To Columbus ,Mississippi.

Yellow Creek to Columbus

It was still raining and for the first 20 miles or so we saw no other vessels. Then we came upon 4 tows - 2 were in one of the narrowest parts of the channel at the entrance to Big Springs Lake. We passed the one in front of us after he had slowed & told us which side to pass on and just as we had done so around the corner came another one towards us. The 2 tows had obviously been speaking to each other and were working out a way of trying to pass. We watched them way behind us complete their tricky manoeuvre. Tow captains are a skilled bunch. The trees in this area lined the banks in their full autumn reds & yellows looking like some ones large garden. We found a quiet anchorage for the night in Cotton Springs Creek near the next lock.

We called the lock early next morning and he said it would be ready & waiting for us and to come on through. From then on the next 4 locks were all green lit & ready for us to enter. We were on our own, met no tows and were doing 1 lock an hour even though the rain was relentless it was a good ride. We carried on for a later stop at a small marina called Smithsville. There had been no response to phone calls, the way in looked unmarked & we could find no indication of depth. So we were feeling a bit dubious about it all. We had to make 3 passes to try & tie up because there was no one there to catch our lines and try as I might I couldn't catch the cleat – the wind kept blowing us off. Eventually with a final great effort (and Colin's encouragement!! )I managed to get ½ a cleat & we tied up at this marina that looked as though boats had come to die. Ours was the best, cleanest, newest, tidiest etc of all – they were green, broken & lopsided although there were some live aboards among them. Another Looper called “Happy Happy” tied up behind us that night & came aboard to exchange books & have a port or two. They have 2 dogs (an Alsatian, a Spaniel) a cat & a parrot on board. We're amazed at the boaters who have dogs on board - over ½ of the people we've met do - we feel we have enough to cope with.

Next morning we had the same easy run through the locks – one even called us to see how far away we were – as they would wait if not too far. Some locks that are closer together pass boats' names on to the adjacent locks so that they can plan up & down traffic. The sun came out & we saw so much wild life; blue herons,egrets, bald eagles, canadian geese, ducks, cormorants & many many turtles sunning themselves on logs in the water. We are now at Columbus Marina where we will stay for a few days & explore.

Down river to Columbus Ms.

Just passed this guy

Then met this guy

An hour later, out of the mist

Found a snug anchorage

Next avo, play banjos, this Marina

I definitely had the best boat here.

Then the sun peeked out

Just Sweet



Time for arty shots

Still have to watch for this stuff

Back in a nice Marina

To the Ten-Tom

Chattanooga to Yellow Creek

We completed our car trip by driving to Chattanooga. This day did not go as smooth as previous days. The drive there was fine although we were astounded at the huge numbers of large trucks on the road. As we approached Chattanooga near lunch time we dialled into the car's GDS “ihop” for a lunch time stop & simple meal. There was one close to the city but on the other side. The GPS took us too far past the city before we realised the distance & then it was not worth turning back. At the same time that the realisation came we spotted the “ihop” but had passed it before the GPS announced it. OK we can do this – we'll just turn down this side road & head back. We did but still could not find the turn in to the restaurant & we were on the highway again – so we gave up that idea, headed back into town & found a restaurant that offered some simple lunch choices. We walked down to the municipal marina & caught up with some loopers tied up there. It was now late afternoon & we made a decision to return to the boat. We drove up Lookout Mt for a great view of the city & valley & then headed for home. We drove along a southern route in North Alabama and passed through many small towns that seem to have at least 3 churches (mainly baptist). We wished we'd had time to visit the Space & Rocket Centre at Huntsville – we got a view from the road & it looked well worth a visit. The town of Decatur had major roadworks on the route through town but no signs showing the detour & we spent at least 20mins trying to find a route out of town back on to the highway. We arrived back at the marina – boat all safe & sound & prepared to leave next morning for the Ten -Tom Waterway.

This waterway joins the Tennessee & Tombigbee Rivers. Back in the 1700's the first proposal by a French explorer was made to join the 2 rivers & after many investigations congress finally approved construction in 1946 but opposition continued until 1972 when construction finally began. From 1972 to 1985 work progressed and after spending nearly 2 billion dollars the waterway was dedicated on June 1 1985. Surprise, surprise it was actually completed 6 months ahead of schedule on December 12 1984. This mammoth undertaking moved more earth than was moved in the construction of the Panama Canal. It shortened trips for vessels to various ports by as much as 720 miles & also avoided the fierce currents of the Mississippi when north bound.

We turned into the Ten-Tom Waterway just after midday after an easy comfortable trip & anchored up in a small but deep side creek called Yellow Creek. We have spent the past 2 days here as the weather has been very wet & the anchorage is too quiet & pleasant to leave. Our buddy boat who is just across the way in a marina dinghied over with their dog yesterday for lunch & that evening we visited the other sail boat in the anchorage here. We had met them at a previous marina – they are 3 English people from Manchester who have sailed the Pacific & the Caribbean. We had an hilarious time with them especially after mentioning the World Rugby Cup. To renew their visas they have to fly home & back. The older man Graham had just got back a couple of days ago & gave us an English newspaper that had articles about the rugby in it. We have read it from cover to cover in our quiet time here.

Heading South to Tenn Tom

The American Queen passed as we
got ready to leave. front  part

Back part, apparently this was
the first trip for her.

Fall is rapidly approaching

Huge coal fired power stn.

Our anchorage near start of the
Tennessee-Tombigbee waterway.
 

The Admiral at wine o clock

Interesting rock formation

The Good Ship

Tranquil view

Evening draws near

Nashville, Worth a revisit.

Nashville the Music City

To get to Nashville we needed to retrace our steps (wake) back to Florence where we could rent a car to drive there. We with 10 other boats headed to the Joe Wheeler Lock at 8.30 & locked through about 9.am. This was surprisingly quick – the lockmaster had agreed to put us ahead of a large tow if we could all get there by 8.30am. Some went south down the TenTom waterway & others of us arrived at Florence and at the magic hour of 5 o'clock had the obligatory docktails with old friends already there.

We drove north next morning on lovely, clean, wide roads lined with fields of round haybales and trees changing colour. Tennessee is a very pretty, tidy state.There were many small towns with lawn cemetries full of flowers & stone masons which gave the impression of continual cemetries every 5 or so miles. We drove near Davy Crockett State Park & through Amish country passing some horse & buggies on the road. Most front lawns are decorated for halloween with large pumpkins, scarecrows & yellow, red & orange chrysanthenums.

We arrived in Nashville, parked, sought out the visitors centre, grabbed some maps & went looking for some accommodation. Everything close to down town appeared to be full & consequently getting up close to the $300 mark. (There was a convention on – so the story goes). We had picked up a basic looking flyer for a hotel @ $129 + plus parking & this was becoming more attractive even though there was no photo of it or any indication as to where it may be. We phoned & found that it was within walking distance of “Broadway Street” which is where all bars have the live music happening. It was The Capitol Hotel corner of Union & 7^th Street. It was a real find – breakfast included, a bistro & bar, rooms as good as any up market ones we've stayed in, valet service & within walking distance of all the attractions. We really enjoyed wandering the streets & popping into the various bars to hear a wide variety of music – not just country & western. We did enjoy the fiddle & banjo playing at The Blue Moon Saloon, & the O'Donnells – a duo at Rippy's. Most of these bars have no cover charge.

We saw the impressive State Capitol building when we opened up the curtains the next morning & after breakfast visited the War Memorial Museum & Tennessee State Museum. In the afternoon we visited the Country Music Hall of Fame. This was very impressive -covering country & western from it's beginnings, with old movie footage, clothing & music. There was a special exhibit detailing contributions & collaborations of Johnnie Cash & Bob Dylan – a seemingly unlikely mix but apparently all artists seem to get together at some stage in their careers to record or play together in Nashville. We also strolled through Printers Alley – a blues area more like New Orleans. We found the “music street” was less crowded, cleaner, less pushy, the bars more inviting and friendlier than New Orleans although we did enjoy the music there. That night we wandered the streets again & ended up on a patio on The Tin Roof giving us a great view of Broadway street & more live music. We could have easily spent more days there.

Next morning we drove out to the Grand Ole Opry. This was an impressive building & area but a few miles out of town. We didn't get to a show – they are only on 3 nights a week & you need to book in advance & we would have got lost driving out there at night (we did in the day time). We were happy with all the music we had heard in the previous nights in down town Nashville.

Close by the Opry was a Bass Pro Shop and Outdoor World, WOW, they could almost charge an admission fee just to look at the wildlife exhibits and the Aquarium. They had every freshwater fishing tool known to man, plus a huge range of hunting gear,tramping equipment, boats, motors etc. A good range of clothing and footwear was available all at very reasonable prices. No guessing that we ( Colin) spent a lot of time, and some US dollars before we left.

Nashville has everything.

View from Hotel

Room had everything we needed

Barbershop music entry

The Glitter strip

Guitar city

Lots of Neon

More

Top music

This place Rocked

Great Group

Dancing in the bar

Retro clothes store

The old and the new

Country Music Hall of Fame

New Orleans ?

It was good and all

Roof top bar on our last night

At the Opry

Lobby of Bass Building

Front Hall of Bass Pro Shop



Just great

The Aquarium.

No nonsense Boar, Taxidermy perfection

At the Rendezvous.

Loopers Rendezvous – Joe Wheeler Park

After Florence we left for the main event of the month – The Loopers Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park. This is a 4 day event organised by the AGLCA (Americas Great Loop Cruisers Association) and held twice a year – we went to the one in April this year in Norfolk. They have many sponsors who give away door prizes, welcome bags of information & goodies, sponsor the event including some meals & give out useful information. There are sessions where experienced loopers inform everyone about best routes to take, how to navigate the more difficult routes and good marinas & docks to tie up to. Topics cover safety, medical emergencies, budgeting, how to handle locks & much more.

We had wine & beer cocktails each evening sponsored by commercial attendees, and door prizes each night. I won a door prize of a Florida water ways guide & a couple of our friends won varying weeks stays in Florida Marinas. Col & I also got 3 years free membership for the people who had travelled the furtherest to get there. There was one other guy from Australia there who hopes to start the Loop soon with 3 friends – he is currently sourcing the boat. He recently charted a boat to the Antarctic!

Dinner & lunches were included so there was plenty of opportunity to meet & exchange stories & pick up tips & information.Colin & Bob played 9 holes of golf one afternoon & there were kayak races and a blindfolded dinghy race with a navigator that our friends Bob & Liz won. There was also an opportunity to visit other boats. On 2 afternoons, willing owners opened their boats up to others to view – we had over 22 couples look at ours. We had made people aware that it would be up for sale next year when we had finished the loop after, hopefully, adding a trip to the Bahamas. Being in the centre of country & western music where early artists were first recorded before Nashville took over we were given the opportunity to go to a music night in local Rogersville where an old cotton gin had been converted into a large music venue. Some of the band had been back up for & played with many Nashville stars (of which they constantly reminded us) & the music was good but very LOUD in a tin shed. Also a guy sat outside smoking a cigar & the smell wafted in nearly all night.

However we plan to go to the home of country music next at Nashville where we will be spoiled for choices. We couldn't rent a car from Joe Wheeler Park so decided to return to the Florence Marina where we'd been last week & rent one from there to go visit Nashville & Chattanooga.

Joe Wheeler Rendezvous.

On arrival at the Rendezvous, found
I was docked right in front of the
conference building, prime position.

Some of the 60 boats out front.

My 67th birthday dinner.

Halloween is coming

Visited the town of Rogersville

Shadows, Dawn doing her Lily Marlene dance

Blindfold boat race

Time to take the blindfold off

Old truck photo

Leaving Joe Wheeler Pak

This was facing us at first lock

Next lock was the giant

Looper dogs love meeting up

Batman Building, we go here next.