Grand Harbor Marina

We had a good time at the rendezvous, but we were anxious to leave. 24 looper boats had planned to leave at one time and travel through the locks together. They made arrangements to go through the first lock at 9 AM. We thought there would be too much craziness for us to be in that group, so we made plans to leave in the dark and get to the lock at 6 AM. 2 other looper boats also left early so we went through the Wheeler Lock and the Wilson lock with them.

Once out of the locks it was an easy travel day to the Grand Harbor Marina and the start on the Tenn-Tom Waterway. We decided to stay here and also fuel up because they give a good discount to looper boats. Today we went from Alabama, spent a short time in Mississippi, and ended up in Tennessee.

The Tenn-Tom Waterway connects the Tennessee River at Pickwick Lake with the Tombigbee River in Demopolis, Alabama. Originally proposed in the 1700's by the French as a way of connecting these two navigable rivers, no effort was made to complete the waterway until much later. Construction began in December 1972. After much controversy the waterway was completed six months ahead of schedule on December 12, 1985. This mammoth undertaking moved more earth than was moved in the construction of the Panama Canal, and is relatively unknown throughout the US to the general public.

Tomorrow we'll make our way down the Tenn-Tom.

Leaving Joe Wheeler at sunrise

The marina owner's boat