UH-OH

We had hoped to get underway this morning. However, the marina manager (Fred) came around yesterday late afternoon and advised everyone to stay put for another week. It seems the flooding below the Demopolis Lock and Dam is significant. At Mobile, it is expected to be 33 feet over flood stage on Thursday. Another week..........oh, my! The good thing is we are safe and have grocery, laundry, water, and trash collection services. It would be ever so much more boring if we anchored out somewhere. All of the loopers' boats are soooo clean because there is nothing else to do.

Boredom

We have been here since last Tuesday when we limped in with the drive train problem. It was fixed by Friday morning and then Hurricane Ida came along. It has been raining and blowing at 20 to 30 MPH since yesterday afternoon. It is suppose to continue today. We hope to be able to finally move on Wednesday. The people here at Demopolis Yacht Basin are very accommodating but there just isn't many amenities here. Even with the power antenna, we can only get PBS on TV. I AM TIRED OF WATCHING COOKING SHOWS AND DORA!!! There are a lot of loopers here who are also waiting like us. At least we are not in Mobile yet as we would have been had the pressure plate not broken. The group we were traveling with before the mechanical problem put us here are in Mobile now. We sure hope they are fairing well with no Ida problems and found safe harbours.

Fri., Nov. 6, 2009

This morning I got the laundry caught up. We walked the docks a couple of times and met a couple from Ft. Mitchell, KY. It's so interesting to hear people's stories. We all learn from one another's experiences.

Our transmission issue is repaired. That's a very good thing. The manager of the marina came around and told everyone to stay put at least until Monday. The different marinas along the waterway spoke to one another and there are no slips available. So, they are telling everyone to stay put until the weather lets up and the boats can make the Gulf crossing. At least we are in a marina and not anchored out in case the weather gets bad here. So, our balloon on the map has to stay in the same space for awhile longer.

Thurs., Nov. 5, 2009

We are still at Demopolis Yacht Basin. The part we needed (pressure plate) was delivered this afternoon around 2:30. The mechanic came to work on it at 4:00 and his work day was finished at 5:00. So, he will be back first thing in the morning. Our next issue is Ida. The AGLCA is advising people to not try to cross the Gulf, even via the armpit (staying close to shore).

It's a bit boring here for John because there is only one TV station and it's PBS. I went to Walmart this morning for groceries. Tomorrow morning I will do laundry. We 've each read a book borrowed from the harbor's lounge. Hanging loose .........

Tues., Nov. 3, 2009

The rocks are so impressive looking.

The scenery is beautiful.

It's supposed to be another gorgeous day. We left Pirates Marina Cove at 5:30 A.M. in the dark. There was a full moon and Sandpiper knocked on the door and told us he spoke to the lockmaster and if we got there in 15 minutes, we could lock through before a barge. So, five of us left the harbor and locked right through Tom Bevill Lock and Dam. By the time we were tied up to the bollard, it was light.

Yesterday and today we saw a lot of floating grass and foamy looking stuff. At 10:00 A.M. we exited the Howell Heflin Lock. We didn't have a wait there either. There were eight boats that locked through together. After going about 2 miles beyond the lock, something happened to the transmission and it locked up. We limped on one engine the rest of the way to Demopolis Yacht Basin. John did a great job docking with only one engine. We are probably going to be here for awhile. I hate to think how much this is going to cost.


JOHNS NOTE: We are very fortunate. The problem is not the transmission but the pressure plate which deliver the power from the engine to the transmission. It is a considerably cheaper fix. They are planning to overnight the part and be able to fix it in the morning and then pull the boat to check the props and put on the ones we had worked before we left Cinicnnati. What started out as a horrible day has turned into not so bad one after all. The staff here is very considerate have been prompt to work on the boat.

Mon., Nov. 2, 2009

We left Aberdeen at 6:00 A.M. We immediately locked through Aberdeen lock. There was one other boat in the lock with us. While we were in the lock, one of our "dingle balls" became unattached from our boat and fell in the water. Captain John was able to snag it with the boat hook. (My hero!) The people on the other boat cheered for him.

At 9:30 A.M., we locked through John C. Stennis Lock. At this particular lock, the lockmaster asked for information, such as documentation or registration numbers, where we were coming from, and where we are going to. We were in the lock with one other boat who was smaller and faster than us. So, Captain John contacted him on the radio and invited him to pass us. We slowed way down for him, but he went past us full speed ahead. My juice and John's coffee spilled all over our guide books, a lamp fell over, the loveseat slid across the floor, ... You get the idea. How rude he was!

We spent the night at Pirates Marina Cove. They had laundry facilites, so I spent the rest of the day doing laundry. Their dryer took forever. We finally brought the jeans down and hung them across the back deck. I felt bad because there was a man waiting to use the washer and dryer when I still has 2 more loads to go. We met up with Second Wind and Sandpiper again here. Tomorrow will be an early day, as we want to get as far as Demopolis.

Sun., Nov. 1, 2009

84 foot drop - one of the largest of the trip

How did it get to be November already? Time sure flies when you're having fun. Today is absolutely gorgeous. We left Midway Marina around 7:00A.M. (the time changed last night). Actually, the 7:00 A.M. is Cincinnati time. Here it was only 6:00 A.M. That makes me tired just to think about it. Six boats left this morning together and went to the first lock which was Fulton Lock. We pulled right in and left together to the next lock, fifteen miles away, which is Glover Wilkens Lock. Then , another five miles we came to Amory Lock and Dam. The next lock is Aberdeen, but we turned off right before the lock and went to Aberdeen Marina. All of the others went on to Columbus, MS, about another 20 miles away. We heard later that there is a problem with the Aberdeen Lock. Hope they get it fixed before tomorrow morning.

Upon arriving at Aberdeen Marina, we went into the store to pay and pick up our mail. Allelluia! Our 50 amp splitter was there. Thank you, Paris Landing!!!!! Thank you, Gina, for our mail too. We especially like the picture Clara drew. We borrowed the courtesy car and went into Aberdeen. Very little was open as this is Sunday. We did, however, find a drug store, a car parts store, and a grocery store. We spent money in all three. There is supposed to be WI-FI here (and at the last stop), but there is none. So, pictures will have to wait until we reach a place that has WI-FI.

We hope to catch up with the people we ran with today or hook up with other people doing the loop.