Day One: Farewells, Floating Surprises, and Friendly Lock Masters

We kicked off Day One with a 9:00 a.m. departure from port, marking the official start of our journey. Saying goodbye to Mom was a bit emotional, but spirits were high as we looked ahead to the adventure unfolding. Not long after we got underway, our autopilot decided to quit on us. Thankfully, we managed to troubleshoot and repair it while en route

an early win for the crew.

Later in the day, we attempted our first anchoring as a team. We thought we had it set just right, and Pete was relaxing in the hammock on deck. But when I came up from below, I noticed the entire boat drifting down the river! Lesson learned: anchoring takes practice.

The lock masters we met along the way were incredibly friendly and helpful. We passed through Lock and Dam numbers 4, 5, and 5A without issue, and now we’re headed toward Lock 6. Our goal is to reach Iowa by the end of the day, and with the momentum we’ve built, we’re feeling optimistic.