10/31/2010 THE RIVER SECTION OF THE TENN-TOM WATERWAY

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 FROM ABERDEEN TO COLUMBUS, MS



SUNDAY


HOPE Y’ALL HAD A SUPER SPOOKY HALLOWEEN!


TOTAL MILES TRAVELED TODAY: 24 NM


TODAY’S LOCKS:

      ABERDEEN LOCK    MM 357.5      27’ LIFT












Before departing the dock, Dan called the Aberdeen Lock on this chilly Halloween morning and was told they would be ready for us in about 30 minutes. This gave us just enough time to finish our departure prep and head out. We followed Sleeping Bear out the spooky, twisty channel and, sure ‘nuff, the green light was on and the lock gates were open.

WE FOLLOWED SLEEPING BEAR OUT THROUGH THE SNARLED
TREES LINED CHANNEL FROM THE MARINA

SLEEPING BEAR IN THE ABERDEEN LOCK

Since we were only traveling 24 NM to our next dock at Columbus, both boats just poked along. We are now traveling in the River Section of the Tenn-Tom. It is 149 miles in length with four locks and a channel depth of 9’. More than thirty cutoffs were created to eliminate some of the more severe bends and we could see the river connecting with the dredged channel over and over again.

THE RIVER WEAVES IN AND OUT OF THE RIVER SECTION OF
THE TENNESSEE-TOMBIGBEE WATERWAY

Sunday or not, this grain facility was loading its goods onto the waiting barge. The dust was flying and the barge was sagging under the weight.

LOADING UP THE BARGE AT THE TOM SOYA GRAIN ELEVATOR

Sleeping bear had to throttle way back as we got behind this tow and barge raft that we came upon just before arriving at the turn for Columbus.  As the tug proceeded to enter the John C. Stennis Lock, Sleeping Bear made a hard to port into the Columbus Marina and we followed.  Quest was fueled, pumped out and tied up before 2:00. Ganymede, who left Aberdeen yesterday, was there and also Tortuga that we had seen in Drummond when we checked back into the US from Canada. Several more boats came in as evening neared and the place filled up nicely.

OUR ONLY TOW TODAY AND WE DIDN'T COME UPON
THEM UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO OUR TURN FOR COLUMBUS

THE LOVELY TORTUGA
WE TIED UP IN THE EMPTY SLIP RIGHT NEXT TO HER

We ended up sharing the courtesy van with David and Mary (Ganymede) with Ron from Irish Eyes joining us in the search for dinner. During our short drive to town we came upon several deer, a fox zipping across the street and a cottontail by the roadside.  Now I know it is Halloween but, believe me, these were no costumed kids but the real McCoy of the Mississippi wildlife.  We found our way to Mi Hacienda for a pretty good Mexican meal before retiring to our respective boats for a “ghoul-less” night.