Mississippi and Friends

Days on cruise:  187

Distance traveled:  46.5 miles

Travel time:  6 hrs, 6 minutes

Total trip odometer:  4,160 statute miles

We didn’t pull the anchor and get underway until 8:30, a bit late for us. The Tennessee River continued to twist and wind its’ way south, barge traffic remained light, and the weather was a bit warmer today. And we entered our 16th state late in the day:  Mississippi!  We’re spending the night at the junction of Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, but just a tiny bit over the line into Mississippi.

Old, abandoned barges, like this one on which trees are growing, are not uncommonly seen.

This remnant of a broken down barge and its’ freight sit high on the shores, presumably from a spring time when the waters were high.

Cherry Mansion on the banks of the Tennessee River, seen in the photo below, was built in 1842 and given to the builder’s daughter and son-in-law, the Cherry’s, as a wedding present. During the time leading up to the Civil War Mr. Cherry was a union loyalist, while his wife’s family were confederate supporters. Eventually the house was overtaken by Major General U.S. Grant and his Union forces and used as their headquarters. 

A newer replica of the Cherry Mansion stands on an adjacent property, shown below.

The Tennessee River, in the section we traveled today, alternates between pretty, undeveloped land and tracts of RV and mobile home parks. Riverfront lots are advertised for sale for as low as $19,500.  Boat ramps and small docks which look like they’re removed in the winter as the water levels rise are common.

Toward the end of today’s travel we arrived at the Pickwick Lock and Dam, a 57-foot lift from the Tennessee River to Pickwick Lake. We locked through with one other small pleasure boat.

This was our favorite kind of lock: those which have floating bollards requiring only one dock line amidships to secure the boat while the water level rises.

Pickwick Lake has steep shoreline in places, so construction methods include tall retaining walls below residential units.

Other large hillside homes have funiculars to travel down the hill to boathouses and docks far below on the lake.

Finally, we turned into Yellow Creek where we were scheduled to meet up with friends Jim and Sharon on their 40-foot Albin, Blue Angel, anchored in Zippy Cove. This is their boat seen on approach.

We met Jim and Sharon in the Florida Keys in February, liked them immediately, so re-connected on Lake Michigan in August when they were visiting home. They live on their boat full-time but spend a month or so each summer in Michigan with Sharon’s sister. For the first time on our Loop, we rafted up with Blue Angel, rather than setting our own anchor. Generous of Jim and Sharon to invite us!

We were intrigued to learn that Blue Angel has a stationary bicycle on her flybridge, and Jim is riding hard each day to stay in shape. Bob is threatening to order one to be delivered to us in Huntsville, AL! Cathryn is not so sure.

So we shared cocktails and dinner (delicious chili cooked by Sharon) on our sundeck, and Jim walked through our charts with us showing us all the great anchorages we shouldn’t miss as we continue down the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in the next month.