Unlooping - Days 29 - 32 and done!

Midway nightfall

On the 29th day, we left Columbus Marina early as usual.  The plan only had us going about 70 miles, but we had four locks to do.  I always make a phone call to the lock before we are even close to find out their status and hopefully get them to be set up for our arrival.  Success rate is probably 75 - 25 and today is no exception.  Aberdeen is first and we had to wait for the lock to be reset us us to go upbound.  After that, Armory, Wilkens and Fulton were ready and waiting for us to go right on through.  This got us to Midway Marina earlier than usual and even after fueling and pumping out the holding tank, there was time to do some cleaning.  I worked on the isinglass enclosures around the stern of the cockpit.  The days of being blasted with salt water had them so dirty that you could barely see out.  After washing and treating with Plexus, they may not look like new, but the difference is dramatic!  Afterwards, we took the courtesy car and went into town to Legends Sports Bar for dinner and even got to hear local country band play Rocktop!!  Wonder how they picked that song?!?  Todays track and pics - https://www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/273527/1638460/

Midwayfrom the waterway

going up the Divide Cut

From Midway Marina, the next day was a run on to Florence Harbor Marina which means we are now on the Tennessee River.  But before we get there, three more locks must be completed.  I called Rankin before even starting the engines because that lock is only four miles away.  He told me to wait and plan to arrive at about 8:15 so we had some breakfast and then started on our way.  The tow and his barge were coming out of the lock as we arrived and we went right in behind him.  After that, Montgomery and Whitten locks were waiting to take us right through.  Just above Whitten Lock is Bay Springs Lake which is a nice, wide, pretty embayment from the dam.  It's a Saturday morning and there are a few boats and fishermen out on the lake, for a late summer day, probably about as expected.  This lake is pretty good size and we enjoyed the ride up to what is called the Divide Cut.  The Tennessee-Tombigee is more or less a ditch that goes from Mobile Bay to the Tennessee River at a spot where Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama come together.  All of the waterway right up to the Divide Cut looks like a real river bank but the 25 miles here are a ditch - basically 200 feet wide, straight and lined with rock rip-rap - not a pretty place.  Now where would you expect to find all of the weekend boaters?  For sure not here, right??  Wrong!!  It looked like Cypress Gardens doing a water ski show!!  After that stressful stretch, we reached the Tennessee at about 1 PM and enjoyed and empty waterway all the way to Florence.  Todays track and pics - https://www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/273527/1638467/

Florence Harbor

Wilson Lock

Early Sunday morning. I called Wilson Lock as I watched a tow go past the harbor entrance.  The lock master said "come on down" and you can go right through.  I got the boat started up and Allen had everything unhooked from shore quickly.  We zipped up and got the 95 foot vertical lift up to Wilson Lake.  As big as that dam is, it's only 20 miles to Wheeler Lock and Dam.  Wheeler was ready and there was no waiting there.  Wheeler Lake goes on for many miles until reaching Guntersville Lock.  All of the lakes were almost empty of boaters which is great for us to cruise at our optimum speed of about 17.5 mph.  The stop for the night was Guntersville Marina.  We got in and had a little time to cool off from yet another 95+ degree day.  Dinner was at Wintzell's Oyster House.  Todays track and pics - https://www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/273527/1640565/

Guntersville sunset

Day 32 is the last day of the trip to get back to Chattanooga and it started with BUGS!!  I opened the door to the cockpit to start taking things outside and every surface of the entire cockpit is covered with little green flying gnat-like bugs!`  Bug cleaning became the first job of the day and it continued even as we continued the cruise on upriver.  There are only two locks to do today.  The first is Nickajack which is about 3 and a half hours upstream.  Monday means not too many people are out on the water so the trip up to the lock is easy.  Of course that means something else is in store, so when arriving at the lock we discover they are having an unscheduled maintenance inspection, there is a boat upstream waiting to come down and we would be next after that.  The inspectors went to lunch, the other boat came down and we finally got to lock up after about a 30 minute wait.  The trip from there to Chattanooga is a beautiful ride through what is called the "Grand Canyon of Tennessee" then comes the Chattanooga waterfront and about 8 miles on to Chickamauga Lock.  The lock was waiting on us and it was a quick ride up then a right turn into the same marina where we were before the Loop Trip.  I found my new slip and backed in.  Almost as soon as that was done, the skies opened up and for the next hour rain poured and lightening  flashed!  What a way to end the trip!!  After that finally ended, Allen, Debby and I went to Tony's for some really good Italian food.  Todays track and pics -  https://www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/273527/1641792/

Tucked in at Chickamauga

The last sunset