SkipperLiner Comeback

A couple of years ago Skipperliner Industries got into financial trouble, they are a boat building company and operated a restaraunt and a marina called North Bay Marina. Last September a new local business man bought the business to revive the operation. There were several outstanding loans that Skipperliner Industries owed to our local governments and they and the new owner have come to a repayment deal. It's a 10 year deal of principal only but the good news is none of these monies owed is tax payer dollars.
The North Bay Marina complex has been divided up among several other business owners, the operations and the boat-storage facilities were taken over by American Marine boat dealership which plans to move all their service and sales facilities to this new site.  The restaraunt known as Huck Finn's on the Water was bought by another local business man and for the first time plans to add transient boat docks.
This is great news for all boaters alike that want to visit Port of LaCrosse. North Bay Marina is located on the Black River a little north of our famous Riverside Park. All these new businesses plan to hire more help which is great for the employment industry. North Bay Marina is another cruise stop everyone will want to stop at and enjoy.
Please continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise and explore more destinations and provide more information, adventures, and resources.

A New Marina In Mississippi River Valley Proposed

In Port of La Crosse a developer is looking at buying an old, small, falling apart marina on the Black River located on French Island, WI. It's located in a small bay area called Catgut Slough. It's also known as Richmond Bay. It's an ideal habitat area for otters, loons, ducks, and paddlefish. If you don't know what a paddlefish is hit the link it will give you a brief explanation. The existing marina is an 8 acre marina the proposed $1.2 million project is for a marina upgrade to 40 boat slips and a remodel of an existing old diner that would be a nice restaurant and bar. Some of the local residents that live in the area and along the bay are arguing against the marina saying it will disturb the local habitat and bring in pollution from wild boaters. Being life-long boaters we disagree with the assumption of boaters not caring about the habitat and respecting thy neighbor, but like everything there are some exceptions.. We grew up here and have fished and boated this area for over 30 years and we believe this new marina would help the local economic area and provide more boating opportunities. The developer has been in the marina industry for over 30 years and is listening to all the residents concerns and has made adjustments to his plans to accommodate them so there isn't a lot of boat traffic deep in the bay where the residents live. The DNR has 30 days to make a decision and then either side can appeal it within 30 days.  So far the DNR is saying that the developer has gone above and beyond to try to make sure the marina will be nice looking and will cater to the people who respect the river and will come in and enjoy it peacefully and respectfully. The developer also plans to follow specific management practices to become a certified Wisconsin Clean Marina, with sanitation systems to prevent dumping and circulators to mix the waters and add oxygen.
There are concerns about the alcohol and noise but that has been left up to the local municipality to decide and they won't make a decision until after the DNR has made their decision.
We will try to follow this story and let you know what happens.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise and explore more destinations and provide more adventures, information, and resources. Please Don't Move Firewood and Help Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers.

Prairie Du Chien Marinas

A cruise stop, Prairie Du Chien,WI, has two marinas to choose from and they can be a little difficult to find. They are not on the main channel, they are off in small sloughs. There is the Winneshiek Marina and Bait Shop and The Prairie Du Chien Marina. Here's how to find them: When from the north heading southbound as soon as you can see the big Mississippi River bridge that connects Wisconsin and Iowa you need to pay close attention to the red buoys because the river channel splits in two, an east and west channel, it is marked by a buoy that is red and green,

you want to go into the east(left) channel and follow that channel and look to the left and see a grain elevator named PEAVEY, it will be on the right-side shoreline and kind of make a U turn up that channel and you see a sign pointing to which marina you want.

If coming from the south heading northbound, you will see a sign indicating a NO WAKE ZONE for McGregor,IA, you want to stay to the right(east side) of the channel until you come up on the marinas sign. To get to the Winneshiek Marina go straight past the parked barges to the left of the peninsula and look for small buoys that marks a channel that takes you straight to the marina.

 Winneshiek Marina(608-326-2888) has a lot to offer they have plenty of boat docks to accommodate any size boat that comes in their marina and they also have gas, a bar and grill, restrooms, coop laundry, a room for cleaning fish, a Mississippi River mermaid, and a bait shop. If you are planning on going to one of the events in the area many times there is someone willing to offer a shuttle service to the event but be sure to call ahead and make reservations for your boat parking.
The Praire Du Chien Marina(608-326-8032) is located to the far east after you see the sign for the two marinas stay to the right and go around the grain elevator on your right and follow the eastern shoreline through a long slough and it dead ends at the marina. This marina is located closer to the events that take place on Saint Feriole's Island. You could even walk to the events but it would be a long one and they will sometimes  have someone come and offer a shuttle service. They have a shop for repairs, gas and some other supplies.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise and explore more destinations and provide more information, adventures,and resources. Please Don't Move Firewood and Help Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers.

Winterizing Houseboats Part 1

Here in the Upper Missippi River Valley houseboaters and other boaters are starting to get ready for the long winter season. Everyone is making plans to have their boats pulled from the water and winterized for storage. Here in La Crosse,WI if you travel to Pettibone Boat Club you will see the harbormaster and his crew pulling out the different boats. They don't use a boat lift, if you have a trailer made for your houseboat they use their own methods for getting boats out of the water. The boats that don't have trailers will have Del's Auto(608-783-4880) assist in pulling out some of the boats in the area and set them on blocks. Here you see how the harbormaster organizes the boats. At Skipperliner Inc., you will see a large boat lift used to pull the boats from the water and set on blocks on land or placed in a storage building. All up and down the Upper Mississippi River Valley you can visit the marinas and watch all the harbormasters hard at work.
Winterizing your boat is a very crucial and important part of boating. This insures that through the cold winter months the boats and motors won't crack or get damaged.
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Our Cruise to Lansing,IA

Another beautiful day for a cruise down the Mississippi River and this time we made it to Lansing,Ia. Along the way just south of Brownsville,MN and before Genoa,WI we observed several large gatherings of pelicans perched on wingdams. They must be gathering to head south for the winter. There were also a large amount of seagulls also. It was a bird watchers paradise to watch some of the pelicans take flight and soar along the river's edge, land in the water, and scoop up a small fish. We locked through Lock and Dam #8 and watched a commercial barge filled with coal park to get unloaded at Genoa,WI's Dairyland Power Plant. It takes a good captain to maneuver such a large vessel with a heavy load to get perfectly aligned alongside the dock.
We arrived at Lansing,IA and pulled into the Lansing Marina which offers gas and dock slips for overnight stays, pumpouts, and some supplies. It has a long dock to park at so you can walk to town but it is about a 1/2 mile walk. Further south down the river there is a concrete levy that you can tie up to and it places you right at the edge of town. At the southern most edge of town is S&S Rentals that offers houseboat rentals, pontoons and fishing boats and they also have a full service marina with marine repair. We parked at the River's Edge Bar and Restaurant docks to have lunch and we walked to town from there. It is only a few blocks to town where you can shop at the famous Horsfalls and Lansing Variety stores that have over 1 million different kinds of items to shop for and there is also Bartels Hardware and Service that has antiques as well as hardware items. There are several restaurants to choose from to get a bite to eat. We had dinner at TJ Hunter's Pub and Grub, the food was great, also is the Safe House Saloon and Milty's Restaurant,Bar and Lodging. If you want to spend the night the Scenic Valley Motel offers boat parking, and there is the Historic Thorton House which is located a few blocks off of Main St. Lansing's festival is called Lansing Fish Days and always takes place the 2nd weekeknd in August, it features music, rides and entertainment for everyone.
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GRUMPY OLD MEN; Wabasha,MN

Remember the movie "Grumpy Old Men" and the sequel "Grumpier Old Men". Wabasha,MN is the featured city in the movie based on a story by a young man that had a grandfather that lived there and thought it was the perfect setting. Wabasha,MN is the oldest city on the Upper Mississippi River Valley. We cruised into Wabasha and found the Wabasha Marina. We then went under the Interstate Bridge and found the famous restaurant called Slippery's, which offers free boat docking and wonderful outdoor dining. We then went up the river further and into a small bay where the Mississippi Parkside Marina is located. We also discovered you can rent a houseboat from Great River Houseboats which has boats for anyone with or without any boating experience to drive. There are several parks on the Mississippi River that offer camping and nice beaches.
We decided to park at the Wabasha Marina and walk to see some of their historic buildings and shops. We came upon a hotel and restaurant called, The Historic Anderson House, it is the oldest operating hotel in the state of Minnesota. Out in front of the hotel they were offering Carriage Rides for about $10.00 a person and you called the American Inn at 651-565-5366 for reservations. We continued into downtown and found places like, Jewels on the River, The Old Triangle Pub, the Vinifera Restaurant, the Wabasha Treasure Chest, and the National Eagle Center.
Wabasha is a beautiful city to visit with plenty to offer the whole family from their own unique bowling alley, Riverboat Lanes, to a quiet night under the bridge in the Heritage Park for a free concert put on by the River Junctions Arts Council.
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Cruise to Red Wing,MN

Our northern most cruise stop is Red Wing,MN. It is a beautiful journey up the Mississippi River from our home town of La Crosse,WI, the views of the bluffs and the wildlife, such as Eagle Watching, are spectacular and there are so many fun places to stop and see. When we arrived in Red Wing,MN we parked at one of two marinas located in town. We stayed at the Red Wing Marina which is the closest to downtown so we could walk and check out all the local shops and restaurants. The other marina called Ole Miss Marina is the largest marina in Red Wing and is located a little north of town.
From the Red Wing Marina we were able to walk to the Visitor's Center and get some information on things to see. At the Center, for those that don't want to do a lot of walking you can get tickets for a Trolley that will take you to many different stops such as the famous Red Wing Pottery, Sheldon Theatre, Barn Bluff, Bay Pointe Park, the St. James Hotel, and the Goodhue County History Museum. The city is full of beauty and rich history with so much to see you want to stay a couple of days to take it all in.
Across the Mississippi River on the Wisconsin side is the Harbor Restaurant, Bar, and Marina. They feature summer festivals along with their own bikini contest, a DJ, and live entertainment regularly.
If gambling is of interest to you, further north up the river is Treasure Island Casino and Marina.
Continue to follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we provide information and cruise to more stops from as far north as Red Wing,MN to as far south as Prairie Du Chein,WI.

Mississippi River Cruise Stop; Lake City,MN

Houseboating Excursions cruised the Mississippi River to the beautiful lake called Lake Pepin. We pulled into the Lake City Marina in Lake City,MN. This area offers some of the greatest boating in the Midwest, there are boats of all kinds. Lake Pepin is approximately 3 miles wide and 21 miles long. The one thing you will notice is the large amount of sailboats. On a beautiful, light windy day the lake is full of people sailboating, it is a spectacular sight to see. Lake City,MN is considered the "Pearl of the Mississippi" and is the birthplace of waterskiing. Lake City,MN has 2 marinas that offer overnight docking and refueling, Lake City Marina in the center of town and on the north end is Hansen's Harbor. They are both close enough to the city to walk and enjoy some shopping and their many restaurants such as the Nosh Restaurant, Chickadee Cottage Cafe, and Skyline on Pepin. For some evening live entertainment the Old Bank Bar is also close.
Lake City,MN has several different ways to enjoy the beauty of Lake Pepin by offering a modern day paddlewheel boat called the "Pearl of the Lake Paddleboat". It also offers tours on a 40-foot Taiwanese Sailing Yacht or take a houseboat cruise offered by Great River Houseboats.
Lake City,MN has many events going on during the boating season such as their 100-mile garage sale on the first weekend in May and Water Ski Days on the last weekend in June and many more for the whole family to enjoy.
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A Gambling Cruise

A PINK ELEPHANT! No you haven't been drinking or have you? We took a Mississippi River cruise to Marquette,IA to do some riverboat gambling and some sightseeing. We pulled up to their dock and parked our houseboat on the channel side of the dock which offers us plenty of room and the dock has electrical for us to plug in to. The dock is run by Lady Luck Casino. They charged us $45.00 for the night which is pretty common at about $1.00 a foot. It came with a free bag of ice, a key for their showers and bathrooms. They offer pumpouts too for $10.00 and have gasoline available and diesel per 24hr.notice. The hours are Monday-Thursday Closed, Friday 12:00pm-8:00pm,Saturday 9:00am-7:00pm,Sunday 8:00am-6:00pm. The phone number is 563-873-3531. We parked for the night and ventured up to the casino for some gambling fun and to stop at the Calypso's Buffet for a bite to eat. Didn't win, but didn't lose much either, it was good fun.
We walked into town the next day which is maybe 1/8 mile from the dock and ate at the Marquette Cafe and Bar,which is open 7 days a week. We then ventured to the Eagles Landing Winery and checked out their winemaking process which uses grapes from their own vineyard. We enjoy wine very much so we had to try their free samples and brought home our favorite ones. There are also a few antique shops in the area to shop at.
For more Mississippi River Cruise destinations and adventures come follow us as we take you to another cruise stop and provide information about the Mississippi River.

Cruise to McGregor,IA

Our next cruise stop is at Mc Gregor,IA. We cruised down the Mississippi River enjoying the beautiful views the river valley has to offer. On our way we were able to see many bald eagles flying around getting fish, and as we approached closer just north of McGregor,IA, you can see one of the many peaks and summits in the area such as Effigy Mounds National Monument, Pike's Peak bluff. We pulled into the Mc Gregor Marina, which is located at the river mile marker 633.5 and they monitor channel 16, which is the main marine channel. They welcome boats of any size to transit or you can call 1-800-848-2413 to reserve a slip. They offer pontoon and fishing boat rentals along with a fishing guide service. They also have gas,pumpouts, and boat parts and service.
When you walk up the dock you come to a nice restaurant called Mr. McGregor's Beer and Bratz Garden which offers hot sandwiches, beer, soda, and ice cream. If you would like to take a short walk to town there are also many other restaurants such as McGregor Coffee Roasters, Old Man River Restaurant and Brewery and others with some having live entertainment.
If shopping is on the list, Mc Gregor has their own unique shopping mall that has 3 levels, 4 buildings, and 12 shops. It is right on Main St. with close proximity to the marina.
Another marina that is also located in McGregor,IA is Boatels Houseboat Rentals and Marina. There you can stop in and rent a houseboat and enjoy all the spectacular views and events that take place in the Upper Mississippi River Valley.
Please continue to follow and check our web site here at Houseboating Excursions in the River Valley as we take you to another Mississippi River Cruise Stop.

Cruise the Mississippi River to the Trempealeau Hotel

Houseboating Excursions in the River Valley took a Mississippi River cruise up to Trempealeau to visit and have lunch at the Trempealeau Hotel. We parked at the Sunset Bay Marina in Trempealeau. They are located on the east side of Lock and Dam No.6 in a small bay. They have a fee to stay the night and use their facilities of $1.00 a foot in boat length. You can make advanced reservations by calling their phone number at 1-800-627-4629. The marina has a bar, no food, gas,some supplies and can provide phone numbers to local restaurants and bar/grills that have a shuttle service to come to the marina and pick you up and bring you back.
We decided to walk to the Trempealeau Hotel which is about a 1/4 mile from the marina instead of calling for the hotel's shuttle service because you can view the bluffs and Mississippi River Valley as you walk. When you go inside the Tremealeau Hotel you will notice on your left a Wall of Fame which has pictures of past entertainers that played there. Entertainers like Survivor, Little River Band, Tokens, Molly Hatchet and The Marshall Tucker Band. The hotel has different seating arrangements like a screened-in porch with views of the Mississippi River and Lock and Dam No. 6. We stopped for lunch and had their famous Walnut Burger, which is very good and is amazingly made with no meat. The Tremealeau Hotel has free outdoor concerts on Thursday nights starting aroung 7:00pm as well as their regular fee required concerts they offer throught the houseboating season. You can find out about concert dates and who is playing by clicking on our link to their web site for more information. The Tremealeau Hotel has many different hotel rooms if you wish to stay there and some have jacuzzi's.
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Harbormaster

Our harbormaster , Matt Bentzen, is one of the main reasons we are at the Pettibone Boat Club Marina. He has been the harbormaster there for 25 years. He is responsible for all the maintenance in the marina. He also assists the boat owners in launching their boats in the spring and for pulling them out in the fall. He treats everyone at the marina with great kindness and respect. When ever someone has a problem with their dock or even their boat he is there to fix or lend a hand to solve the problem, if he can't help with the boat, he has many sources to recommend to get the job done. He has a small crew of semi-retired individuals and younger individuals that help him maintain the marina and assist boaters with gas and ice purchases and for pumpouts when needed.