Mobile to Ft Walton

We left Mobile and cruised the intercostal to Fort Walton. On our way we stopped at LULU'S(famous place because Jimmy Buffet's sister owns it) in Orange Beach. After lunch we cruised and enjoyed the Panhandle view and the white beaches that the Florida panhandle is famous for. The emerald water and the sugar sand beaches.

Pebble Isle Marina-TEnnessee River to Mobile Alabama

Traveling by Pontoon  and boaters at pot luck

We left Prizer Point early in the am and traveled on Kentucky Lake 96 miles to Pebble Isle marina in Tennessee. We stayed two days there and re provisioned for the trip south.  Next we cruised to Aqua Yacht Harbor and stayed for two nights there. We knew that three of the locks on the Tenn-tom would not be opened until the 24th so we were taking our time going down. We cruised 36 miles from Aqua Harbor to Bay Springs to be close to the lock the next morning to leave. While at Bay Springs we joined some other boaters for a pot luck supper and met these four young men who were on an adventure themselves aboard there pontoon boat. THey launched in Minneapolis Minnesota and have been cruising the Mississippi River and headed to Mobile. They were having a good time. We left the next morning around 6am to go through the lock. There were 9 of us pleasure craft boats to lock through. At the end of the day we stopped at Columbus marina for two days to rest up and chill out. We have been putting in long days, but we usually stay for 2 days when we arrive at a marina. Columbus was a real nice stop and we enjoyed it. We left early and traveled to Demopolis Alabama 90 miles and 3 locks. The last lock before Demopolis was the beast. The water hyacinths were so bad that they completely covered the entrance to the lock and we have to stop and clean off the motor at least twice just to make it into the lock. We have never seen anything like it before. We finally made it through and got into the marina. We left this morning around 7:30am and went through 2 locks and 228 miles to Mobile ALabama. We are at the Dog River Marina for the night and will leave in the morning for Destin. Arrival at home will be Wednesday to Lynn Haven for kids to pick us up.

Prizer Point Marina and campground

We locked through Cheatam after the fog lifted this morning. We had 98 miles to cruise today to Prizer Point. It was a nice day to cruise, but there were so many barges on the River with really huge loads. We arrive Prizer Point and topped off fuel and went to our covered slip. After tying up and securing boat I inquired about a courtesy car for grocery shopping. The owner loaned me her car and pointed me in the right direction. I was so thankful because we had not bought any real groceries since Buzzard Rock way over a week ago and I was just about out of everything. 

We are staying 2 nights here so we can get the boat ship shape for the next leg on the Tennessee River to the Tenn-Tom. 

Granville Marina Cumberland River to Defeated Creek

We left Shady Cove and cruised up the Cumberland River to Granville Marina. We arrived before lunch and topped of fuel tanks, grabbed a bite to eat and went for a walk. Cell service was spotty, but they did have internet. We had planned to leave from there early the next morning and cruise to the end of the navigable waters of the Cumberland to Celina and turn around. We did just that and then went to Defeated Creek marina for the night to try a different place. We had made arrangements with the lock-master to lock through at 10am Thursday morning. Alan the owner of Defeated Creek has recently bought this marina and is really trying to turn it around. They were very nice and accommodating to us. It is a beautiful setting with a Army corp campground and hiking trails on the property. We left around 9:45am Thursday morning to make the 10am lock. We were greeted by lock master Lampton with 2 grocery bags of FRESH homegrown tomatoes. WHAT A TREAT! He said he liked to treat his out of state customers and they were GOOD. After locking through we had decided that we would cruise all day to get through 2 more locks to be close to the Barkley Canal. There was a back up on the Cheatam lock when we arrived and so we anchored for the night in a really nice spot on the Harpeth River. This is the same anchorage that Eva and Rob Stowe were at in their side trip book. VERY PEACEFUL NIGHT AND THE SCENERY WAS BEAUTIFUL.

Shady Cove Marina and Resort on Cumberland River

We left Cherokee Marina and Steakhouse after topping off our spare gas cans because of the possible fuel shortage. Chris Cunningham of Cherokee was great with info about Cumberland River and the area. We bought a chart for the river and a guide book for the river . We left and cruised slowly to absorbed our surroundings and conserve the fuel. We arrived at Shady Cove Marina and campground around mm 249 which is about 2 miles of the channel, but well worth the trip. It is absolutely beautiful back on the creek. Gene and Lucy Conyer bought the place about 4 years ago and have really made quite a retreat. They have a restaurant, Tick Bar and all the other necessities like shower and laundry room. The restaurant was closed on Mondays, but Lucy brought Alan and I out a plate of catfish, fries, white beans and cole slaw for us to eat. Man, I thought I had died and gone to heaven eating some good southern food. I was so appreciative that she would do that. Good ole southern hospitality. They winter in Okeechobee, Fl and of course knew where Clewiston was. 

They really have something going in this place and we wish them the best of luck. We have to stop back by here on our way back on a Thursday or Friday and check out the Tiki Bar action.

Everyone along this river have been so gracious and the scenery is spectacular. The leaves are just starting to change here and it is beautiful.

Cherokee Steak House and Marina

We arrived at Cherokee Marina in the afternoon , topped off fuel and got a slip for the night. The nice young dock hand told us about the storm that was coming the next day. We connected to wi-fi and sure enough Ike was heading our way. After securing the lines we went to eat at the Steakhouse and enjoyed a great meal and the A/C. Temperatures were in the 90's today and very humid. After a restless night due to the heat we started out on Old Hickory Lake, but turned back to Cherokee and tied up to weather the storm. It finally cooled down a bit and we decided we would leave tomorrow morning for Cordell Hull Lake.

Rock Harbor Marina and Nashville

Tennesee Titan stadium and Nashville looking up Broadway

Honky Tonk "The stage"  and band Sweet tea and the homewreckers

Didn't go in there Carla NElson and Scott Collier

BB Kingsmen and Chainsaw Dupont playing the Blues

We left Buzzard rock this morning and cruised to Rock Harbor marina. Nashville's city docks were closed for 5 days so we decided to stay at Rock Harbor and take a cab into Nashville. We got settled in and went to eat at the Blue Moon Lagoon cafe for dinner and some A/C that was much needed. We had a great meal and our waitress Andrea was full of great info about Nashville. We also found out that we were eating in a restaurant that Erv Woosley (George Strait's manager) owned. THis is a very popular place and boats could also cruise up to their dock and eat. 

We went into Nashville around 10:00am by cab and we walked around the waterfront then went into the Stage for a little entertainment. THe band was good and then it was lunch time. We ate at a nice restaurant on Broadway then went to the famous Tootsie's. There was a great band there playing and we stayed for a while. The singer Scott Collier and the fiddle player Carla Nelson was totally awesome. They should both be recording and playing all over. 

To finish the night and day off we went to BB KINGS for some blues. Chainsaw Dupont from Chicago and the BB Kingsmen were playing and bringing down the house. This was a fun day for us both and we will now continue our trip on the Cumberland River to our next stop.

Alton to Hoppies then on to Buzzard Rock in Ky

We left Alton and cruised to Hoppies on the Mississippi. We were dodging logs and current all the way there. We fueled up at Hoppies and purchased 3 more 5 gal jugs to carry extra fuel on our next leg. We would be cruising 259 miles and no fuel stops between Hoppies and the Cumberland River. Now Hoppies was a unique marina in itself. It was about 4-5 barges linked together with electric and water setup and the fuel dock We actually had a GREAT nights sleep and it was an experience I won't forget. We left at 7am this morning and cruised 259 miles, through 3 locks and 3 rivers to get to Buzzard Rock marina by 6pm. We had one incident on the Ohio River when we hit a log that we did not see. The propeller was slightly bent, but we could still keep going and Alan will change it tomorrow. You would think after all the lumber we saw floating in the Mississippi and did not see ANY in the Ohio River , that is where we nailed it hard. 

Alton, Mo

We arrived Alton and pulled into ramp so that Randy could pull the boat out of the water and service the motor. All went well and he had her back n within an hour. We really appreciated Randy and his son for spending there Sunday with us. We cruised back to our slip at the marina and then decided to take a walk around Alton which wasn't that much to see. We walked by the casino and yes we ducked inside for a little bit. A very short bit since we each had $20.00 bucks to play with. Well, it was a good night for us and we came out winners and ran as fast as we could to the boat so that we would hold on to it. 

When we got back to the boat I was fixing the dinner and Alan was on the deck of the boat watching a show over at the next dock. Obviously the young lady had way too much to drink as she was pole dancing to music and EVERYBODY could see it.  

Tall Timbers Marina to Grafton Mo and Linda is a year older

We left Tall Timbers and headed for Grafton Marina. We arrived and decided to stay 3 nights, clean out boat and just relax a bit. Friday morning I met Duanne in the marina store and started talking about boats. He used to own a c-dory and invited Alan and I out that night. He took us to Fast Eddies in Alton which has the cheapest food around(and it was good) as long as you buy a drink. They served bottled tea so I was good. The shrimp and wings were fantastic and the atmosphere was great. The next day we celebrated my over the half century mark by riding bikes to the state park and having lunch at the lodge. 10 miles later, sore butts and me not feeling any younger we came back to the boat and had soup for dinner. 

We met Randy Sheehy a C-dory dealer from St. Louis who came to look at out Cape Cruiser 23. Randy made the arrangements to haul out our boat and have her serviced tomorrow at Alton. We will leave in the morning for the short 15 mile trip and stay the night there. 

Chicago to Peoria, Il

We left Chicago and had a great cruise through the city. It was amazing from the water to see what rush hour is like in the mornings. People were everywhere walking across several bridges, taking water taxis, trains and etc. It was a beautiful morning for cruising and the weather was great. The locks went smooth until later in the afternoon and it started getting busy on the river with barges. We had to wait an hour and half for the last lock so we pulled into Starved Rock marina(wonder how they got that name)for the night near Ottawa, Illinois. Very nice people and marina. It had been so hot that day that I thought we might had somehow been beamed back to Florida. The humidity was about 85%. After not much sleep we topped off the fuel tanks and headed south again. The river was busy again today with barges so we had to wait for locks. We stopped and fueled up again at the Illinois Valley yacht club and had a great lunch. They called ahead at a marina for us near Peoria to expect us. We arrived about 5:30pm and tied up for the night. They are expected Gustave here tomorrow so we will see if we are going to travel. It has really been interesting on this leg of the trip watching the barges and how they operate. They have 3 or 4 barges and sometimes 2 wide that they are pushing along the river. Seems like barge traffic is up this summer, which I am sure has to do with the price of fuel and the economy.

Chicago-Pictures

Roosevelt Bridge and Sears tower in background 

Rush hour taxis along waterway in the morning

Skyscapers and and those who have to go to work

walking on bridge during rush hour

Chicago Harbor Lock and Soldier Field "DA BEARS"

Chicago skyline and cruising through the Chicago River

South Haven to Chicago

We left SOuth HAven about 11am on Sunday and arrived CHicago around 2:45pm after crossing Lake Michigan in nearly flat waters. It was the smoothest ride we have had on Lake Michigan since Mackinaw. We arrived at Burham harbor in Chicago and tied up to dock. We knew it would be busy because it was the holiday weekend. We just didn't know HOW busy. We requested another dock space the next morning and they moved us to an inside spot. We visited the Shedd aquarium on Monday and had a good time. We got to see the final dolphin show for the season that afternoon and it was pretty cool. It was so hot we just hung out for the A/C. Tomorrow will be an early morning so we can get through the Chicago Harbor lock early. We want to see the city when it is hopping by water.