Day on the Cruise: 183
From: Midway Marina, Fulton, MS
To: Aberdeen Marina, Aberdeen, MS
Statute Miles: 37.2 SM
Time: 6.67 Hrs
Cumulative Miles: 4,806.2 SM
On Board: Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut
Tonight we are at the marina in Aberdeen, MS.
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| Aberdeen, MS |
The milestone achieved today is that we have made it for half a year on the Loop. One hundred eighty three days on the boat on this trip.
Our goal today was Columbus, MS. We were going to spend two nights there. Sun Gypsy and Blue Moon were going to leave at first light to get through the Fulton Lock. At 5:30, we checked with the Lock and learned that he had locked one down bound tow through already this morning and another down bound tow was just passing the marina and about to go into the Lock. He also had an up bound tow that he would lock through last. Then us! He said that we would have maybe a two hour or more wait. This was our worst nightmare for getting an early start. It was not to be today!
With nothing to do but wait it out, we relaxed and enjoyed the early morning hour. Yea, right! At 7:00 the lock called us on the VHF, which I thought was very nice, and said to be at the Lock at 8:00. By this time the other boats with us were rumbling about. They were only going to Aberdeen and were not in a hurry.
We were all in the lock by 8:10, 3.2 miles from Midway. We locked down and at 8:30, faced the next Lock, only about 15 miles down stream. We followed the tow down bound, slowing way down because we couldn't get to the lock ahead of him. We waited at this lock, the Wilkins Lock, while the tow went down, then at 10:25 we locked down.
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| Approaching Fulton Lock with Up Bound Tow Coming Out of the Lock |
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| In Fulton Lock |
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| Approaching Wilkins Lock |
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| In Wilkins Lock |
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| Loopers in Wilkins Lock |
Next was the Amory Lock only 5 miles down. Again another slow ride and another wait. We cruised into Amory Lock and it was missing two floating pins or bollards, so all the boats could not tie to a pin. We had Ozel and Mary Ann on "Freya" raft up to us, and they floated down with us.
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| This is a floating "pin" or "Bollard" that is in all the locks. Usually there are 8 to 10 of these in each lock. Each boat ties to a "Pin". At Amory, there were two missing pins. |
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| "Freya" is Rafted to Us. On the other side, "In My Element" is rafted to "Ka-Jen". |
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| "Freya" is rafted to us at Amory Lock |
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| Leaving Amory Lock |
Through the lock at 12:20, and Aberdeen lock was 13 miles away. We had to get through Aberdeen lock ahead of the tow in order to make Columbus today before dark. We tried to pass the tow but he sped up (thank you), and we couldn't catch him. We tried to negotiate with him on the VHF to lock through with him. Couldn't do it because he was a red flag load, meaning dangerous cargo.
So, Sun Gypsy and Blue Moon capitulated and turned in at the Aberdeen Marina, twenty some odd miles short of our planned destination, at 1:55 PM. We were joined by the other five boats and found the marina very delightful with plenty of face dock space and a big pasture where Maggie was able to run and play. There was even a marina cat that tormented Trooper from the dock.
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| Aberdenn Marina |
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| "Freya" Coming Into Aberdeen Marina |
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| "Sun Gypsy" Docked in Front of Us at Aberdeen |
Tonight we enjoyed docktails under a big high roof area outside the marina store. Everyone brought something to eat. We met the new Looper boat that had joined the group at Bay Springs Marina. "Quimby" with Bev and Emmy (Emory) on board is from Rhode Island. They live on the big lake (the name I cannot spell) in New Hampshire.
Tomorrow we will go a short 20 miles to Columbus, MS. We are disappointed that we got "hoo doo'd" by the tows today. The combination of ill timed tows, lock spacing, and short days now in November all worked against us today on this Tenn-Tom Waterway.
Thanks for Reading!
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