LOOP Report 10/21/2004

Thursday, October 21, 2004

Pulled into a marina called Columbus in the dark and mist after a very long, long , long day….. It all started a day ago as a foggy morning checking with the lockmaster to see about locking down in the AM from Aberdeen Marina…”how’s the fog south of the lock?” “Well, you’ all might say it’s socked in down stream but ok up…come on down and we’ll put you through if you care to try”. We motored over slowly and went up against the lock wall to see a massive log and garbage field you could walk across…Now all this came from a massive downpour the day before,.like I mean 3 to 4” of rain and thunder and lightning while we stayed at Midway marina –tornado warnings just to our north by 40/50 miles. Leaving south from Midway at noon we saw and dodged lumber all the way to our next marina at Aberdeen. We had an idea we’d see it again. While staying at the marina we borrowed the town car and went to have dinner at the Best Western (that’s all their was folks). You guessed it …nothing to write home about… Back to the next morning and up against the wall at the lock. No way lockmaster ….not going through that. He says—“We are bringing up a barge and crane in an hour and we’ll bucket it out shortly”.to save you from the rest of the day we didn’t get through until 6:00PM and it got dark fast and we led the way for three other boats with radar and minimum visibility through mist and fog dodging more floating bits and pieces.

A half moon lit up the way down the ditch to our next marina with staff waiting to help us into the slip. We had a great late dinner with a few belts to calm down from the all day journey… So next morning they’re playing the national anthem at 6:30 AM for the start of a Bass Tournament with many,many, pro fisherman here with their amazing rigs with 250 HP outboards all heading out. We could not leave as we discovered our starboard engine had both engine mount bolts sheared on it’s port side. Found a loose nut on the back mount to cause vibration we think. While it got fixed David and I checked out the pros coming in with their catches. Allowed 5 fish and are weighed while bagged alive. Then are put back in the river system for another day. 3 days of fishing ..the third day only the top 6 get to play. Prizes are Big - a Ford pick-up .

Pat and Susan ,..well they went to the town for a couple hours to see not much at all apparently. We are fixed ready to leave again in the AM. Let’s hope they got the locks cleared of the river junk so we can get on down to Demopolis. Forgot to mention some of the ignorant skippers in big 50’Sea Ray type boats giving us the big wakes cause they are in a hurry. Well, one coming by us out of a lock with a 6’ wake didn’t see the barge coming up at us because he was so busy trying to avoid the 6” wake I suddenly put up for him to cross over, he had to back off and come in behind and follow us until the barge went by. I actually think I did him a favour….If you’re asking….yes , we are having a fun adventure.

Loopers: Teddy, Patsy, Davee, Susie