These cooler mornings sure do make pretty pictures.  This morning,  we left Columbus Marina at dawn with a few other boats,  all of us hoping to cruise right to the Stennis Lock. Owen called the lock at 6:00 am, and the lockmaster said he thought we would be just fine arriving at sunrise. Sure enough,  … Continue reading Columbus, MS, to Windham Landing Cutoff, AL

I was told that people time their Loop to chase 80 degrees for a year. I didn't realize it was going to be a game of hide and seek. It's been ranging from the upper 40s to painfully low 50s for the last few days. It's hard to complain too much:  we're on a boat. … Continue reading Midway Marina, MS to Columbus, MS: More Cold, More Rain

We were planning to push through from Pickwick Lake to Mobile, AL in one stretch. Well, multiple days, but contiguous days. We have thoroughly enjoyed the Inland Rivers section of the Loop, but we are ready to move into the Gulf. We have read different sample itineraries that have the trip taking from five to … Continue reading Aqua Harbor, MS, to Midway Marina, MS: A Good Start to the Week

Getting from the rendezvous back down the river was no easy feat. With 40 or so Loopers looking to lock through Wheeler and Wilson Locks, and with Wilson Lock taking longer due to the recent wall collapse, it took some coordination. Planning took place on Wednesday afternoon. Wendy attended on behalf of our vessel. We … Continue reading Joe Wheeler to Aqua Yacht Harbor Marina: Flotilla in the Mist

After returning from the rendezvous, we took a day to visit the Shiloh Battlefield where Generals Grant and Johnston traded bloody blows during a rainy couple of days in April, 1862. It was the first of what would be many gruesome battles where armies ground against each other in a state of total war. I've … Continue reading Shiloh

The week during which Wendy learned to spell "rendezvous" without having to think about it. That "z" and where it goes! First, the park. This place is a little bit of heaven on a lake and a couple rivers. The park has a marina, a campground, cottages, and a lodge for people who want to … Continue reading Joe Wheeler State Park: AGLCA Rendezvous

After a rocky night (we chose the wrong side of the lock wall and banged into it all night during some crummy weather), we woke up dark and early to leave the Wilson Lock to head just a few miles to our Rendezvous destination at Joe Wheeler State Park. We were happy to be led … Continue reading Wilson Lock to Joe Wheeler State Park: What’s a Little Wind?

We did something that Loopers are not supposed to do... we made a schedule. We needed to be at Joe Wheeler State Park for the AGLCA Fall rendezvous by Sunday. Between us and Joe Wheeler were about 61 miles of water and two locks. Normally, that would not be a concern, but one of the … Continue reading Grand Harbor to the Wilson Lock: Testing Our Lock Luck

We took off out of Clifton at first light. We only had about 63 miles to go, but the Pickwick Lock was between us and our destination at Grand Harbor on Pickwick Lake. The main lock was undergoing an unscheduled repair, so they were using the secondary lock. Plus, some rain had increased the flow … Continue reading Clifton to Grand Harbor: Swimming Upstream

Okay, it wasn't wild. It was actually pretty chill. But it was wet. We pulled out of Pebble Isle at 0700 and turned into the current of the Tennessee River. It was a calm, cool morning with some high clouds. We spent most of the day cruising at between 9 and 10 mph and dodging … Continue reading Pebble Isle to Clifton: Wet ‘n’ Wild