Smithville and Columbus

Sunday, Nov.6

We left Bay Springs Marina at 7:37am and headed for the nearby lock.  By 8:00am we were tied along the Jamie Whitten Lock wall ready for our 84 foot drop.  Whitten has the biggest drop of all 12 of the locks on the Tenn-Tom Waterway.

That's Passport down there and they are a large boat, so it gives you and idea of how big the lock is

This is called a floating bollard.  They are recessed into the lock wall at strategic places.  You tie your boat up to them at midships and the bollard rides either up or down with you as the water in the lock rises or falls.  It makes locking very nice and easy.

Warren riding the bollard

 

 

 

Jeremiah in front of us

Passport over on the other side

Lock doors opening

and we cleared the Jamie Whitten Lock...only 11 more between here and Mobile, Alabama

9:45am  Montgomery Lock  30 ft drop

Montgomery Lock

Houseboat behind us in the lock as the doors close

In this lock I did a boo-boo and consequently we lost a line (a rope, to any land lubbers).  It got wrapped around the bollard as we were leaving and rather than fool around trying to un-twist the wrap we just cast it off from the boat.  Kerm says the cost of the line will be deducted from my allowance!!!

11:00  Rankin Lock  30 foot drop

Rankin Lock cleared with no difficulty

 
Fulton Lock, drop of 30 ft (no pictures) was cleared at 1:05pm, making it a four lock day...we were all very pleased with ourselves.  We found the lockmasters to be very friendly and helpful, everywhere so far on the Tenn-Tom.

We arrived at Smithville Marina at 3:00pm, after a 37.8 mile day.  The guide books said this marina was rustic.  You be the judge...

 

We all decided that 'rustic' is the new word for trashy!!!  However, the marina people were nice, even if the facilities left something to be desired.

Good night from Smithville Marina

Monday, Nov 7

"The Sun has got his hat on. Hip, hip, hip hooray!!!"

7:10 am    A quick, early morning dash to Wilkens Lock and before you've even had coffee you are 27 feet lower on the Tenn-Tom Waterway.

Wilkens Lock

Big old Heron watching proceedings at the lock

By 8:20 we were tied up to the second lock of the day, Amory.  This one drops 30 feet. Cleared by 8:39.  These are really fast locks.

Amory Lock

In Amory Lock

 
Now this is when things got interesting!!!  We were scooting along famously when all of a sudden the engine quit.  It re-fired right away but the captain was NOT a happy camper.  He decided to bleed the injector pump while we were locking down at the next lock.  All tools in place...it was like a pit stop in NASCAR.  We tied up to the Aberdeen lock wall at 10:21am.  Kerm galvanized into action with me tending the lines and handing paper towels down to him in the engine room as needed.  Finish bleeding the injector, close up the engine room hatch, lock doors open...out we go at 10:37.  Cleared the lock and did the required work in 16 minutes.  Easy as pie!!!  That captain...he's my hero!

Out we go after our 'pit stop'

After this excitement I took a long nap since we were done with locks for the day and just had 3 hours of cruising till our next stop at Columbus Marina.

Tombigbee River joining the Tenn-Tom Waterway

The Columbus Marina was very nice and we decided to stay over a day to refuel, relax, reprovision and plan the next section of the Waterway.  There is also a very good restaurant in town and a group of us plan to go and enjoy some Southern cooking.  ( I had blackened catfish with crayfish sauce and white cheddar grits...very filling and delicious).

.

Captain relating the day's exploits 

 

Compare these boats to the one's from Smithville marina last night...

A casserole that should have been good but wasn't

Ducks

Mary and I saw what we think was an alligator swimming across the bay to a nice swampy area.  The marina staff said that alligators are in the area.  Also, there were some huge catfish under one of the boats on our dock.  We will head for Pirate Cove Marina in Pickensville tomorrow.

That's it for now
Christie