Safety Report, 5-7 AM:

Team Name Date Days in Route Location Number Nearest City Navigation Mileage (how to read) Time Running Miles Total Miles Position estimated at this given check in Double Helix** 5/14/01 Mon 10 Loc 1 Dubuque Iowa Mile 583 5 AM 764 Tied for 1st and second, see May 14 report for arrival times below Lock and Dam 11 Kruger* 5/14/01 Mon 10 Loc 1 Dubuque Iowa Mile 583 indicated by Team Double Helix 764 Tied for 1st and second Alaska MSC Rebels 5/14/01 Mon 10 Loc 1 Northern (top of) Lake Pepin Mile 845 6:25 AM 502 Third 1984 Record 5/6/84 10 Loc 1 Lock and Dam #12 Mile 557 7:50 AM 78 790

Updates/Comments Received 5-7AM calls:
From Safety Officer Elizabeth Tynan

It was a serene Sunday on the Mississippi. The five teams have now been reduced to three, but all of them are "mighty" in the sense of continuing on undaunted.

Team Double Helix:
Andrew's call at 5:00 beat the sunrise this morning. Still sleepy for some reason, I struggled to sound awake, aware, and at attention, not an easy feat in the dregs of dreamland (it only took five seconds). :) He said that Clark and Kurt were currently "tucked into their little beds" at camp, just below the Dubuque, IA, lock and dam at river mile 583, after having breakfasted at 4:00. Yesterday they struggled against strong headwinds all morning, then finally made good time in the afternoon and while paddling all through the night. Andrew said that he and the land crew were also preparing to sleep for awhile.

Team Alaskan Rebels:
Everyone must be anxiously awaiting the results of the "audition" the Alaskans and two remaining Rebels paddlers gave each other yesterday. Good news! They were mutually acceptable to each other, joined forces at St. Anthony's Falls around 2:00, and are now buzzing down the river
at even greater speeds to catch the "hares" at the front. Or is that "ribbit, ribbiting?" Kermit--the team's new "mean, green, paddling machine" will surely try hard to catch them.

Kerm said that at 6:25, paddlers Eric and Al were at river mile 845, just preparing to head down (hop?) to the top of Lake Pepin, after camping all night just across from the Minneapolis airport. For now, Kerm said, they will take things "day by day." Not a bad idea, after all the "adventure" of the last few days. Stay tuned, folks, to see if "Kermit" can catch the competition!

Team Kruger:
Currently, they have not yet called in.

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Webmaster's note (Mary Potter, Event organizer/webmaster):
Per a conversation with Andrew Gribble from Team Double Helix, I do know that Team Kruger was currently with Team Double Helix this morning at Lock and Dam 11, but I do not recall the time of that phone call. My understanding is that Team Kruger arrived at the same location approximately 5 hours after Team Double Helix below Lock and Dam 11 and both teams were stopped at that point due to river closure - I will have to get final times from each team from their records).

Other Comments from Elizabeth Tynan, safety officer:
Earlier today, Lock and Dam 11 at Dubuque closed, as well as the number 12 pool and points beyond. Much of Iowa had 5 inches of rain last night, making the river dangerously swift. Around noon, Stan (co-captain of the Kruger Team) called to inform me of the situation, telling me that Team Kruger and Team Double Helix had both been stopped just below Lock and Dam 11 and told they could go no farther. I told him I would call the Coast Guard officials right away and ask for them to make special allowances for the Rett Race teams to portage dams and paddle the closed sections of river.

I asked Commander Ramirez in the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Office at St. Louis for special permission to keep paddling. (NOTE: He has final say on whether or not boat traffic is allowed on the Upper Mississippi.) After a few moments thought, he said he would allow our teams to portage the dams between Dubuque and Keokuk and paddle the closed sections of the river, but ONLY if all the teams officially in the race made the trip together. He also authorized two small powerboats to accompany them, but with the stipulation that they make "no wake." I thanked him and reassured him that we would comply with his words in every respect.

At midafternoon, I also contacted Kenton Spading and Andrew Gribble, both members of Team Double Helix, told them what had happened, and said their team shouldn't leave until they got the go-ahead from me personally.

I will discuss the situation with Team Alaska.

Safety Report Received PM:

Team Name Date Days in Route Location Number Nearest City Navigation Mileage (how to read) Time Running Miles Total Miles Position estimated at this given check in Double Helix** 5/14/01 Mon 10 Loc 2 Dubuque Iowa, Lock and Dam 11 Mile 583 7 PM 764 Tied for 1st and second, see May 14 report for arrival times below Lock and Dam 11 Kruger* 5/14/01 Mon 10 Loc 2 Dubuque Iowa, Lock and Dam 11 Mile 583 7 PM 764 Tied for 1st and second Alaska MSC Rebels 5/14/01 Mon 10 Loc 2 mid Lake Pepin Third 5/6/84 10 Loc 2 Lock and Dam #14 Mile 493 1:45 AM 854

Updates/Comments Received, 5 to 7 PM Calls:
From Don Keller, official time keeper

Team Kruger
7:00 Dubuque Just below Lock and Dam # 11
Waiting for orders

Team Double Helix
5:20 Dubuque Just below Lock and Dam # 11
Waiting for orders

Team Alaska MSC-Rebels
7:20 Paddlers are 1 1/2 hours from Red Wing
Paddling this eve till Red Wing (mid Lake Pepin)

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Daily Updates

For More Updates, Photos and Videos please the main Race page.

* and ** - Note on Team Kruger and Team Double Helix - both teams were stopped 3 times during the race - 2 times by the Coast Guard, and 1 time by the Sherriff's office. See Race Delays for more information.

*** Note on Total Miles: For purposes of our site, we compile total miles as the total river miles the teams have passed. If teams take legal shortcuts, we note it on that date, but do not reduce total miles. Please see the May 9 report for more information.