Pebble Isle to Clinton, MS
Today is Saturday. That used to mean sleeping in, being a little lazy, and catching up on chores. But to the ever-so demanding lifestyle of the slaving boat life, it was just another hard day at the office. We, correction, I rose at 5:00 am to start the coffee. The Pebble Isle Marina had virtually no internet, the phone service was sketchy at best, and our TV would not pick up the first station. The end result: we were in bed at 8:15. I won’t complain; I had almost 9 hours of sleep. I did comment to Amanda that I think this may resemble nursing home life, but that concern is for another day. There are certainly worse things in life than no internet or TV.
We pulled out at 6:30 with the Salty Dog, Resolute, and Sayonara. Clifton Marina in Clifton, Mississippi was the destination.
I never get tired of watching these tows at work. 
Tornadoes have damaged many properties. Loss of trees, roofs, etc. He who builds his house upon the rock….will still have to deal with the wind. 
Sheds over RV’s are the norm 
We enjoyed the colors of what will soon be the last of the leaves changing. This leg of the Tennessee River has considerable erosion issues. We saw many properties whose land mass has decreased because of the swift water and flooding. Some properties have owners who appear to have the resources to address the problem with rip-rap and/or retaining walls, but from the looks of most, it is my guess that these folks are just biding their time until the creek bank washes away. It appears the Corps of Engineers manages this river, since they obviously operate the locks. For the sake of many who have most of their wealth invested in their homes, I hope there will be a solution that keeps them from losing it.
This leg was just under 50 NM and 9 hours, counting the lock. We encountered our usual tows and dredges. The landscape varies so much, but the prettiest part of today’s leg was the rock formations along the river’s edge, acting as a natural bulkhead.
Clinton Marina is a small marina and under new management. Stephanie and her mother-in-law make it happen. After the previous owner retired, they acquired the facility and, according to the locals, they have turned the place around. This is prime time here where the Loopers are in this season. A half dozen boats poured in on them in about a 30 minute window this afternoon. They busted tail to accommodate fueling, pump-outs, and slip assignments. They were quick to grab our lines and make us welcome. Later, these gals were in the restaurant, waiting tables and making sure I got to watch the Georgia–Auburn game, and then the LSU–Ole Miss game. The food was excellent, including their lasagna special. We enjoyed dinner and went back to the boat where I watched LSU survive against a feisty, hungry Ole Miss team, who wanted it more than LSU. Fortunately, the talent pool was deeper and we outscored them.