Honey Queen Adventures

Pearl Bayou to Apalachicola, Florida

We traveled from Pearl Bayou (anchorage near Tyndale AFB and Panama City) through the East Bay, Mexico Beach, Port St. Joseph, Lake Wimico, into the Jackson River, the Apalachicola River, and finally into Scipio Creek in the heart of Apalachicola, or The Apalach, as the locals say .

The day was long, but easy, to Apalachicola. The devastation we saw was sobering.  How sad to see all the hurricane damage along the coastline.  Trees were destroyed everywhere.  I’m sure it was a beautiful ride just a few short months ago.  The locals say it will never be the same.  The most developed area was Mexico Beach. It was essentially wiped off the map. Not much other industry around, so it is unlikely the financial base will support the cleanup and restoration of the natural landscape. 

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We arrived in Apalachicola a little after 3 pm today. Our trip was 7 3/4 hours and covered just under 50 miles.  

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Hurricane Michael did minimal damage here, so things have pretty much returned to normal. 

On our first morning of town exploration, we met Gwen in a ladies’ clothing store where she works. Amanda and Gwen quickly became friends.  I got out of the store with only minimal damage and shortly thereafter, Gwen and Reggie Corbett were on our boat having a glass of wine. 

They have been in the area less than 2 years, moving here from Del Ray, Florida, to get away from the fast pace of development in south Florida.  They bought a home here, built in the late 1800’s, which has been immaculately restored. Thirteen-foot-high ceilings make the home feel so spacious.  They welcomed us in, loaned us their spare car for grocery shopping and errands (a vintage Jaguar) and made us feel like family. 

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Apalachicola, besides a quaint stop, also serves as a great place to prep and begin the weather watch process for the crossing.  A boat can leave directly from here and cut across the Gulf to Tarpon Springs or Clearwater.   Most Loopers, however, choose to go a little further East to Carrabelle. Leaving from Carabelle saves about 20 miles vs. crossing from Apalach.  So, we started studying the weather “apps” we have used along much of our trip.  Windy has become our favorite.  It provides current wind, wave, and swell action along many points of travel.  It also does a great job of forecasting up to 5 days out.  This free app has become our “go-to” daily as we plan our travel. The forecast for the rest of the week was pretty dismal, so we decided we would sleep late, eat out, and walk the streets of Apalach until the weather broke in our favor.  We enjoyed dinner at the Owl with our new friends, Ed and Kathy, of Vitamin Sea, a 40-foot motor cruiser.  They joined us on our second day at Scipio Creek Marina.  Each day, we met and discussed the weather forecast.  Also, a weather forecaster, Kim, in Carrabelle, was consulted for her professional opinion.  She welcomes calls from Loopers and affirms or disputes your tentative plans.  Her expertise is much broader that most of ours.  She is such a help in planning the crossing.

Friday night, we went to the Dixie Theater in downtown Apalachicola.  The entertainment was a Jim Croce tribute singer.  He did a great job of playing Jim’s greatest hits (and some classics that weren’t big hits).  Croce, one of my influences as an acoustic player, was well presented this night. 

The crossing, from Carrabelle, can range from 140-160 NM, depending on your route selection.  Many even follow the Florida coastline (aka the “rim”), going to Steinhatchee and Cedar Key before the Tarpon Springs/Clearwater area.  This route is not an option for us because the water depths won’t accommodate our near 5 foot draft.

By Saturday, the forecast for a Monday crossing started to show promise.  We called it day with the plan to review again Sunday morning, right after church.

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We turned our sites to Pearl Bayou and left Two Georges Marina behind about 7:15 am.  Our journey today would be 8.5 hours and cover 68 NM. 

Our first leg was about 20 miles across the Choctawhatchee Bay.  The day was sunny and the water flat.  The temps reached the mid 60’s, which is almost balmy compared to what we’ve endured the last few weeks. 

The day was pretty uneventful.  We enjoyed the porpoises visiting the bow occasionally and saw lots of bird activity in the bay, feeding on fish.

The remainder of the day was “inside” on the ICW.

We toyed with the idea of staying at a marina instead of going all the way to the anchorage.  It had been a long day and we were feeling like a marina would compensate for our laziness.  But as we checked marina after marina, along the way, we were soon reminded of the damage that Hurricane Michael had inflicted in October of 2018.  Almost every marina is still closed in this area.  Many have no docks, or if so, they were so damaged they have been rendered useless.

We arrived at Pearl Bayou, an ideal anchorage because it is surrounded, almost completely, by land mass.  Unless the wind is really brisk out of the East, the water is flat as a lake.  There were 4 other boats nestled into the area, but we had no problem finding a good spot to set the anchor. 

This anchorage is adjacent to Tyndale Air Force base.  At 5 pm sharp, I heard the Star Spangled Banner being played over the base’s PA system.  I had forgotten this practice on every military base.  My first exposure to that experience was at Ft. Gordon (outside Augusta) as young kid fresh out of college.  My first jobsite assignment was there and I quickly learned to drop WHATEVER I was doing at 5 pm and promptly stand and place hand over heart for the daily performance of the National Anthem.  Though I never served in the military, I was always impressed by this critical tradition, watching soldiers stop (driving their personal cars) in the middle of the road, get out, and salute Old Glory.  It is not optional.  It is what you do.  And now, 45 years later, I am so glad I was taught to respect the flag and for all it stands.   Train up a child as he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Darkness arrives these days shortly after 5, being on the central time zone line, so an anchorage, compared to a marina, usually means early dinner, reading, maybe Wheel of Fortune, a tiny bowl of ice cream, and 2 games of Solitaire. 

With virtually no tide and no wind (this night), the boat feels like it is sitting on the boat yard instead of water.  An occasional creak of the anchor chain during the minuscule tide wing is the only noise.  Anchoring out can be one of life’s greatest pleasures.  Twas a lovely day indeed.

We got up Saturday morning, ready to go.  My eyes caught one of the monitors at the helm that disturbed me.  While off the boat for 6 weeks, I had waited 5 weeks for a technician to address a starting battery problem.  After several more days, and several hundred dollars, we thought we had resolved the problem.  Everything looked normal until today.  After calling another technician in another state who had worked on the boat in June, we came to the conclusion the monitor itself is faulty, giving false readings.  Tried to find a replacement at West Marine, but found nothing in stock that would work.  So I decided to resolve the issue the old fashioned way:  Install a piece of electrical tape over the lights so they tell me nothing. 

In the meantime, I ordered a few things from Amazon for a Monday delivery.  We contacted our harbor hosts friends, John and Ellen, and made yet another date for dinner Sunday evening.  In the meantime, John heard from another nearby friend/harbor host who was having a few boaters over Sunday evening.  John picked us up (again) and took us to Jack and Patti’s boat, Nearly Perfect, at Blue Water Bay Resort, in Rocky Bayou.  Three other Looper couples were there, so we were able to connect with them and plan a potential crossing together.  It appears our new friends, Ed and Kathy, of Vitamin Sea, are running on the same schedule as we are.  So, it is likely we will cross with them, when weather permits.

We left Jack and Patti’s and headed to Doc’s, in Boggy Bayou, for oysters on the half shell and seafood gumbo.  Good, good, food and better fellowship with John and Ellen.

Our parts came in Monday morning, I got my phone repaired (I tried to put a new battery in myself and broke it) and we picked up a few last groceries.  Monday evening, John and Ellen picked us up one last time and we went to a vintage movie theater, Suds ‘n Cinema.  An old-school theater, it has been remodeled and staged with tables and chairs throughout.  Movies are “month-old” that have left first- release theaters, so the admission ticket is only $5.00.  But that is just the beginning.  After finding your seat, you order from the menu thirty minutes before the movie starts.  The menu is 2-part.  The snack (appetizer) is brought out to you prior to the start.  Popcorn and other light snacks, along with sodas and several craft beers comprise this portion.  The lights are still up in the theater and people have plenty of opportunity to visit with their friends, prior to the beginning. 

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Once the movie is underway, your main course (hamburger, hot dog, panini, etc.) is brought to your table.  You enjoy the movie while you eat, without interruption.  The concept is great, and we had so much fun.  It was a Monday night, and the room was nearly full.  It looks like the owner is on to something.  All prices were reasonable and the food was top quality.

Our time in Shalimar could not have been more enjoyable, thanks to John and Ellen.  Loopers are really treated like royalty when visiting Shalimar.  Thank you so much, John and Ellen. We will see you soon and reciprocate when you come to Savannah on YOUR LOOP!!!!!

We said goodbye to Sweetwater Farm this morning and headed to Shalimar (outside Ft. Walton Beach) to Two Georges Marina.  The Honey Queen weathered these 6 weeks well without us to cuddle her. 

Amanda’s brother is slowly gaining ground in his recovery. Like most major surgeries, and adding in the stage of life, recovery has not been as quick as any of us hoped. Tom has a good friend-base in his neighborhood in Pine Mountain and we trust they will be taking good care of him with visits and meals.

This time away reminded us again of how fragile life can be and it affirmed that our decision to spend this first year of retirement traveling on a boat was a good one. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, so we are pursuing this dream.

This holiday season was not the way we would prescribe it. Our married children rotate Christmas and Thanksgiving with the in-laws, so this was the year we did not have them all together for Christmas Day. It’s a bummer not being together, but we are so grateful that we have at least one holiday each year where we are. As a bonus, with our niece’s wedding, just before Christmas, we did get to be in one place. My parents also got their first opportunity to meet Will, their 4th great grandchild. It was a good holiday. Grateful we are.

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After our arrival in Shalimar, we had the good fortune to meet the harbor hosts for this area, John and Ellen Goncalves.  For 2 evenings, we visited and enjoyed restaurants with them.  Their hospitality was much appreciated and we feel we have gained 2 new friends.  We look forward to seeing them at our October barn dance and in Savannah when they begin the Loop in 2022.

I am not really calling these couple days “boat days” on the blog.  We decided to stick close to the marina, and enjoy a little down time after our care-giving experience, as well as, to get provisions for the boat, and do a couple boat projects before we start this next leg.  It is our intention to be on the boat until we finish the Loop, probably sometime in May.  We will see what life brings to us, holding all things loosely.  With good fortune, we will spend time in the Marathon/Keys area and in the Bahamas, enjoying the warmer temperatures while we wait on winter to run its course, and end up in our home port of Savannah.

Tomorrow we set our course for the Panama City area.

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Our last day began as many others.  Beautiful sunrise.  Warmer day.  We traveled about 43 NM along the Gulf ICW.  We were often in sight of the Gulf of Mexico, but most of the time, we enjoyed the calmer waters, shielded by the small barrier islands and sand dunes.  We will soon see plenty of the Gulf itself when the right weather day allows us to cross from Carabelle to Clearwater, Florida.

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We arrived at Two Georges Marina around 2:30. Two Georges offers a reasonable monthly rate and is located where it is well protected from significant winds and weather.  We will leave the Honey Queen here until Amanda’s brother no longer needs our assistance in Pine Mountain, GA., as he recovers from his recent surgery.  How long this boat break will be is undetermined.  We will trust that God’s timing is perfect and we will return to our adventure when conditions allow.  We look forward to the holidays, time with family, and a few projects at Sweetwater Farm. Tomorrow, we rent a car, and head to Pine Mountain.

Fair Hope to Fort McRee

Still fighting the crud, we moved slowly in our routine prep for leaving Fair Hope, Alabama Marina. The temps continued to be quite comfortable and the sun was shining.  Both are always welcome, but the way we have felt physically, they were especially encouraging, giving us hope that the worst of our current condition was behind us.  After a pump out, we eased into Mobile Bay, south by southeast.  The waters were flat, breeze mild.  A couple hours into the day, I saw our most recent traveling friends on AIS .  We could not have timed our rendezvous any better had we tried and ended up on the Gulf ICW in single file, once again.  Talking on the radio, we realized we all had the same sunset destination in mind. 

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There are mixed reviews about traveling with buddy boats.  Some say you don’t develop your skills as well when depending on other boats.  Nor will you meet as many people because you withdraw to your small community.   I completely disagree.  I’m pretty Type A, so I don’t tend to sit around and wait on people to make decisions, nor do I have the patience to debate the “best” way to approach a journey.  But what I have found is that most people we meet are pretty sharp, even if not highly experienced.  And seldom do we encounter an ego that has to be in charge.  As a result, our collaborations prompt learning from others, we enjoy the peace of mind of safety in numbers, and new friendships always result. So, we have become big advocates of the buddy boat-team-attitude system.   Traveling together teaches and does not hamper the learning experience.

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Our 47 NM from Fair Hope to Ft. McRee took about 7 hours.  We passed through Wolf Bay, Perido Key, and the Big Lagoon before arriving at the well protected basin of Ft. McRee. 

The fort itself is essentially gone.  Construction started in 1834 and was completed in 1839, by the United States.  It is located on the eastern tip of Perdido Key and was named after Brevet Officer Colonel William McRee.  Along with Fort Barrancas and Fort Pickens, they protected the Pensacola Bay.  During the Civil War, Ft. McRee was hammered by the Union until it was virtually destroyed.  Not much now to see, it more resembles another big sand dune/island along the Gulf coast.

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It is a beautiful setting as an anchorage for boats.  I understand it is a very popular spot on the weekends in the warmer weather.  With plenty of room for many boats, I can see how it might be a great venue for a big flotilla social event.  The storms of the past couple years have made it quite shallow in spots, so it was a little tricky finding a good anchor location.  We hit bottom 4-5 times looking.  After settling our anchor, our friends on Jo-Ca, Bliss, and Onward filled in around us.  With mild breezes from the East, we all had room to swing and enjoy the day’s end in this well protected tidal basin.  Before sunset, and before the final rain set in, we donned the dinghy and ran over to the shoreline.  Our friends from Jo-Co had taken their dog, by dinghy, for a little exercise, so we puttered over and joined them on the beach.  But soon the rains came and we scurried back to the boat, cutting our little exploration adventure far too short.

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Dinner and a little TV/reading and we put our running noses and cough to bed once more.

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12/5/19 Sunflower East to Mobile Convention Center

Our plans for 6:30 am anchor pull were postponed by Mother Nature.  The fog set in about 4:00 am, resulting in a delay until almost 8:30. 

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With no locks or other anticipated potential delays, we knew we should still make it around 4:30 pm, not too long before dark.  Our destination was the Mobile Convention Center.  The downtown dock charges a nominal fee to stay there with no amenities, other than security. 

We have now traveled with this group for 3 days, yet we have not met them all.  As chilly as it has been, nobody has taken the initiative of putting the dinghy in the water and visiting boating neighbors at an anchorage.  When we reach the warmer weather, afternoon dinghy visiting will once again be the norm. 

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The high of 68 degrees allowed us to run with the doors open most of the day. We have operated the boat from the pilot house, instead of the flybridge, for weeks. We do enjoy being on top and outside, but the weather has been too cold. Amanda and I both are still dragging from bad colds.  Our days are spent sneezing and coughing and going through boxes of Kleenex. The nights are restless, dozing between coughing spells and nose sprays. We are looking forward to getting this inconvenience behind us.

Our approach into Mobile reminded us much of Savannah. The Alabama Port Authority buzzes, but nothing compared to what I see at home.

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We did make it by 4:30. It took the 4 boats a while to coordinate the dockage on the concrete wall at the Convention Center. It was tight, but we squeezed them into place. After everyone chilled on their own boats, we met on the dock at 7:00 and walked a few blocks to dinner. It was nice, finally meeting everyone and getting acquainted.

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As we closed out our day with friends, Amanda and I made the decision to go east across Mobile Bay to Fair Hope on Friday morning. The other boats wanted to stick together and instead would go to Turner Landing on the west side of the Bay. Fair Hope, Alabama, is a town Amanda had visited on several occasions growing up.

12/6/19 Convention Center to Fair Hope City Marina

We slept in a little this morning. Moving slowly from our head colds, we eventually got the energy to make the 15 NM trip across the Mobile Bay. The winds were calm and the water was flat. We wanted to take advantage of that weather window, after hearing that the Bay can get pretty rough. Interesting to me, the bay is relatively shallow, except the shipping channels. Exposed directly to the Gulf, we were told the waves can get 6-8 feet high in the bay. Where much of the water is only 6-10 deep, a boat like ours can actually hit bottom coming down from the top of one those waves. The danger of damaging or sinking the boat is real and we wanted no part of that experience.

Our trip was uneventful, 2 hours long, and we were in the little safe harbor of Fair Hope by 1:00 pm. Because we had pushed our way down the Tombigbee, and were ahead of our planned date, we opted to stay here for 2 nights.

We did very little while here. I washed the outside of the boat and not much more. Our energy levels are low, and though the weather is appealing, we laid around on the boat missing opportunities to shop, restaurant, and sight see. But getting well was more important. Hopefully, resting will pay dividends and we will be hitting on all 6 soon. Our splurge for a night at the Grand Hotel will have to wait until we are well.

The highlight of the weekend was certainly the LSU SEC Championship win over Georgia. GEAUX TIGERS! GO JEAUX BURREAUX!

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Sunday morning, we head to an anchorage on the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway (GICW).

Bashi Creek to Sunflower East

We pulled out of Bashi Creek Anchorage just before 7 am this morning and headed south to our next anchorage, Sunflower East.  Fifty-six NM and ONE MORE lock were today’s goal. 

For the first 2-3 miles, we dealt with fog. 

The sun was bright enough to allow us to keep moving, but we wouldn’t pass each other, not being sure of what might be coming around the corner.  It soon burned off and we passed the slow sailboat.

Coffeeville Lock was our last lock experience, since we will by-pass the Okeechobee Canal, south of Stuart, Florida.  We lost approximately an hour at the lock because 2 barges were just ahead of us, also southbound.  We have been entertained, challenged, overwhelmed, and educated by the more than 100 locks we have traversed. The Erie Canal, Trent-Severn Waterway, the Illinois, Tennessee, and Tombigbee Rivers boast as massive engineering structures, that enable navigation and flood control of North America’s waterways. 

Since leaving the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway last summer, we have had no tide.  Leaving the Coffeeville Lock behind means tidal water now lies ahead. Tidal water always has some impact on your journey.  Whether you are fighting the tide or going with it, trip plans should be planned accordingly. As we continue southward, the tide swing will continue to be a factor.  Tying to a fixed dock must be carefully measured.  Tying tightly to a fixed dock at a high tide can have devastating results 6 hours later.  So, though I am happy to be getting further south, I don’t look forward to adding the tidal planning into the equation daily.

Our day was gorgeous, starting with temperatures in the mid-30’s and reaching the mid-60’s by arrival time.  No wind and a following current made the day (and the miles) pass quickly. Our only challenge was the debris in the river.  The scary part of days like this is what you don’t see.  A tiny little stick or limb that you do see, attached to a log, that you don’t, could literally rip your prop off or do major damage to the hull of your boat. The lead boat normally offers the courtesy of warning the team that follows of any unusual or particularly dangerous conditions.  For most of the day, that boat was me, so I was on the radio a good bit announcing another log or tree or submerged channel marker.

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Another day under the belt, we have made good progress since returning to the boat on Monday. With the other boats in the group, we have been motivated to push a little farther each day. We will be able to do in 3 days what we had planned (on our own) to do in 4. This will be helpful in our goal of reaching Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., where we plan to return to the farm to assist with Amanda’s brother.

12/2/19

Our Thanksgiving was absolutely fabulous.  All our children and grandchildren were there.  Most everyone felt good.  Lauren had strep and Lane and Haynes were dragging part of the time, but otherwise we enjoyed each other and the outdoors.  Thanksgiving Day, my sister and her family joined us for good grub and hanging out together.  We had a great outdoor fire at the fire pit.  As the sun set, it seemed everyone wanted the moment to last just a little longer.  I am a blessed man to have family that cares for, and actually likes, one another. I’m grateful.

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We left the farm mid-morning, headed back to Demopolis in the rental car.  Amanda’s brother was undergoing surgery as we drove.  Pretty extensive, the initial report is that things went as hoped.  We will have to wait for details over the next day or two.  We arrived in Demopolis around 3 pm, made the grocery run to restock the bare cupboard, turned in the rental car, and unpacked for the next leg.  Amanda took a short walk and I met a couple guys, John and Jamie, from other boats who were also southbound. They said we were welcome to join them at the marina office to plan and coordinate the Demopolis Lock passage with the other southbounders.  So our new friends (boats) are Jo-ca, Bliss, Moon Dance, Onward, and Mar Sea.  Anchorages and marinas get further apart in this area, so it’s comforting to join forces with other boats looking out for one another on the long days.  This group, for the most part, was not comprised of Looper boats.  We learned that some of these guys take their boats south for the winter each year from this western side of the Loop.  They travel this section of the Tombigbee frequently, so they know the trouble spots, the anchorages, marinas, etc.   Their experience and knowledge was quite helpful in our discussion.  Their fruitful insight, and the opportunity for camaraderie, influenced and improved our game plan.  We agreed to pull out at 6:30 am Tuesday morning, assuming clear passage at the lock.

12/3/19

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At 6:00 am, Moon Dance called us on the radio and said the lockmaster would lock us through at 6:30 am.  We injected our coffee (for the safety of all parties) and pulled out of the slip shortly thereafter.  Arriving at the lock at 6:35, the lockmaster bluntly told us exactly how he expected us to approach, secure, and go through his lock.  Not rude, but absolutely no non-sense, and direct, we submitted to his authority, and got through without excitement or issue.  I learned later this guy has a reputation for such crassness, and has even been fired for his treatment of boaters.  But most boaters with any experience can attest, you can argue with these guys and lose, or you can be kind, and probably still lose.  Since they are the boss, and they know they are, the best way to get through the obstacle is to kill them with kindness.  The practice obviously applies to more than getting through a lock.

The Tombigbee River will take us to Mobile Bay. That will be in 3 days, based on the new game plan. Our anchorage/ destination for today, with the group, will be Bashi Creek.

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With only the one lock (Demopolis), the whole day was spent moving and not waiting.  We covered 65 NM and arrived at Bashi before 2 pm.  With a nice current on our stern, we averaged 9.4 knots, just under light speed, in our world. I think we only passed 2 tows and with only 1 lock, we covered a lot of miles and still arrived early enough in the day to see where we are and what is going on.

We pulled into the creek, very narrow, with little current, just off the river.  The trees formed a slight canopy above the water, making the feel of the creek narrower than it really is.  The others decided to stay on the side of the river out of the channel.  With 4 other boats needing that space, I volunteered to take the creek, giving them plenty of room to anchor end to end, facing into the current.

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There was plenty of depth, so I moved to a position that would accommodate another boat, if one showed up.  We manipulated the anchors to keep the stern from swinging into the shoreline and was set for the night.  There was a sense of being at a marina, because it was so quiet and still.

As often is the case in rural areas, not much TV, internet, or phone, so entertainment is scarce.  I grilled burgers at 4:30, read the 3 month-old magazines on the boat, and shut down pretty early.  Amanda and I both are fighting cold/sinus issues, trying to stay well.  Amanda’s is worse, so she was out by 8:00 and me just a little later.

Tombigbee Ox Bow Anchorage to Demopolis

Uncharted, Salty Dog, and Honey Queen all pulled anchors at 6:30 this morning and headed toward Demopolis.  Uncharted, whose boat is faster than ours, lead the way.  We would see them tonight at the marina. 

Calm waters, sunny skies, temperatures in the 70’s, and spectacular scenery made this day so delightful.  We took a number of pictures, making up for the past days.

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The limestone cliffs that look like the Alabama version of Mt. Rushmore and colorful trees made the slow trek down the last leg of the Tennessee-Tom Bigbee Canal a delight.  The canal ends just North of Demopolis, where it connects to the Black Warrior River and then the Tom Bigbee River.  From Demopolis, we will be 4 boat days from Mobile Bay, Alabama.  Another 7 boat days after will find us at Carabelle, Florida, the point where we make the “crossing” to Tarpon Springs, Florida.  More to discuss on that later, as the time draws near.

We called to notify the marina we were near and we would need fuel before going to our slip.  Skipping the painful details, we waited an hour for Uncharted to get their fuel and then spent another hour getting ours.  The “high speed” fuel pump shoots fuel into our tanks faster than they can vent which results in constant “burping” of the tanks and fuel back-splashing out the fuel fill inlet all over the place.  With no assistance from the hands on fuel dock, it took forever to trickle the fuel into our tanks.  When the guy walked past our boat with a cigarette in his mouth, while I was pumping, Amanda said, “Please don’t smoke out here,” he said, “It’s just diesel.”  She said, “It’s the law.” He flipped his brand new cigarette into the water and walked off.  The attitude didn’t exactly make a great first impression of the Demopolis Yacht Basin. With diesel all over the boat, I had to wash it as soon as we got to the slip.  Diesel takes the wax right off, slicks up the walking surfaces, and makes the whole boat wreak.

With all the Loopers in the marina, lots of visiting happens on the docks.  Loopers typically pour their cocktails or pop their tops and start wandering the marina neighborhood. For some reason tonight, the majority of the roaming was taking place around our slip. I finished washing the boat and it took me 1 ½ hours to get my water hose disconnected because of all the folks hanging out.  With the Looper flag displayed on the bow of boats, everybody knows who the Loopers are, so there is no lack of conversation as people pass your boat.  We always enjoy meeting folks this way.  And now that we have been doing this adventure for 6 months, people now perceive us as veterans.  Many of the Loopers we’ve recently met have just started in the past few weeks, so they are still figuring out so many things. I don’t realize how much I have learned until I hear some of the questions and comments.  For example, we heard someone complaining about the long hard day.  The bad news is they have no idea what a hard day is yet.  The rivers are virtually unaffected by the wind.  The depth of water on the rivers and canal allows you to almost ignore your depth finder.  There is no chance you will run aground if you follow the marked channel.  And some have never dealt with the tide.  Yes, there are some fun times ahead…for all of us.

We ended up with 6 guests in our little salon.  As tight as quarters are, it doesn’t take very long to really acquainted, nor to figure out their deodorant scent.  After an hour or so of great conversation, folks drifted back to their boats. We had dinner and turned in shortly thereafter. 

11/22/19

We got up this morning, finished our packing, and caught a ride to Enterprise in Demopolis.  We rented a car to drive to the farm for Thanksgiving.  If all goes as planned, we will return to the boat on Monday, December 2^nd, and move on southward.  As some of you know, Amanda’s brother, Tom, has some health issues that may affect our short term plans on the adventure.  We may need to hang at the farm (he lives in the area) to offer any assistance to him as he recovers.  When his prognosis is clear, we will respond accordingly.

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We arrived at Sweetwater late afternoon, looking forward to having all the kids and grand kids for the long Thanksgiving weekend.

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