At 0845, we left the docks at the Marina. This beautiful coastal state park was established in 1969 in order to preserve the unique environment along the intercostals waterway. A portion of the land was acquired with the first state expenditure for parkland since the purchase of Mount Mitchell in 1916. The park is home to the rare Venus flytrap and other species of insect-eating plants. There are a variety of habitats where you will be able to identify more than 30 species of coastal trees, shrubs and flowering plants.
The park is located at the west end of Snow’s Cut, which connects the Cape Fear River with the ICW. The park marina offers a ramp, fuel, a modified ship’s store and ample overnight dockage. The park offers five great trails to take advantage of.
The marina complex is wheelchair accessible. There’s an accessible fishing pier and a campsite in Area 2 available for persons with disabilities.
Climate—Winter daytime temperatures average above 44 degrees Fahrenheit (above 7 Celsius).
Summer daytime temperatures average above 80 degrees Fahrenheit (above
27 Celsius).
Precipitation—Average for this area above 52 inches (above 132
centimeters).
Contact Information:
Carolina Beach State Park, P.O. Box 475, Carolina Beach, N.C. 28248, Phone: 910-458-8206, Fax: 910-458-6350, cabestpk@isaac.net.
Around 1145 we approached the Pontoon / Sunset Beach Highway Bridge at MM 337.9. Had a 15 min, wait. You have to see this one.
It took us 25 minutes for us and several other boats to go through the bridge. We wanted to get through this one as soon as we could. Some times the bridge won’t open because of the water level.
So far things have been going smoothly. The scenery has been breath taken in some places. I wouldn’t want to own any of the homes along the ICW. One side is too close to the ocean (storm/hurricanes) and the other side is too expensive.
Some of the boat owner or who ever was the pilot needs to have a lesson on manners when it comes to smaller boat owners. Their wakes can cause some damage. We were (Deanna and I) soaking wet before the day was out.
We put in at the Osprey Marina, is located on the beautiful Yeopim River. It is a very nice place. I would give it a 4 star rating. It’s off the main water way, quite. There is a grill, store, repair, showers, laundry, and transient docking. They gave us a basket with cheese, crackers, and Danishes.
Osprey Marina
8400 Osprey Road
Myrtle Beach SC 29575
843-215-5333
Mile Marker: 373.3; Elect: 30/50A; Lndry: W/D; Dock: Float; Ice: BK/Bg; CTV: No; Sec.: Guard; POut: Free; VHF: 16; AD: >8’; DD: > 8’; Sh: 2; Pool: No; E-M: Yes; Cur: 4; WK: 4; WD: 4;
Monday, June 14, 2004, Day Two
Departure Point: Osprey Marina Myrtle Beach, SC
Arrival Point Ashley Marina Charleston, SC
Start time: 0745 End time: 1530
Total Hours: 8 hrs. 42 mins. Distance Traveled: 96 miles
At 0745 we left the marina heading south. This is a beautiful section of the ICW.
About 1050 we pass the Capt Ed Tug /with barges and 2 other smaller tugs. Their job was to keep the pipes in line. This is the same tug that left before we did from Wilmington, N. C.
The Waccamaw River is a beautiful section of the Waterway. It is an area of swamps, marshes, endless deep creeks, and dense forests. Some of the inhabitants of this part of South Carolina still speak the old Gullah dialect. On both banks are abandoned rice fields with now unused canals overhung by live oaks draped with long strands of Spanish moss. Many types of birds are present. A bird that is close to extinction---the ivory billed woodpecker (a large bird, not to be confused with the slightly smaller pileated woodpecker)—is said to live in this area.
Andersonville, S. C. the homes in this area have very long deck, high homes and some even have widow’s walk on them.
We are about 45 miles from tonight stop.
MM 425 we had the pleasure to see several dolphins, the must have found a good feed area. It looked like there might have been babies too.
(I have a special connection with dolphins. You see when my parents died they both were cremated and their ashes were spread in the ocean (which my dad spent most of his life) and as the last of their ashes went into the water two dolphins side by side came up in the very same place as the ashes went in. So my sisters, bothers and I take that as a sign that Mom and Dad are together for eternity.)
Charleston is located on a peninsula between the Cooper and Ashley Rivers. It is an especially good stopover for boats cruising the ICW. Most of the major cities on the Waterway don’t have marinas in the city itself.
Most pleasure-boat facilities are in the Ashley River, some of them beyond a fixed highway bridge with only 56 feet of vertical clearance. The average tide range in Charleston is 5.2 feet.
We made it across the bay around 1530 and stopped at Ashley Marina. We will stay the night here. This marina also had a bag filled with goodies for their customers. We got ever thing stowed away for the night, got showers and took the dogs for a walk. We took the courtesy car into town to do some shopping. Most of the stores around here were in the historical section of town. It was a very interesting tour that we had. Afterwards we came back, eat supper, and sat around for a while we all went to bed.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004, Day Three
Departure Point: Ashley Marina Charleston, SC
Arrival Point: Bahia Bleu Marina Thunderbolt, GA
Start time: 0645 End time: 1400
Total time: 6 hrs. 31 mins. Distance Traveled: 113.2 miles 
We were up ready to leave the Ashley Marina around 0645. The weather is rainy with cloud cover. There is a tropical storm in the Gulf. This means we have to keep a watchful eye on the weather.
All along the coast of South Carolina there are several historical lighthouses, Hunting Island, Morris Island, Georgetown, Hilton Head, Cape Romain, and Sullivan’s Island.
This is the true Carolina low country—flat marshland crisscrossed by wide rivers and narrow creeks. Most are deep and all are subject to swift currents caused by the 5- to 6-foot tides. Many of the rivers and creeks provide good anchorages. In this section, you won’t be able to predict the currents accurately; there are too many rivers emptying into the ocean, too close together.
One of the many things you will learn is to watch out for strong currents at every bridge and in narrow sections of the Waterway. Be especially careful when approaching bridges with the current, and allow for the current if the bridge must open for your boat. Boats traveling with the current have the right of way.
It is best to watch you wake and follow every sign that said NO WAKE, because in this section they really mean it. You will be fined.
Waterway travelers who want to sightsee in Savannah can stay at one of the marinas in Thunderbolt or Isle of Hope, both of which are suburbs of Savannah, and use the convenient municipal bus system to reach the city. There are three pleasure-boat facilities along the waterfront in downtown Savannah, but they are off the Waterway, approximately 9 miles up the Savannah River.
Savannah was laid out by General James Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia.
NOTE: It’s a good idea to fill your fuel tanks before leaving Thunderbolt or Isle of Hope because the next marina with fuel that is directly on the Waterway is about 100 miles away.
At 1400, we arrived at Bahia Bleu Marina.
BHW
First Mate
Wednesday, June 16, 2004 Day Four
Departure Point: Bahia Bleu Marina Thunderbolt, GA
Arrival Point: Jekyll Harbor Marina Jekyll Island, GA
Start time: 0630 End time: 1230
Total Hours: 6 hours Distance Traveled: 101.8 miles
From Bahia Bleu marina we left the dock at 0630, We were able to get our clothes washed, take a hot shower and purchase some supplies from the small store they operated.
NOTE: The weather was beautiful, a little cloud cover here and there but the sun came out towards the afternoon. It doesn’t seem like we went 101.8 miles today. All day we saw dolphins. They were right in front of the boat a couple of times.
St. Catherine’s Sound to Cumberland Sound, in this section contains not only the most ranges, but also the most critical ones. The 63 mile stretch beginning at Mile 643.0 and ending at Mile 705.9, you will encounter 18 ranges. When one range ends the other begins.
Coastal Georgia has deeper, long creeks and rivers than the South Carolina low country. From a boat, your view is of only marsh grass, sky, and your own small ribbon of water. The grass reaches toward infinity except to the west, where occasionally a dark line of far-distant trees defines the horizon.
The marshes are especially beautiful in a light mist, which creates an otherworldly landscape of grays and muted greens, sometimes relieved by a solitary egret—its white feathers appearing almost fluorescent against the marsh grass, we fell under the spell of the marshes as we traveled through it.
The St. Catherine’s Sound is wide and exposed, and can be rough with an opposing wind and current. Make sure you will have good weather before you cross the sound.
We stopped by the Jekyll Harbor Marina at 1230 for the night. From here it is a 100 miles to the next fuel stop.
We cooled down the dogs after we came back from supper. We ate at the Sea Jay Restaurant on the marinas property. We even had a couple of visitors for supper; there were two raccoons, one was on the ground the other one was in the tree next to the deck rail.
We used the curiosity car or van to go sightseeing on the island. It has changed since I was there as a young girl in 1967. All I remember was the awful bugs all around us. They had a pool but we were to tired to us it.
Deanna was trying to rest but the dogs had other ideas.
NOTE: If you are heading North Bound, make sure your tank if full because next marina with fuel that is directly on the Waterway is about 100 miles away.
Thursday June 17, 2004 Day Five
Departure Point: Jekyll Harbor Marina Jekyll Island, GA
Arrival Point: St.Augustine Municipal Marina St. Augustine, FL.
Start time: 0650 End time: 1430
Total hours: 7 hrs. 33 mins Distance Traveled: 94.3 miles
We left at 0650, to head south. We plan on stopping at St. Augustine Municipal Marina tonight. So far the weather is nice, some cloud cover and the sun is coming up. Winds are about 5 knots.
Along the alternate route that we took there were several dolphins. This is a good place for shrimp boats, so far we have pass by several going and coming. We had the great pleasure of seeing not one, but two sets of mother dolphins with babies today and they were close to the boat. Deanna and I think we got some good pictures of them.
I was able to see some Woodstock’s in a group on one of the banks and today I saw some more white pelicans. In all the years that I lived in Fla., I have never seen a white pelicans.
For those wishing to travel offshore along the Florida coast, (which I won’t suggest if you are traveling on a pontoon boat) the best inlets to use are St. Mary’s, St. Johns River, Canaveral, Fort Pierce, Lake Worth, Port Everglades, and Government Cut.
The Waterway in the northern part of Florida runs through a variety of marshes, land-cuts, and wide rivers. There are some old cities in this state, and one of the oldest is St. Augustine. If you stop over night in St. Augustine, give yourself at least 3 days to see the sights.
We arrived at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina around 1430. We are going to stay two nights here and look around the town. There are a few places we all want to visit.
After we got the boat docked, fueled, and set up for the night, we took the dogs out, got our tickets for the next day, and we took a train ride around the area.
We had supper at the Santa Maria Restaurant it was right next to the marina.
The Santa Maria Story
Back in 1763, one of the St. Augustine’s Historical Citizens of note, Francisco Rodriguez Jacinta, built a landing so ships could tie up and delivers their cargo to the frontier city. Through the years, the landing has been a home, a commercial fishing dock, and today….a restaurant serving locals and visitors to America’s oldest city.
There are many stories that could be told about the landing.
It has been owned by twenty different people to date; some of them were very colorful characters, to say the least.
On September 15, 1954, Louis and Marguerite Connell opened a restaurant on this landing. They established this business with a lot of hard work and very little money. The landing was in very bad repair at this time and only determination on their part made it successful.
In 1964 Hurricane Dora dealt the restaurant a heavy blow. The restaurant was closed for nine months for repair. Extra time was taken in order to save as much of the old building as possible (the last time the landing was completely rebuilt was in 1885).
Through the years, the restaurant has been expanded several times in order to accommodate its customer demand.
During the early years when Mr. Connell was sitting around with some of his cronies he got the idea of getting fish to come to the restaurant and feed. Of course all his friends said it couldn’t be done. “Well,” he said, “we’ll just see”. Today we have thousands of fish waiting around the landing to be fed. Some of the different kinds of fish are mullet, catfish, pan fish, trout and needlefish.
These fish are usually here from March thru September. In the winter months the fish will leave; but the birds will arrive for the customers to feed. Please ask your waitress about feeding our unusual pets.
On December 31, 1970, Louis Connell passed away and his wife, Marguerite, joined him on October 24, 2001. The restaurant is now run by his son and daughter-in-law, Carl and Sylvia Connell and their children.
After we have gone over our plans for tomorrow, we all turn in for the night.
Friday June 18, 2004 Day Six
Sightseeing time
Today we are going to see the sites. I have been here before but never went through the different things. We walked around town because we were too early for the train ride. It’s funny how everything looks larger then they really are when you are a child.
The things we went to were the Fort, Ripley’s, Wax Museum, The Cross and Church, Fountain of Youth and the sightseeing train ride around the town.
Castillo de San Marcos—
Ripley’s—
Wax Museum—
The Cross— 
Fountain of Youth—
We came back from our sightseeing, let the dogs out and then we walked around the town. We fixed supper at the boat and sat around on the dock later. Our neighboring boaters had a party going of their own. I don’t think they are going to stay on their boat tonight.
Saturday June 16, 2004 Day Seven
Departure Point: St. Augustine Municipal Marina, St. Augustine, FL
Arrival Point: Titusville Municipal Marina, Titusville, FL.
Start time: 0650 End time: 1530
Total time: 9 hrs. 30 mins Distance Traveled: 99.5 miles
We left the marina around 6:50 a.m. We are two days from our last stop. Tonight we will stay in the Titusville area and the next we will be at Mom’s place in Port St. Lucie.
Today may be a little difficult because of the shoaling. At Red Marker “80.”Begin 2.1-mile-long section of shoaling and cross-setting currents. The cross-setting currents are the strongest, and the shoaling severe, where the Matanzas River begins its passage to Matanzas Inlet. Aids to navigation in this area are changed as warranted, so there may be more, or different, markers than those shown on the chart. Follow them carefully.
We arrived at our stop for the night Titusville Municipal Marina around 3:30 p.m. It started to rain before we got to the marina. After getting signed in, secure the boat and the covers up because the rain was coming fast. We had a good lightening storm so we stayed on the boat until it cleared. Today was the only day that we ran into rain.
We ordered pizza from Papa Johns for supper and had they delivered them. We were sitting eating when Gary saw something in the water in front of our boat. It was about 6 or 7 manatees.
They were playing around in the shallow waters. One of the other boaters turned on a water hose and one of the cows came over and started to drink from the hose. Deanna and I got to pet one of them. It was so cool.
It was a once in life time chance to be able to get that close to the manatees. Some time I would like to go to Manatee Springs and see them there. Maybe one summer we can go there. It was a beautiful way to end the day.
Sunday June 20, 2004 Day Eight
Departure Point: Titusville Marina Titusville, FL.
Arrival Point: Port St. Lucie, Woodams Dock, FL.
Start Time: 0700 End time: 1515
Total time: 9 hrs. 5 mins Distance Traveled: 116.8 miles
This morning we left our last stop at 0700 of our trip before we get to Mom’s place. It was a little cloudy when we started out this morning. As the day wore on it was hot.
Coming into the inlet near the cut off to Moms got a little ruff. There were so many boats out on the water and more then half of them needed to take a course on how to be a better boater. There were so many small boats that were out and the larger boat owners never even thought to slow down when they came broadside. I think our dogs were ready to get off the boat.
We finally made it to Mom’s place in Port St. Lucie around 1515. It doesn’t seem like we traveled 116.8 miles.
This is the end of trip number three of the Great Loop. We are now planning for trip number four. See you on the water ways. May God keep you all safe.
BHW
First Mate
Well we are on our way down the Tenn-Tom waterway.
0730-Left dock; it’s windy and cool out on the water. We were greeted by the same geese that were at the ramp last night.
0750-Past by the; Holiday Hills Resort. Along with some very big homes, some looks as if they are hanging off the side of the hills.
Holiday Hills Resort
MM-215
0800-We enter into The Tenn-Tom water way. At the entrance to the waterway there is a beautiful home. Pickwick Cove Marina came next; what a place.
One of the beautiful homes on the river
MM-448
We came upon some barges and tugs (3) and 24 barges or more they were tied up along the port side of the river.
MM-443
Saw the Tenn-Tom COE tug and dredge at work. We are now in the Tenn-Tom waterway. It reminds me of the canals in Fl.
The Tenn-Tom COE tug and dredge 
It looks like some folks use the waterway for a living too, eg fishing traps.
NOTE-
So far we have the waterway to ourselves but no one knows for how long.
Last night after we had most of the stuff stow away, we we’re to tried to get showers. So we all fell into bed, wet clothes and all. Gary and Deanna were asleep long before me. I was to wet and too keyed up to settle down.
MM-427--The orange and white marker indicates the former location of Holcut, the only town that had to be moved for the building of the Tenn-tom.
0930-We are now in Bay Spring Lake. The wind is blowing pretty hard. The skies are partly cloudy and the sun is trying to come out.
MM-419- We stopped at the Crows Nest Boat Ramp / Restrooms. Let the Dogs out and made a stop of our own.
After you pass this last red buoy, the water deepens enough for you to take advantage of many coves for anchoring. 
Jamie L. Whitten Lock and Dam
MM-410.8 This is the Jamie L. Whitten Bridge that takes the Natchez Trace Parkway over the Tenn-Tom. The Trace was once an Indian trail then became the road between Natchez and Nashville traveled by scouts, pioneers and merchants 
MM-406.7 1130-We enters our 2nd lock
The Montgomery lock.
MM-406.7, lift (ft) 30, this lock was named after G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery—Mississippi Congressman.
This shows the rock formations before the dam. The variations of the colors are beautiful.
Rankin Lock and Dam
MM-394.0 1330- Lock # 3
MM-398.0, Rankin Lock Lift (ft) 30
It was named after John Rankin-Mississippi Congressman and an early supporter of the waterway. This is the lock we heard about that the operator would get onto you if you leave the lock before getting clearance.
MM-390.0 1415-We came upon our 4th lock
The Fulton lock and dam. 391.0 Lift (ft) 25.
Deanna and I were getting pretty good at putting the robes on the
tie-up buoys.
MM-385.3
The Hudson One and 4 barges that past us going north.
The Hudson One and 4 barges
MM-376.5 We stopped at the Smithville Marina to get fuel and ice.
MM-376.3 1545-We left our 5th lock and dam
The Wilkins lock and dam. This lock and dam was named for Glover Wilkins-Long time administrator of the Tenn-Tom Waterway Development Authority and dedicated to making the Waterway a reality. MM 376.3, Lift (ft) 25.
So far everything is going ok except the weather.
The Port of Amory is another noisy reminder that forest products are responsible for much of the industry along the Tenn-Tom. Large machines grind up about 30 trees at a gulp.
Port of Amory 
MM-358.1 Aberdeen Marina is conveniently located on the Aberdeen Lake for use by the many boaters enjoying the Tenn-Tom Waterway and the Aberdeen Lock and Dam located on the Aberdeen Lake (East Bank) at MM 358.2. The town of Aberdeen is an historic place.
Captain going over the route for the next day
Deanna trying to get stuff out for the night
We were able to get a cover slip for the night. It is so nice not to feel wet and somewhat protected from the weather. 
We have gone 102.94 miles and have gone through 6 locks out of the 13 locks. Deanna and I have gotten pretty good at tying up in the locks. So far other than the weather everything is going ok.
BHW
First Mate
June 13, 2003 Day Three
Aberdeen Marina, MS to Demopolis Marina, AL
Start time: 0720 End time: 2000
Total time: 8 hrs. 54 mins.
Distance Traveled: 142.6 miles
0710-We are heading for the Aberdeen Lock.
0720-Called the lock operator; said we would have a 30 min wait, so we got our breakfast. (Old Pardoner) going north. 
The Aberdeen Lock mm 357.5, lift (ft) 27. 
In this area it is full of snags outside of the channel, so it would be wise to stay alert.
We are at Beville lock # 7, named for Tom Bevill- Alabama Congressmen and chairman of the congressional committee in the U.S. House of Representatives approved the funding of the Tenn-Tom’s construction.
MM-306.8, lift (ft) 27; it took awhile to get through. Finally we have left the lock there were two pleasure boats going north.
MM-299.4 here you can see the Blue Rock Cliffs. It is a very unusual formation.
NOTE: This section of the Tenn-Tom reminds me of the Appalachia River over by our homeport.
Just north of MM-270 we had to watch out for the tugs and barges. We pasted one with 8 barges full of wood chips.
MM-279.3, The Heflin Lock is our 10th lock we have been through.
It is located at MM-266.1, lift (ft) 36. This lock was named for Howell Heflin-U.S. Senator from Alabama. 
Well here comes our afternoon showers and the sky’s look dark. We are looking for a place to stop, because there is lightening and Captain doesn’t want to be out in it. After a few try’s we found a place along the bank (west) to tie up at.
We decided to go ahead and get supper. We were able to use our camp stove on the front of the boat. It was good. We sat around playing with our 3 dogs that came along on this trip. Santini and Poco has been on similar trips before but poor Holly their puppy, just hasn’t got her sea legs yet.
MM-238 We had a little bit of trouble getting off the bank, but we did and are heading south for Demopolis Marina at MM-216.
NOTE: There are two more locks on this section of the Tenn-Tom.
MM-235.1
The White Cliffs on this part of the river are something to look at they are so striking.
White cliffs and the way the water has formed them.
After all that rain; the river is full of stuff and some large enough to do some mayor damage. We have seen whole trees floating down river.
I was concern that one of them would get under the boat and we wouldn’t get it out. The current is so swift here.
One of the whole trees that we past. The bad weather stuck to us like glue.
We are all wet and cold. The captain is the worst of us all; can’t do anything until we get to our next stop.
We made it to Demopolis Yacht Bain. I believe all the logs collected here at the marina. You can even find them tucked in between the boat slips.
This is a focal point on the Waterway, Here’s your chance to rest, relax, refuel and replenish. You will discover that it’s also a great place to walk the docks because of the different boaters you will meet. Some stopped and decided to stay. Others, such as the gentleman who played first clarinet in the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra for 31 years, came to Demopolis to escape the harsh northern winters
As you can see the rain wasn’t going to let up we had to keep our covers up most of the day.
The next morning this is what was waiting for us in front of the dam and lock.
Going into the Demopolis Lock
Our next lock is the Demopolis Lock and Dam at mm 213.2.
We called the lock operator around 0930 and he said there will be a 25 minute wait. The dam is located at mm 213.2; and the Lift (FT) is 40.
It was around 0945 when we enter the lock, and the sun was out.
At 1000 we left the lock. While we were in the lock it was hot and sunny, but as soon as we cleared it turned cloudy and windy.
It was still foggy as we were leaving the lock. 
We are now on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway.
This is what’s left of the Rooster Bridge
At day mark 201.6 is the remains of the Rooster Bridge. In April 19, 1979 a powerful current turning the tugboat Cahaba sideways then was pushing it down and under the Rooster Bridge. This happens when the river was at a record level of 24 feet above flood stage, and had come to within a few feet of the bottom of the steel drawbridge.
Although the captain was following accepted procedures, he quickly discovered he was unable to buck the current and back away from the bridge as planned. Eyewitnesses feared the worst as they saw the tug disappear into the muddy water and heard the sound of it being banged and scraped along the underside of the bridge. But the tug had a lot of cement ballast; it popped up on the other side. Badly battered and with water pouring out of its pilothouse, the tug still had one of its two engines running. Three crewmembers, although badly shaken, weren’t seriously injured.
The tug was eventually sold, repaired and renamed the Cat. Ed Harris and is now working out of Charleston, West Virginia, for the Madison Coal and Supply Co., Inc.
Today our destination is the Bobby Fish Camp. We called (cell phone) ahead this morning to make sure we had a spot for the night. I for one am ready for a night of undisturbed sleep and maybe with no rain. If not we will make do.
So far the weather hasn’t been too bad for the most part of our trip. Sometimes you hit it right and other times you don’t or you get half and half like now. 
Around mm 187.7; there is a hairpin turn and it’s a real dozy. 
This is our 1st time we encountered a tug and barges going our way, south.
You will come to a railroad lift bridge which accommodated both a railroad track and Alabama 114. They built a new bridge for the highway. 
Near mm 98.2 on the starboard is Lovers Leap, a rare bit of fine scenery along this stretch. Deeply cracked and colored rock, trees with gnarled roots clinging to the cliff and wisps of Spanish moss make for easy watching.
As you know Spanish moss is neither a true moss nor a parasite. It is actually a member of the pineapple family and survives by absorbing water from the air. It does put on a flower around the spring time.
Around mm 79.9 there is a legend that if the sun is low or there are wisps of fog on the river, you can easily imagine seeing the folks on the dock (former site of Lady’s Landing) waiting to tie up your boat their own special way. And at the top of the hill will be the goats, waiting for their heads to be scratched . . . . .
This is all that is left of a place on the banks.
The First Mate took over the helm for awhile. Two tugs with barges; going north past us and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
Just ahead are the rich red and brown colors of Nanny Hubbert’s Bluff. 
This ends our first leg of our trip now that we have made it to Mobile Bay. Upon entering Mobile’s harbor, you will quickly discover that it’s a busy place. Each year more than 40 million tons move through this port, ranks 8th in the U.S. in exports, 16th in imports and 12th overall and it’s the Nation’s leading port in the movement of forest products. There are a lot of large ships around here, some are unloading and some looks to be waiting to get repairs done on them so be careful about your wake because of the divers who are working on the boats. There is one that the boatyard is building. You could fit our boat and several more inside of the boat they are working on.
Some of the ships and tugs that work this bay area.
I remember my Dad telling me about the ships like the one on the right being worked on. On the left is the paddle wheeler at the dock.
This is one of the marinas on the opposite side of the river were we stayed the night. This is the causeway you have to take to get to the marina. 
Bay Point Marina
The next stop was the Bay Point Marina we stopped at for the night. They had a car that we used to go into town and get a few supplies and supper for the night.
This one of the statues outside of the marina office that are decorated with different scenes about the sea.
The marina had statues of dolphins that were painted with different scene on them. We could have used the facilities but after the day’s troubles all of us and our dogs wanted to do was go to bed and hope it didn’t rain during the night. We did walk around for awhile before we turned in.
Our youngest daughter would like this weather vane. This was a green heron that visited us during our supper.
BHW
First Mate
June 18, 2003 Wednesday Day Eight
Departure Point: Bay Point Marina, FL
Arrival Point: Bay City Marina & Lodge, FL
Start time: 0720 End time: 1417
Hours Traveled: 7 hrs. 37 mins.
Distance Traveled: 71.4 miles
We ran into some bad weather as we were leaving the marina.
Leaving Bay Point Marina
It seems like the whole trip was on the soggy side, every once in awhile we would have a break in the rain but not long enough to get dried off.
Around White City bridge area on the ICW we had to stop for awhile and docked. The rain was coming down so hard you couldn’t see to far ahead of the boat. There was tug traffic in this area so we thought it best to stop. After awhile we decided to push on ahead since we weren’t that far from our stop for the night.
The captain decided to get a room for the night so we can have a dry place to sleep since everything was soaking wet from the day’s rain. We were able to get a room with hot showers and we used what we had in the coolers for our supper. It was a blessing to have a hot shower and something hot to drink. I was so cold and so were the others including the dogs. We have stayed at this marina a couple of times before. There is always a little bit of mystery about this place like you stepped back into another time. We always take our three little Chihuahuas with us on the trips.
BHW
First Mate
June 19, 2003 Thursday Day Nine
Departure Point: Bay City Marina and Lodge, FL
Arrival Point: Home Port Bainbridge, GA
Start time: 0715 End time: 1730
Hours Traveled: 9 hrs. 26mins.
Distance traveled: 130.4 miles
Deanna and I were in the room getting the gear together and Gary was going to take one of the coolers to the boat and then come back the other one. As he stepped out the door there was a visitor waiting for him. Sitting by the door of our room was this 3 or 4 foot baby alligator.
What a visitor to have at your door step.
Gary came back in and got the two of us and showed us what the commotions was about. Deanna grabs her camera and took this shot before the little fellow or gal went on their merry way.
We manage to get the stuff to the boat without anymore visitors, fueled up for the long trip home. There is no place to get fuel until you pass the lock and dam on the lake 106 miles north, (Lake Seminole).
So make sure you have enough fuel to get you there.
Due to all the rain up north the Appalachia, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers were full and the current was very strong.
All in all the trip was a very interesting one and very educational. The weather could have been better, but the Lord knew what he was doing.
We always start out our day with a prayer that I found:
“Oh God” Please watch over us, protect and guide us, as we embark on our journey, for your sea is so great and our boat is so small. Protect all who are traveling today. “Amen”
And end with:
Thank you, God for your protection and guidance today. “Amen”
This is not our last trip on the water. We will be making another trip next year and praying that we will be able to make many more. Our hope is to do the Great Loop in our pontoon boat. So see you on the waterways. Ahoy
BHW
First Mate