Friday, September 19, 2008

No Sign of Lewis & Clark

They've totally disappeared. Swallowed whole by the Mississippi. They should be down there by the dark stone pillar on the left, (on the other side of it though, where you can't get to) where the metal arch of the historic Eads Bridge begins. You see, where that water starts is usually approaching a major intersection. Where you can drive a car or walk. No boat required.

But they're not. And apparently, I wasn't the only one lookin' for them. (see the guy in the right-hand corner?) Here's another look at where I normally walk down (and hang a left) to get to the famous duo and dog Seaman.

Nope. They're still not there. (Take my word for it since they're on the other side, going toward the MLK Bridge and not in this photo.)

So, not seeing them, I took a walk closer to the Arch. And bear in mind, this is a 23-FOOT-TALL statue. How high do you think that water has to be to cover it up like that? Oh, and that's a stop sign and highway direction signs floating back there in the distance.

As I headed for one of the many sets of stairs along the river ... uh-oh! NO MORE STAIRS! And I didn't bring a raft. So I went back up the path.

The Mississippi crested yesterday at about 36.7 feet, at least three feet lower than expected. And it is continuing a steady fall. Thank God!

While it is high, and it probably is almost as bad as it looks, you need to also know that 36.7 feet is a whole lot lower than the almost 50 FEET this part of the river hit in August 1993 during the great floods. So, now it doesn't seem so bad, does it?

It will probably be this time next week before things even vaguely resemble normal again. I'm not sure when the infamous Lewis & Clark will both officially return to land, but I'll keep watchin' for them.

In the meantime, I'll just be hummin' that tune. I'll let you know when they've been spotted.

3 comments:

Vicki said...

You're a great humanities reporter with your architecture posts and flood level knowledge.

Do many people live in the flood zone there?

Ty'sMommy said...

Wow. I'm gld it didn't end up being as bad here as was expected. I was in Iowa in June when they had the worst of it and it was traumatic just to look at the devastation. I was there in '93, as well, and this year was worse.

NV said...

Thanks, V! I enjoy it. And, of course, I did used to be a newspaper reporter and editor.
Just about everyone here lives in a flood zone. Mostly because this whole area used to be water. Every 100 to 500 years, Mother Nature likes to reclaim her property. :-)

ty'smom -- Me, too! Those poor folks in Iowa. We were lucky. IT could have been so much worse.