Closing in on zero

U 38 The upper portion of the mississippi above the confluence with the Ohio river is Covered in a 118 page chart book produced by the COE. I'm on page 114. Pretty cool. I've got the book that covers the lower portion strapped to my deck. Jenny brought it to me in Hannibal. It covers all the way to the gulf. New Orleans is something like mile 102 so I won't be going to zero. I stopped in Cape Girardeau this afternoon and filled up on water. The town is separated from the river by a big concrete wall. It's pretty ugly but you gotta do what you gotta do I guess. When I pulled up I attracted some onlookers probably because the paddling outfit I wear is unconventional. I had an unpleasant experience this morning with a 3 stacked tow boat pushing 40 barges upstream. I have decided to deploy my sponsons if I see one of those brusers approaching. I'm still hanging in there. The light at the end of the tunnel is just a pin prick but if I squint I think I can see it.