SMITHVILLE, MS TO COLUMBUS, MS

Thursday, October 23rd, 2014

Day 80
Miles Traveled: 42
Total Miles Traveled: 1709

  We started the morning with a beautiful sunrise which we viewed from inside Wilkens Lock.  This was the first of three locks that we went through on this day.

Sunset in Whitten Lock

  

  We again traveled with Tom and Linda aboard "Raydiance".  They did a great job leading us through the locks and waterway.  The morning started out with some fog as we entered the channel just past Wilkens Lock.  The fog seemed to hang in the middle of the channel as seen in picture below.  At times we were unable to see "Raydiance" ahead of us, but we could see the bank.

"Raydiance" is directly ahead of us

Now you can see her

  After Aberdeen Lock we left the "Canal Section" and entered the "River Section" of the Tenn-Tom.  This section has many twists and turns and goes on for 150 miles in total.  Along this section, there can be forests that seem flooded and banks that are eroded.

Shoreline on Tenn-Tom "River Section" - forest in water

Shoreline on Tenn-Tom "River Section" - eroded banks

  Some areas of the channel along this section can be narrow, making for close quarters if meeting a tow.  We could almost reach out and shake the tow captains hand with this passing.

Passing closely to a tow boat with barges

  We ended our cruise day at Columbus Marina in (guess where) Columbus, MS.  There were many other Looper boats already docked at this marina, so we got to visit again with some of the couples we had met at the AGLCA Fall Rendezvous in Rogersville, AL.

Columbus Marina

  Dinner was at Hucks with Tom & Linda ("Raydiance") and Frank & Gail ("Double Time").  We had a fabulous time with great southern cajun food and lots of laughs.