The Mississippi River by Air …

It is hard to comprehend the sheer scale of the Mississippi. From St. Louis (where we joined the Mississippi with the Illinois River) to New Orleans it is about 1000 miles long (1600 km). But it is its width, the bends and the islands (tow heads) which make the river truly majestic.

Kaskaskia River joining the Mississippi
Fellow travelers tied up at the Kaskaskia River Lock
Kaskaskia River Lock. We did not actually travel through the lock, just use it as a convenient – and safe – tie-up.
The same boats anchored at the Little Diversion Channel near Cape Girardeau. After this night, Aurora traveled without companion boats, as the other boats went up the Ohio River to continue their journey towards the Ten-Tom Waterway.
Morning fog near Cape Girardeau. Note the tow with barges parked on the right bank. The big guys also don’t like to travel in fog.
Hickman Slack Harbor
Old Mississippi flow path at Hickman
View from upriver to the downriver after the New Madrid meander. Direct distance is 0.9 miles but traveling on the river, it takes over 18 miles.
New Madrid meander
Obion River
View from the Obion River anchorage
View from Obion River
Towhead at Wrights Point
Mississippi at Obion River
Osceola Slack Harbor
Sunset over Osceola, Arkansas
Chute at Waterproof Bar, Louisiana
Upstream view at Waterproof Bar

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