Capt. Steve's Cruises

Ghost towns on the river...who knew?!

Misty Fall morn.

I will be searching every store to

purchase one of my very own!!!

Good Lord is that anchor really

almost as big as me?!

The top four pictures are of Grand Harbor Marina just at the start of the Tennessee-TomBigbee River. This marina, as always, is a much welcome sight and is nestled exactly between three states: Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. We have to give Terra the dock master a special shout out for making our time there one to remember. Any loopers that are behind us and reading this blog, be sure to dock up there and ask for Terra. Make sure you enjoy an evening of great surf-n-turf at FreddyT's restauraunt as well. The marina has a free shuttle nightly to the restaurant. Speaking of FreddyT's, Terra in-trusted me with the keys to the shuttle van early on. By the time evening rolled around, seven of us who had recently arrived in the harbor or were staying for a few days were rounded up and we all went to dinner together. As anyone who has driven with me before knows that Terra should have probably reconsidered the key-holder!! All was fine there and back but I think I did hear a comment from the back of the van. Something about a similarity to "Space Mountain" at Disney heeheehee. Come on I lived in Chicago for many years, nothing to worry about! All kidding aside, that is one of my favorite parts of this trip, all the people you meet! I mean befriending complete strangers and sitting down to a dinner and hearing all the different and amazing stories that people have to tell is what it's all about. So that said, cheers to you Steve and Beth Westgate and your boat "Gemini," Lace and Dick Lacey and your boat "Confetti," and of course Betty and your boat "The Cooper" we loved your stories from abroad. I was like a kid listening at a campfire; waiting with anticipation for the final outcome! Have safe and enjoyable adventures...and probably see you again soon.

Another shout out that is long overdue is to Al DenBeston for all the navigational charts. We use the Lowrance Chart Plotter as our main means but it is so nice to have the physical paper charts as a back up. I specifically use them the most, otherwise I would be hovering over Captain Steve's shoulder all the time trying to look at the Lowrance navigation/sonar screen! Thank you so much and we will be checking with the next Marina that we stop at (Columbus Mississippi), to see if they carry the charts from Mobile Bay Alabama to Miami.

Well 21 days into the trip! Still cruis'n down the Tennessee-TomBigbee heading for the Gulf of Mexico. I still can not believe that I am in the state of Mississippi?! That is one I thought I would probably not see in my travels. The trees are really starting to show there colors here in the marsh type landscape. Note to self: Check Internet for the start of gator habitat and population hahaha. There are 10 lock & dams on this river and we did not get far at all today (Sunday 10/9). There is a great deal of barge traffic and pleasure craft heading North and South at all hours of the day...and night. The delays are not in minutes but in hours unfortunately. We have safely passed through 3 with 7 to go!

We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and will have a good week ahead of them. God Bless and GO BEARS!!!!