Columbus Marina to Sumter Landing

Today, I wake to a weather report of snowflakes from  my son Evan at OSU.  The weather outside my window shows clear blue sky. Granted, it is chilly, with temperatures in the 40's and a  forecast high of 65 degrees. I have to smile; I also am in Columbus, but Mississippi and not Columbus O-H-I-O!

View off our stern, October 23rd morning, Columbus Marina

We leave around 9:30 but encounter a wait to lock through our next lock, Stennis Lock.  It is windy, the river is choppy, and we need to hold up for an hour idling in these conditions until the lock shows green for go.  Not the greatest start to the day, but we realized yesterday that we could not make the run to Demopolis, Alabama, and will need to anchor along the way. The days are getting shorter and not knowing the waters, we do not want to arrive anywhere in the dark.  The river narrows after this lock and we pass barges along the way. The barge captains are friendlier the further south we travel.

Close pass with barge, Crimson White (I suppose a confirmation we are in Alabama!) We pass on his 1.  Need to learn the lingo quick.

We pass through one more lock, Bevill Lock.  They call these locks on the Tenn Tom the dirty dozen.  We have three more to go. Cannot wait to say goodbye to the dirty dozen. We travel southbound on the Tenn Tom and pull into Sumter Cove.  We have been told this is a safe and nice anchorage.  It is true.  We are off the river and in a nice cove and near a park to which we can dinghy the dogs ashore to find some grassy areas.

Tom bringing an additional stern line ashore to secure to a tree. This will help us not to swing.

We secure the anchor and tie up  for the night with our boat buddy Dulcinea. 

Crazy Eight and Dulcinea

Other boats join us for the night in the cove.

Sumter Cove, Alabama

We invite Dan and Nancy over for steaks and other inventive things, given we have not been to a real grocery since Cincinnati.  Dan brings the wine.  It turned out to be a great dinner, or perhaps we were all just hungry??

Nancy and Dan....cheers!

Tomorrow we head to Kingfisher Marina in Demopolis.  They advertise upscale laundry. I am not sure those two words should ever be used in a sentence, but the sad thing is, I can hardly wait!  Tonight, before bed, we will watch nature's show of a million stars. Goodnight All!!

Midway to Columbus, Marina....Columbus, MS

Today, we wake at 7 am to walk the dogs, fill up with diesel, and get an early start.  Unfortunately, the lock immediately southbound could not accommodate us until 9:30.  So we hang out on the fuel dock, walk the dogs again, and leave around  9am.

View off the fuel dock...a cloudy cool morning.

Us with 3 other pleasure craft and a barge. 

Today's journey took us through four locks. The first two, had no issues.  At the third lock, we passed through with a barge and 3 other pleasure crafts. As instructed by the lockmaster,we, the  pleasure boats, tied up to the starboard side of the lock, away from the barge. We were first in and took the front bollard.  Although there are five starboard bollards, one was inoperable, which is why we are pushed forward.  All was well until we realized that when the doors of the lock  swing open, our pulpit would be smashed and maybe more than that. So, we untie quickly (there was a little shouting at this point), and floated freely in the lock with the barge and  the three other pleasure crafts until the doors opened. We left the chamber promptly.  All ended well, but our blood pressure probably peaked in the process! At the next lock, we choose the second bollard from the front; again locking through with a different barge but the same four pleasure crafts. This lock had all pins operating.

Fishing boat

We journey down the Tenn Tom at a reasonable speed. While we like to cover ground and go 20 mph, this causes huge wake.  So we often have to slow it down to 10 or less, especially when we encounter fishing boats and docks on the Tenn Tom.  It is a narrow waterway, so we proceed with caution.  We also encounter industry, paper mills, that support these local towns. While providing a needed service, we have to admit the smell of the paper mill near Grand Harbor was nauseating.

These were trees at one time....

As we leave Aberdeen Lock, and approach our dock for the night, Columbus Marina, there are various jets flying overhead interrupting the silence of the Tenn Tom.  Nearby is the Columbus Air Force Base. It is the nation's busiest air force base and instructs a third of our air force pilots. Awesome! We hear the jets prior to seeing them.

We also notice, unique to us, water foliage rampant within the waterways.  It is beautiful but we hope it has no effect on our strainers! We are also told stories of 700+ lbs alligators by the marina owners. I guess we have made progress and are now in the south!

Columbus Marina

Crazy Eight tied up for the night. Captain Tom parallelled  park without issue even with a strong breeze. Of course our Four Seasons dock mates would absolutely believe that!

Today's journey has taken us about 7 hours.  We went through 4 locks and traveled 65 miles. At the end of the day, Buster and Bailey are eager to get off the boat and see some grass.  We are happy the day is over. Tomorrow, less locks and probably an anchorage, not at a marina, which will be new to us.  Until then...

Grand Harbor to Midway Marina, Fulton MS

We spent an enjoyable weekend tied up and secure at Grand Harbor Marina. Saturday night we shared dinner at Freddy T's with other boaters, mainly loopers. If anyone is ever in Counce, TN, we highly recommend the catfish (of course). It was interesting to hear the tales of  travels from the great lake states. We are thankful we did not have to navigate the Mississippi.

Two cats in boat across the way....high alert status!

We ventured out into Pickwick Lake on Sunday, after the Bengals win, in our dinghy, but it was COLD!

Tom steering the dinghy out of the harbor

Today, we say goodbye to Grand Harbor and hello to the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway. The Tenn Tom is a man made waterway which connects the Tennessee River to the Intercoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico in Mobile Bay, reducing water travel distances up to 800 miles. It was the largest earth moving project in world history requiring over 100 million dump truck loads, more than the Panama Canal. The waterway was officially opened in 1985, not that long ago. It took 12 years and 2 billion dollars to build. We head into the Tenn Tom and immediately go through the great cut. The Great Cut is a 29 mile channel.  The entire town of Holcot, MS, had to be moved to give way to the Tenn Tom.

Spillway on the Tenn Tom divide cut

After 40 miles we approach Whitten Lock, named for the US House of Representative from Mississippi Jamie Whitten.  It is the fourth highest single lift lock in the US.  It will lower us 85 feet into Bay Springs Lake.

Looking up from where we have dropped.

It actually rains inside the walls, which is kind of creepy.

Bay Springs Lake

We leave Whitten Lock and enter Bay Springs Lake, but have to go through two more locks, Montgomery and Rankin.  These are not as intimidating.  There are areas in which the river is very narrow and we pass barges within close quarters.

One of several barges we pass.

After 60 miles and three locks, we stop for the night at Midway Marina in Fulton, MS, along with our new boating buddy, Dulcinea, a 420 Sundancer from Minneapolis.  We will travel with Dan and Nancy for the next few days, if not further. Their final destination is Sanibel Island.

Clifton Marina to Grand Harbor Marina, Pickwick Lake

Another day begins. We again have fog to greet us with an outdoor temperature only in the 40's. So we hang tight.

Foggy Morning

While waiting for the fog to lift, we have Glenn, a local retired riverboat machinist, help Tom to figure out our AIS issues.  For those trying to follow us with this, we are hoping he solves our problem.  Let us know!

Once the fog lifts, we  fuel up and head up bound on the Tennessee River, which seems like we should be traveling down bound as we are heading south.  But not so...

Transient slip right at fuel dock...very convenient!

We travel approximately 60 miles and are near the Pickwick Dam and Lock. There is a strong current and the river narrows with very shallow depths.  The smell of sulphur is actually sickening.  This is not a pleasant approach to a lock and, just our luck, we have two barges traveling down bound for which we have to pass within this narrow turbulent pass. We arrive safe and enter Pickwick Lock, which rises up into Pickwick Lake. Pickwick Lake extends 53 miles south along the Mississippi and Alabama state line.

The bollard is caught with the line on first try...getting good.

It is a beautiful lake with deep water. How lucky,  another gorgeous day with beautiful water and beautiful scenery.

Just your average lake home...

We arrive to a warm Tennessee or maybe a Mississippi welcome (we are not sure where we are by land) at Grand Harbor Marina. It is a very large marina with many boats of various sizes and cater to great looper boats.  Great looper boats are boats that circumnavigate the eastern North America.  I suppose we are just half loopers!  

Marina office and ship store

Lots of slips with many boats of all sizes.

Captain enjoying a Friday night tied in and all secure.

Another day, only 62 miles, leaving at 11 am and arriving at 4 pm.  The travel is a little slower than we thought, but we are enjoying the journey and the people we have met along the way.  The real truth is, we are happy to be off the Ohio!  Love to all and goodnight.

Sunset at Grand Harbor, MS or TN??

Pebble Isle Marina to Clifton Marina

Today we wake to the sound of rain pummeling the bow - not good.  We decide to venture into the Grey Heron, the marina's restaurant, and are met with complementary sweet rolls and coffee.  The day was looking a little better!   There, we encounter a group of experienced southern cruisers who are more than happy to share their tips and recommendations.  We decide to leave later, around 11 am,  and cut our planned trip in half, traveling only 60 miles.

Disconnecting the shore power

As we leave Pebble Isle Marina in Johnsonville, TN, the sun appears!

Pebble Isle Marina

We leave the marina and travel 60 some miles on the Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River to our next stop, Clifton Marina, in Clifton, TN. Our journey takes us through wildlife preservation areas, industrial areas, and scenic river homes.

In areas the water is a mirror.

Dredging operations

River homes built to withstand  rising river levels.

Other homes built on natural flood protection

We arrive approximately 6 hours later, traveling at a leisurely pace, to our stop for the night, Clifton Marina. We receive another warm and friendly welcome. We are happy to have found a new home to rest and call it a day.

Sunset at Clifton Marina

Green Turtle Marina to Pebble Isle Marina

Although staying a day longer than we wanted to at Green Turtle Marina, we accomplished several things on Tuesday. We fixed our windshield canvas, to which we give a  huge shout out thanks to Mark Sunderman of Creative Canvas & Covers for a great job and same day service. In addition to having our windshield repaired on Tuesday, Tom was able to be groomed  at the local beauty salon in Eddyville, KY!

Tom getting a new hairdo!

Today, we bid farewell to Green Turtle Marina and also to the crew of Kumbaya.  While they also had plans to depart today,  bad luck strikes again.  While on a shopping errand yesterday, the captain's wife broke her ankle and her tibia. She is now in a hospital in Paducah, KY. Luckily no surgery, but will be in a non weight bearing mid thigh cast for 8 weeks. We thank our lucky stars, that so far, we have had only minor issues.

Leaving Green Turtle Bay Marina

Today, we leave around 9 am.  It is drizzling with a cool breeze;  the new windshield is immediately appreciated.  It is our first day of travel without the sunny skies which have spoiled us since our departure. Even the dogs shiver sitting on the bridge.

Buster and Bailey

We leave Lake Barkley, cross through the Barkley Canal, and enter Kentucky Lake.  Kentucky Lake is the last of nine mainstream lakes on the Tennessee River which  forms at Knoxville, TN with the junction of the Holston and French Rivers.  The Tennessee River flows south and southwest to its confluence with the Ohio River at Paducah, KY.  The Kentucky Lake portion of the Tennessee River is the largest, most developed and most popular of the TVA lake system.  Scattered on its shoreline are five state parks and over 80 resorts and marinas. We will  navigate through the Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River until it meets the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway.

Abandoned  farm materials elevator for a now abandoned railway. Built in 1918.  Left as a marker by the TVA. Appears to be in the middle of nowhere in the Kentucky Lake.

The abandoned train rail.

We travel approximately 80 miles and have arrived at Pebble Isle Marina for the night. It is still raining. The temperature seems to have fallen and the winds have grown stronger.  We will put up the rest of our canvas on the bridge to prepare for another cool wet morning tomorrow.  Although the weather could have been better, today was a good day.  Minimal marine traffic, deep debris free water, and no locks!  Tomorrow will be a different tale.  Until then....

Green Turtle Bay Resort and Marina

We are enjoying our stay at the Green Turtle Bay Resort and Marina.  Again, we meet wonderful people.  A special thanks to local boater Jerry who took us with him and his grandson to church on Sunday and then to the grocery store.

Entrance sign by boat into the Marina.

Entrance sign by car or golf cart

Lake Barkley is beautiful and the scenery and sights are much different than those along the Ohio River.

A beautiful lake house

Not too many of these on the Ohio River!

We spent the past two days cleaning the boat, our clothes,  restocking supplies, and enjoying a break.  We even managed to get the dogs groomed.

Tom at marina boat store.

Sunday dinner at the Green Turtle Bay Restaurant

Today, by golf cart, we ventured into Grand Rivers, KY,  a small village (about 400 people) sandwiched between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. They are known for their huge holiday festival of lights and for Patti's 1880 Settlement, which was voted best small town restaurant in the Southeast United States.

Patti's  1880 Settlment garden

They also have several cute boutique shops.

Pink Tractor Boutique

Tomorrow rain is predicted and we need to fix a broken windshield. So, it looks like it will be Wednesday before we start back on the water. While we are enjoying the stay, we are anxious to get back to our travels.