2021 Oct - The Great Loop: Wrapping up Our Side Trip on the Tennessee River.

Lisa
Nov 1, 2021
9 min read

Great Loop Overall Statistics to date:

Statute Miles: 4834.4

Average Miles/Day: 49.8

Total Hours Underway: 649.6

Average speed (mph): 7.5

States Transited: 19

Total Days: 208

Travel Days: 97

Locks: 63

Fuel Purchased: 1351.3

Miles / Gallon: 3.5

Nights at Extra Days

Marinas: 55 103

Anchor: 28 6

City dock: 6 1

Free Wall: 9 4

Mooring: 0 0

Travel Day 94 Leaving Guntersville

We left Guntersville at dawn in with overcast skies. We didn't know the situation that several of the locks along the way so we had no idea how far we would make it today and good today. About the time we arrived at Guntersville lock, a heavy fog set in. We got through the lock quickly, but we had to run slowly with the radar on the other side for about 2 hours. Everything went very smooth otherwise with little traffic on the river and we went through Wheeler lock with only a short delay of about 10 minutes. It was nice having 1-1/2 knots of current now behind us, pushing us along. We made good time down towards Wilson Lock where we had to make a decision whether to try to get through before the end of the day or anchor overnight and wait until morning. It was already getting dark around 6:30. After talking to the lockmaster they would be able to get us through with another boat that was already on site. However, it would be a 2 hour wait for a barge that was coming up stream on the other side. We tied to the lock wall with the second boat and waited the 2 hours. We then went through the lock in the dark (with lights). We made the 2 mile trip back down the canal we had come up previously (also in the dark) to Florence Marina for the night. It was very crowded, so we tied up to the fuel dock. A 14 hour A-day overall!

Travel Day 95 Leaving Florence

Since we were tied to the fuel dock, we wanted to get out of the way early so as not to cause problems with other boats. We left before dawn for an easy day down to the start of the south-bound migration. No drama at all today with fair weather and a little current from behind. We arrived just after noon at Aqua Yacht Harbor in Iuka, MS. We would be here a few days in order to receive a package in the mail.

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Great Loop Travel Days (GLTD):

094: Florence AL from Guntersville AL

095: Iuka MS from Florence AL

Map of our Overall Great Loop travel:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1mzI5OIIZn1CA-1TW8CqDJQhrbJZaPVKa

Back home (SCOUT) from the trip “home” (FL): We drove back to Guntersville from our trip “home”. On the way, we continued our review of how far we’ve come on the Great Loop so far. Those reflections (photos) are at the bottom of this blog.

GLTD094 Florence AL (From Guntersville AL): The next day, we resumed travel back from our Chattanooga side trip to get back onto the “traditional” loop route near Pickwick Lake.

We didn’t know exactly how far we would get the first day, but we hoped we could get through the last 3 locks remaining on this Chattanooga side trip.

NOTE: The America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association fall rendezvous would be wrapping up, so a large number of loop boats would be transiting the Joe Wheeler and Wilson locks the next few days. We also knew, from Nebo, that several boats were waiting in Florence for Wilson lock reopening (after maintenance) to head up toward Chattanooga/Knoxville.

We were up early, after driving back through the Central time change, coming back from FL. We dropped lines at first light and snaked our way out of Alred Marina following their private channel markers.

It was a foggy morning. With our replacement weather station, we now knew that it was 56 degrees with 4 mph wind. It’s amazing how much you can “miss” having weather information handy.

As we reentered Tennessee River, we fell in behind mv Checkers, a large motor yacht we had passed as they headed to Chattanooga when we were leaving Chattanooga.

⏱ Lock Delay: ~20 min: Guntersville Lock (40ft). We went straight into the lock with mv Checkers – this was a good start.

The fog was thick as we exited the lock, and we had favorable current ~1.3 kts. Within 20 minutes, we gained another 0.5 kt, so we were at almost 2.0 kts favorable current. Yeeha!

Our plans to fly the drone above Painted Bluff were foiled by the fog. 🙁

Even through the fog, though, I spotted this bald eagle!

Just after that, we passed a couple of loopers going the opposite direction. The contrasting black and white of mv My Dori III made her “easier” to spot in the thick fog.

🔷 Boater Tip: AIS and VHF communication is essential in fog travel. Captains gave each other a wide berth.

Within minutes after passing Painted Bluff, the fog lifted, exposing a few changing colors. (I guess one of us is not living right. 😉)

📞 Future stay marina planning: I called to reserve a few nights in Iuka MS where we would catch up with our friends on mv Griffin, who took the Canada route.

🟠 Life Afloat: After securing a multi-day marina reservation, I requested shipment of a package being held at our mail service. Though 2-day delivery will be expensive, it will be worth it since the contents are required for our WIFI to continue working! (We must not be living right. It was delivered to our mail service the very day we were driving back to the boat from that area! 😒 😉)

⏱ Bridge Delay: ~15 min: The Decatur drawbridge had a train crossing in progress (again) when we arrived, but, within 15 minutes, it passed, and the tender raised the bridge for us.

We were trying to get through Joe Wheeler Lock and then get as close to Wilson Lock as possible today. Since both the main and auxiliary chambers of Wilson Lock were closed today, we wanted to be staged to hopefully lock through before daylight tomorrow -- when commercial traffic would resume.

⏱ Lock Delay: ~35 min: Joe Wheeler Lock (48-ft).

We called the lock operator, who advised he was filling the chamber and it would probably be 20 min. We let the wind gently blow us sideways onto the wall of the entrance channel when we got there to wait (protected by fenders already deployed for the "lockage").

Late afternoon, we made plans to lock through Wilson Lock at 9pm (with mv Checkers). The lockmaster told us that he would, in fact, be able to lock us through in the main chamber. However, there would be a lengthy wait for a double-up tow to be reassembled after locking through.

📞 Same-day-night marina planning:

👍 Thumbs up: Florence Harbor answered our call after-hours. Although the marina was full of upbound loopers waiting for Wilson Lock to re-open next day, the dock master offered for us to tie up on the fuel dock.

The sun set before we had Wilson Lock in sight.

⏱ Lock Delay: ~2 hr 15 min: Wilson Lock (95-ft). Just after sunset, we tied to the auxiliary entrance wall with mv Checkers, awaiting lock-down around 9:00 pm.

At 8:00 pm, an hour less than the lockmaster’s estimate, we got the green light to enter the main chamber. What a pleasant surprise! 😊

Once again, we thought this must be the tallest, fastest, quietest, calmest lock we have ever transited. An added bonus that I noticed this time was a beautiful waterfall effect at the northern (western) gate.

See & hear a short video of our lockage at night:

Watching the depth change on the sonar was interesting. As the depth is traced in time across the screen, the lock going down, and its rate, can be seen by the slope of the line at the bottom.

We exited the lock about 1/2 hour after entering.

Lisa stood watch on the bow (using spotlight a few times), though the full moon provided better light than we had for our first trip up this lock canal 2 weeks ago.

By 9:10 pm, 14 hours after departure from Guntersville, we were docked.

We didn’t stay up long since many boats would be leaving at 6:00 the next morning, heading upriver. Since we were tied to the fuel dock, we wanted to be up and out of the way early.

GLTD095 Iuka MS (From Florence AL): We left Florence Harbor @ 6:20 am (right after 5 boats departed, to UP-lock at Wilson Lock, where we had DOWN-locked at 8pm last night.

It was dark when we arrived in Florence. It was still dark when we left this morning.

Ray enjoys pre-dawn departures.

🟠 Life Afloat: I did some banking underway, and Ray and I worked on Power Point presentations for the upcoming annual meeting of the Great Harbour Trawler Owners Association (GHTA).

The sunshine could barely break through the heavy cloud cover.

We had a rather uneventful cruise today. Not much to see – with the full cloud cover. Ray did spot this waterfall in a cove that a boater had snuck into for the night.

As we made the turn toward Iuka, MS, the sun was still not shining. 🙁

By early afternoon, we were docked at Safe Harbor Aqua Yacht Harbor Marina. There are 2 courtesy vans and 1 truck, which are most helpful, as this large marina is in a somewhat remote area and there are no sidewalks or shoulders on the road for safe walking/cycling.

🟠 Life Afloat: We would stay here for several nights, awaiting that package that had arrived in FL 1 day too late for us to have picked it up in person.

We were in Iuka (pronounced "eye"-"you"-ka, according to a local on the dock).

🔺NEW STATE #19 Mississippi.

Long Lost Friends: Just a couple of hours later, mv Griffin arrived.

The last time we saw them was in Waterford, as we began going down the Erie Canal back in July. (In this photo, they are talking about dogs with Ray’s brother, who drove out to visit us).

After a short visit with mv Griffin, we all freshened up for an early dinner -- continuation of reunion -- at Aqua Yacht Harbor Grill, at the marina. mv Griffin had opted to wait for Canada to open so they could visit some of the sights there. We’re glad they successfully cruised in Canada – and were allowed back across the border to the US. (We had heard of cruisers having trouble getting back in at certain ports 😮).

Chores: The next day, I caught up on some blogging while Ray did some boat maintenance/replacements – a new fuel pump for the generator and a new VHF radio to replace a badly “decomposing” one. I also joined mv Griffin in the courtesy van to provision a few things at Pickwick Supermarket, where there was a pretty good selection of food and beer.

Not to Miss: Food/Entertainment: We checked out a courtesy van to drive to dinner at Freddy T's Restaurant & Beach Club. There are 4 options: “traditional” restaurant, Rooftop Pizza, Club 50 & The Parrothead Bar, and The Beach Club.

We ate at Freddy T’s Restaurant, a fun tiki-style interior with lots of TVs - even a TV in the floor heading to the bar area! The food was good. Ray had tacos, and I had bourbon glazed pork.

The next day we continued blogging and planning for GHTA meeting presentations.

For dinner, we went to Freddy T's Restaurant again; a good musician, Dylan Crabb, was playing/singing.

Not to Miss: Church: On Sunday, we went to Grace Church Pickwick, which is held at Freddy T's Beach Club. (We had been invited by the local boat broker who had sold mv Griffin their boat several years ago.) This may have been a small venue, but the church is doing big things in this community. Awesome service!

After church, Ray spent 3 hours washing spiders off of the boat.

Then we walked up to Aqua Yacht Harbor Grill, on site, and met up with fellow Great Harbour owners of mv Blue Barnacle. (I forgot the group selfie. 🙁)

🟠 Life Afloat: The next day, our 5th & final planned day in port, our package arrived at 3pm. “Just in Time” delivery! 😊

Gold Loopers: We had a light dinner of appetizers on mv Griffin. We spent the evening exchanging looper stories. mv Griffin started cruising from here a “few” years ago and “crossed their wake” when they docked here at Aqua Yacht Harbor!

We first met mv Griffin in 2018, when we were on the same dock in New Bern NC. Both SCOUT (red arrow) and Griffin (black arrow) survived cat-4 Hurricane Florence there.

But we didn’t get to know them well until we met up again in 2019 in Jacksonville FL. In this photo, exactly 1 year later, mv Griffin is part of this bunch of boaters who have prepped our boats and are awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Dorian.

(See https://n37scout.wixsite.com/travels/blog/categories/hurricanes for blogs about “our” hurricanes.)

Reflecting on Our Great Loop Memories (so far): We only have about 1,000 miles remaining on our loop. While driving back to SCOUT from our trip “home”, we continued to reflect on the loop. Below are more of our favorite stops, so far (in no particular order).

💛 Most memorable relaxation on the Great Loop:

On the bow. On the cockpit.