Day 118 October 16, 2022

Day 118 Sunday, October 16, 2022

Swallow Bluff Island Anchorage MM169 to Aqua Yacht Marina Iuka, Mississippi MM4489

Swallow Bluff Island was a quiet and calm anchorage for the night.  Many of the anchorages we have used have been recommended at the Rendezvous or by boaters we know that are ahead of us along the route.  Nebo has been helpful too since we can see where other boats are stopped each night and message them to see how deep the water and how good the anchor hold was.  

We had a great dinner and cards on Arion.  Seven boats in the anchorage -- The Grand Wazoo, Arion, Phil-N-Wild, Ultima, Sea Clef, Eider and us.  We left at 7am with no fog but a light drizzle.  Our boat parade got longer when Irish Lass and Sunset Dream joined us.

We finally started to see lots of color.  Lots of homes on stilts and even a landslide with the house in danger of sliding into the river too.  I didn't get a good pic of it.

 

 Check out the river bank.

Our first goal was Pickwick Lock.  Conversation with the lock master is important -- he asked us to arrive by 12noon so we increased our speed and actually arrived at 11:40.  We waited for a tow to exit the lock.  Directions from the lock master required us to wait on the WRONG side of the markers to give the tow enough room to maneuver out and around the river bend at the lock.  Thankfully the river was wide enough and water deep enough for us outside of the channel!

 Can you see the green buoy between the barge and our boat?  Normally we would be on the same side as the barge. 

We were finally in the lock at 1pm; 12 boats in, out at 1:35pm.  

Pickwick Lock is MM206 on the Tennessee River.  Our marina is on Ten-Tom Waterway at MM448.  MM450 is the top of the Ten-Tom.  

One way to cover your boat --

 More house than boat!!  Nearby Grand Harbor Marina - golf carts required.

The Ten-Tom joins the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers.  We are planning a trip to Chattanooga Tennessee;  Aqua Yacht will just be a pit stop for the night.  We have been 2 nights "on the hook" and this will give a chance to fuel, pump out and fill water tanks if needed.  

We were met at the dock by the local Harbor Host, Charlie McVey.  Charlie is very friendly and helpful guy -- with a recommendation for dinner at the local Mexican restaurant.  He was also a presenter at the rendezvous.  I hit the ground running, hoping to do laundry.  While I did laundry Joe and Jerry took the courtesy car and found BBQ take out (planned for easy dinner tomorrow).  Laura and Danny watched football.

Laundry and football over, 10 of us headed to Neuva Vallarta for dinner.  Good Mexican and huge margaritas were enjoyed by The Grand Wazoo, Arion, Phil-N-Wild, Ultima and Eric's Inheritance.  Two courtesy vans were needed to get us all there in one trip!

The Tennessee River is beautiful!