Day 38 – October 27 - Peer Pressure

Remember how when we were kids (and then as parents) we would be asked “if all of your friends jumped off a bridge, does that mean that you have to also?” I always answered “Of course not. I would show some common sense and good judgment. I would never do anything so foolish as to follow peer pressure into harm’s way”. Or so I thought…

I had not slept well the night before and when Mark woke me up at 7a by saying that we HAD to go RIGHT NOW, I was too much in a morning stupor and shock to say anything but okay…I was up and Mark had me hauling up the anchor (with my trusty windlass) before I was even able to brush my teeth. Composing myself and with clean teeth, I asked him why in the world are we leaving so early and did he by chance happen to see the fog covering the river? He said that two boats had hailed the lockmaster and that they were leaving, so we should leave also. I countered by mentioning the fog and saying that just because everyone else was leaving that does not mean that we could not go back to sleep and leave in an hour or so when the fog lifted. However, Mark felt that we needed to leave now or we would not be able to make it through all of the six locks and reach Aberdeen by dark. “OKAY – WHATEVER, CAPTAIN MARK” I mumbled as I put on my life jacket and winter gloves to prepare the lines and fenders for the first lock.



Unlike the locks on the Tennessee River that rose, the locks on the Tenn-Tom will bring us gradually back to sea level. The first lock, the Whitten Lock, has the largest drop of 84 feet. There were three boats in the lock and the descent was rather quick. However, I do not think any of us were prepared for what we found when the lock doors opened…a solid blanket of pure white fog so thick that we could not see the river’s edge. I looked at Mark ready with a sharp “I told you so” but the look on his face made me realize that he knew exactly how bad the situation was and that the last thing he needed at that moment was me reminding him of that fact. The only thing that we could do was to go forward and trust our electronics. The chart-plotter, depth finder and GPS are always on but we do not usually use the radar on the rivers, but Mark turned the radar on immediately. We were the middle boat and we made our way at 3 knots onward to the next lock which was approximately five miles away. We have three different types of electronics charts and GPS systems on the boat in addition to the hard copy manual charts. Mark had two of the three electronic systems running simultaneously and still at one point somehow we got turned around 180 degrees and then 90 degrees sideways, heading out of the channel into a swamp. Luckily Mark acted quickly and got us back on course. At this point, I was so scared that I was nearly in tears…I thought the best thing that I could do for Mark to be helpful at this point was to put my earphones on, stand watch on the bow of the boat and relay any information that I could to Mark until we got to a clear area. This proved to be good move for us both. Mark certainly did not need me hovering over him watching the electronic charts and I needed something constructive to do so that I did not start crying. It took us almost two hours but all three boats made it to the second lock, Montgomery Lock. Before entering this lock, I hailed the lockmaster to ask how the visibility was downstream. He radioed back that all was clear as far as he could see and you could hear a collectively sigh of relief from the crew on all three boats. Mark and I had decided that if there was no visibility that we would anchor above Montgomery Lock until the fog lifted but with this good news, we decided to go forward with the other two boats.

It was now about 10:30a and the day was turning sunny and rather warm. After the previous six days of rain and certainly after the previous three hours, the sunshine was the most wonderful sight and feeling to behold.


As the day progressed, so did our spirits lift. Besides the sunshine and warmth, the way the lockmasters handle pleasure craft on the Tenn-Tom is fantastic. If there are no commercial vessels in the area each lockmaster will telephone the next lockmaster in line to let him know when to expect us. So when we arrive, the lock is ready and waiting for us and all we have to do to enter and get ourselves secure. This is exactly what happened for us and the five remaining locks were a breeze. We just slipped in and slipped out and made wonderful time.

Our destination was the Aberdeen, Mississippi marina. At the rendezvous we had been told that if we had any extra time that we should make a point of stopping in Aberdeen. Being a sucker for history and having totally fallen in love with the South, I wanted to see the old southern homes and magnolia lined streets. At this point Mark would agree to any request that I had and he too wanted to unwind and relax for a day or so.




Just when we thought our perils were over, we saw the entrance to the Aberdeen Marina…from the river, it looked like we were heading into the deepest darkest Bayou and that we would start hearing banjo music at any minute. The marina channel entrance is well marked but the water is much shallower than we are use to. I hailed the marina and they said just stay in the middle of the channel and we would be fine. They were right and I must say that the marina was well worth the anxiety of its entrance. The people could not be nicer or friendlier. There were boats in this marina up to 100 feet in length, so what was I worried about...? We found our spot on the wall, tied up and had some major liquid refreshment to toast the successful conclusion of our scariest day yet on the water. I made a toast to Captain Mark for his excellent handling of the boat in difficult conditions.






Hours on the water: 9
Nautical miles traveled: 49
Number of locks: 6
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: Aberdeen, Mississippi
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: 0
Lesson for the day: It is not wise to follow the crowd
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for Wunder Kids

Day 37 – October 26 Tenn-Tom Anchorage

It was still overcast and rather chilly (like 40 degrees) when we left Grand Harbor Marina Friday morning. The weather was predicted to clear up and warm up, so we felt confident heading out and that we would be able to find an anchorage down river that evening. We passed into the state of Mississippi rather soon after leaving the marina and into the man-made canal that connects the two rivers.


A little history on the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Started in 1971 and completed in 1985, the Tenn-Tom Waterway connects the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers. More dirt was moved to build the Tenn-Tom than was moved to build the Panama Canal and the total cost was two billion dollars. The Tenn-Tom is officially only the 234 miles between the Tennessee River and Demopolis, Alabama. The 217 miles between Demopolis and Mobile, Alabama is the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway. There are 12 locks and during our second day’s travel, we will go through 6 of them in one day.



As we traveled south on the Waterway we passed through the man-made canal that is very much like the Ship and Sanitary Canal in Chicago. It is about as wide and about as deep. The Army Corp of Engineers left the shore and surrounding area for Mother Nature to replenish after the construction was complete, meaning that the trees and vegetation that we saw came about naturally since 1985. The area was cleared and the trees were cut down but many stumps and half buried forests remain outside the channel area. Only one town was sacrificed and it was the town of Holcut. A memorial marker notes the location at river’s edge.

We had no difficulty finding an excellent anchorage for the evening. Another boat was already in the cove so we settled in securely on the opposite side. This location was about a half-mile north of the Whitten Lock and Dam which would be the first of the six locks we would encounter tomorrow. Mark grilled steak, salmon, corn on the cob and baked potatoes for dinner. I have been unable to get an Internet signal since leaving Florence so I put the day’s blog entry in a safe place for when we have a signal and we went to sleep early. I was unable to sleep so I got up and noticed that the clouds were all gone and that the most beautiful moon was filling the sky. I spent some time enjoying the full moon and went back to sleep comforted by the moon beams.

Hours on the water: 4.5
Nautical miles traveled: 43
Number of locks: 0
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: Aberdeen, Mississippi
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: 0
Lesson for the day: Moon beams bring wonderful thoughts
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for Wunder Kids

Days 35 & 36 October 24 & 25 Grand Harbor Marina

We left Florence under cold and wet weather conditions. It wasn’t really raining but it was more than misting making for a dreary day all around. When we left there was no fog on the river but as we traveled further along the fog started to roll in.


We had planned to anchor out in a cove across from Grand Harbor Marina but as the fog let up the wind started to kick. The weather channel was predicting wind gusts of up to 50 mph so we thought it would be best if we just stayed at Grand Harbor. As it turned out, this was a very wise choice for several reasons. The weather just got nastier after we docked and this marina is wonderful. The staff is extremely helpful and the facilities are immaculate. The shower had plenty of hot water, so I was in heaven. The courtesy car that was provided was not a beater but a brand new mini van. While I am eternally grateful for each and every courtesy car that is provided for us at marinas, I must say that that common denominator seems to be the “Check Engine” light that always seems to be on in the courtesy vehicles.

Now the coolest thing about this marina is that it has a Spa – can you believe that? I was blown away…Since I have spent all of my discretionary income to fund this trip, I had no money left for Botox or any of the other Spa services that were available to me if I was not so poor. I have been told that being a Sea Hag is not the worst thing that could happen to me…Since I was play pouting about not being able to indulge myself with $1000 a day pampering at the Spa, Captain Mark suggested that we have a nice dinner out while in Pickwick, USA, as the area is known. This seemed like a wonderful idea and I stopped pouting immediately. The place that was very highly recommended was Freddy T’s.


When we pulled up and I saw the major stretch limo and pirate motif, I was not too sure that we had the correct place, but sure enough, we did. We were the first patrons in the restaurant when it opened at 5p and I still was not sure about this place…but within three minutes of being there, I fell in love with the place. The wait staff was delightful and just as cute as could be. I asked about the Riesling wines, so the bartender brought me samples of each so that I could make my decision. Of course this was very wise of him because I then HAD to purchase a bottle because it was so good and he was so nice. The food proved to be as good as the service and surroundings. Mark had a steak and I had chicken marsala and both were excellent. Dinner was over and we were back at the boat by 7p and asleep by 8:30p. This is now our MO – it seems weird to stay up later than 9p now.

The next day was equally as cold, windy and rainy so we decided to stay another day. On this day we again borrowed the courtesy van and toured the area. The marina is actually in the state of Tennessee located at the convergence of the Tennessee River and Yellow Creek which is connected to the Tombigbee River via the Tenn-Tom Waterway. We drove over to Ikua, Mississippi and then back to Pickwick, USA.

What I found to be most interesting was how much this particular area looks like southern Indiana. It is rolling and hilly with many of the same trees and shrubs. Once again we were asleep early so that we could leave as soon as the river mist lifted in the morning.

Hours on the water: 5
Nautical miles traveled: 37
Number of locks: 0
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: Anchorage somewhere on the Tenn-Tom
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: Captain Ron = Excellent = Our favorite boating movie
Lesson for the day: There are some things that are better than Botox
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for Wunder Kids

Days 32 – 34 October 21 – 23 Florence Alabama

Quite a few of the Loopers are going to continue up the Tennessee River to Chattanooga and Knoxville and we really seriously thought about joining them. However the dreaded “S” word (Schedule) will be preventing us from taking that side trip at this time. We have heard so many wonderful comments and recommendations about traveling on the Tennessee River up into the eastern part of the Tennessee that we are going to make it a definite trip, but unfortunately not at this time. Captain Mark calculated that it would take us ten to fourteen days to travel to Knoxville and back. That would be okay if we wanted to leave the boat in Tennessee when we return to Indiana for the holidays but we really do need to get the boat to the Mobile area before heading back to Indiana. Our concern is that the weather might be just a little too cold in the Tennessee Valley during January to travel comfortably, so since life is a compromise, we decided that we would explore the Tennessee River at another time.

So we slept in a little bit and had breakfast at the Joe Wheeler Lodge before leaving the park amide hugs and waves goodbye to all of our newly formed Looper friends. Our destination today is a short hop and skip down river to Florence, Alabama but we had two locks to get through so we were not sure how long it would take. Again I am sure that I am going to jinx us, but we have had the best luck in locking though locks on this trip. At the first lock, Wheeler Lock, we had to wait about 15 minutes and at the second one, Wilson Lock, we slide right in with no wait.




The town of Florence Alabama is just west of the Wilson Lock on the Tennessee River. A cold front was scheduled to come through the area and severe thunderstorms were predicted for the next three to four days. We had heard very nice things about the Florence Marina and the city of Florence so we thought this would be a nice place to hang out for a while. We arrived at the marina about 2p on Sunday, checked in and immediately borrowed the courtesy car. I had heard rumors that Florence was home to a Target Store so when Mark asked where we should go, I immediately said Target. He asked what we needed at Target and I said I wasn’t sure but I would know when we got there. I really just wanted to stand in a Target and savor the moment. I had not been inside a Target since leaving Chicago and there was something extremely comforting about just seeing that red bulls eye logo. Of course, what we found was that M&Ms were on sale for $2 a bag and we needed to seriously replenish our M&M supply so the trip to Target was well worth the time spent.


Box wine was also on sale. Miss Terry, who is the person responsible for introducing me to alcohol back in 1966, is now trying to convert and corrupt me into drinking wine from a box. While I am very skeptical, I decided to try some Pinot and I must admit it was not so bad…Of course storing wine in a box is much easier on the boat than storing wine in bottles so I may just have to keep trying this wine in a box thing. Miss Terry also recommends storing box wine up-side-down so that it does not become "fountain wine".

True to the prediction, it rained rather hard all day Monday and most of Tuesday. Mark read and I spent the time getting the blog current and attending to finances. On Tuesday we again borrowed the courtesy van and checked out historic Florence. It is a town deep in southern culture and heritage and the home of the University of Northern Alabama.
Florence is the home of WC Handy, “Father of the Blues”, made famous to our generation by the Marc Cohn song Walking in Memphis. Dred Scott also once resided in Florence, where as a slave, he worked as a hostler at the Peter Blow Inn on Tennessee street. A plaque at the former site commemorates his time there. TS Stribling, Pulitzer Prize winning author and Florence resident, wrote a trilogy about the city consisting of The Forge, The Store and Unfinished Cathedral.

We ate dinner on the boat each evening, watched one of our favorite movies and just kicked back, relaxed and enjoyed the rain.


Hours on the water: 4 hours
Nautical miles traveled: 18
Number of locks: 2
Time spent waiting at locks: 15 minutes
Tomorrow's Destination: Grand Harbor Marina in Pickwick, Tennessee
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: Mystic Pizza = Excellent
Lesson for the day: It is very comforting to be in a harbor during bad weather
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for the Wunder Kids

Days 26 – 31 October 15 – 20 Great Looper’s Rendezvous

We awoke Monday morning at Wilson Lake with only a short distance to travel to reach Joe Wheeler State Park near Rogersville, Alabama.

Our anchorage was so lovely that I really did not want to leave but the rendezvous awaits… We traveled the several miles across Wilson Lake to Wheeler Lock and Dam. Again we were very fortunate in that we did not have any wait at the lock. This rise in this lock is not as high as Wilson Lock and Dam in that it was only 43 feet but it went rather quickly. There is something truly spectacular and somewhat magical about being in a lock that rises. It is like being a large box where you start at the bottom with wet slimy concrete walls all around and above you with churning water underneath you.


You slowly rise to the top, then the doors open and this wonderful lake unfolds in front of you. It is like being transported into another place – which I guess is really what is happening…

The Tennessee River is rather wide at this point. The Wheeler Park is located at First Creek just beyond the lock about 3 miles. The park follows the river for several miles so the area is undeveloped and absolutely gorgeous.



We are the last boat to arrive at the marina when we got there about 1p on Monday afternoon. The rendezvous officially started Monday evening at 6p but it seems that everyone else arrived a few days early to enjoy the park. We found our slip assignment and were met by several Loopers who greeted us warmly and caught our lines. We had just enough time to take quick showers, check in at the marina and get our registration packet before the evening’s festivities were to begin.

America’s Great Loop Cruising Association is the sponsoring organization of this rendezvous. The one thing that you consistently hear people talk about when they “do the Loop” is the people that they meet along the way, primarily fellow Loopers. This became very evident to us the minute that we hit the docks. While everyone is basically taking the same trip, we each have a different agenda, outlook and take on the same experiences. People are very willing to share their opinions (helpful and not so helpful), their mistakes, accomplishments and their encounters along the way. At dinner on Monday evening, certificates were presented to the Loopers who had completed the Loop during the last year. Each couple told a short recap of their trip and it was interesting to see all the different ways that we approach the same route. Some people completed the trip in less than a year and there are some (like Mark and I) who are taking several years to complete the Loop. People can start at any point in the Loop and travel either clockwise or counter clockwise depending on their whims. The common thread is the camaraderie and genuine friendship that seems to spread like wildfire through this group of people. Truly there were no strangers in this room after the first session.

Our days were filled with extremely informative class sessions related to the areas in which we will be traveling in the next few months; the Tenn-Tom, crossing the Gulf, Florida Keyes, the Bahamas, Georgia and the Carolinas. The speakers were well informed and quite entertaining. We throughly enjoyed Claiborne Young's discussion and Mark promptly purchased his crusing guides. All of our meals were provided and each evening a cocktail hour was held prior to dinner where we could further mingle and schmooze. Mark and I met several couples that I am sure we will keep in contact with and encounter as we travel.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, we had boat crawls where we could all see each other’s boats. It was very interesting to see how others travel.


The Lolligag was the second smallest boat in attendance and was by far the most spartan (my motto of less is more was very apparent). Most of the boats were 50-60 feet in length with Mainship being the brand most represented of the boats present, followed by Kady Krogans and DeFevers. We were the only Nordic Tug so lots of people wanted to see our boat. About half of the attendees live on their boats full time with no land home. It was fascinating to see how these boats are equipped and how these folks adapted to living on the water. Hands down, they said that they did not miss their former homes and that they have no difficulty staying in touch with family and/or in dealing with life issues like finances and current events. Most boats have a TV satellite dish with multiple television sets aboard. We (once again) were the exception in that we do not have a dish and we only watch movies on our TV unless we are at a marina that has cable. I did cave in and agree to purchase a cable cord for the times when we can access cable. I do think Mark was having serious boob tube withdrawal and he seems to perk up when he is able to watch yet another re-run of America’s Funniest Videos.

Since we arrived later than most, we decided to stay a couple of extra days to explore the park and the surrounding area.
On Friday, we hiked the trails in the park and then on Saturday we rode our bikes into Rogersville. The bike ride was only about five miles each way but it was uphill in both directions and it was really really hot. Neither of us has seriously ridden our bikes in almost a month so we totally crashed when we got back. Needless to say we slept well that evening.

There will be informal rendezvous at Marsh Harbor in the Bahamas in the spring and the next official rendezvous will be in Charleston in April. We are certainly planning to join the group at Marsh Harbor and will probably attend the spring rendezvous as well.



Hours on the water: 2
Nautical miles traveled: 10
Number of locks: 1
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: None
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: 0
Lesson for the day: Less is still more
Obligatory knitting report: I did not knit once during the time at the rendezvous

Captain’s Log: Star date: October 18, 2007

At the end of each four week period (28 days) Captain Mark will give me the following statistics to post. This will be the highlight of the blog each month, I AM SURE! I thought it would also be interesting if along with these mundane and anal facts that I include a photo update of Captain Mark’s ponytail. This way we can see if there is a correlation between the amount of fuel consumed and how quickly the ponytail grows. I would say that we should also track how quickly the Captain’s hair is graying but since my hair is grayer than Mark’s we will not note or record that vital statistic.

Total nautical miles traveled to date: 807.6
Converted to statute miles: 928.7
Total running hours: 114.03
Average speed: 7.08 knots or 8.14 mph
Number of days running: 20
Average nautical miles per day: 40.4
Converted to statute miles: 46.4
Number of locks: 16
Anchored out: 10 nights
At marinas: 18 nights
Total fuel used: 256.6 gallons
Fuel burn rate: 2.25 gallons per hour
Fuel mileage: 3.1 nautical miles per gallon
Fuel mileage converted to statute miles: 3.6 miles per gallon
Average cost per gallon of diesel fuel: $3.30

Day 25 – October 14 – Wilson Lake Alabama

The weather has been absolutely wonderful thus far on this trip. We have had rain only two times but it came during the early evening and during the middle of the night so it has not impeded our travels at all. Today it is sunny and in the mid 80s – perfect cruising weather. Our day today will take us from one end of Pickwick Lake through Wilson lock and into Wilson Lake.

As we travel through Pickwick Lake and the Tennessee River we will pass the convergence of the Tennessee/Tombigbee Waterway where the states of Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama meet. I made Mark do a 360 in the water so that we would be in all three states at the same time. We continued on the Tennessee River past the convergence point and are headed to Joe Wheeler State Park just outside of Rogersville, Alabama. The trip to Wheeler State Park is 60 miles up stream from the convergence point for a total diversion of 120 miles. The reason for this side trip is the Great Looper’s Rendezvous. This rendezvous is very highly recommended for the boating camaraderie and knowledge that we will receive about the upcoming portions of the trip and we are very excited about attending.


I can not say enough about the beauty of this area. The river is so easy flowing and calm that it makes for the most peaceful day as we travel today. The leaves are starting to change but are still primarily green. This area of the country is suffering from a severe drought so the leaves may not turn the bright reds and oranges. At this point on the Tennessee River there are water skiers and lots of recreational craft. The water is much nicer to “recreate” in than the waters of the Mississippi or the Illinois.


Just as we pass the town of Florence Alabama, the birthplace of Helen Keller, we approach the Wilson Lock and Dam. I hail the lockmaster and once again karma is on our side and the lockmaster holds the lock open for us. We are very fortunate in our timing because if we had not made this lock through, we would have had a three hour wait and it would have been dark when we exited the lock. This lock is our largest (highest) lift in the United States. We rose 103 feet in a surprisingly short time. There were two other Loopers in the lock with us and true to form they were friendly with waves and shouts of “see ya at Wheeler”.

As we left the lock we entered Wilson Lake with Wheeler Lock and Dam visible in the distance. The other two boats, who travel much faster than we do, decided to head to Wheeler Lock to make the lock through before dark. Since we were in no hurry and love to anchor out, we told them to go ahead and that we would see them tomorrow at Wheeler State Park.

Wilson Lake is also developed but not quite in the grand style of Pickwick Lake. However the homes here are huge and everyone seems to have multiple watercraft. It took Mark a while but he found the most wonderful little cove for us to anchor for the evening. Mark and I had another geometry lesson as we anchored out this evening. It seemed to revolve (pun intended) around the theory of the radius of a circle. If we put our anchor in this spot and the boat spins 360 degrees, then how much anchor chain do we need to use based on the depth of the anchorage and the distance from the shore? See, I knew that I should have paid much more attention when I was in Mr Volk’s geometry class…We were able to sit outside for while this evening as the bugs were not too bad. Again the night was wonderful and the sky full of bright stars. Tomorrow morning we have only a short distance to travel once we lock through the Wheeler Lock.

Hours on the water: 7.5 hours
Nautical miles traveled: 53
Number of locks: 1
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: Joe Wheeler State Park
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: 0
Lesson for the day: Once again geometry has proven to be the most valuable class from high school
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for Wunder Kids

Day 24 – October 13 –Pickwick Lake

As we continue down the Tennessee River the terrain starts to change as the hills become taller and more rolling. Trees seem to grow right out of the limestone and sandstone along the river bank. It just becomes more beautiful with each bend in the river.

For the last couple of days we have been listening to the audio book of I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe. I love Wolfe’s detailed and descriptive writing style which is in direct contrast to the simple but lovely landscape of this river which made a for interesting mix.

At the Pickwick Lock we rose 55 feet and exited onto Pickwick Lake. I was awestruck by the beauty of this lake but the homes along it's shore were beyond belief. I have never in my life seen so many homes so massive in one general area. My first thought was that the music business in Nashville and Memphis must pay a ton of money as these homes are not just million dollar homes they are zillion dollar homes. I did not dare take any pictures for fear that I would be intruding…

We found a little cove in which to anchor for the evening. It was calm, cozy and just the perfect spot to spend the night.


Hours on the water: 7
Nautical miles traveled: 43
Number of locks: 1
Time spent waiting at locks: 30 minutes
Tomorrow's Destination: Wilson Lake
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: Moulin Rouge = Excellent
Lesson for the day: Nicole Kidman is absolutely gorgeous and she can sing too!
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for Wunder Kids

Day 23 - October 12 - Clifton Tennessee

We continue to be captured by the lure of the Tennessee River. Our destination today is the Clifton Marina and it will be a rather short day on the river. We were greeted warmly as soon as we entered the marina and we had our first taste of genuine Southern Hospitality. As we were registering we were handed glasses of sweetened ice tea. As our host told us, we were now in the South so we should just kick back, relax and enjoy tea the way it was meant to be. We were also informed that dinner this evening would be fried catfish and hush puppies and that she would see us at 6:30p or thereabouts.

I was about three weeks overdue for a haircut so I borrowed the marina’s courtesy car and headed into town. The town is very small but totally charming. My first thought was of a John Grisham novel but soon the history of the town captured my attention. The Civil War was the most traumatic event in Clifton's history. While most surrounding communities remained loyal to the Union, the citizens of Clifton allied themselves with the Confederacy. In the second year of the war, the Tennessee River became a vital invasion route for Union forces. Clifton, to its great misfortune, was located in a strategic position on that river. Early in 1862 Union forces occupied Clifton and they stayed here for the remainder of the war. The Union stronghold in Clifton was Stockade Hill and the officers' headquarters were located in what is now the front yard of the Frank Hughes School. Several skirmishes were fought around Clifton and Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest (Forrest Gump’s namesake) conducted a raid here in December 1862. Legend has it that only four homes in Clifton survived the Civil War. The Presbyterian Church is the only public building still standing from that era. At various times during the war it was used as a hospital and misused as a horse stable by the occupying Union forces. The front of the church still bears the scars of where Union soldiers pulled out part of the brick wall to make a wider opening.

Back to my haircut…I felt like I had stepped onto the set of Steel Magnolias when I entered this shop. It was by far the social and gossip epicenter of town. But the best part was the price – I only paid $15 INCLUDING tip and it is one of the best haircuts that I have ever had! Now if I factor in transportation costs to and from Clifton and Chicago, it would still be cheaper to get my haircut in Clifton than it is in Chicago.

Three other Looper boats arrived after us and we all ate fried catfish and enjoyed Southern hospitality at its best. By far, this has been my favorite marina and I whole heartedly recommend that everyone visit Clifton at least once in their lifetime.

Hours on the water: 3.5
Nautical miles traveled: 25
Number of locks: 0
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: Pickwick Lake
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: 0
Lesson for the day: This Yankee is smitten by Southern Hospitality
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for Wunder Kids

Day 22 - October 11 – Tennessee River

Very subtly and without really noticing, we slipped out of Kentucky Lake and into the Tennessee River. It kind of sneaks up on ya…and the only way we really knew that it happened was by our navigational charts. As we pass through each area, I think this one is the best and most beautiful area yet only to discover the next bend in the river. I love the Ohio River for its history and heritage and the Cumberland River for is slow pace and country feel, but I have totally fallen in love with the Tennessee River. Never have I seen such breath-taking natural beauty - from the river to the hills and the forests to the isolated river islands. I now understand how generations of “hill people” chose to never leave this area.

There is also something that we had heard about but could not believe and sure enough…there it was right in front of us. A railroad bridge that just stops in the middle of the river and does not continue to the other side AND right next to it is a town that would not sink. I really did think that people were pulling my leg when we were told to watch for these two Tennessee River oddities.



I did not know that we even had pelicans in the Midwest before making the trip. The first time that we saw them was in St Louis and we had not seen them again until today. We came upon an area were they were congregating and it was a marvelous sight to behold. Literally hundreds of them.

Tonight we anchored out again and had some difficulty finding a cove or inlet that was deep enough for us. The Tennessee River is low right now due to the lack of rain this summer so we were reluctant to veer too much off the beaten path especially with our track record of finding sandbars. So we found a very wide spot in the river and tucked Lolligag into a little niche at the base of Ladyfinger Bluff. It was a perfect spot to anchor and well out of the way of barge traffic. It was nice to have the generator working but we have gotten so use to not using it and going to sleep early that we forgot to turn it on…

The dark was wonderful and the stars were so bright that we could actually see the Milky Way. I love being able to see the stars and enjoy the dark. That was the only downside to living in downtown Chicago – we had no dark – so we try to capture a little bit of dark each evening.

It turned rather cool during the night and when we awoke in the morning, the river was full of wonderful mist. It did not burn off until about 10a so Mark got to sleep in a little longer than usual.

Hours on the water: 7.25
Nautical miles traveled: 58
Number of locks: 0
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: Clifton, Tennessee
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: 0
Lesson for the day: We waited too late in the day to find an anchorage
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for Wunder Kids