Cruise the Ohio River

[riversrme]

If you haven't been on the Ohio River I want to invite everyone to this great waterway. I have cruised the entire 981 miles and it is one of the most beautiful rivers in the country. There are plenty of marinas on the middle and upper portions, lots of islands and other remote locations and plenty of great scenery. I'm taking off on another trip as soon as the foliage begins to turn color. It's outstanding. You can also take some great side trips up the Cumberland, Tennessee, Wabash and Green (KY) Rivers. I would like to hear from other Ohio River Rats.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

I grew up outside of East Liverpool, OH. Only boated on the river once as a kid.
However, in 1999, we went from Louisville to East Liverpool (and then a day trip to Pittsburgh) over 4 days. It was awesome. I just wish we had more time and we would have boated back, instead of trailering.

 

[Bamby]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

On one of your journeys you should at least take a small detour on the Muskingum River. It enters the Ohio River at Marietta Oh. there are places to eat and stay in Marietta. The Muskingum is navigable for apx. 80 miles to Zanesville Oh. Taking this trip does take some special planing though. The locks are civil war era locks that are still used to this day. They are keeping them historically correct as they were originally built. They are operated by the Ohio Parks service on limited hours of operation. Lot of good scenery on this river along with a lot of fine people. A lot more info. can be found online. Maybe see you on the Muskingum sometime.
Gregg

 

[riversrme]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

The Muskingum is great I went about 30 miles up it. It's fun going through the hand-operated locks. Another nice thing is the Best Western Motel is right on the Muskingum at Marietta with docks for guests. After many days of boat camping on the Ohio, it was nice to take a shower and relax.

 

[642mx]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

I guess I'm a part time Ohio river rat.... I actually prefer Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake... lots more marina's, better parties, coves to ski in, ect, ect...

The Ohio is fun every once in awhile. We normally hang out near Evansville or run towards Mt Vernon.

Where are you from riversrme?

 

[riversrme]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

I live on the "Sunny Side of Louisville". That's what we call it on the Indiana side of the river across from Louisville near New Albany. My range is a long one though and I find myself taking the river from here to Evansville area often. This summer I also went up the Cumberland to Nashville, TN. My most recent trip to your area was to take a look at the new Island that formed near the mouth of the Wabash River in Posey County during the June flooding.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

When I said we went from Louisville to East Liverpool, I actually meant that we launched in Jeffersonville. That's where my sister and her family were living at the time.

 

[642mx]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

My most recent trip to your area was to take a look at the new Island that formed near the mouth of the Wabash River in Posey County during the June flooding.

Yeah. That was something else, wasn't it? We now call it Mackey Island.

 

[MISSBAJA]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

Im sure I have seen you guys thru if u ever stopped in Marietta Ohio/Parkersburg WV (which is my hometown originally)... This summer was a blast and met alot of people on the river from the PA region just passing thru.
If ur ever in the area, Marietta OH has a fabulous area of public docks with a nice array of restaurants/bars... The boat clubs are amazing in that area, very friendly too!

 

[riversrme]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

I used to work on the Delta Queen Steamboat and Marietta was one of our favorite stops. It is a true "River Friendly" town. Another nice thing about the Marietta Marina is that you can rent a bicycle to get around town with. Great town!

 

[MISSBAJA]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

yeah it is a great town!
We always wave at everyone when we r tied up down tha river..

 

[Dick Sorensen]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

Just beginning to plan on cruising from around Cincinnati to Nashville. I would great appreciate your input on what I should expect... my experience has all been on the Great Lakes, Chesapeake, etc. Thanks

 

[642mx]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

Just beginning to plan on cruising from around Cincinnati to Nashville. I would great appreciate your input on what I should expect... my experience has all been on the Great Lakes, Chesapeake, etc. Thanks

When are you taking the trip?.....

Be sure to visit riversrme's website: http://http://www.indianawaterways.com/ Lots of good info!

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

Just beginning to plan on cruising from around Cincinnati to Nashville. I would great appreciate your input on what I should expect... my experience has all been on the Great Lakes, Chesapeake, etc. Thanks

I made a trip from just below Louisville to Kentucky Lake back in September in a 21' Sea Ray cuddy. It was a great trip. We did it in two days, but I wish we had had more time to stop along the way at some of the little towns.

We stayed overnight just below Evansville at Nu Plaza Marina. It's a workmanlike place with a crude shower and a tavern with good food 1/2 mile away. You should be able to bum a ride down and back.

Be sure to get the Ohio and Cumberland River charts so that you'll know your river mile position in case you have to call for help. Here's a link to download them:

Ohio: http://www.lrl.usace.army.mil/optm/default.asp?mycategory=41

Cumberland: http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/opn/CumbRiver/cumbmap.htm

Fuel availability can be spotty between Louisville and Evansville. Quimby's is a guide to the river, but use it as a reference only. Call ahead to make sure listed businesses actually still exist and are selling fuel.

Quimby's: http://www.heartlandboating.com/quimbys-moreinfo.htm

Here's a link to a good online article about passing through locks. There are seven between Cincinnati and Lake Barkley on the Cumberland.

http://portky.com/articles/locking.html

A word of caution: After passing through the lock at Smithland Dam on the Ohio, don't try to cut straight over to the mouth of the Cumberland River. The water is too shallow. You'll have to go three miles down the Ohio to the junction buoy at the tip of Cumberland island and then back up to the Cumberland.

 

[642mx]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

Four Winns is right about Nu Plaza. The place is kind of rough, but the people are super nice and they sell gas too. I normally launch right beside Nu Plaza at the Dogtown boat ramp.

The tavern is Dogtown tavern, its a nice little place located in the middle of nowhere. I've spent many of nights at that place....

Gas is also available at Golconda Marina, which is about 70 miles down stream of Mt. Vernon, IN (Mt. Vernon is about an hour down stream of Evansville). Golconda is a very nice marina and the town of Golconda is a short walk away, we went to the Shrimp Fest at Golconda this year which was a blast from what I remember...

Make sure you have a ship-shore radio to call ahead to the dams. A friend has one and he radio's ahead and it can save a lot of time waiting for them to get the dam ready. The last 2 times we locked through they had the doors open and was waiting on us.

Let me know when your going, if we are available I'd be happy to cruise with ya for awhile or maybe go as far as Kentucky Lake with you. (depends on the time). If you choose to spend a day around Evansville, there are a lot of party places and nice beaches to hang out on.

 

[Terrytunes]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

If anybody wants some excellent info on the Ohio River, get a copy of riversrme's book... I think it's "Ohio River Guidebook" - it's available on his website. It is an excellent guide; very detailed with tons of great info.
I'm hoping to do a trip all the way to the gulf soon and have found everything I need to know about the Ohio river leg in this book.

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

We camp in Ripley, Ohio and do our boating from Meldahl Dam to the Manchester Islands.

 

[riversrme]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

When are you taking the trip?.....

Be sure to visit riversrme's website: http://http://www.indianawaterways.com/ Lots of good info!

Correction on this website. The domain has changed:
www.riverlorian.com

 

[642mx]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

Correction on this website. The domain has changed:
www.riverlorian.com

Thanks... I just changed it on my 'favorites' setting.

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: Cruise the Ohio River

Do any of you guys ever watch the firsworks in Cincy? I have owned a family-passed-down boat for a couple of years now and I was thinking of venturing out in the Ohio for the fireworks this year.