Our chart plotter issue was resolved, Sandman got his alternator problem fixed, the rain came and went and a wad of Loopers left ahead of us and is feeding us information on river conditions and anchoring sights. Viridian is cleaner, fuel and water tanks full, holding tank empty and warmer days ahead as we make our way to Mobile and end the Tenn-Tom leg of our journey. The next few days will be relatively primitive from the standpoint of cell phone accessibility. No marinas (except for Bobby's Fish Camp) for the next 200 river miles till Mobile. We will hunt creek and river inlets using Active Captain and information from previous boaters to find safe anchorages off the main river channel. Looking forward to the challenges the next few days bring. We have one lock to descend today and our final lock tomorrow at Coffeeville, AL. After we get through Coffeeville Dam we will be under the influence of coastal tides and will have to take that into consideration when anchoring- the end of one type of cruising and the beginning of another. It's also time to put up the coats and long pants and break out the shorts, sandals and sunglasses again!
A paddlewheel boat docked here
is a day ahead of us and is on its way to Tampa Bay, FL. It was sold at
Pickwick Lake and is being ferried by a crew down the Tenn-Tom, across the FL
panhandle and down the Gulf Coast of Florida to Tampa Bay. It is a real
paddleboat. Hydraulic motors turn the split paddle wheel so that steering
without the rudder can happen.
