Ditto Landing to Grand Harbor

11/10  We left Ditto Landing and the waters were calm, but really picked up during the trip.  We thought we were on Lake Michigan again with 1to 3's.  After a tiring day, we arrived at Joe Wheeler State Park.  Since no one at the marina responded to our call on Channel 16, we pulled into a slip near a few other transient boats.  Apparently the marina is not manned this late in the season...instead we went to the lodge to pay. (Also note that they turn the water off on the docks because of colder weather). We met the Samway family...Mike, Jennifer, Keenan (13), and Daria (10?)..who are from Miami and just finishing the loop.  They have a 48 ft Kadey-Krogen (Muddy Waters), and they know the Parkers from Chattanooga who also have a Kadey-Krogen.
 Keenan and Daria will return to school in January after a year off to travel.  What a terrific way to learn about history, science, math and English.
11/11 We awoke to 28 degree temps and a thin coat of ice on deck....very slippery.  It warmed up quickly and melted.  Muddy Waters led the way to the two locks for the day where there was no wait.  This lock had an unusual gate which goes up and down, rather than opening like the others.

Upon our arrival at Grand Harbor, we got a tour of the Samways' boat...beautiful.  Daria is a talented jewelry maker. 
11/12 Muddy Waters departed, but we stayed so that we could go to Shiloh.

The marina provides a free loaner car with no limit on time.

However, they do not allow dogs in the cars, so Duke stayed behind.   Shiloh is the site of one of the first major battles of the Civil War. (Ron liked it...me, not so much) A huge vessel pulled into the marina....112 feet long manned by a crew, not the owner. 

11/13  Although we had planned to leave today, there was a high wind advisory with gusts predicted to be 40-50 miles per hour, so we decided to stay put.  Good that we did, because we had some computer problems and had to drive to Florence (50 miles away) to get the help of the Geek Squad.  We will not have our computer back for 2 weeks, so it's good that we have two others on board.  Our friends from Australia (Happy Hours V) just arrived, so we will probably be traveling south with them and Hal and Cheryl Baker (Mas Bueno). It's nice to have other boats on the water with us!