27-OCT-2020 Tuesday – Kelleys Island, Mount Caramel TN (~TR mile 143) to Aqua Marina, Iuka MS (~TTR mile 449)        64.4 nautical miles (74.1 statute miles)

34°59’30.3″N 88°14’58.4″W
34.991746, -88.249568
Elevation: 409 feet
Total Elevation Change: 50 feet

Locks (1): Tennessee River Mile 206.7, Pickwick Landing Lock and Dam
States (3):  Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama

Plans on a boat are as the fluid as the river

As it turns out we are not running from the weather. We are running into it.  There is a 100% chance of rain on Wednesday(tomorrow) and Thursday.

Tough choice do we skip Clifton Marina and head directly to Aqua Marina?  Clifton Marina was a great little marina in a great town. We stayed there for about two weeks on our last Loop while Dale recovered from a pulled rib. We met some great people and hoped to visit them again this Loop.

Plans on a boat are as the fluid as the river. We opted to head directly to Aqua Marina. With heavy rain in the near future dams often prepare for it by drawing down the water. If they draw down a lot of water quickly or if the heavy rains overflow the dam entrances to the locks become extremely dangerous and unnavigable.

We opted for Aqua Marina as it is on the crossed through side of the Pickwick Lock. If we stayed in Clifton we’d probably be stuck for a few days.

Good Morning!

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Houses and River Banks

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The Battle of Shiloh (aka Battle for Pittsburg) April 7, 1862 was a crucial success for the Union Army, led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s Army of the Tennessee. The Union had about 13,000 casualties and the Confederates had about 11,000. It allowed Grant to begin a massive operation in the Mississippi Valley later that year.

Pickwick Lock

As feared, the river current was strong. They’re letting out water. Only the nun’s hat is showing.

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The Pickwick Lock and Dam

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The Tennessee River goes up Pickwick Lake and on to Chattanooga and past for another ~200 miles.

House just outside of Pickwick Lock. There was a lot of other pretty impressive real estate too.

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We hung a right at the Tenn-Tom. It’s all down river for us from here.

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Aqua Marina

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What a deal! The fuel dock was closing out all its beer for cost and IF we bought 4-6 packs we would get $.40 off per gallon. Easy math. 4-6 packs saved us $43.55 in fuel costs. Being Loopers we got 10% off our slip fees.

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Damn. We forgot about antennas and covered docks.☹

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We drank our beer and contemplated how dumb we were.

Dumb Laws

Tennessee Laws aren’t less weird than Kentucky Laws.

• Hollow logs may not be sold.
• More than 8 women may not live in the same house because that would constitute a brothel.
• Ministers are to be dedicated to God and therefore are not eligible to hold a seat in either House of the Legislature.
• Any person who participates in a duel may not hold any public office in the state.
• No Christian parent may require their children to pick up trash from the highway on Easter day.
• In Dyersburg – It is illegal for a woman to call a man for a date.
• In Fayette County – You may not have more than five inoperable vehicles on a piece of property.
• In Memphis – Illegal for a woman to drive a car unless there is a man either running or walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians.
• In Memphis – Panhandlers must first obtain a $10 permit before begging on the streets of downtown Memphis.
• In Nashville – Males may not be sexually aroused in public.
• In Nashville – All persons riding scooters must ride in single file.
• It is legal to gather and consume roadkill. According to Tennessee Code 70-4-115, if an animal killed by a motor vehicle is not a non-game or federally protected wildlife species, you may possess it for your personal use and consumption

Fun Facts

During Teddy Roosevelt’s 1907 visit to Tennessee, he was served Maxwell House coffee and coined the phrase, “Good ’til the last drop.”

Jack Daniel’s made his fortune in Lynchburg. He died after kicking a safe and allowing the wound to get infected. Ouch.

DALE FIXED THE ANTENNA. GREAT JOB DALE.