Integrity Cruise

Day 205: Bay Springs to Aberdeen, MS

Home

The Adventure

The Boat

About Us

Contact Us

Day 205: Thursday, November 17th: We had set the clock for 6:00am. When we awoke, Bill staggered to the radio and called the lockmaster at Whitten Lock, a mile and a half away to see how traffic was. He said, "Bring her on up, Cap'n, we'll lock you through with this towboat that is going back down."

We panicked and called Catnip Too and Pelican who had heard the whole conversation. They started to get underway as we eased out of the marina and into the lock. This is the devil from yesterday and the perfect timing friend for today. Behind that black glass is a lockmaster who, for the moment, is "DA BOSS!"

We all filed in and locked down and left the lock. By the way, we had been joined by another sailboat with the mast unstepped, Final Effort. So there were five boats marching down a chain of locks in the canal. It was cold and pretty.

A few miles downstream we arrived at Montgomery Lock; it went very smoothly:

Leaving the lock it looked like a mother duck and her four ducklings. First the mother and Final Effort:

Then Integrity and behind us, Catnip Too and Pelican.

And so it went for three locks.

Fulton Lock was next. We enjoyed imagining the lockmasters flipping their switches behind the black glass:

In spite of low water in the Tennessee they were still dumping water downstream so the Tombigbee and Black Warrior Rivers had water to navigate:

Just below the Montgomery Lock the tugboat SCAT was working a fleeting operation pushing a barge hard against a loading dock. His prop wash was horrific. He took up all but about 80 feet of the waterway and the prop wash took the rest. The tugboat got through OK and it was our turn. We were concerned:

We made it (obviously) but after about a 30-degree roll and significant course changes we were a little shaken. Too bad we didn't get more dramatic shots of the very dramatic passing of the other boats. We had no idea what that thing was on the barge SCAT was pushing against:

Final Effort, then Catnip Too and Pelican went through just fine:

We were headed almost due south at noon which put the sun directly in our eyes. The diamonds danced on the water but it made spotting buoys very difficult. The waterway seemed very primeval except for the occasional buoy:

We guessed that when they flooded this area to make the Tenn-Tom, the cypress trees, which were already in the swamps, got flooded out and died. That made for a strange seascape:

As we passed through six locks today it seemed evident they were letting more water out so the drought-plagued channel downstream could have adequate water. The earthen dams, as well as the concrete ones, were letting water out:

The sixth lock for the day was Amory Lock. The lockmaster was very nice - as are most of them:

Below Amory Lock we passed this tow. The captain was funny asking us to slow down so the "empty" hanging out on his side "wouldn't follow us all the way to Mobile." He was concerned that our wake might break the empty barge loose. We said, "No worry, Cap'n, we'll keep 'er flat fer ya." Bill felt like a real riverboat skipper as he slowed to "no wake" speed. Can you believe this guy was worried about us?

Now, gather your wits. Here is the scene that greeted us as we arrived at the channel to the marina where we had planned to stay for the night:

A little further and this is what we saw. Those stumps may be only a foot or two below the surface where we are headed!

EGAD! There is supposed to be a marina in there somewhere!

A sharp turn to the left and we saw the Mississippi version of "Cape Fear."

This is Aberdeen Marina in Aberdeen, MS. It is actually a very delightful place. The folks are very friendly and they sell diesel fuel at the best price we have seen since leaving the Chesapeake Bay back in May.

We pulled in and tied up for the night. It was supposed to be in the lower twenties again tonight, so the heaters were turned on and we were toasty warm for the night.

Six locks today for a total of 148.

Position tonight: N33 50.385 W088 30.505

To return to our Main Page simply

close this window.