Green Turtle Bay to Florence, Alabama

We haven't posted for several days (busy traveling or no internet access)

10/15/11 Saturday.  We left Green Turtle Bay and headed for Kentucky Lake and the Tennessee River.  We made the turn just before a barge came along...he was the only tow we saw all day.  Windy!  Arrived in New Johnsonville (Johnsonville was submerged when they created Kentucky Lake).  Stayed at Pebble Isle Marina.  They loaned us a car to drive 15 miles to church.  It was a small church with a smaller congregation and no music.  We had dinner at the marina...very good!  There is a sail boat at the marina driveway entrance which is a twin keel, steel hulled boat built by a local man.  The draft was 6 ft.  His widow donated it to the marina when he died. 

10/16/11 Sunday  We left Pebble Isle even though wind gusts of 40 were predicted by the marina owner.  It was windy, but only 25 mph gusts.  Right after leaving the harbor, we passed a homemade raft with a shelter on top (young man and woman on board).  The back and the front of it were open.  They called us on the radio...said they left Pittsburgh and were headed for New Orleans.  They had traveled 1,100 miles.  They were powered by 2 small outboards.  They asked us for information on Mobile Bay and if there was and intracoastal waterway there.  Wish we had gotten a better photo...hope we see them again.

 We saw only 1 barge all day.  The hilly shoreline along here is beautiful.  We arrived at Clifton Marina (Clifton, Tennessee).  Our slip was next to the gas dock..convenient for office, restrooms, and walking Duke.
10/17/11 Monday  We followed 2 other trawlers out of the marina and headed for Pickwick Lock and Dam (49 miles ahead).  One of the boats, The Erika Lynn, was one we met at Leland, Michigan our first night out from Traverse City.  At Pickwick L & D we had a only small wait since the barge ahead of us decided to pull over and wait for the lockmaster to add water to the pool below the dam.  Four boats entered the lock, the lock doors closed, and then reopened to allow another pleasure craft entry.  This is a tall lock and took quite a while to fill.  All of the boats but ours entered the Tenn-Tom apparently heading south.  We proceeded up the Tennessee River to a quiet anchorage at mile 218.  We were the only vessel at anchor...very peaceful until the middle of the night when coyotes (very close by) started howling.  Duke growled and barked for a long time. 

10/18/11  We left anchor and headed for Florence Marina (Florence, Alabama) since a storm was predicted.  We were safely in our slip several hours before bad weather arrived.  Temps went from balmy to very cold....39degrees tonight.  Two couples invited us to dinner at a local Italian Restaurant.  Brian and Jean  (Spirit of Whitby)are from England and Bill and Mary(Harbour Reach) are originally from Rhode Island, but are now liveaboards.  Had a wonderful, relaxing time.