Descending the Mississippi was not particularly pretty. The water was ugly, full of debris, whirlpools and flotsam. Dodging the crap in the water felt like Han Solo on the Millenium Falcon in an asteroid field, then you hit a whirlpool and your in a black hole. After Hoppies "Marina" of sorts we got close to the junction of the Ohio and stopped at a great creek off the Mississippi beneath a railroad bridge and it was delightful. Going down river, on an engine check, I saw the raw water pump was leaking so had to change that out at the end of the day. The next day we shot on down the river and turned the corner to start the ascent up the Ohio. I feared the current would be heavy against us but it was really minimal and what a delightful afternoon it was on the ride up to Paducah where we tied up to a city dock with 5 other boats, including our two buddy boats still with us. Found the Paducah Brew Werks and my new favorite beer, Zombie Dust, a real hoppy IPA. The next day began the ascent of the Tennessee River past the Kentucky Lock into Kentucky Lake. This area continues to be a major transportation hub for barges and tows. At the lock we waited 2 1/2 hours for a tow to go up and another to come down the lock before we could get through. We finished the day by crossing over to a marina on the Barkley Lake side of the reservoir, to Green Turtle Bay marina. The weather turned to crap with lots of thunder, lightning and rain so we holed up two nights there. It was a nice enough spot, but we both would rather anchor out. This fall trip has not been conducive to anchoring. There just haven't been a lot of anchorages, but that will change now going up the Tennessee and down the Tombigbee. We left Green Turtle yesterday and said goodbye to our buddie boats for now anyway and are now on our own. Had a nice anchorage alone last night and a pretty, misty morning departing today. Tomorrow we hope to lock through the Pickwick dam and enter the Tombigbee sysem. We also made plans for the end of the trip and will leave the boat in Mobile in two weeks, and fly home on November 6.
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| Misty departure this morning on the Tennessee |
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| Mississippi flotsam |
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| Railroad bridge anchorage off the Mississippi |
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| Down river speed on the Missisppi |
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| This tow was pushing 35 barges, 7 long and 5 wide |
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| Tied up in Paducah |
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| Frozen food section in Kentucky |
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| Colors changing on the Tennessee |
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| Looking down Kentucky Lake |
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