Dubuque

Captain's Log - Day 3

Another great day!

We left our calling card on the beach before we left this morning - in case it's hard to see in the picture, we wrote "Plan C."

I get better and better at steering Plan C with each lock we go through. I was even able to pull us up to a fueling dock in Dubuque without running up onto it! Definitely a win.

So, we cruised past this little flotilla earlier today. It's not entirely clear from the picture, but that's three pontoon boats lashed together and full of children (almost wrote that as "three pontoon boats full of children, lashed together," but that sounds all kinds of wrong). My first thought was "field trip," but school's out by now, right? Maybe it's some sort of camp thing ...

Also, is lashing three pontoon boats together a good idea? Then again, who am I to judge good and bad ideas when it comes to boating, eh?

We're in Dubuque now, moored at the transient dock of the Dubuque Marina (just south of Lock #11). Seems to be a nice enough place. They have a bar/restaurant called the Yardarm where they're currently having a summer-long karaoke competition for $500! The food was not so great, but the karaoke was entertaining enough that it didn't really matter. (N.B. this embarassingly low quality photo of the karaoke is from my blackberry - didn't have the cannon on me at the time.)

After dinner at the Yardarm, we took a cab to Hy-Vee to get can openers, syrup, and a few other supplies. Haven't been to a Hy-Vee for about 14 years ...

I'm guessing that our cab was one of about three cabs in Dubuque - especially since when we called to get a cab back to the marina 45 minutes later, the same driver came and picked us up.

On the return trip, he told us about fishflies. They're evidently these bugs that hatch a few times each summer and only have a 24hr lifespan. According to him, each hatching generates "billions and billions" of flies. He even claims that they turn the lights off on the big bridge in Dubuque, because if they don't, they have to clear off the dead fishflies with plows ... My incredulity was reaching peak levels ...

This whole bug discussion reminds me of a quote - "bats are bugs." Anyone know what that's from? I'll be real impressed if you know it without having to look it up!

I can't remember off the top of my head where we'll be stopping tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to another day of smooth sailing!