislators to take decisive action to advance
marine employees, support small businesses and allow the marine
industry to reinvest in America........
Click here
to read this news report from boatingindustry.com.
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Mississippi River At New Orleans,
Louisiana
Flooding Still A Threat Even As River
Levels Falling........
While the Mississippi River at New Orleans
continues to fall, the threat of spring flooding looms heavily
over a third of the nation.
Last week, the Mississippi River fell below
15 feet on the Carrollton Gauge, prompting the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers to ease their rules prohibiting construction on or
near the levees.
Federal forecasters say that an increase in
rainfall across the northern portions of Louisiana will add to
the threat of high river conditions through May. Highly
saturated soil will also increase chances of flooding in the
central and southeastern states as well........
Click here
to read this news report from abcnews.go.com.
With Video.
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Trans-Atlantic Journeys
Modern-Day Mayflower Following Original
Route Across The Atlantic........
Some 400 years after the Mayflower
crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Britain to what would become the
United States, a group of engineers is preparing to send a
crewless ship, also called the Mayflower, across the
Atlantic on a similar route.
The trip is set to begin in September, and
the new Mayflower may become the first full sized,
entirely autonomous vessel to cross the Atlantic.
According to Goetz Linzenmeier, chairman of
the hull manufacturer, Aluship, says that both projects share a
sense of adventure. He added that the original Mayflower
had people believing in a new future and putting their lives at
risk........
Click here
to read this news story from marinelink.com.
With Photo.
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
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What's Going On This Week |
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3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
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Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
03-24-20
Temporarily Closed
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
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bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
03-24-20
The harbor is open and I have a few slips available for
rent.
New customers receive 25% off for 2020 season.
We will be opening the Boathouse for carryout and delivery
soon, but we do not have the details worked out yet.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
03/20/2020
Calhoun Ferry Companys priority is
the health and safety of our crew and passengers.
We received a call today from the U.S. Coast Guard advising us
that all passengers will be required to stay in their vehicles
when crossing the ferry. This is in response to the restrictions
placed on gatherings of 10 or more people. This will remain in
effect until the restrictions are lifted.
We are cleaning and disinfecting all crew areas and all ferry
passes as we receive them.
Starting tomorrow 03/21/2020 we will be reducing our hours to
eliminate the late night shift on Friday and Saturday. This will
remain in effect until the restrictions are lifted. Hours will
be Monday through Saturday 5am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
We will all get through this together by working together for a
better tomorrow. Stay safe!
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
03-24-20
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster Bar are
"Closed."
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
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Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
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Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-24-20
Open For Business.. We will stay open until they tell us to
close.
We are very careful about things.
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
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Longshot
Marina
Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Longshot Saloon..Opening May 2, 2020
03-24-20
Marina is open.
Just got excavator delivered for spring and summer projects
Reopening Longshot Saloon on May 2nd
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
Operating on a skeleton crew.
If there is a need or emergency, call 636 250-3008
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
03-24-20
We are open, this time of the year we dont have much walk in
traffic. Our team is small, everyone is just coming in to work
and going home and communication with our customers is usually
done over the phone this time of year.
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
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Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
03-24-20
As a family and small
business, we are here to support our community!
Riviera Too will be offering a sack lunch for children under the
age of 18, accompanied by a parent, between 11am-12pm Monday
through Friday. The lunch includes a turkey or ham sandwich, a
bag of chips, and a cookie.
Thanks, RT
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
03-23-20
St. Charles Boat & Motor update:
Due to the unprecedented time that
the country is experiencing, we are implementing some additions
to our normal routine:
At this time, we remain open for business, operating with a
small staff. For the safety of our customers, our staff, and our
families, in addition to our normal operations, we are offering
some alternative means of interacting with us as well for both
purchasing products (from parts to a new boat) and for your
service needs.
If youd like to shop any new or used inventory with us with
minimized social interaction, we can schedule individual
appointments or send you a virtual video tour of a unit. You can
always shop our inventory on our website as well, at
www.stcharlesboat.com. We currently have some huge discounts
on our in stock inventory! If youre interested in a private
appointment, please e-mail us at zeke@stcharlesboat.com or you
can call us at 636-947-0106 during normal business hours.
For your service needs, we can schedule a touchless drop off and
pick-up with you. For touchless drop off or pick-up, e-mail
Jerry at jerry@stcharlesboat.com or Zeke at zeke@stcharlesboat.com
for scheduling and instructions.
We realize that this too will pass and we can return to a more
normal routine, which means getting back to boating for many of
us!
We will keep our customers updated by posting on our
website and
Facebook page.
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
03-16-20
Store Inventory Sale & Sock Burn
Postponed !
02-27-20 Update..Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
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Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
03-24-20
Open for business with limited services.
Gas pumps to open April 1, 2020 |
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Currently we are open. Although things may change. My wife is in
healthcare sales so I may be working from home more. Service
guys are currently working when work can be done outside of
shop. Hope this helps I will Let you know if things change more.
Andy
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
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Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
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Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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TUESDAY
24 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
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White Pelicans
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
click
pic to enlarge
The Picture of the Day.......
was posted in
Mississippi River Photos by Capt'n Mark Newlin
RiverBill says... Great picture Mark ! Thanks for letting
us repost it.
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The Boathouse
is CLOSED
for some cosmetic projects
March 2 through
Thursday April 2
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
April Music Schedule..
click here
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday
with bands every Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday
afternoons.
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click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
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First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
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Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2019.....
The parking lot
at Grafton Harbor is under water
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Spring is here !
Summer is around
the corner !
List your Boat on RiverBills
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
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More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
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River News
!
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Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
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Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH 18, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 28 (Mile
185.4 Mile 160.1) and
Zone 29 (Mile
160.0 Mile 109.9).
Down-
streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel is
equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has a
minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY
The following area is in the high
water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3).
High
water and drift potential may be encountered in this area.
Mariners are advised to minimize wake and exercise caution.
Avoid laying up on saturated levees. Mariners should be
experienced in high water conditions and avoid down-streaming
operations if possible. Mariners should remain vigilant to an
increase in debris and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate actions to prevent breakaways. Exercise caution in
all meeting and overtaking situations, as swift currents may be
present. Navigational buoys may have been dragged off station,
so remain cautious while transiting
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
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RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,864 members as of
03-24-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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Grafton Harbor Update
At Confluence of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers .......
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster Bar are
"Closed."
Jan DeSherlia
Grafton Harbor
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St. Charles Boat & Motor Update...
Reprinted from St, Charles Boat & Motor Facebook...
click here
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Glenna's River Forecast .......
Reprinted from John's Boat harbor Facebook...
click here
RiverBill says... Thanks
for the update Glenna
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Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time. Check it out:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
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Missouri Department of Conservation
Snagging Season Still
Open.......
Reprinted from the Missouri Dept of Conservation
Facebook.
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Illinois Dept of Natural Resources Conservation Police
Fishing and Hunting "During
Stay At Home" Order.......
Reprinted from Illinois Dept of Natural Resources
Conservation Police Facebook...
click here
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
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Asian Carp
New "Modified-Unified" Method of
Removal........
The modified-unified method of asian carp removal is brand new,
and revolutionary. It's being tested on Kentucky waters for the
first time ever, and this video will teach you all about it!
Photo reprinted from KYAfield YouTube...
click here
RiverBill says... Thanks
Gary McKelvey for the news tip ! |
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Marine Industry News
West Marine Closes and/or Reduces Store
Hours.... Boat Builders Cease Production....
Boat gear retailer West Marine has announced
that they will be closing stores or adjusting retail store hours
in certain markets. They will also close their Watsonville,
California Service Center for at least two weeks.
Viking Yachts has announced that they have
closed down their factory for at least 14 days. The company has
recommended that employees apply online for unemployment
benefits.
Dometic Marine will be closing their Limerick
Pennsylvania facility to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Other marine facilities will remain open........
Click here
to read these news articles from tradeonlytoday.com.
With
Photo.
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Tim Tighe, John Biondo and Dutch Hauhe
River
History....
March 24, 2010 in
River History
The "Original Sharkys" Restaurant opened on the river at North Shore Marina
on a Wednesday night under the direction of Tim Tighe, John Biondo and Dutch
Hauhe.
The
river had some minor flooding going at the time that caused the road across
the harbor, going to the restaurant, to be under water. The restaurant then
provided a Shuttle Suburban to ferry customers back and forth all night long
through the flood water
.
The restaurant had to close it's doors a few days later because the water on
the road got to deep, only to re-open a few days later after they purchased
a pontoon boat to shuttle patrons back and forth.
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Marine Manufacturer
Yamaha Shuttering Their U.S.
Facilities........
The Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. has
announced that they will be pausing production in their
stateside manufacturing subsidiaries in response to the spread
of the COVID-19 infections.
According to Bob Starr, the corporate
communications manager for Yamaha Motor Corp, U.S.A., the most
important thing is the wellbeing of the employees.
The production stoppage was determined
according to individual plant schedules, with the closures
beginning on Friday. The production pause will be reevaluated
each week for as long as is necessary........
Click here
to read this news report from tradeonlytoday.com.
With Photo.
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Mississippi River At Cape Girardeau,
Missouri
Cape Girardeau Closes Floodgates As A
Precaution........
On Friday, March 20, the floodgates in
downtown Cape Girardeau were closed. The Cape Girardeau public
works director stated that the Broadway and Themis floodgates
were closed as a precaution.
While the Mississippi River is currently
rising, as of Monday morning, the river was close to the
floodgates, but not up to them yet.
The Mississippi River is at moderate flood
stage, measuring at 36.7 feet. The river is expected to crest
later this week. The floodgates are expected to be closed for
most of the week........
Click here
to read this news article from kfvs12.com.
With Photo.
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Marine Jobs
Surroundings Trade Only....
A few of the jobs listed this week include:
~ Boat Brokerage Business for Sale -
Lake of the Ozarks, MO
~ Boat Deliveries - Koch Marine
~ Parts Dept Manager-All Island Marine Corp
Check out the marine jobs on Trade Only Job Board...
click here
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Mississippi River At Cairo, Illinois
Cairo Bridge Shut Down For
Inspection........
The U.S. 60/62 Bridge spanning the
Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois will be closing to all
traffic to allow crews to carry out the annual safety inspection
of the structure.
The Illinois Department of Transportation
announced that the span will be closed from 8 am Monday morning
until noon on April 2, and from 8 am April 6 through noon on
April 9. The bridge will be reopened to traffic from 5:30 pm
until 7 am every night........
Click here
to read this news tidbit from semissourian.com
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Mississippi River Near New Orleans,
Louisiana
Levee
Restrictions Resume As River Rises Above 15 Feet........
After dropping below 15 feet less than a week
ago, the Mississippi River is expected to rise above 15 feet at
New Orleans by Wednesday, prompting the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers to re-institute bans on work on or near levees.
This will be the third time this spring that
the Mississippi River at New Orleans has exceeded 15 feet at the
Carrollton Gauge.
Forecasts of heavy rainfall across the
Midwest and Ohio River Valley, coupled with already high river
levels are likely to push the Mississippi River at New Orleans
over 16 feet by mid-April........
Click here
to read this news article from nola.com.
With Photo.
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Click
here
to
continue reading...
Reprinted
with
permission
of
Jeri
Levesque
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
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What's Going On This Week |
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3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
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Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
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bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
March 2 through Thursday April 2 The Boathouse will be
CLOSING for some cosmetic projects.
The Boathouse will OPEN for the
2020 Season on April 2 @12:00pm.
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday with bands every
Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday afternoons.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
03/20/2020
Calhoun Ferry Companys priority is
the health and safety of our crew and passengers.
We received a call today from the U.S. Coast Guard advising us
that all passengers will be required to stay in their vehicles
when crossing the ferry. This is in response to the restrictions
placed on gatherings of 10 or more people. This will remain in
effect until the restrictions are lifted.
We are cleaning and disinfecting all crew areas and all ferry
passes as we receive them.
Starting tomorrow 03/21/2020 we will be reducing our hours to
eliminate the late night shift on Friday and Saturday. This will
remain in effect until the restrictions are lifted. Hours will
be Monday through Saturday 5am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
We will all get through this together by working together for a
better tomorrow. Stay safe!
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
03-24-20
The winery, gift shop, fuel dock and Grafton Oyster Bar are
"Closed."
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
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Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
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Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-04-20 Guess
what??! Gassie boy new and improved is working and we have been
selling gas.
So if u need gas. We are open 24/7
Whopee
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
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Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 2, 2020
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
March 11, 2020...
Help Wanted
Summer/Seasonal Marina Help
Needed
Do you love being around
people ?
Do you appreciate an outdoor
& indoor working environment ?
Please call Linda for an
interview !
636.250.BOAT
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
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Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
Pizza is here always here
for you....
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
03-23-20
St. Charles Boat & Motor update:
Due to the unprecedented time that
the country is experiencing, we are implementing some additions
to our normal routine:
At this time, we remain open for business, operating with a
small staff. For the safety of our customers, our staff, and our
families, in addition to our normal operations, we are offering
some alternative means of interacting with us as well for both
purchasing products (from parts to a new boat) and for your
service needs.
If youd like to shop any new or used inventory with us with
minimized social interaction, we can schedule individual
appointments or send you a virtual video tour of a unit. You can
always shop our inventory on our website as well, at
www.stcharlesboat.com. We currently have some huge discounts
on our in stock inventory! If youre interested in a private
appointment, please e-mail us at zeke@stcharlesboat.com or you
can call us at 636-947-0106 during normal business hours.
For your service needs, we can schedule a touchless drop off and
pick-up with you. For touchless drop off or pick-up, e-mail
Jerry at jerry@stcharlesboat.com or Zeke at zeke@stcharlesboat.com
for scheduling and instructions.
We realize that this too will pass and we can return to a more
normal routine, which means getting back to boating for many of
us!
We will keep our customers updated by posting on our
website and
Facebook page.
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
03-16-20
Store Inventory Sale & Sock Burn
Postponed !
02-27-20 Update..Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
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Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
02-28-20 Update:
Woodland
Marina is looking forward to an exciting boating season. Our
office and bathrooms are currently being renovated and made
handicap accessible. Woodland Marina lies at mile marker 222.5
on the Dardenne Slough and is the largest full-service marina on
the Mississippi family owned since 1959.
We would like
to thank our customers and friends for their support during the
flooding and our reconstruction.
Look for that
Silver Lining!
Diane, Carl
and Company
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
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Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
|
Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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MONDAY
23 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
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Dardenne Slough
of Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
click
pic to enlarge
The Picture of the Day.......
was sent to us by Capt'n Carl Tiemann with the follow
notation:
Somebody went
out on Sunday !
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Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
at Dardenne
Slough
click
pic to enlarge
The Picture of the Day.......
was sent to us by Capt'n Carl Tiemann with the follow
notation:
The Pavilion
at the Yacht
Club of St. Louis
on a snowy
Sunday Morning
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The Boathouse
is CLOSED
for some cosmetic projects
March 2 through
Thursday April 2
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
April Music Schedule..
click here
The Boathouse will OPEN for the 2020 Season on April 2
@12:00pm.
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday
with bands every Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday
afternoons.
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click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
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First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
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Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
The Travels of
Karen, Dave, Sharon and
Billy
(L/R)
Karen, Dave, Sharon and Billy
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2019.....
was sent to us by Capt'n Billy Moyer who hails out of
Alton Marina and is currently cruising around the Fort Meyers,
Florida area waters in a 45 Sea Ray with his crew.
Bill,
It's our final night (03-22-19). Ended up at Moss Marine on Fort Myers Beach at Bonita Bill's for some cold beers and and little food.
Billy
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Spring is here !
Summer is around
the corner !
List your Boat on RiverBills
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
|
More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
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River News
!
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Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
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Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH 18, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 28 (Mile
185.4 Mile 160.1) and
Zone 29 (Mile
160.0 Mile 109.9).
Down-
streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel is
equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has a
minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY
The following area is in the high
water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3).
High
water and drift potential may be encountered in this area.
Mariners are advised to minimize wake and exercise caution.
Avoid laying up on saturated levees. Mariners should be
experienced in high water conditions and avoid down-streaming
operations if possible. Mariners should remain vigilant to an
increase in debris and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate actions to prevent breakaways. Exercise caution in
all meeting and overtaking situations, as swift currents may be
present. Navigational buoys may have been dragged off station,
so remain cautious while transiting
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
|
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RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,863 members as of
03-23-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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COVID-19 And The Marine Industry
Even Boat Manufactures Are Affected By
The Pandemic........
Initially, the marine industry seemed like it
would weather the coronavirus outbreak, as boating is an
activity that could lend itself to family isolation an
seclusion.
Brunswick recently paused production of
boats, including their Sea Ray and Boston Whaler brands and
Mercury engines, showing that the marine industry too could feel
the effects of the pandemic.
Correct Craft CEO Bill Yeargin says that the
greatest challenge to the marine industry now is uncertainty.
Yeargin adds that it is possible that we will see additional
restrictions on non-essential commerce........
Click here
to read this news article from tradeonlytoday.com.
With Photos.
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FEMA Flood Map .......
Reprinted from msc.fema.gov..
click here
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Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time. Check it out:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
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More COVID-19 And The Marine
Industry
Waterways and Ports Continue
Moving Despite Coronavirus........
In just over a week, the coronavirus
has brought most of the United States to a screeching
halt as governmental officials and communities work to
mitigate the virus' spread.
As of yet, COVID-19, the disease
caused by the novel coronavirus, has not caused a
shutdown of the nation's waterways or shoreline ports
and terminals.
Shipping companies, under the
guidance of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and industry
associations. have put in place guidelines to prevent or
minimize the spread of the coronavirus........
Click here
to read this news story from waterwaysjournal.net.
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
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Kaskaskia River
at Modoc, Illinois
Dayuse Area and Boat Ramp
Closed........
Reprinted from the Kaskaskia River Project Facebook...
click here |
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Mississippi River at Rock Island, IL
Click here
Mississippi River Near Rock Island,
Illinois
The River Should Crest By Friday In The
Quad Cities........
The Mississippi River at Lock and Dam No.15,
at Rock Island, Illinois is expected to crest some time between
Thursday and Friday at around 16 feet.
According to meteorologist Brian Pierce with
the National Weather Service in Davenport, the Mississippi River
was at 14.7 feet at Lock and Dam No.15 on Sunday. Flood stage
is 15 feet.
The Rock River at Joslin was at 11.2 feet.
Flood stage is 11 feet. Pierce says that the Rock River is not
expected to rise much further and was near a crest........
Click here
to read this news report from qctimes.com.
With Photo. |
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River
History....
March 23, 2003 in
River History
Clint Pinkelman, of Hartington, Nebraska, was out on his first boat ride of
the year when he discovered the wreck of the steamboat North Alabama, a
220-ton vessel that struck a sandbar and sank in the Missouri River on Oct.
27, 1870. The wreck had emerged from the Missouri river because of the low
water levels that year.
Click here for photos of the remains of the North Alabama Steamboat
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Boat
Manufacturer
BRP
Will Not Offer FY2021 Expectations Amid Virus Outbreak........
During the fourth quarter of 2019, BRP's
marine segment grew by nearly 19 percent to 155 million Canadian
dollars, and close to 14 percent for the fiscal year to nearly
560 million Canadian dollars.
BRP president and CEO Jose' Boisjoli
announced in a statement that the company is focusing on the
health and safety of their employees.
Boisjoli adds that the company is proactively
implementing measures to protect their financial flexibility and
are closely monitoring the situation to assess the possible
effects on BRP business........
Click here
to read this news report from tradeonlytoday.com.
With Photo.
Among many other
products, BRP manufactures Sea-Doo watercraft, Alumacraft,
Manitou, Quintrex, Stacer and Savage boats, Evinrude and Rotax
marine propulsion systems
Check out BRP
webste:
click here |
|
Mississippi River Near Guttenberg, Iowa
Officials Investigating A Drowning In
The River
Fishing In A Restricted Area and No
Life jackets........
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is
investigating a drowning that occurred at around 1:30 pm
Saturday afternoon near the spillway of Lock and Dam No.10 along
the Mississippi River.
Reportedly, two men were in a 14 foot flat
boat, fishing in a restricted area close to the low-head dam at
Lock and Dam No.10 when the boat was caught in turbulent water
and started taking on water.
54 year old Shaun Oppenheimer was a passenger
aboard the boat. He went overboard and drowned. His body was
recovered from the river and taken to the hospital, where he was
pronounced dead. Neither men in the boat were wearing life
jackets........
Click here
to read this news article from wcfcourier.com.
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
|
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What's Going On This Week |
|
3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
|
|
Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
|
|
bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
March 2 through Thursday April 2 The Boathouse will be
CLOSING for some cosmetic projects.
The Boathouse will OPEN for the
2020 Season on April 2 @12:00pm.
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday with bands every
Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday afternoons.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
03/20/2020
Calhoun Ferry Companys priority is
the health and safety of our crew and passengers.
We received a call today from the U.S. Coast Guard advising us
that all passengers will be required to stay in their vehicles
when crossing the ferry. This is in response to the restrictions
placed on gatherings of 10 or more people. This will remain in
effect until the restrictions are lifted.
We are cleaning and disinfecting all crew areas and all ferry
passes as we receive them.
Starting tomorrow 03/21/2020 we will be reducing our hours to
eliminate the late night shift on Friday and Saturday. This will
remain in effect until the restrictions are lifted. Hours will
be Monday through Saturday 5am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
We will all get through this together by working together for a
better tomorrow. Stay safe!
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
|
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
|
Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
|
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Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
|
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-04-20 Guess
what??! Gassie boy new and improved is working and we have been
selling gas.
So if u need gas. We are open 24/7
Whopee
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
|
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Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 2, 2020
|
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
|
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
March 11, 2020...
Help Wanted
Summer/Seasonal Marina Help
Needed
Do you love being around
people ?
Do you appreciate an outdoor
& indoor working environment ?
Please call Linda for an
interview !
636.250.BOAT
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
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Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
Pizza is here always here
for you....
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
03-16-20
Store Inventory Sale & Sock Burn
Postponed !
02-27-20 Update..Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
|
Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
02-28-20 Update:
Woodland
Marina is looking forward to an exciting boating season. Our
office and bathrooms are currently being renovated and made
handicap accessible. Woodland Marina lies at mile marker 222.5
on the Dardenne Slough and is the largest full-service marina on
the Mississippi family owned since 1959.
We would like
to thank our customers and friends for their support during the
flooding and our reconstruction.
Look for that
Silver Lining!
Diane, Carl
and Company
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
|
|
Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
|
Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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THE WEEKEND
Sat, Sun....21, 22 March 2020
Over 10.5 Million Boater
Visits
Since Sept
12, 2004
To The Always Changing e-Waters of RiverBills.com
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A Sign Of The
Times
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
Sun Pic
click
pic to enlarge
The Picture of the Day.......
was sent to us by Capt'n Carl Tiemann
A picture from yesterday afternoon
showing the water starting to creep over Wilson Road, in St.
Charles County. Further down the road is Camp Carl and
River Island Marina.
Google Maps
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A Blast From
The Past
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
Sun Pic
click
pic to enlarge
The Pictures of the Day.......are
from Capt'n John Patrico
Pictures of John's
Burning of the Socks
and Granny Panties Party
on March 21, 2019
RiverBill says...
Now that a Sock Burning Fire... Yah Mon
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Our Lady of the
Rivers
Pool 26 of the
Mississippi River
Sat Pic
click
pic to view Facebook post
The Picture of the Day.......
was posted on
wwwRiverBillscom Facebook by Capt'n Mark Newlin who
hails out of Portage des Sioux, Mo
Water will be over the road and walkway to Lady of the Rivers
Shrine by Saturday
Mark
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Smoke On The
Water
Sat Pic
click pic to enlarge
The Pictures of the Day.......
were sent to us by Capt'n Phil Steimel
RiverBill,
Smoke on the water. Took these pictures Thursday as a fog bank
moved down the river.
PhilBilly
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Ominous Clouds
Sat Pic
click pic to enlarge
The Pictures of the Day.......
were sent to us by Capt'n Brad Maher
RiverBill,
Took a ride out Thursday evening with storms to the south.
Sunset was real good later but my phone battery died.
Brad Maher
Alton Motorboat Club
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The Boathouse
is CLOSED
for some cosmetic projects
March 2 through
Thursday April 2
Website..N/A
Facebook..
click here
Events..
click here
Phone: 636 250 3300
April Music Schedule..
click here
The Boathouse will OPEN for the 2020 Season on April 2
@12:00pm.
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday
with bands every Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday
afternoons.
|
|
click here
for Facebook
click here
for
website
Grafton
Harbor.... 618-786-PORT (7678)
Grafton Harbor River
Adventure Cruises
Mark your Calendars, Start Booking Those Cruises, our
website has been updated for 2020 and is ready for your
reservations! We've added more dinner cruises catered by the
award winning Grafton Oyster Bar !
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2, 2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule
|
|
First Mate is a boat
brokerage located on the beautiful upper Mississippi.
We sell boats and will find
you the perfect boat!
Click
here
for Facebook
Click here
for
Website
Browse Our Boats
|
|
Yesteryear's Pic of
the Day
Burning of the
Socks 2019
Sat Pic
Click pic to enlarge
YesterYear's Picture on
this Day in
2019.....
was taken at RiverBills place at
Woodland Marina
Ginny was the
"First"
to throw her socks into the fire
to
Officially Welcome Spring
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Spring is here !
Summer is around
the corner !
List your Boat on RiverBills
www.RiverBills.com
Featured Classifieds
|
More Boats
on RiverBills.com
"All
Classifieds Page"
click here
|
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River News
!
|
|
Added Sunday
Kampsville & Brussels Ferries
Illinois River.......
Reprinted from
the Calhoun Ferry Company Facebook...
click here
|
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Added Sunday
US Army Corps of Engineers,
Headquarters
Monitoring Anticipated Minor Flood Stages On Missouri River......
Reprinted from US Army Corps of Engineers, Headquartes Facebook...
click here
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Added Sunday
Flooding.. What's Coming
A Look Up The Mississippi River.......
Alton, IL
UMR 200.8 to Gregory
Landing, MO UMR
352.9 Minor Flood Stage predicted
Burlington, IA
UMR404.0 to New
Boston, IL UMR
437.1 Moderate Flood Stage predicted
Check out RiverBills River Gages
Page for more information further up-river...
Alton, IL to St. Paul, MN
....
click here
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Added Sunday
Flooding
Road Closures .......
It's that time of the year again.
Just a few low lying roads in the St. Louis area are flooded at
this time:
St. Charles County Road Closures.....
click here
MODOT's Traveler information Map....
click here
Illinois Department of Transportation...
click here
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Added Sunday
River Shipping News
Virus Threatens Crucial Cargo....
Barge Lines Increase Crew Safety....
Canal Barge Co. recently bolstered up their
pre-board health screenings for all crew members following the
arrival of the COVID-19 virus. The screenings include a
temperature check and disclosures of recent travel and personal
interactions.
The reason for the screenings is to guarantee
the continued shipping of crucial bargeloads of crude oil,
chemicals, scrap metal and other goods vital to the U.S.
economy.
If there are any disruptions to the flow of
raw materials and finished goods and commodities along the river
highway, the economic issues for critical industries already
affected by the COVID-19 outbreak could increase........
Click here
to read this news report from marinelink.com.
With Photo.
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Added Sunday
Illinois Flooding Outlook
Flood Warnings Issued Little Wabash and
Kaskaskia Rivers........
The National Weather Service recently
announced that the flood warning is continuing for the Little
Wabash River and the Kaskaskia River.
The flood warning for the Little Wabash River
is in effect below Clay City, affecting Clay and Richland
Counties until further notice.
The Kaskaskia River at Vandalia is under a
flood warning as of Friday morning and will remain in effect
until Tuesday afternoon........
Click here
to read this news tidbit from myradiolink.com
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Added Sunday
Mark Twain Lake
Most Access To Lake Cut Off........
Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
announced that the Corps facilities at Mark Twain Lake are
closed indefinitely, which covers all federally controlled
facilities and access points.
The Corps stated in an announcement that the
closure includes boat ramps, day use areas and camping
facilities managed by the Corps. At this time, access to the
lake is still available at limited locations.
The Missouri State Parks office announced on
their website that Missouri state park visitor centers,
campgrounds and lodging will remain open while the COVID-19
situation is closely monitored.........
Click here
to read this news article from hannibal.net.
With Photo.
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Added Sunday
Cruise Ship News
Carnival Offering Cruise Ships For
Medical Use
New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco.........
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced
that Carnival Corp chairman Micky Arison pledged to make some of
the idled Carnival Cruise Lines vessels available to be used in
addition to U.S. Navy hospital ships being deployed in response
to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a media briefing, Trump said that in
addition to the big medical ships being deployed, if ships with
lots of rooms are required, they will be docked at New York and
Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The U.S. Navy hospital ships, USNS Comfort
and USNS Mercy have been preparing to assist shoreside
medical facilities that could become overrun with COVID-19
victims. The Department of Defense said that the ships will not
be treating COVID-19 victims, instead, they will be taking non-coronavirus
patient care off the hands of onshore hospitals........
Click here
to read this news article from marinelink.com.
With Photo.
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Added Saturday
at 11AM
The Golden Eagle Ferry
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River at Golden Eagle
IL.......
Reprinted from
the Calhoun Ferry Company Facebook...
click here
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Some Highlights of This
Week's
LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS
District 8 MRS
UPDATED MARCH 18, 2020
Mississippi
River System
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MILE 273.4 - L/D CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 24 in the
vicinity of Mile 273.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster.
MILE 241.4 - L/D
CLOSURE
Continuing until 5:00 p.m., March 31, 2020, L/D 25 in the
vicinity of Mile 241.4, will be closed for maintenance. All
navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any
special instructions that may be issued by the lockmaster
MILE 183.2 - BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Merchants
Railroad Bridge; Work barges continue excavating around both
left and right descending navigation piers and the right
descending pier of the center span. Work barges should not
encroach more than 50 feet into the navigation channel, at any
time. For work barge locations, mariners are encouraged to
contact the onsite work boat M/V KATHERINE OHARA via VHF-FM
Channel 6 or 16 or by phone at (217) 248-9077.
UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER - CHANNEL CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY
The following areas are in the high water watch phase IAW the
Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 28 (Mile
185.4 Mile 160.1) and
Zone 29 (Mile
160.0 Mile 109.9).
Down-
streaming operations are not recommended unless the vessel is
equal to or greater than 75 feet in length and the vessel has a
minimum of 1,800 h.p. Towboat operators should use caution,
minimize wake where possible, and be experienced in high water
operations. Mariners should remain vigilant to an increase in
debris in the water and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate action to prevent any breakaways from occurring. Use
caution in all passing and meeting situations and be mindful of
all charted bridge navigational clearances. Buoys may have been
dragged off station so remain cautious while transiting. Towing
vessels are advised to favor the center of the channel and
proceed at their slowest safe operating speed, based on
prevailing conditions, to minimize wake damage to personal
property. Down-streaming operations are not recommended.
ILLINOIS RIVER
ILLINOIS WATERWAY - CHANNEL
CONDITION/SAFETY ADVISORY
The following area is in the high
water watch phase IAW the Western Rivers WAP Annex:
Zone 4
Beardstown (Mile 101.9 Mile 80.3).
High
water and drift potential may be encountered in this area.
Mariners are advised to minimize wake and exercise caution.
Avoid laying up on saturated levees. Mariners should be
experienced in high water conditions and avoid down-streaming
operations if possible. Mariners should remain vigilant to an
increase in debris and maneuver appropriately. Be aware that a
buildup of debris in fleeting areas may have occurred and take
appropriate actions to prevent breakaways. Exercise caution in
all meeting and overtaking situations, as swift currents may be
present. Navigational buoys may have been dragged off station,
so remain cautious while transiting
Click here for
the current "Local Notice To Mariners" report
on the
Navigation Center Website
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No new incident reports for the St. Louis area
Click here
to go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol website for
"all" incident reports
|
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River
Gear For Sale............
Click here to
buy your River T-shirts and
Accessories on-line..
Delivered right to you mailbox in a
few short days
|
|
RiverBills Facebook
Two FaceBook Pages for You
The "River News
and Media" Page
Page contains
river news, RiverBills Pictures of the Day, Upcoming River
Events, info from RiverBills.com advertisers, etc.....
Click
here
and check it
out
The "Boaters
Group" Page
It's a group
for all the boaters on all the rivers near the "PORT OF ST.
LOUIS AND BEYOND." It's a Public Group, open to anyone that
wants to join in. A place to post your boating pictures, shout
outs, questions, comments, etc. Stay in touch with other
boaters all year long. Invite your Boating Friends.
We have 5,856 members as of
03-21-20.......
Click here
and check it
out.
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Mississippi River Near Grafton,
Illinois
Flooding Is Expected In The Riverbend
Area........
Following this week's rainfall, rivers in the
Riverbend are entering flood stage. Officials in the towns
along the Mississippi River are advising residents that they are
prepared to fight high water amid the current coronavirus
pandemic.
Grafton Mayor Rick Eberlin says that they are
working closely with state emergency management agencies, public
health departments, FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
the Red Cross to guarantee that first responders have the
protective gear needed.
Eberlin added that the smaller towns rely
upon volunteers for disaster response and as a result, officials
are working to develop protocols to limit the spread of
contagions........
Click here
to read this news report from thetelegraph.com.
With Photo.
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the
restaurant management has decided to close the restaurant
this weekend until further notice.
MJB
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Click here........ Port Charles Harbor website
Click here......Port Charles Harbor Facebook
|
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Mississippi River At Alton,
Illinois
Alton Restaurateur: Quarantine
Yourself If You Visited Them Last Weekend........
Glenn and Terry Beaubien, the owners
of State Street Market near Highway 67, are warning
people who visited their restaurant last week to
quarantine themselves after one of their customers
tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
The owners stated that a customer had
called the restaurant to report a fever and later tested
positive for the novel coronavirus.
Glenn Beaubien says that if you
visited the State Street Market on Saturday, March 14,
you should quarantine for 14 days. The owners estimate
that their crew interacted with around 100 people last
Saturday........
Click here
to read this news article from
kmov.com. With Video.
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click pic to
enlarge
We offer full fiberglass
repair, high performance upgrades, transom & stringer
rebuilds, service on older products, new & used parts
department, an accessories department, as well as many other
services to suit everyone's boating needs.
We continue to display our Yamaha Sport Boats + Crest,
Mercury + Yamaha Outboards and Heritage & Haul Rite trailers
St. Charles Boat & Motor
website St. Charles Boat &
Motor
Facebook
|
Mississippi River In The Riverbend
Corps Closing Boat Ramp and Access Area
Due To Flooding........
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers
Project Office recently closed the Maple Island Boat Ramp in
West Alton, Missouri as well as the Low Water Access Area in
Granite City to all pedestrians, fishermen and vehicle traffic
due to rising river levels.
The Mississippi River at the Melvin Price
Locks and Dam in East Alton, Illinois is forecast to crest at
24.8 feet on Sunday, which is 3.8 feet above flood stage.
The Maple Island Boat Ramp and the Low Water
Access Area will reopen once the river level goes back down.
The exact reopening date will depend upon river
conditions........
Click here
to read this news tidbit from advantagenews.com
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Website..click
here Facebook Page..click
here
Lewis Boat
Inventory..
click here
|
|
River
History....
March 21, 2008 in
River History
The US Coast Guard closed the Mississippi River to recreational boaters from
the Chain of Rocks bridge to the Jefferson Barracks bridge because of the
high water.
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click pic to enlarge
Alton Motorboat Club
Roof Top AC For Sale........
RiverBIll
If you know anyone that might want the roof top A/C and heat
units from our clubhouse we would sell them for about 500.00.
They were working fine when removed. Three phase power is needed
for them.
Brad Maher
Alton Motorboat Club
Click here for specs
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Mississippi River At Davenport, Iowa
Davenport Activating Flood Plan To
Fight Rising River........
As the Mississippi River continues to rise,
the city of Davenport, Iowa is activating their flood plan. The
residents that are affected by river levels below 18 feet are
encouraged to start preparing.
The Mississippi River at Davenport is
forecasted to rise to 16 feet by the end of next week, and could
potentially crest near 17.5 feet by April 1.
At this time, city officials do not plan on
setting up their temporary flood defense system, as it won't be
necessary at the forecasted river levels........
Click here
to read this news article from qctimes.com.
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Mississippi River At Hannibal, Missouri
City Officials Monitoring River
Levels........
Even as Hannibal is coming off of the second
worse flooding in the city's history, the flood season is
rapidly approaching the Hannibal region.
The Mississippi River has been running high
all winter, and as of Friday morning, it was at 17.35 feet and
was expected to rise to at least 19.2 feet.
According to John Hark, the Marion County
Emergency Management Director says that the river levels will be
fluctuating from now to June. He adds that so far the flood
walls are not needed, but crews are on stand-by in case they are
required........
Click here
to read this news story from khqa.com.
With Video.
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Boat Manufacturer
Brunswick Halts Production Due To
COVID-19........
Brunswick Corporation recently announced that
they would be suspending production at some of their propulsion
and boat operations during the next several weeks in response to
the effects of the coronavirus.
According to a press release, the production
suspension is being done in the best interest of the safety and
health of employees as well as to better balance production
levels with some projected near-term global market weakness.
Brunswick officials also noted that due to
current inventory positions, in-transit stock and good planning
with suppliers, they are confident that market needs and
distribution capabilities will be able to be met during this
time........
Click here
to read this news report from boatingindustry.com.
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OFFERING
THE SWINGING DOCK STEP
Swings out
to bridge the gap between the dock and your boat
for ease of loading and boarding
Swings out of the way to
the "Walk
Thru"
position on the dock
|
|
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What's Going On This Week |
|
3rd Chute Bar & Grill
211 W. Main St. Grafton, IL
Just a short walk from Grafton Harbor
Breakfast available every Saturday and Sunday morning from
8am till 12pm
|
|
Alton
Marina
Mississippi River at Alton, IL
Alton Marina is the cover photo for the
2020 edition of Quimby's Cruising Guide
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bluff city grill
424 Broadway, Alton, IL
03-17-20
As everyone is aware, Governor Pritzker
has issued an order that all Bars & Restaurants must discontinue
dine in services, effective 3/17/2020 through a minimum of
3/30/2020. At this time, Bluff City Grill will remain closed
without curbside or delivery services. We are working with our
employees to assist them in this difficult time in as many ways
as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any
of our valued patrons. We plan to take this down time to ensure
all our staff members are taking the necessary precautions to
help slow/stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the
meantime, we are taking on a few projects & using this time to
be productive to complete a few projects to improve our
facility. If the ban continues further than 3/30/2020 we will
revisit the idea of curbside services & keep everyone informed
on that decision. We truly appreciate everyones support during
this trying time & ask everyone to come together as a community.
Please support our communitys small businesses & practice the
guidelines the CDC & WHO has recommended to help end this
pandemic. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy!
Friday, April
17, 2020
We are super excited for Boots, Beer and
Borderline | Line Dancing Event coming up on FRIDAY APRIL 17,
2020 in the banquet room at Bluff City Grill in Alton, IL. We
will be playing ALL COUNTRY line dance tunes with a dj keeping
the line dancing going during band breaks. Doors open at 6:30p
with music starting at 7pm, and there is a $5 cover charge at
the door. Bluff City Grill has an awesome HARD WOOD dance floor
and plenty of room for everyone. Cash bar. You DONT want to miss
this event. We'll see y'all there. Bring your friends!
Just a short distance from the Alton
Marina
Open 7 Days a week
Upcoming Events..
click here
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The Boathouse
Northshore Marina
March 2 through Thursday April 2 The Boathouse will be
CLOSING for some cosmetic projects.
The Boathouse will OPEN for the
2020 Season on April 2 @12:00pm.
April hours are Thursday thru Sunday with bands every
Saturday afternoon and night , Sunday afternoons.
Memorial Day through Labor Day OPEN 7 days a week.
We have so many exciting events this season we cant wait to
see you and share .
Hiring event Mid- March.
Bands and entertainment booking now.
Planning parties now .
New menu items for our Keto and gluten sensitivity folks.
On the river as always xoxo The
Boathouse Crew
Winter hours are : Friday for parties and reservations only.
Saturday 12-7(except parties and events)
Sunday 12-7
Upcoming Events..
click here
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Calhoun
Ferry Company
The Golden Eagle Ferry is OPEN
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Cedar Hill Resort
Mississippi River
1 mile below
Winfield Dam
Closed and
For Sale
Contact Jay at 618 772 5766
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Con Trios Yacht Club
March 20 -22, 2020
Ice Breaker 2020
......Cancelled......
Registration is Open...
https://ctyc.clubexpress.com/content.aspx
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Duck Club Yacht Club
3-18-20
Because of the CDC recommendations the restaurant management
has decided to close the restaurant this weekend until
further notice.
MJB
Sat, April 18
Counntry & Western Night
7:00 PM
The Duck Club is the Premier Private Yacht
Club serving the Upper Mississippi River, Alton pool boating
community. The Club is located at the South end of Dardenne
Slough with direct channel access at mm22
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Froge's Bar and Grill
Portage des Sioux, MO
It is with heavy heart I have to post the following:
Starting Friday morning, we can only serve carry out "FOOD"
and/or "DRINK" the dining area will be closed until further
notice!
HOURS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Monday-CLOSED
Sun 12pm-8pm
Tue, Wed & Th 11am-8pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sat, May 2
Customer Appreciation DAY
Froge's Bar and Grill · Portage Des Sioux
March 20th Kitchen will be open Sunday thru Thursday
11am-9pm.
We are CLOSED on Mondays. Kitchen is always open year round
Friday & Saturday 11am-10pm
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Grafton Harbor
Confluence
of Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
March 16, 2020
For the safety of our family, customers and employees, we at
Grafton Harbor, have decided to close the gift shop and winery
during this pandemic. We will keep you all in our love and
prayers during this difficult time. Stay well everyone and thank
you all so much for your support.
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Grafton Harbor
Grafton Harbor River Adventures
Mark your Calendars, Start
Booking Those Cruises, our website has been updated for 2020 and
is ready for your reservations! We've added more dinner cruises
catered by the award winning Grafton Oyster Bar!
Every Saturday & Sunday
Beginning May 2,
2020
Click
here
for 2020 cruise schedule |
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Grafton, IL
Confluence of Mississippi &
Illinois Rivers
Two Week Activity Calendar
Click here
and check out Grafton's
Event and Music Calendar...Mar 9 - 23, 2020
.
Click here and
check out "Welcome to Grafton" website
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Grafton Oyster Bar
Grafton
Harbor
Closed Until Further Notice
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John's Boat Harbor
Mississippi River at UMR 231.8
03-04-20 Guess
what??! Gassie boy new and improved is working and we have been
selling gas.
So if u need gas. We are open 24/7
Whopee
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Kinder's Restaurant
Mississippi River at Golden Eagle,
IL
The old building
has been torn down.
Waiting on permits for new building.
"The plan is to keep it in the same location, maybe a little
closer to the river and up about 7 ft higher. The building will
be just a little smaller with a bigger deck."
Amanda
Kinder's Restaurant
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Lake
Center Marina
MM224.4 UMR
.
March 7, 2020
Our gas dock is up and running for you.
Have a great weekend boaters!!
Reposted from Lake Center marina Facebook....
click here
Were excited to announce
40% OFF all annual docks & slips to new members in 2020 !
http://lakecentermarina.com/new-members
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Lewis
Boats
Marine Sales and Service
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Longshot
Saloon at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 2, 2020
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Mike's La Rosa at Longshot Marina
Mississippi River at
Portage des Sioux, Mo
Opening May 21, 2020
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Polestar Boating Center
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
Dock Rentals on the Mississippi River
Safe Harbor Yacht Sales
The Canvas Man, LLC
Vessel Surveyor / Marine Consulting
Quality Marine Repair
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Port Charles Harbor
Mississippi River
Dardenne Slough 221.5
March 11, 2020...
Help Wanted
Summer/Seasonal Marina Help
Needed
Do you love being around
people ?
Do you appreciate an outdoor
& indoor working environment ?
Please call Linda for an
interview !
636.250.BOAT
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River
Road Watersports
Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
at Grafton Harbor
REOPENING IN THE SPRING FOR THE 2020 SEASON.
KEEP YOUR ANCHOR RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.
Jet Ski Rentals
Boat Rental
Rafting Float Trip
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Riviera Too
Food,
Beer, Wine
Pizza is here always here
for you....
3025 N MO-94, St. Charles, Missouri
63301
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St.
Charles Boat & Motor
The Complete Marine
Winter Hours
Tue - Fri..9am - 5pm
Sat - 9am - 2pm
Sun & Mon..Closed
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Two
Rivers Marina
Mississippi River at
Louisiana, Mo
03-16-20
Store Inventory Sale & Sock Burn
Postponed !
02-27-20 Update..Fat Boys Restaurant at
Two Rivers Marina
Hi Bill,
They are diligently working to get things in order. The have
been working long hours trying to get the building in shape,
lots of painting and cleaning. It is going to happen, however
they are a bit behind because of Illinois paperwork. I expect an
opening sometime in March. They are keeping the name "Fat Boys".
Cindy Blaylock
Two Rivers Marina. |
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Woodland Marina
UMR
222.8 ...Pool 26 of the Mississippi River
02-28-20 Update:
Woodland
Marina is looking forward to an exciting boating season. Our
office and bathrooms are currently being renovated and made
handicap accessible. Woodland Marina lies at mile marker 222.5
on the Dardenne Slough and is the largest full-service marina on
the Mississippi family owned since 1959.
We would like
to thank our customers and friends for their support during the
flooding and our reconstruction.
Look for that
Silver Lining!
Diane, Carl
and Company
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Yacht Club of St. Louis
Mississippi River
At UMR 225 On Dardenne Slough
Yacht Club tore down due to flood damage.
Rebuilding on Higher ground !
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More Things Going On This Week
click here
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River Ferries
Illinois
River
Brussels
Ferry............618 - 786-3636
Mississippi River
Golden
Eagle Ferry ....618- 535-5759
Winfield
Ferry.............618- 535-5759
Grafton
Ferry............ 1-800-258-6645 ..Closed for
the Season
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Last Weekend's Edition of RiverBills....
Click here for last weekend's edition of RiverBills
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Restaurants
Who's Open.. Who's Closed
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Who's Open... Who's Closed........
3rd Chute Bar &
Grill ......................... |
Closed |
Abigail's Tap
Room |
Closed |
Alton Marina
Deli |
Closed for the Season |
Arrrr Bar at
Grafton Harbor.................. |
Closed for the Season |
Boathouse Food
& Deck..................... |
Closed March 2 through
Thursday April 2 |
Cedar Hill
Resort................................ |
Closed & For Sale |
Driftwood Crab
Shack @ MRH Resort.. |
Closed |
Duck Club Yacht
Club........................ |
Closed |
Froges Bar &
Grill.............................. |
Open All Year |
Grafton Harbor
Winery & Gift Shop...... |
Closed |
Grafton Oyster
Bar............................. |
Closed |
Kinder's
Restaurant.......................... |
Being rebuilt in same
location |
Longshot
Saloon................................ |
Opening May 2, 2020 |
LaRosa
Cantina................................. |
Opening May 21, 2020 |
Yacht Club of
St. Louis..................... |
Being rebuilt in new
location |
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If you are shown on any picture published
on RiveverBills.com and don't want this, email riverbill@prodigy.net
and we will remove the picture. |