Day 11 - 2012 (Posted one day late)

I started out today at 6:15. I woke up a half hour earlier, but the pain in my back made everything take longer.

As I pulled out of the Holiday Point Marina, I took a photo of the beautiful bed and breakfast. You can tie up your boat at their covered docks, then stay at the house.

The Greenup Lock and Dam was about a mile away. As I approached, I could see their small lock was under repair. So I called them and they said come on in the big chamber. It took five more minutes for me to get there, but they already had the doors opened.

Here is a photo of me and my 17' kayak, in a lock big enough for a towboat and barges up to three wide and five long. The total drop here was 30'.

I took this photo of the lock door as I was leaving.

The locals call this "the bicycle bridge". That's what it looks like, but it's actually a suspended pipeline.

This is a petroleum barge passing under the Scioto Railroad Bridge.

Here is a towboat called The Cincinnati.

I passed by Portsmouth, Ohio and talked to the people siting on the wall.

The book I'm using on my trip said to go about a mile up the Kinniconnick Creek for access to a grocery store. This turned out to be a bad idea....very muddy and the store was half a mile away.

Location:On the Ohio side, across from Garrison, Ky.

Day 12 - 2012

I had the alarm set for 4:30, but when I opened my eyes a little after 4:09, I thought I saw the sky light up. After watching, I realized it was lightening. So I got up then and started packing everything back into watertight containers. I loaded the kayak and about then I could see the rain coming. I sat on the roots of a tree with a tarp over me and waited out the storm. Two hours later, I was able to start the days travel.




This is my little improvised dock made from wood along the river. Without a dock here, my feet sank nearly half a foot with each step.




This is one of the large riverside houses I've been seeing all along my trip.




This is the city of Vanceburg, Kentucky. This place appears to be pretty isolated and self contained.





Another storm.







These are two photos showing how wild this area is. There is nothing along the river for miles.




As I came into an area I had seen a thunderstorm taking place, I saw this tree that was burning and a row of piece broken off the tree burning as well. There weren't any people around and no logical arrangement of the burning pieces, so I assume the tree must have been struck by lightening.




It's hard to see, but there are two islands ahead, which make this part of the river very wide. The islands are called Manchester #1 & #2.




When I got halfway along Machester #1 I saw a boat ramp. I stoped and asked if they allowed tent camping. The owner was on his way down and said I could stay for free and set up my tent under the picnic shelter. The place here is a marina with a boatramp, lighted parking lot and space for people who camp there throughout the summer. He told me where to get water and I have access to the toilet.

Location:Machester, Ohio