Mike and Patty's Great Loop Adventure 2018-2019

Riverstone Marina in Bath Springs, TN to Grand Harbor in Counce, Tennessee

Day #104: From last evening Mike and I played one game of cribbage which Mike won. Up at 5:30 A.M. at Riverstone Marina with overcast and humid conditions. We listened to the local weather predicting possible heavy thunderstorms. Mike and I talked to Bruce he had also listened to the local weather he was confident that the storms were going to miss us. We decided to go ahead and leave. Engines on at 6:35 A.M. the harbormaster Steve came out to assist us off the dock. At 6:45 A.M. we were underway with Asian carp jumping at our engines inside the yacht basin. At 7:05 A.M. the rain began to fall but no storms or winds but we did have two small rainbows. At 9:05 A.M. Mike had the RPMs at 2,000 we were maintaining 8.0 miles per hour which suggested that we had a 1 to 1.4 mile per hour current against us. At 10:30 A.M. there was heavy mist. Another looper boat "Bella" joined "Parrot Bay" and "Baytripper". Mike talked to "Bella" asking if they wanted to go into the lock with us and offered to call the lockmaster in which "Bella" thanked Mike for taking the lead on calling so that we weren't all calling the lockmaster. At 11:00 A.M. we were down to 7 miles per hour that suggested a 2 to 2 1/2 miles hour current against us. At 11:00 A.M. we had sandwiches on the flying bridge for lunch. At 11:10 A.M. we were at 6.5 miles per hour steady 2 to 2 1/2 mile hour current. at 11:45 A.M. Mike called the lockmaster via telephone at the Pickwick Lock and Dam who told Mike that we should continue heading toward the lock that he didn't know of any commercial traffic. The lockmaster told Mike about the bollards in the lock which were better to tie to that were less likely to be turbulent. The lockmaster asked Mike if any of the boats were sailboats letting Mike know the instructions that they give sail boaters. When Mike got off the phone he said how nice the lockmaster was on the phone. At 12:20 P.M. Mike hailed the lockmaster on VHF 14 the lockmaster informed us that he was to keep coming to the lock that he was draining the lock in preparation for us to lock through. At 12:35 P.M. we were given the green light and horn was sounded. At 12:40 P.M. we were secure in the lock. At 1:25 P.M. the gates were closed to the lock but than re-opened for a 4th boat (a looper boat) "Dream Quest". When we started to exit the lock the lockmaster was standing out talking to us as we were leaving wishing us a safe trip. We are at the highest level of our looping trip, here on the Tenn-Tom Waterway we are at 414 feet above sea level. We exited the Pickwick Lock (Lock #13) continuing onto the Tennessee River (Pickwick Lake). We talked to "Dream Quest" they were heading to Aqua Marina but "Bella" let us know that they were going to Grand Harbor. I called Grand Harbor to let them know that there would be three boats arriving at their location in approximately 30 minutes. We turned onto Yellow Creek as we were getting closer which is where the Tenn-Tom begins and is the location of Grand Harbor Marina. We were secure at 2:20 P.M. with "Baytripper". We traveled 52.7 miles today (1458 miles total for the trip). At 3:00 P.M. having docktails with Bruce and Bev. We met Sue from "Bella" At 5:45 P.M. we had hamburgers, baked beans, cottage cheese, deviled eggs with Bruce and Bev aboard "Parrot Bay". Time for quiet time reading and blogging.