Day on the Cruise: 160
From: Clifton Marina, Clifton, TN
To: Grand Harbor Marina, Iuka, MS
Statute Miles: 55.9 SM
Time: 7.257 Hrs
Cumulative Miles: 4,181.6 SM
On Board: Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut
Tonight we at Iuka, MS at Grand Harbor Marina. A new State!
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| Iuka, (Eye-You-Ka) MS is at the very Northeast Corner of the State |
Wake up call this morning was at 5:30. We intended to leave by 7:00. We had 60 miles or so to travel plus a big lock at Pickwick dam. Sun Gypsy, Go, and Blue Moon would be traveling together from Clifton. We met Go at Alligator River in North Carolina back in April, and we spent three weeks with Sun Gypsy in Kingston, NY back in June and July. We have been with Sun Gypsy several other places, but we have ever cruised with either Sun Gypsy or Go.
It was very foggy at 7:00. "Go" left the harbor and turned right around and came back in. So, we hung around the dock and talked to some folks who had come down to the cafe'. Just before 8:00, I told everyone that we were going to give it a try. I could see the sun through the fog, and I was confident with my radar and AIS. One of the Nordic Tugs from Montreal had us blocked in, so they moved out of the way and we poked our nose into the River.
The fog was not too bad right in front of the marina, so I called "Go" and "Sun Gypsy" and we started up the River toward Pickwick. Sun Gypsy forgot a fender that they had tied to the dock, so they went back and picked it up. We went in and out of patchy fog until about 10:00. Some of it was close to zero viability. My radar showed me the location of the banks and the buoys. My chart plotter also showed me our location on the river as well as any AIS targets. A small aluminum fishing boat came right by our port side in one of the fog banks. I did not see him until he was almost right next to us. Ugh!
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| Foggy Morning Leaving Clifton, TN as We Approach a Bridge |
My AIS showed a tow ahead as we were in the fog. The AIS showed that he was stopped in the River. We broke out of the fog and I saw the tow with four barges blocking the river. I called him up and told him that we were three pleasure boats, etc. I asked how he wanted us to pass and he was somewhat of a smart a**, which is unusual to hear from these guys. He said that since he was pushed into the bank that he guessed we should pass on the two. OK, tow boat "Cecil". I will see you again sometime.
When the fog lifted it was a beautiful day. Again on this leg of the trip, we were in the narrow River and we passed several big Islands. We went by Savannah, TN which was not as big on the river as I had anticipated. There were a lot of high bluffs along the river banks today. Also quite a few nice homes along the river.
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| Bluffs Along the River |
Just upriver from Savannah, we passed Shiloh Battlefield National Park, site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. We have visited here by car, and it is very moving. Pittsburgh Landing is the part right on the River. We saw portions of the park along the river.
The river current has been very noticeable for the past three days, but when we got within about 10 miles of the Pickwick dam, it picked up. We were bucking the current and it was slowing us down considerably. Within five miles of the dam, it slowed us down to under 8 mph, which is considerable. I called the lock on the phone and talked to a very nice lock master (mistress?). She said to "keep it coming" and call her when we were in sight of the lock and she would drop the water down.
Bucking the current, we finally got up to the lock. It looked huge. We gave her a call on channel 13 on the VHF. She dumped the water and we went into the chamber. We had to wait a few minutes for "Let's Drift" to catch up and lock through with us, but that was fine.
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| Approaching Pickwick Lock |
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| In Pickwick Lock |
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| See the Blue Heron on the Miter Sill Looking for Fish Caught in the Lock Door? |
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| Now the Blue Heron Has Jumped Up to the Door Looking for Fish |
When we got up to the Pickwick lake pool, here was this beautiful wide body of water. The sun was bright and it was just beautiful. There were nice homes situated on the bluffs above the lake. We headed out from the lock and dam, and about six or eight miles later we turned into Yellow Creek. Gand Harbor was right there on the right.
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| Leaving Pickwick Lock |
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| Pickwick Lake is Huge! |
Grand Harbor is a marina and condo complex right on Yellow Creek the condo building is a mid rise building with an architectural style like you would see on the Gulf Coast. It is very nice. The marina is huge. Mostly all covered slips with big boats in them. A lot of big house boats. It is in a beautiful setting.
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| Condos and Docks at Grand Harbor |
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| Docks at Grand Harbor |
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| Face Dock at Grand Harbor Marina |
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| Marina Store and Fuel Dock at Grand Harbor |
We turned into the marina and filled up with diesel fuel and got a pump out. We were helped by a wonderful young lady who was the dock hand. She did a great job and was very professional. Our slip for the night was on the other side of the very wide fuel dock. "Let's Drift" from Toronto, "Go", "Sea Fever" and "Blue Moon" were all on the fuel dock for the night. Just across from us was "Sun Gypsy", Sea Glide", and "Perfect Day". We met Sea Glide in April at Southport, NC, and had not seen them since Norfolk, although we talked to them on the radio a few times. Perfect Day used to be named "Entree' " and this was one of the boats with which we traveled down the Great Rivers to Green Turtle Bay. It was good to catch up with them again.
Dinner tonight was at Freddy T's near the marina with Sun Gypsy and Let's Drift. The marina arranged a shuttle for us to get to and from the restaurant. The food was great. We enjoyed the company and had a great time talking to Leila and Rick and Chris and Lynn. Lynn is a physician in Toronto, and we enjoyed hearing her experiences with Nationalized Medicine in Canada.
Tomorrow we head upriver to Florence, AL.
Thanks for Reading!
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