Had to stay in Pebble Isle another day to wait out thunderstorms. Went to dinner with the crew of Kitumba in the next town. The harbormaster recommended a Mexican restaurant to them, so Mike and I skeptically went along. Place smelled good enough, and a margarita sounded really good. Our waiter advised they don’t have margaritas. O.k., a Tecate’ with a lime would suffice. Our waiter advised they don’t have beer. Apparently, we were in a dry county. We are still shaking our heads over a Mexican restaurant without a bar. After dinner, we hosted Kitumba over to Forever Friday for Old Fashioneds.

The following morning, we departed Pebble Isle after some fog lifted. The trees this time of year are so pretty.

Tucked into Clifton Marina in Clifton, TN around 3:30pm in a brisk wind. This was one of our favorite stops last year. The marina has new ownership; the new owners and staff are still wonderful. Took a walk into the very small town.

The next morning was foggier than the prior one. We again waited a while to depart. When we did, the fog looked so cool on the water.

The homes along this stretch are gorgeous.

We approached Pickwick Lock and Dam. Last year when we were here, the dam was releasing 140,000 cubic feet of water per second. It was a hellacious e-ticket ride! This year, no water was being let out and it was perfectly calm. The lock master advised us some maintenance was being done, and asked we tie up to the long lock wall for a bit.

So, while we were waiting at the lock wall, a bunch of water started pouring out of the end of the auxiliary lock to our left. Then, more water. Our calm wall became a wave pool. Our trusty fenders did a great job while we were bucking.

Ultimately got through the lock (which was very smooth…thank you lock master!) and onto beautiful Pickwick Lake.

We pulled into Aqua Yacht Marina in Iuka, MS (pronounced “Eye-ooka”). We were planning to have FF hauled and give her a fresh coat of bottom paint the following Monday.

The next day, Robin and Charlie of M/V The Lower Place took us out on their pontoon boat for the afternoon. We lunched at the Pickwick State Park Resort, and meandered around the lake. Was a gorgeous day.

Robin and Charlie live in Counce, TN, the next town over. They graciously hosted us for dinner numerous nights and treated us to some epic (and very competitive) games of dominoes and Mexican Train.

Saturday, Mike and I took the marina courtesy car into Corinth, MS to check it out. We went to the Dollar General and bought some stuff. The local radio cut out a few times to advise of severe thunderstorms in the area and to take cover. We drove back to Iuka. About 15 minutes after we got to the marina, a small tornado (oxymoronic, I know) wiped out the road we had been on, in addition to power lines, and electricity spanning counties. When we next drove through, we saw gigantic, uprooted trees, and numerous trees split like splinters. We just missed it! Weather here is crazy.

We hung out with Charlie and Robin over the weekend (during thunderstorms), and had FF hauled out Monday.

Wednesday and Thursday’s weather forecasts were not good, but we were hoping we’d at least get splashed by Friday. While our boat was on the hard, we crashed Robin and Charlie’s beautiful house. I got to do lots of loads of laundry for free while watching a big screen tv! It was heaven–oh, the things one takes for granted!

On Monday, I was running errands in Corinth and was starving. I went to the storied Abe’s Grill which has been serving up delicious greasy food since 1975. I ordered a patty melt and home cut fries. When I asked if I could have my melt on rye bread, I was advised by a shocked Abe that “We don’t have that Yankee bread down here!” My patty melt on white bread was very, very yummy. The fries (which had enough grease to lube a locomotive) were also amazing. The character of this place was just wonderful, and Abe and his wife (who proudly told me they “don’t use any of that fake Sysco stuff here) were absolutely charming.

Tuesday, Mike and I drove through more areas of downed trees to Shiloh National Military Park. Taken from Wikipedia:

The Battle of Shiloh was one of the first major battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The two-day battle, April 6 and April 7, 1862, involved about 65,000 Union troops under Ulysses S. Grant and Don Carlos Buelland 44,000 Confederates under Albert Sidney Johnston (killed in the battle) and P.G.T. Beauregard. The battle resulted in nearly 24,000 killed, wounded, and missing. The two days of fighting did not end in a decisive tactical victory for either side—the Union held the battlefield but failed to pursue the withdrawing Confederate forces. However, it was a decisive strategic defeat for the Confederate forces that had massed to oppose Grant’s and Buell’s invasion through Tennessee. After the Battle of Shiloh, the Union forces proceeded to capture Corinth and the critical railroad junction there.

So sobering seeing these reminders of the Civil War. So many American lives lost.

Wednesday night, we were invited to a birthday party upon At Ease, a huge Carver owned by Ben and Chantall. I can’t find the pictures, but we had 22 people in their saloon. Was a great time!

Thursday, Mike and I ran some errands. We had a delicious breakfast at R&B Barbecue, then went to The Outpost of Pickwick Dam. This place has one of the coolest stories I’ve heard. https://www.kcbx.org/post/faith-based-outpost-bait-shop-diner-provides-life-transforming-secondchances#stream/0 Because we had just had breakfast, we did not eat here. But, we did smell and gaze longingly at the ~30 pork butts in the smoker! We also chatted with the wood cutter and bought a piece I fell in love with that now sits on Robin and Charlie’s patio.

Thursday night, Robin and Charlie hosted 8 other Loopers to their home. Charlie and I both made chili, Robin made cornbread, and Chantall made a honey apple torte which was amazing. Everybody left before 8:00pm, an hour before Loopers’ midnight. Thursday was Halloween. Best sign we saw was at the local backhoe company:

Friday morning, FF got splashed! I did a huge provision and put away the laundry. With a fresh bottom, and waxed hull, FF was ready to get back on the water.

Robin and Charlie (who have done the Great Loop twice) dropped our lines just before 1:00pm. We bid au revoir to our most gracious hosts, and headed south. Traveled 38 miles and dropped the hook at Upper Fork Cove in Dennis MS. Beautiful anchorage we had all to ourselves! This anchorage is just a couple miles from Whitten Lock, which we were hoping to lock through in the morning.

This morning, awoke to pea soup fog. It was thick!

The Whitten Lock is the fourth highest single lift lock in the US raising and lowering vessels 84 feet. Unfortunately for us, the Whitten lock this day was only locking recreational vessels at 8:00am, noon and 4:00pm. We ventured out onto the navigational channel around 7:45am, but the fog was too thick, and our visibility too limited, so we decided to follow our electronic breadcrumbs back to our anchorage, drop the hook, and wait for the fog to lift and lock at noon. The fog did, indeed, lift, and we locked through without incident.

After Whitten, we locked through 2 more locks and dropped the hook just north of Fulton Lock. Was a pretty trip.

Fingers crossed the fog will dissipate early tomorrow so we can get some good miles in. 9 more locks to go until we hit Mobile, AL, salt water, and hopefully warm weather!

Cheers! M&M