Days 133-146; November 8 -November 20.  We left Demopolis Harbor on November 10th to complete the last leg of the Tenn-Tombigbee Waterway or what is known locally as the Black Warrior River.  This was a 208 mile stretch, essentially in the most rural and peaceful territory thus far.  Of the four nights out, there was one marina, Bobby’s Fish Camp (see details below) and three anchorages.  Our new total is 1700 miles traveled since departing Boyne City.

We left Demopolis with 5 other boats in what turned out to be a dense fog.  After a couple of miles of snaking along with the lead boat having radar and AIS (a system to send and receive location signals between boats) we entered the Coffeeville Lock tossing a pound of Biggby Coffee up to the lockmaster.  When the lock opened some 30 feet down, the fog was thicker than soup. New vow: no traveling in the dark or fog but then sometimes it is hard to predict or prevent.  The fog lifted shortly and we were all on our way with the Namaste bringing up the rear.  That night there was not an anchorage deep enough to accommodate us so as an emergency anchorage along with two other slow boats, we anchored  just off the channel behind the column of the AL State Highway 10 Bridge.  The idea here is that a barge or other boat would have to go through this enormous cement column in order to hit us.  It was a surprisingly quiet stop.

The next night was spent at Bobby’s Fish Camp founded in 1956 with few updates.  It was a place to tie up or I should say raft off.  We were the third boat away from the 100′ dock which actually housed seven boats that night with their record being 14 boats.  In other words about 300 feet of boat (think football field) tied to 100 feet of dock.  The good news was that they had diesel fuel, a catfish (not seafood) restaurant and really fun/nice people.  The bad news was that there was no shore power or internet access and the only shower didn’t have a lock.  Everyone said Bobby’s is to be experienced but then the seasoned Loopers seemed to just keep moving on.  We left at daybreak in a wistful pink fog that cleared immediately to allow for the family text message stream that lasted from 3 a.m. until 1:17 p.m. on November 13th when Cedar Curtis McFall was born to Curt, Brooke and Leonie making them a family of four.  Cedar weighed 9/2 and everything is perfect.

Just after the birth we dropped anchor at Three Rivers Lake.  We had all the vital baby information but had not yet talked to Curt and Brooke.  Picture us running around in the dinghy with the iphone in the air trying to get a signal.  Eventually we spoke with Curt for a minute or two but had no more contact until the next morning when we were back on the main river.  The phone then pinged on and on with information and pictures.  Jo Ann was so engrossed with grandchildren that she managed very little helm duty all day.  Today (14th) was also Ashleigh’s 14th birthday and as she and I were chattin on the phone, I got eye contact with my very first Pelican sitting on a green channel marker no more than 20 feet away.  He was surely wishing Ash a Happy Birthday too!

The final night out was spent in the Alabama Bayou!  We anchored with no real choice but knowing that the prospect of getting Sammy to shore would be marginal it was marshland as far as the eye could see.  Well, we pulled into the tiny piece of water to find a shack and dock waiting for us.  Jim cautiously went ashore (a gun was leaning nearby against a tree) to ask if Sammy might use the dock to get to solid land.  He agreed, we thanked him with a pound of coffee and he responded by finding the Biggby website to send a comment to Mike telling him the story!

The next morning was our last on the Rivers.  It was a short 16 miles to Mobile early on a gorgeous Sunday morning.  After a difficult upanchor on the Sea to See,  we motored through downtown Mobile with almost no boat traffic and proceeded out into the extremely shallow and choppy Mobile Bay.  It was sad to leave the calm, peaceful rivers to which we have become most comfortable but also feel ready to move on to the challenges of the Gulf – saltwater and tides.

With Jim singing “The Shrimp Boats are a Comin. . .” we meticulously followed the narrow channel to Dog River and the Turner Marina where our sails and masts had been shipped and where we would have them stepped once again.  Windy, wet weather caused a two day delay in getting the masts up but we entertained ourselves with a girls shopping and spa day (thanks Mike and Veta), a movie and several dinners out!  The restepping process went perfectly and today (November 20th and Leonie’s 3rd birthday) the Namaste has her clothes back on and is officially again  a sailboat. A big shout out to Christy and Roger at Turner Marina!

Welcome to the world:  Cedar Curtis McFall

Boat Name of the Day:  Norde Gaest taken from a Scandinavian folk character who never gets old as long as he is traveling!

Bad Boat Name of the Day:  Red Nec – nothing more to say!

Quote of the day: “I’ve got salad for dinner.  Actually fruit salad.  Well, mostly grapes.  OK all grapes.  Wine.  I’ve got wine for dinner!” – unknown

Happy Birthday: Cedar (0), Ashleigh (14); Leonie (3), Carol Nothe, Gary Anderson and my Dad, Bill, who would have been 99.

The White Cliffs of Epes.  These trees have an enormous will to live!

Dinner on the deck in Demopolis. . .

. . .cooked by captain-chef Jim.

Bobby’s Fish Camp

Four of seven rafted boats.

Bobby’s Fish Camp Logo.  Yep, that is Vickie and Ron inside the widow.

Leaving Bobby’s in the wistful fog!

Much loved Cedar arrives.

Announcing Cedar Curtis McFall.  Isn’t he precious?

Grandma and Grandpa celebrate Cedar.  Also, please note the health food!

This is the Alabama Bayou!  Where in the world will Sammy go potty?

Grandma couldn’t be there for births and birthdays but she made cookies and muffins.

This tree is covered with what we think is Spanish Moss.  Apparently the Moss is not a parasite to the tree but rather gets water from the air making it more a tree decoration.

Downtown Mobile Alabama on a beautiful Sunday morning.

An aluminum U.S. Navy catamaran.

A pair of southern city giraffes!

Dinner accessed by dinghy at the Grand Mariner across the river from Turner Marina.

Girls day shopping in upscale Fairhope and then off to the Spa.

Just before sunrise on a long walk with Sammy.

We must be in the South!  Laundry is in an outside nook.

Days 123-132; October 29-November 7; Add a seventh state, Alabama. We left Aqua Yacht Harbor taking a three day detour up the Tennessee River to meet back up with Vicki and Ron in Florence, MS. They attended the Joe Wheeler AGLCA (America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association) Rendezvous taking notes for us and then managed a color tour to Chattanooga while we were back in Michigan. Both boats then headed back down to begin the 450 mile long Tenn-Tombigbee Waterway of which this leg of the trip was 233 miles for a new total of 1492.

We are happily back on the water highway running into familiar looper boats while making new friends almost every day. The side-trip up to Florence was gorgeous with abundant fall colors, bright sunshine and beautiful homes to keep us entertained. We enjoyed a delightful marina here attached to a State Park with a good internet connection, long, happy runs for Sammy and the wonderful “City Hardware” restaurant – perhaps the best food, service and ambiance so far. Florence is considered one of the top retirement towns in the U.S. based upon practical factors that probably wouldn’t entice most of us but it is a quaint, college town with friendly, helpful folks.

In fact, we had the pleasure of meeting Charlie late one evening while walking Sammy. Charlie and his wife, retired truck drivers, would love to do the loop but for health reasons live vicariously through those of us stopping at this marina three miles from his home. Instead, he is the proud timing official for the Florence high school football games.

Another interesting Florence event was the bass fishing tournament. Over a hundred fishing boats launched before dawn to race up and down the river competing for who could catch the biggest five fish of the day with cash prizes awarded. There is more to say about bass fishing in these rivers. First, these men rightfully own the river (after the tow captains) so as a transient guest you had better slow down and calm your wake as you pass by. Second, they often wear helmets as their boats fly at up to 90+ miles an hour in an effort to find the best  fishing spot. My dad was a fisherman and likely couldn’t have imagined fishermen wearing helmets but then who would?

After the fishermen were on their way, we (dressed in our black & orange and eating Halloween treats) headed back south again. This Waterway, 450 miles in length, is a bigger man made canal project than the Panama Canal and is one of the most popular vacation spots in America. Although never producing the commercial traffic and revenue expected, some barges use the route, pay big fees for the shortened distances and the waterway provides jobs and income for the entire region.

The five picture-perfect anchorages will be a most memorable part of this trip. It is now dark by 5:30 p.m. so we generally are in bed by 9 and on our way by 6 so that we have afternoon time on the hook to clean up the boat, read, write in the blog, take dinghy rides, and generally relax enjoying the wildlife. Early one morning we watched a deer swimming across the river just ahead of the Namaste. Seeing only it’s head we thought it was a duck until she gingerly climbed up a steep and rocky bank. Another treat was a gaggle of Black Scoter Ducks observed while on a dinghy ride one afternoon. Darn, didn’t have a camera. These are rare in North America and the only ones we have seen so far. Some days we see more Great Blue Herons than Egrets and other days more Egrets than Herons but always butterflies and many kinds of bees, fish and turtles. To watch Sammy’s nose go it seems there are wildlife message that she gets and we are missing.

A word about locks of which there were 10 on this stretch dropping anywhere from 30-80 feet each.   There is a definite protocol to how this all works but suffice it to say that there is a sigh of relief when we call to the lock master on the VHF radio to report that the Namaste is secure. We have also learned that locking down is easier than locking up and that patient lock masters and personal experience are the best teachers.

The two exceptional marinas in this stretch were Midway and Columbus with many looping boats (and people) of every age, size and condition imaginable. In Columbus MS there are 675 registered historical southern antebellum homes including the one we toured where Tennessee Williams was born.

After a night of pouring rain (3.5 “+) we have completed half of the Tenn-Tom and are in the Demopolis, AL marina where we will take a few days before setting out to complete the remaining 217 miles to Mobile, AL.

As you may have guessed, the Namaste is performing better than we could ever have imagined – she is a true gem!

Boat Name of the Day: Lady Chateau on a spectacular 85 foot boat out of Stillwater MN. Perhaps the most memorably beautiful boat of the trip so far.

Bad Boat Name of the Day: “Insanity” – what more can I say?

Quote of the Day: “A ship in harbor is safe. But that is not what ships are built for.” –William Shedd

Happy Birthday Debbie Littlepage!

Leaving Aqua Yacht Harbor after almost a month of rest.

Heading out of Pickwick Lake down the Tennessee River to rejoin Vicki and Ron on the Loop.

Sunset as we pull into Florence MS.

Captains Jim and Ron catching up with coffee on the dock.

Florence Harbor at night.

The Great Blue Heron who keeps us company every day. Guarding the Namaste at dock.

River travel at it’s finest.

Mooring at it’s finest – Tombigbee Ox Bow anchorage just south of the Howell Heflin Lock and Dam

Taking Sammy to shore, walking up a tree trunk and hoping she will cooperate quickly while keeping an eye out for snakes and alligators.

Another rainy day after 3.5″ the night before. Everything is a little soggy!

A rainy travel day.  Thanks Pat and Heather for the foul-weather gear!

The White Cliffs at Epes.

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Days 96-100; October 1-5; Last half of the Tennessee River from Pebble Isle Marina to Mermaid Marina, Double Island anchorage, Clifton Marina, Wolf Island anchorage, and finally to Pickwick Lake and the Aqua Yacht Harbor where the Namaste will hang out for the next three weeks. Total miles traveled: 1217

On the first day of this leg Ron, who was in the lead, tried six anchorage spots along the way before settling on a marginal harbor at the Mermaid Marina. We watched as Ron would ever so slowly nose into a bay or channel only to back up, turn around and meet us back in the middle of the River. Apparently the Army Core of Engineers had decided to let water out of this part of the river. When we finally arrived at Mermaid Marina we were in the lead and upon directions from the Harbor Master, went directly aground as we approached the entrance. They came out in a pontoon boat with a 70 hp engine but couldn’t get us off – it took a pontoon boat with 90 horses and we popped right back into the channel. Here we paid the going rate for overnight accommodations with no phone or internet service, no restrooms or showers. The saving grace of the place was that they sold beer and that there was plenty of space for Sammy to run.

At this moment Fall made it’s arrival on October 1st. The wind picked up (part of our going aground issue along with current and a vortex something or other) and the temperatures dropped along with a light mist hanging about. Until now we had not worn long pants or sox and only the occasional sweatshirt in the early morning or late evening. Since then we have been digging deeper and deeper into the winter clothing bag. Today the high will be 58 (maybe) and the low tonight will be 52 but the sun comes back tomorrow and it will be in the 80’s by mid next week. Jo Ann bought a mum plant to decorate the Namaste for Autumn.

At the Double Island (I only saw one) anchorage we were joined by two boats we knew but it was cool enough that nobody but us manned their dinghy’s to be social. We took Sammy to shore where there was a long beach for running, a much used volleyball net which made us think of Lexi and a quiet spot to enjoy peace and the last of summer wildflowers. Over Chart Hour (aka Happy Hour or Dockside Hour) we shared our going away PowerPoint presentation with Vickie and Ron. There were some chuckles about the anticipations vs the realities – for example, did Jim ever tell me it might rain on the loop? However, for the most part our experience has been beyond our expectations.

On our final night along the Tennessee River, the Clifton Marina staff served spaghetti dinner to about 60 transient boaters and the Democratic Party of Clifton. This was particularly helpful since Clifton doesn’t have a restaurant and because we were hosting our good Boyne City boating friends, Jim and Kathy Mongene who are now building a beautiful home in Knoxville.

Well folks, after we share dinner together with our newest best friends to celebrate Ron’s birthday tomorrow, the blog will take a break until approximately the 25 of October as we drive to Michigan for a much needed fix of family and friends. Be well until next time. . .

Boat Name of the Day: “One Bay at a Time” (on a Bayliner boat belonging to a Canadian couple) tied with “Aft of Eden” (a small, homemade houseboat with the home port of Monterey, CA)

Bad Boat Name of the Day: Shameless (on a large ill cared for yacht)

Happy belated birthday to Patty Bolea and welcome to the world Max Shifflet-Chila!

Sorry, no pictures this time – The Mighty MacBook Pro is having trouble downloading – slower than slow connections these days – stay tuned

Sammy learning the helm.

Sammy on watch

A beautiful beach for thinking of volley ball.

Dinner with friends Jim and Kathy Mongene. Thanks for the visit!

The Sun Rises as we leave Pickwick Lake for home.

Days 88-95; September 24-30; Sugar and Ginger Bays, Paris Landing and Pebble Isle Marina. Add a 6^th state: Tennessee. 1097 total miles traveled.

Where we are the Tennessee River was dammed to create two beautiful lakes: Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. Legend has it that a complete town was destroyed in the resulting flood but a priceless strip of land was created between the two lakes and appropriately named the Land Between the Lakes. In the mid 1960’s the federal government claimed this property in order to create a National Recreation Area (2-5 miles wide by 60 miles long). Does anyone else remember the 1960’s struggle to create the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Park along the Lake Michigan shoreline? Probably an equal struggle here as many families were sadly displaced but we appreciate the foresight of maintaining this gorgeous lake and pristine shoreline with inlets and bays perfect for peaceful anchoring and all nature and water activities. We have spent four days meandering down the lake enjoying what is still gorgeous summer weather. There is only the slightest hint of fall color change. We have enjoyed no cell reception or internet, simple meals, dinghy rides, and the beautiful blood moon eclipse the other night.

We are now in a marina and hence this post although the phone reception remains frustratingly minimal. Billy (a caricature of southern hospitality) guided us in a narrow/shallow channel to the Pebble Isle Marina which is not quite as elegant as it sounds. There were about 10 other looper boats here that night so they opened the restaurant for us to have a real southern cooked meal and then served homemade cinnamon rolls this morning at 7:30.

Today we took the courtesy car and toured the Loretta Lynn Dude Ranch in the town she owns, Hurrican Mills, TN. She is 83 and does 60-70 performances on tour every year! Although she was on the property and often comes out to greet visitors but was resting from a weekend gig in DC. She still travels by bus everywhere she goes. We later tried to rent or buy “Coal Miner’s Daughter” video without success. Tonight we had a combined effort dinner of Chicken Parmesan, chopped salad, baked potatoes and cookies on our boat with Vickie and Ron.

Friend in the woods

Boat Buddy in Sugar Bay

The Loretta Lynn Fan Club.

Best dinners are on the boat.

Meeting to plan chart hour in the bay

Run, run, run. . . . .

A word from Sammy: Well folks, please know that all is well here in looper puppy land. They keep me comfortable most of the time and I get long walks in beautiful places. My nose is continually in overdrive. There is plenty of time to sleep and more than I need to eat but what I find along the beaches tastes best. My favorite thing is to help out at the helm or guard the deck when they leave me for some establishment that doesn’t allow dogs, which is apparently anyplace related to people food. Tonight they made me stay on the deck while they ate dinner with their friends. I watched patiently from the portholes! Another problem is that I often have to awaken them by whining around 6:00 a.m. or who knows how long they might sleep and there are places to go and aromas to smell! I have made lots of new friends who seem to come, go, and come back again. Oh yes, and about that home-style haircut, a daisy fashion plate I am not these days. Special sniffs to Gio and Gillie!

Happy belated birthday to Bryan Bolea, Tom Littlepage and Nick Spindler

Boat Name of the Day: “Gold Watch”

Quote of the day: “The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with those who matter most.” – unknown

Days 81- 87; September 17-23; Little River Diversion Channel to Green Turtle Bay, KY; 1037 total miles traveled

This was a long stretch with anchorages as the only spots to spend the night while completing the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland Rivers. We anchored in the Little River Diversion Channel, Bean Branch Creek, and the Cumberland and Towhead Islands before arriving at The Green Turtle Marina/Resort on Barkley Lake in Grand Rivers KY. It had been a week since laundry, groceries and showers. All were welcome!

Oh yes, you are wondering what the wings, weirs and wickets plus the 1s and 2s are about?   Well, www has a whole new meaning for us. These are three differently engineered dam designs that share the purpose of diverting river water flow to create the depth necessary for commercial vessels. It is important to know where the wings and weirs are as they are usually stone walls jetting out from shore and you really don’t want to encounter one. The wicket dams are newer and you don’t see them but basically they are gates that pivot up from the bottom of the river to form the dam when necessary to increase depth. On to the 1s and 2s. This is tug captain speak for how they want you to pass in tricky parts of the river. Passing on the 1s means that you should pass port to port or left side to left side or the usual way on a highway. Passing on the 2s means that you should pass starboard to starboard or right side to right side which feels awkward but is necessary so that they can swing clear of you.

During our river travels we have only had two disconcerting experiences. One occurrence was while anchored and rafted with Ron and Vickie and waiting (3.5 hours) to pass through a lock. A tow was very close by and unbeknownst to us decided to rearrange his barges and seemed to be drifting right for us. We pulled up anchor and moved quickly out of the way. The second event was the very next morning before sunrise as we were scooting to make a lock opening by 8:00. Again a tow was coming along in the channel and I could see both red and green running lights which means it was headed directly toward us. Again, we moved quickly out of the channel and all was well arriving safely at the next lock at 7:45 only to realize that we would again have a two hour wait. Locks 52 and 53 are some of the busiest anywhere and a new dam will take their place but the finish date has been extended from 2014 to 2017! Thanks to Captain Jim’s calm abilities neither of these instances put us in any real danger but there were incredible and yet momentary drama factors at play.

The reward has been a four-night stay at Green Turtle Bay marina and resort in Grand Rivers, KY on Barkley Lake just south of Paducah. There are three pools, two restaurants, and a spa. I got a pedicure and both Jim and I had massages. Early tomorrow I am taking Zumba class in one of the pools. It doesn’t get any better than this in ‘marinaland’. There are probably 15 Looper boats visiting and we are enjoying each other’s company as we work to keep the boats and ourselves in good shape. Tonight we had dinner at Patti’s where their specialty is a 2” thick pork chop and another round of delicious desserts. It is a dry county so imagine this, we didn’t even have a glass of wine with dinner!

We continue to see Monarch’s, Blue Herons and there are real green turtles in Green Turtle Bay. A little food entices them to perform. We saw a fox slightly bigger than Sammy the other evening.  A treat on this leg was a full rainbow as a backdrop to a bridge and both were on the same arc.

We will likely head out tomorrow down Kentucky Lake (the dammed up Tennessee River) for 190 miles over the next week or so.

Boat name of the day: “Something Special” (It and it’s crew are on their second loop)

Bad boat name of the day: “Nasty Habit”

Quote of the day: “You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” -Plato

Parking for cocktails on the boat Reunion.

A calm moment on the MIssissippi

The new lock at Olmstead to replace the old 52 and 53. Fines for finishing three years late?

Sunrise at Little River.

Green turtles performing at Green Turtle Bay

The real perspective on locking! The door behind us closes and water is pumped in until we reach the watermark level. We are holding a line attached to the bollard to keep us next to the wall during the slow process.

Days 78-80 (September 14-16), Grafton IL to Kaskaskia Lock Wall IL. Add a 5th state – Missouri. A total of 833 miles traveled.

We have been traveling three days along the Mighty Mississippi and are about half way to the Ohio River. The Mississippi River is awesome, wide with great channel space and depth. In some places there are homes that rival those on Lake Michigan but mostly it is low muddy banks, occasional sandy beaches or flood plains with limited civilization. The fun and challenge on this segment is the water current. We are flying at 11+ mph when our normal cruising speed is about 8. However, the current and turbulence caused by tows (tugs and barges ) pushing hard against the current can make things chaotic from time to time. We are getting used to hanging onto the wheel and going with the flow but Sammy thinks she is back on the great lakes with bumpy water. Along one side of the river is IL and the other is Missouri. We have stayed on both sides and hardly notice the difference. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous.

After leaving Grafton, IL along mammouth stone cliffs, we went to Alton, IL where we stayed at a great marina and explored the town. The vintage and culture reminded us of Houghton, MI. From there we locked through the Melprice Lock, important in that 1/3 of the world’s grain pass here. We flew past St. Louis marveling at the water view of the Arch. We now understand why there aren’t marinas downtown – sweeping current and barge traffic.  However, they are working on creating a beautiful riverfront. Next we landed at Hoppie’s, the famous Mississippi River dockage of Bob and Fern.  Both are in their mid-eighties! They have three barges floating along the river attached by cable to high cliffs above. Boats tie up here and offer power and fuel (last stop along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers) but no other amenities. Fern (Bob just had back surgery) directed us onto the tricky dock by VHF radio. You had better listen to every word she says and hope that a tow isn’t passing by while you are trying to tie up. She then commences navigation class in the late afternoon to keep us all safe down the Mississippi. This lady has a real mission and everyone attended!

In addition to the novel marina, we visited the town of Kimmswick, the 2^nd oldest town in MO. It had interesting shops; the Anheuser (Fred and Mabel Ruth) memorial and museum, consisting of a beautiful river home on a horse farm; and then we treated ourselves to lunch at the Blue Owl. This is an institution of 30 years serving 300 people a day (where they come from I have no idea) with a staff of 75! Their food was fabulous and the drinks and desserts even better.  So if you ever get to Kimswick. . .

Fern would only allow us to stay one night as she had to make room for the next flotilla of boats coming along, so move on we did! Then, last night we (all five boats) tied up along the Kaskasik River Lock. Because the lock was off the Mississippi and up the Kaskaskia River a bit, there was no current so it was a peaceful night’s sleep. We could not leave our boats or the lock wall – maybe something to do with homeland security?

We are currently traveling with our boat buddies Vicki and Ron onboard Sea to See and also with the boats Reunion, Gemini and Blue Haven. Later we will have cocktails on the Reunion. Great company all!

Boat Name of the Day: “Nothing to Say” from Nowhere, OK

Bad Boat of the Day: “Dixieland” (flying a confederate flag!)

Quote of the Day: “Travel while you’re young and able. Don’t worry about the money, just make it work. Experience is far more valuable than money will ever be.” -Dj M.O.D. (It is interesting how often this conversation comes up with our looper friends!)

The beautiful cliff walls upon leaving Grafton IL.

The St. Louis Arch – gateway to the west!

Fern “holding court” on navigating the Mississippi at Hoppies Marina in Kimswick MO.

Group lunch at the Blue Owl with new friends!

Five boats along the wall at Kaskaskia Lock.

Who me? Haircut is looking better by the day!

       Day 73-77, September 9-13, a total of 730 miles traveled!

What is gunk holing you ask? Well, it means that we are at anchor in a small protected space (from tows and wakes) instead of at the dock in a marina. The name doesn’t sound glamorous but the experience is a highlight. We watch the charts and pick a spot behind an island, pull in at very slow speed watching our depth and drop the anchor in 5-10 feet of water. These spots are glorious in their lush, peacefulness. The putt-putt of the dinghy engine going ashore is the only break in the 12-18 hour silence. The first night we were with four other boats but usually it is just our buddy boat, Sea to See, and the Namaste. The challenges of gunk holing are that we run off of 12 volt power so only the necessities (no refrigeration or device charging) are available and Sammy has no dock to walk so she goes to shore via the dinghy to potty. So far the shores have been pretty steep and muddy – not Jim’s favorite task!

Speaking of the challenges, on the Great Lakes we work with wind speed & direction, wave height, and long stretches using the compass and GPS. On the rivers, however, it is all different. Here we are continually concerned with the depth and width of the river while navigating minute by minute with charts (paper and virtual). It is getting easier for sure but focus is absolutely essential no matter how tired. Also, the VHF marine radio and channel 16 takes the place of any and all Apple devices for communication.   By the way, we have been on Verizon extended service with one bar for the past four days! Vicki and Ron have AT&T and are currently getting slightly better reception.

As for the delights, it is a continuous parade of different birds. Every day a Blue Heron has crossed our bow, which we take as a sign that all is well. Yesterday Jo Ann was at the helm with Sammy on her lap and they saw an Eagle swoop down and grab a fish about ten feet from the boat. Sammy came alive and was on high alert the rest of the day. American White Pelicans were prevalent behind Bar Island and seemed to be practicing their formations for heading south. They have up to a six foot wing span so when in large formations they are quite a presence in the air. I am pretty sure we have never seen an American White Pelican before.

Another thing – feeling pretty silly is a frequent occurrence around here! Examples abound but I won’t bore you or expose us. However, in my good moments I have begun to understand that they are great opportunities for increasingly creative levels of problem solving. I think this is what is meant re living out of the box and managing the learning curve.

Well, we celebrated completing the IL River with a bit of champagne in the Grafton Harbor.  There are about 10 looping boats here and we are having quite the party.

Boat Name of the Day: Every Tugboat we have encountered from the “Mary Sue” to the “Marquette Hilltopper” to the “City of St. Louis”

Bad Boat Name of the Day: “Nasty Habit”

Quote of the Day: “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” -Marcus Aurelius

Happy belated birthday to Julie Navarre!

Couldn’t upload pictures tonight – almost no signal!  Will add later.  Good night!

This is Larry!  He is rowing from Chicago to New Orleans!!  Love to know the story here.

Kuchi’s Restaurant located strategically just before a lock that often requires a considerable wait.  Getting onto that dock with the current was another new lesson.

Seven boats waiting at the lock – picture taken with pano lens.

This picture made Kuchi’s Facebook page.  They opened specially for us and we all ate burgers at 10:30 a.m.

Anchored, safe and waiting for the storm that never came.

Namaste at sunset x2!

Holidays are never quite right without family.  We missed everyone but especially being at Camp Lookout for friends and family weekend. However it was hot so we pool swam, ate out, and used the marina courtesy car to take two trips to Walmart and Farm and Fleet for an assortment of needs and wants. We considered buying a portable air conditioner but have put that idea on hold until we come across something small enough that we can actually use and store. After much procrastination and a couple of YouTube videos Sammy received her first home-groom with the help of Sarah onboard Tangent. It was a painstakingly slow process with apricot hair drifting everywhere. We never got to her feet and she is a little bit uneven but the goal of cooler has been met.

Since Chicago we have been traveling with Vicki and Ron Montgomery onboard their Sea to See. They are from Orcas Island, WA and left Delaware in early May so hey have good loop experience under their belts. We have been delighted with how quickly we bonded (over food, shopping and grandchildren) and how much we have in common besides boats.

Early on Labor Day we left Ottawa headed for Hennepin which was to be an easy 32 mile day with one lock.   Due to a long wait at the lock and moving past Hennepin because the docks looked like they might safely accommodate a small canoe we traveled 11 hours and 46 miles with a 3.5 hour wait at the lock tied to a 10’ diameter cement cell. There were boaters, water skiers, fishermen and families camping along the river. Who knew that the IL Waterway was such a recreational hot spot? We continue to see Blue Herons, Eagles and a white Pelican along with the tows pushing barges who didn’t seem to understand it was a Holiday weekend. This was a hard day but we are none the worse for ware except lighter by one boat hook that bit the cement and one fender (those big rubber things you hang over the side to keep the boat from hitting stuff) which we must have left tied to a dock somewhere.

We ended the day at Henry’s Landing tied to an old lock that seemed more like being tied to the wall of a gravel pit. Not aesthetic but useful. Henry’s Landing had a bar/restaurant which was a welcome reprieve from cooking in the heat. Sammy couldn’t be inside with the air conditioning that we craved so she sat with some guys drinking beer on the patio (the guys, not Sammy). She loved their attention. We left there early again this morning with a window of clear weather heading for The IL Valley Yacht Club (IVY Club to those in the know). No locks and only 28 miles but today our challenge was pouring rain with low visibility and high winds for the last 5 miles of the trip as well as a depth issue getting into the unstaffed yacht club. After “kissing” the bottom several times we finally tied up at the fuel dock which is likely the deepest spot outside the river channel. It is a beautiful place with great laundry facilities and excellent showers. After drinks on the deck with seven other looper couples, we enjoyed a feast of bbq ribs, rice, squash, asparagus and salad with Vicki and Ron. The sun is down, it must be time for bed.

Boat name of the day:  “Island Office” owned by a looper couple we met tonight

Dog name of the day:  Brutus (Marilyn and Ron Steiner’s new Daisey puppy)

Quote of the day:  “It is now highly feasible to take care of everybody on Earth at a higher standard of living than any have ever known.  It no longer has to be you or me.  Selfishness is unnecessary.  War is obsolete.  It is a matter of converting the high technology from weaponry to livingry.”    -R. Buckminster Fuller

Bright and early Tuesday morning (September 1, 2015 – two months after leaving Lake Charlevoix) we cast the Namaste lines from DuSable Harbor in Chicago to head downriver. Now, to say that there were mixed emotions would be a mild description. We were tired from a festive family weekend, sad that everyone had gone home, and a little afraid of what we were to face in the leg to come. However, having our new and experienced friends Ron and Vicki a day ahead of us as well as the invaluable advice and charts of Larry (an architectural tour-boat captain living onboard two boats down) we were decidedly ready to go.

The sun was just rising over Lake Michigan and shining brightly on the iconic skyline as we pulled into the first lock of the Chicago River. We were the only boat to go through and the lockmaster was friendly and helpful, NBD! We thoroughly enjoyed the city from this view and within minutes were in the purely industrial part of the river. The people, the equipment and the musical hum gave us new appreciation for commerce from this view and a new awe to the profession of engineering. Finally we were in rural Illinois with lush river banks and lots of wildlife, particularly Herons to guide us. Sammy is much happier in the rivers with land in sight and smells abound!

The remainder of the next two days was spent with four eyes focusing between the navigation charts and the river ahead. As Pat said, all hands and eyes were on deck! Over 85 miles we did four more locks and managed to get out of the way of countless barges, which words cannot describe. Things to be grateful for: we didn’t have to share a lock with a barge; the water levels never got below 8’ and we draw 5’; and the Army Corp of Engineers and lock masters got us safely through about 90’ of drop.

Tuesday we stayed at a lovely marina, Harborside, with a pool and great restaurant, the Big Fish. We met up with Ron and Vicki here and then traveled together to the Heritage marina in Ottawa, IL. Did I mention it is hot? Well, we got the last two slips at the Heritage marina for the long weekend so decided to stay five nights. Apparently the river will be full of recreational traffic so to maintain our level of boating and marital

peace we will stay here and enjoy the beautiful pool and air conditioned restaurant. Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

Boat Name of the Day: “I think I can. . .” on a unique 26’ recreational tug boat with a looper couple and two dogs onboard.

Bad Boat Name of the Day: “Cruel Intentions” on a large but quite ordinary power boat. What in the world does that mean?

Quote of the Day: “Peace is the result of training your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.”  Wayne W. Dyer (Detroit born, recipient of foster care services, Wayne State educated, and died on August 29, 2015). Rest in peace, Dr. Dyer.

The sun rising and the Chicago lock door closing behind us.

Passing under the Michigan Avenue Bridge.

Above Jim’s head is where we started in the Dresden Lock. Four of five were 20-30 foot drops!

Downtown Chicago in the early morning sunshine

Now outside of the city and in the lush farmlands of Illinois.

With lush farmlands come the barges to carry the goods. This is a biggie and yes there was room for us both, barely!