November 20th,
2014. Gonna start south. Missy cannot break away from the Grandson,
her horse riding, wedding stuff with Rachael, and work so I am going to do the
Tenn Tom by myself. Drove back to
GTBM. Arrived at 8:30PM but gate was
locked to the south side of the marina where Aye Sea No Snow is tied up. No security on duty, I drove around and
around trying to figure it out or find someone to help me. Finally I found a nice lady working late on
boat lettering and she gave me the code.
Very cold in the boat. I put a
heater down below to make sure the motors start in the morning. Heater in the aft cabin plus a heated blanket
and after an hour I was toasty.
Nov 21st,
2014 Up at 6AM, motors started right
up. Everything coming together
nicely. Fueled at 8AM 2906 HRS, 205 gal
for $788.00. Left fuel dock at 9:15, met
up with tow “Christina Belcher” at 11AM at Hwy 68 bridge. Passed a couple of fishing boats at 11:30
(too cold for me to be fishing?). The
sun finally came out at 12:30 and things warmed up a bit. Pebble Isle Marina at 4:30, 1913.3 HRS. Went below to check on new transmission
(port)…it was way too HOT! Damn! I am not happy. The starboard transmission is cool to touch
and I cannot touch the starboard trans for too long or it will burn me.
Nov 22nd,
2014 Motors started at 6:10. Away from
the dock at 6:50 heading back to GTBM to solve transmission issue. Current pushing me (1.5 mph) so I am making
8.7 mph on one motor. Lots of duck
hunters shooting this morning. Met a
cruiser heading south at 10:10, frustrating that I am going north! GTBM at 4PM
2922.8 hrs. “Hit List” from
Bayport was at the fuel dock and then pulled in next to me. Not overly friendly. I have come to the conclusion people on fast
cruisers are not the same breed as people on trawlers!
November 23rd,
Hit List pulled out first thing. Surveyor
One pulled in around 4PM. I putted
around the boat with some small projects.
Drove into town to see if I could get an infared temp gun but the parts
store was closed. Chatted with Jim on
Surveyor One. He has been doing the loop
pretty much on his own but his small Ranger Trawler has thrusters so he can
handled it pretty easy. He is going to
head out in the morning. Rained all
day. Dinner at marina restaurant was
very good.
Nov 24th. Windy.
Jim tried to head out with his Ranger but way too rough. I found Gary at Boat Works at 8AM. He sent one of his guys down at 9AM. He thinks the two cooler lines were crossed
and he switched them. I had checked that
and thought they were okay but whatever.
It was way too windy to go out for a sea trail so I ran the boat in gear
at the dock in idle after I ran to town for a temp gun. Port trans was at 115 degrees and the
starboard was 75 degrees. Gary called
Jim Anderson at Anderson Diesel in Florida that had done the trans
rebuild. Jim suggested new hydraulic
lines. I took the old ones off and went
back to NAPA then put the new ones on and put the lines back where they were
after the original install. Temp dropped
to 95 degrees after switching lines but still hotter than starboard. I did some research and learned 190 degrees
is the top recommended temp. I also
called and talked to Jim Anderson. I
will give it a try in the morning and see what happens. Since I was all grubby I decided to do an oil
change. Washed up, did some laundry,
then Jim and I went over to Patti’s Landing for dinner. A real tourist trap with food for fat
tourists! Back to the boat and watched
Fergson MO go up in flames on CNN after the Grand Jury came in with it’s
decision on Michael Brown.
Nov 25th. Heading south again. Up at 5:30, very cold. Motors started at 6AM after shower in marina
rest rooms. Away from dock at 6:30,
Surveyor One right behind me. After
running 9.5 mph for an hour trans temps is 178 on port trans, lines are
100. Within max but still way hotter than
starboard (95 degrees). Jim took off
with his Ranger as he can cruise much faster with his planning hull. Met “Tom Huckabee” at 8:15 coming the other
way then “Elizabeth Ann” right behind at the Hwy 68 bridge. Sunny most of the morning but clouded up at
3PM and cooled down. Arrived at Cuba
Landing at 4:35 as scheduled. Jim was
already there. Jessica and her Yorkie
Poo met me at the dock. Beautiful
sunset. Trans ran 150 degrees all day so
I am thinking it is okay? 2934.1 HRS
Nov 26th. Up at 5:25, motors started at 5:40. Pretty foggy out in the channel. There are 2 tows parked right outside the
marina because of the fog. “Gilbert
Taylor” and “Jvessco”. Waited until 8:15
to leave, went out into the channel but it was too think so went back into Cuba
Landing. Headed out again at 8:50. Two tows going same direction in front of me
(Big A and Gilbert Taylor plus “Jvesscco coming toward me. I will not make Pickwick tonight as I had
hoped. Jim passed me at 9:25, he will
make Grand Harbor with his faster Ranger.
Lots of logs in the river today.
Port tans got up to 215 degrees after I sped up to pass Big A. I was running 8.8 mph against 1 mph
current. I backed the port motor down to
1100 rpm and the temp dropped to 175, then I dropped to 900 rpm and it dropped
to 145 degrees. At 1350 rpm it was 190
degrees. Arrived at Clifton Marina at
3:15 and discovered the port transmission was not engaging at idle when I
docked. Damn! After it cooled down for an hour it worked
fine. 2941.9 HRS
Nov 27th
Thanksgiving! Up st 5:45, motors started
at 6:20, away from dock at 6:35. Cold
and cloudy. Sun started to come out at
8:45. For the rest of the trip I am
going to run the starboard motor at twice the RPM of the port motor to save
what I can of the transmission. Ran with
the floor hatch open for some heat until 9AM as sun is now warming cabin. Cloudy again at 9:30, brrrr. Passed houseboat
“Paradise” at noon 15 miles from the lock.
I called Pickwick lock at 1:30 to let them know I was an hour out and
they told me a tow was in the process of locking through so it may be up to 3
hours before I can get through. I slowed
down a bit and arrived at 4:45.
Waiteduntil 4:40 to enter the chamber just at sunset. “Paradise” had caught up and joined me in the
chamber. Brian, the captain of Paradise
asked me where I was going and I replied Grand Harbor. He told me he was trying to get to Pickwick
State Park but since it was going to be pitch dark by the time we got out of
the chamber on top he asked if he could follow me to Grand Harbor. No problem, I told him, my pleasure. Especially on Thanksgiving, kinda nice to be
able to help someone out. So I ran slow
enough for them to follow (6mph). Sure
is nice to have radar and AIS. Met tow “Cecil”
coming the other way. The guard met us
at the dock at Grand Harbor. 2954.3
HRS. Had Tofu Turkey loaf sandwich for
Thanksgiving dinner.
Nov 28th, Slept in until 6:20 since
I needed to wait for the fuel dock to open up to get fuel anyway. Showered at the marina and “Paradise” took
off while I was in the shower but Brian left a business card thanking me. Nice morning gave me some time just to
reflect on the meaning of life and the Holidays. Fuel 148 gal = $580.00 for 330 miles. Left the marina at 9:15. “Three River” coming the other way at 12:30
at the end of the cut otherwise no traffic in the “ditch”. Entered Jamie Whitten lock at 1:50, out at
2:10. Entered Montgomery lock at
2:50. Doors closed at 3:00, opened at
3:10, out at 3:15. Rankin lock at 4:10,
down at 4:18. Fantastic service at the
locks today! Midway Marina at 5PM just
at twilight. 2962.2 HRS
Nov 29th,
Motors started at 6:20, away from dock at 6:30, in Fulton lock at 7AM, started
down at 7:08. Into Glover Wilkins lock
at 9:00, out at 9:15. “Cooper Deval” was
coming out of Amory lock as I approached at 9:35. Going down in Avory lock at 9:55. I talked to M/V Viven’s Aqua on the radio and
they told me they were heading to Aberdeen marina to watch football. I entered Aberdeen lock at 11:35 and just
then Viven’s Aqua requested a lock down.
Turns out they were not stopping at Aberdeen and I will a little
perturbed as I had wasted fuel by running ahead of them to Aberdeen. We got out of the lock at noon so it was not
too long of a delay but I just hate wasting any fuel at all. Arrived at Columbus lock at 2:35, doors
closed at 2:45, out at 3:10. Beautiful
evening. Last 4 miles pretty dark by
Chartplotter and Radar spot on. Channel
into Pirates Cove very well marked.
Arrived at 6PM 2972.6 HRS. Nice day on the water for sure!
Nov 30th,
motors started at 5:55, away from dock at 6:10.
Into Tom Belville lock at 6:22.
Out at 6:45. Very nice morning,
partly cloudy. Arrived at Howell Heflin
lock at 11:00, doors open 11:10, out at 11:30.
Arrived at Demopolis Yacht Basin at 4:40. Fueled, 118 gal = $418.05. Quick run to grocery store with courtesy
car.
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