Sunday, November 5 – Tuesday, November 7

Swallow Bluff Island

Once again, Kentucky Lake proves to be magnificent -homes on stilts, stately mansions, autumn foliage and stony cliffs climbing the shoreline. We are in an area called “Bath Springs.”

Mark’s First Dinghy Ride

It’s always heartwarming to witness a Looper’s “first” boating experience. Early afternoon we anchor in Swallow Bluff Island. Mark on Paradise was so excited to put his dinghy in the water and take it for a spin.

Donna and Doug on Hattitude invites everyone – Sunshine, Hattitude, and Paradise – over for steaks. I offer to bring salad, Tracy potatoes, and Mel a macaroni salad. Mark and Mel pick us up on their dinghy and off we go.

Donna and Doug love to entertain and we are more than grateful for their hospitality.

Power of Social Media

En route to Swallow Bluff Island, Captain Pat spots a black buoy in the water – a big one. He manages to retrieve it. We see its new and in great shape.

Donna calls me and tells me that she sees on the AGLCA Facebook post that the boat Elysium has lost a fender. They happen to be anchored in the same anchorage as us. I had their boat card from our stay at Paris Landing.

We contact Elysium and they are thrilled with our rescue of their fender. The next morning we do the handoff – they are elated.

The Tennessee, Kentucky Lake, and Tombigbee Waterway to Mobile Bay

Our route from Green Turtle Bay Resort to Mobile Bay is 655 miles! Our “official” distance on the Tennessee-Tombigbee (Tenn-Tom) River is 234 miles. It is the connection between Kentucky Lake (Tennessee) and the Black Warrior-Tombigbee River and completes our voyage via the Alabama and Mobile River to Mobile Bay.

The Tenn-Tom waterway has eleven locks and was a bigger man-made canal project than the Panama Canal!

The Tenn-Tom is the most popular route to the Gulf of Mexico. Before it was completed the only route from Chicago to the Gulf was the lower Mississippi River. The Tenn-Tom shortens our distance from Chicago to the Gulf ICW by 400-miles and from Chicago to Mobile Bay by almost 650 miles!

Many Loopers refer to the entire waterway from Paducah (Mile 0 on the Tennessee River) to Mobile Bay as the Tennessee-Tombigbee Route or Waterway. Technically the “Tenn-Tom” is only 234 miles of this 655 miles of waterway system to Mobile Bay.

We are told the waterway is not as busy with tow traffic as the Mississippi, but you encounter a few. Give them plenty of room, particularly on tight bends. The wakes from passing tows is a gentle roll and not as choppy as large cruisers. In narrow sections the wake will bounce back and forth for some time.

Per our AGLCA Guidebook:

“The Tenn-Tom route to Mobile is one of the most remote sections on the Loop. Once past Grand Harbor Marina, there’s not a lot to do if you are one who thrives on Tiki bars and nightlife.”

To Grand Harbor Marina

Monday we leave the anchorage and head to Grand Harbor Marina. Hattitude and Paradise are in a nearby marina, Safe Harbor Aqua.

We have a two-day stay at Grand Harbor and are so looking forward to it. After working so hard in Green Turtle Bay, Captain Pat needs a respite. He says he is not doing any work, just resting.

The Admiral knows that will never happen.

A Rocketship Ship!

En route to Grand Harbor, we see a very different looking motor vessel. It says on the side “Rocketship.”

After some investigation we discover it is indeed a “rocket” ship. It carries parts used to make a rocket ship!

“ULA” stands for “United Launch Alliance,” an American aerospace manufacturer, defense contractor and launch service provider that manufactures and operates a number of rocket vehicles that launch spacecraft into orbits around Earth and other bodies in the solar system.

R/S RocketShip is a unique cargo ship used to transport rockets from ULA’s 1.6 million square foot production facility in Decatur, Alabama.

RocketShip has been in use for nearly two decades, bringing Delta IV rocket stages to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

RocketShip is a highly maneuverable custom-built rocket transport ship able to navigate both rivers and ocean – the only U.S. flagged ship with this versatility. The roll-on, roll-off cargo ship is 312 feet long, weighs nearly 19 million pounds, has complete living quarters and dining area for its crew of sixteen, a heli-pad on the top deck, a below deck machine shop and sophisticated computers and navigational aids on the bridge.

Just yesterday ULA made the news, as the sale of ULA is nearing its end, with three potential buyers. Jointly owned by Lockheed Martin and Boeing, ULA was founded in 2006 and for a time had a monopoly on US government launch contracts.

Sources say the three buyers include a private equity fund, the Jeff Bezos-owned space company Blue Origin, and a well-capitalized aerospace firm interested in increasing its space portfolio.

Wood Chips

We continue down the rivers, and are surprised to see this barge towing “wood chips.” The tow captain tells Pat they are from a large wood chipping facility. The barge is headed for Kentucky.

Arrival at Grand Harbor Marina

November 6 and 7

We are so grateful to be at a marina! Our slip is next to the office and facilities.

The Admiral is embarrassed as we dock. I can’t seem to follow the Captain’s orders fast enough. A fellow Looper from Sea No Evil, Todd, comes to the rescue. They are docked beside us. I met his wife Maria in DuSable Harbor in Chicago. They are docked beside us.

After Captain Pat hooks up the water, we hear a loud “boom!” It sounds like a shotgun. We discover the water pressure blew off the hose in the back of the boat.

Todd comes over and gives Pat an apparatus that will slow the water pressure from the dock, so your water lines won’t blow. Todd has an extra and says we can keep this one. The Captain is impressed, it is made of copper.

Stay tuned – Todd will prove even more helpful later in our journey.

Tennessee or Mississippi?

I am greeted by a cheerful Harbor Master when I enter the marina office to check in. I notice on my phone the location reads “Iuka, Mississippi.”

Me: “I have a crazy question for you. Are we in Tennessee or Mississippi?”

Harbor Master: “Not crazy at all! You are in both!

By land you are in Tennessee – if you drive into the nearby towns. The water, however, is in Mississippi. Anything you purchase at the marina – fuel, supplies, etc. – is taxed by Mississippi. On land everything is taxed by Tennessee.”

Shilo National Military Park

Most Loopers are excited to be at Pickwick, the site of the Shilo National Military Park – six thousand acres commemorating the epic struggle of the Civil War. Nearly 110,000 American troops clashed in a bloody contest that resulted in 23,746 casualties, more casualties than in all of America’s previous wars combined.

The park features military reenactments, museums, films, ranger programs and walking tours. A fellow Looper says “you have to go. It is quite sobering.”

We are not in the mood for anything sobering.

We are interested in a trip to WalMart and a dinner out. I reserve the car for tomorrow afternoon.

Looking back, we probably should have made a visit to Shilo. Next time.

Shiny Boats

The Grand Harbor Marina is next to the Grand Harbor Resort. There’s a lounge and gym in their main lobby.

Walking to the resort you pass the boats docked in the marina slips. I love the sailboats, especially the older ones.

I return to the boat and Captain Pat says “Did you see all the boats?”

Uh, yes, it is a marina.

He goes on to rave about how shiny the boat hulls are. He is so impressed he asks the marina staff if there is a detailing service nearby. They confirm there is an outstanding one that services this marina.

Captain Pat: “Wow, if I’d known that, we would have stayed another day. I could have had Sunshine polished and waxed and detailed.”

Anyone who knows the Captain knows he constantly cleans the boat. Does he ever take care of Sunshine!

Date Night – Walmart, Lowes, and Ma Ma Fia

Monday evening is a delightful adventure. The Captain drives us in the courtesy car to Savannah – Tennessee, that is. The marina recommends an Italian restaurant there – Ma Ma Fia (not Mia.)

It’s a dark ride on winding two-lane roads to Savannah. We head to WalMart, then to Lowe’s across the street. The Captain needs new knee pads. That’s how much work he’s done on the boat! His knee pads are worn out.

The dinner is fabulous and the service outstanding. “Baked spaghetti” which we have never heard of. Quaint restaurant – great recommendation.

We stop at a gas station to return the car filled up. There’s a honky tonk bar next to the gas station with an ominous name:

We make it back to the marina, unpack our provisions into the cart, make it down two flights of stairs, and traverse across the docks to our boat slip to unload. This reminds me of being at the Lake, heading to the island with groceries and God knows what else.

Flotilla to the Locks

We are grateful to be asked to join a flotilla of Looper boats that are leaving Grand Harbor tomorrow. It’s an early departure – 6 a.m. – and Todd on Sea No Evil is leading the troops to Midway Marina.

Thank goodness Captain Pat did not hear of that detailing service and we stayed behind a day. We would have missed a great flotilla through the next set of locks.