Jacks Boat is in Columbus Marina

I found a boat for Jack. It claims to be a DeFever 49 on the side but the owner had five feet and another 150 gallon tank put in. This is a Calif boat that has been to Alaska. The owner brought it through the Canal and is boating on the Eastern United States.



We changed out the shower bildge and now we don't have to hike to the shower room. Sue and I are staying another night since the Marina's Holloween party is tonight. They will do trash can cooking and have a band and camp fire. We also plan a trip to town to look at pre-civil war homes.

The Great White North Tea Ceremony

Bobbie, Roy, Tom, Phyllis and Susan on the 42 foot Grand Banks trawler. This is the same type of boat Sue, Jack, Dolly and I ran aground on a sand bar in Florida eight years ago. These good people are from Vancouver, Canada and are preforming the "Great White North Tea Ceremony."

They had the boat shipped down from Vancouver to the East coast and did the loop. They are now on their way to New Orleans to have the boat sent back in a ship. When they get back home Tom and Phyllis will take a six week trip on their new 47 foot Grand Banks trawler to Alaska.

Last night we went to Zachary's in Columbus with Chuck and Barbara the owners of Columbus Marina.

On the left is Gene & Judy Koetitz (La Que Se A, A.K.A. Jelly Beans)

On the right is Leslie & Doug Folkerth (Happy Clamz)

This was a free concert given by a Katerina evacuee and great musician Brice Miller. This is the second annual "Thank You Columbus" concert he has given. There were many New Orleans musicians playing with him. We had a very good time.
















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Dog Signs and Trees

At Grand Harbor Marina they had signs for both humans and dogs.




You can see that Lisa didn't like what was on the sign.











Here are the trees coming into Midway Marina.

The marina just ordered a new bilge pump for the shower and we'll put in in tomorrow. That means that we'll stay at Columbus Marina for one more day. The marina is taking us all into town tonight for a free concert. Since it's raining it won't be outside but in some bar or resturant.

Midway Marina Mississippi Update

Again we can't get on the internet everyday so here is a couple of days of updates. We stayed in Midway Marina and went out to dinner with four other loopers at a Mexican resturant, with of course the usual stop at Walmat's. I'm doing good as you can see my halo while locking through.




Here is Susan reading an email from
Pat. You also see Lisa in her normal position on this trip. Yesterday we arrived in Columbus Mississippi and Lisa fell in the water getting off the boat. It was a struggle getting her on shore.






Here's one of the boats in Midway. You can see that we havce arrived in the South.













Locks, locks, locks. We have done over 20 locks so far. Tomorrow we do another

Midway Marina Mississippi

We went through 3 locks yesterday to get to Midway and we'll do four more today to make it to Columbus. Our shower pump is blowing the circuit breaker so we'll have to get that fixed. I can't find the pump.

In Mississippi

SOrry it's been so long since we have posted but the internet was very slow here.

This is the forth day here at Grand Harbor Marina. Up to yesterday we were the only boat on the dock.
Yesterday three other loopers came in. If we get the mail from Chris today we'll leave for Midway marina, otherwise we'll hang out another day. They have a great loaner car and we have seen Shiloh and the River Musen in Savana.


This is either a cannon from Shiloh or from the WWII Polish Army. I'm not sure.







I think I found a bike for me and Sue. Part Volkswagon, part motorcycle.










Here is the bottom half of a very large Carver just waiting for the top half to be joined. This was at Aqua Marina.





Here a beautiful sunset at Grand Harbor Marina.

102006 Perl Divers at Cuba Landing

The strange looking boat is owned by a perl diver. He actually puts on a harness and pulls the boat thru the water as he hunts for mussels that have perl inside. He sometimes dives and has the dog on board to keep people from sneaking up using electric trolling motors and stealing stuff off his boat.


His dog also helps him dock as can be seen in the
next two pictures.

That is Sam Luter holding one of the mussels with the perl material that is sent to Japan for processing.

Sam is the new owner of Cuba Landing Marina. What a nice guy. He took me to Walmart to stock up on supplies then in the afternoon Sue anb I used the marina car to go to Loretta Lynns Musem in Hurricane Mills, TN. Then later we went to the Perl musem in Birdsong Marina.

Sam gives a $0.10/gal discount to Boat US members. There are 5 loopers here. That tells you a lot about how great the service is here.

We found a home on the water

We found our dream house. :-) The story goes that this building was used for shipping grain on the Tennesse River before Kentucky dam was built.

The claim was, the building was built so well that attempts to destroy it failed, so they left it.



This is our slip at Kenlake Marina.

This wouild be a great place for a get together for boaters. Great marina. Mike (the owner) is from IL and his wife is from IN. The lodge is a mile away and they will send a car for you. Food was great and the view from the lodge is beautiful. I think they have 22 cabins with kitchens for rent. I tried a "Hot Kentucky Brown". Very good if you like cheese.

The Kentucky DNR only pilots the most technically advanced boats. Note the A/C unit on top.

Kenlake Marina MM 42.1 TN RIver

After a lot of rain yesterday we headed South on the TN river to the Kenlake Marina. Mike Romano owns and has a great marina here. He was so nice giving us his personal WI-FI account and password so we could upload to ouir blog. Nice slips, good resturant and store. Plus a car will come and take you to the lodge if you want fanicer food.

Yesterday the wind created large waves on both Lakes (KY and Barkley). It looked like Lake MI. Sue and I took a marina freebee car to Paducah KY and we had a great dinner at a little bar (Yes a "WET" county") downtown and hit a Walmart. We now shop at Walmet as it has everything we're looking for.

Check out the flower next to Sue. We have no idea what it is. Email us if you know.

Back at Green Tutle Bay

Yesterday we arrived at Green Tutle Bay. On the way we passed what looked like castle. The letters KSP were painted on the water tank. Any idea what KSP stands for?

Kentucky State Prison.

I lost my coffee cup at the last marina. We were 15 miles from that marina when I spotted it. Right where I left it. Guess you could say we were having a smooth ride.

Clarksville TN

We spent the night at the Clarksville TN free dock. Very nice. There were three loopers here. The fog was bad in the morning but cleared by 9:00 AM.

We're so glad we went South for the warm weather as you can see by the two boaters on the PWC.

We're now at Green Tutle Bay Marina and will stay there for a day or two before we head South.

Our Family visit at the Old Hickory Y.C.

We have left the Nashville area after a wounderful stay with our family. Let's just say that Ina's a great cook. Our last meal there was awesome. I really like the picture Steve took of our boat in the Yacht Club.

The picture of Steve and me was taken in Nashville. The last picture is a picture of Steve's family. From left to right: Ina, Skylar, Jay, and Michelle.

The Susan Darlene is now in Clarksville TN docked at the free downtown dock.

Visiting Family in Nashville

We're docked at the Old Hickory Y.C. just East of Nashville and within a mile or so of the Old Hickory Lock & Damn. We left Clarksville after the fog lifted and the river is beautiful. My brother-in-law Steve met us in Nashville and rode with us to the Yacht Club. The southern bell in the pink poddle skirt is Steve's grand daugther Skylar. We also visited with our sister-in-law Ina and their son Jay and his beautiful wife Michelle.

Here we are at Clarksville Boat Club seven miles from downtown Clarksille. You can see the barge behind Sue as we put the power cable on. Each slip is covered expect the transit and each is decorated to the slip holders fancy. The picture of Susan Darlen's derierie was taken in Prizer Point Marina one of the best we have been in yet.. The picture of the barge "Midland Star" after it waked us off tut I he mud. Yes again in the mud not a mile away from the place we overheated the engines the day before. There is a marker that broke lose and was out of place. Our bad but I cleaned the strainers once we hit "good water" and we were on our way. Ah, cruising, fixing your boat in exotic places.

Devils Elbow

We left Lake Barkly Marina for Clarksville and while going around Devils Elbow Island we ran aground in mud. The engines over heated and coolant boiled out and we got an air lock in each engine. Check out the strainers and the back of the boat. We're fixed and in the Prizer Point Marina at MM 58 on the Cumberland River. They had Mardi Gras night with Red beand & rice or jambalya for dinner $3.95 each. Tomorrow we try again.
See the picture of Devils Elbow Island and stay away from it. :-)

Looper Coctail Party

Two nights ago a bunch of us got together for "horse doors" and wine. We are having our radio replaced as our main VHF is DOA. We'll leave around noon today for Lake Barkley Marina a big 27 mile ride up thge Cumberland. No locks today.