Monday, August 19, 2013

We got going about 07:15; it was 71 degrees and mostly sunny.  About an hour into our travels it turned to mostly cloudy with the sun coming out sporadically and by noon it was 82 degrees.  We traveled 47 miles at 1600 RPM's, and went through 1 lock; Pickwick Lock and Dam and we went up 55 feet, all went smooth.  Got together with friends for dinner; went to "all you can eat chicken" night at the lodge at Pickwick Landing State Park.  It was good to see them again.  Still no TV reception with our antenna; we haven't had any since last May in Demopolis, AL.  We can't figure out what we are doing wrong because it was working good up to that point.  Keith hooked us up to cable for the week since it comes with the slip cost.

CO's comments:  Beautiful day.  Started out at 8.5 knots and by the time we were about 1 mile from Pickwick Lock we were only going 6.3 knots at the same RPM's because of the strong current.  After the Lock there was no current again.

8-18-2013:  At Shallow Bluff Island there are several goats.  Got this picture just before sun down last night.

8-19-2013:  Keith go this picture when leaving anchorage early this morning.

8-19-2013:  We have seen several Blue Heron's  like this one, along the way.

August l8, 2013, Anchorage at Mile 169.5

Sunday:  We got an early start with engines running by 06:05 and moving by 06:15.  It was about 70 degrees and overcast.  It was  good to be back on the water.  By 11:30 it was 75 and sunny when we got to our original anchorage at Mile 135.0.  We decided to go a few more hours to make our day a short one tomorrow.   We set anchor at Mile 169.5 in Shallow Bluff Island; by then it was 85 and hot.  We have been in this anchorage before.  On September 17, 2010, we anchored here for three days.  It is very nice with lots of swing room; we put out 60 feet of rode.  We got settled in and relaxed as 05:00 came a little too  early this morning.  We traveled a total of 74 miles today at 1600 RPM's.

N35.38875
W88.15898

CO's comments: Sure feels good to be on move again.  After we went under the Johnsonville RR bridge and bridge tender called and asked us to go the Channel 12.  He wanted to know what kind of engines we had on the boat.  I told him we had twin Perkins diesel V8's and he came back and stated that they were the smoothest sounding engines he had heard in a long time.  It makes a Skipper feel good when he gets a comment like that.

8-18-2013: Sun Rise leaving Pebble Isle

8-18-2013:  Bow view from our anchorage

8-18-2013:  Aft view of barge going by our anchorage