14 November 2019. Tenn-Tom Waterway

Two tows, 5.0 engine hours    44SM

Depart from Pickwick lake SP marina to Jackson Camp anchorage.

Clear 30 deg at 0500.  Got the coffee going not too bad of a morning, clear skies and calm winds.  Water surface temp 54 degrees.  Ready to cast off at 0740 and away we went.  Watching the stuffing box and packing nut---not slinging water and it is not hot.  Have checked every hour.  Making 7 MPG SOG @ 1850.  Quieter and smoother at these cruising conditions.  We are pretty much going down hill to Mobile, AL.

Left the Tennessee River and entered the Tenn-Tom waterway at 0900.  tenntom  The Tenn-Tom is the largest earth moving project in history, requiring the excavation of nearly 310 million cubic yards of soil or the equivalent of more than 100-million dump truck loads. By comparison, the French dug about 105 million cubic yards in building the Suez Canal and a total of 210 million cubic yards of earth were removed from the Panama Canal.

Stopped at Aqua Harbor Marina at 0930 and took on diesel and fresh water.  34.6 gallons of diesel @ 3.299/gal.  About 35 gallons of fresh water.  Back underway at 1000.  The first 25 miles after Aqua Marina is the Divided cut section.  Anchoring or stopping is prohibited.  It is narrow and pretty bland.  Levee on both sides and shored up with crushed rock.

Divide Cut

Encountered two tows/barge w/o issue. today.  We did see a beautiful bald eagle perched at the top of a tall dead tree.  As we exited the divide cut section and entered Bay Springs Lake a 20 bird formation of American pelicans flew along side of the boat.  We slowed and eased out of the channel to our planned anchorage in a long cove adjacent to Jackson Camp recreation area. (map) Dropped the anchor in 20 feet of water and had a good set.  All secure at 1500.  Overcast, 49 degrees as the southerly winds of 10 are dying down for a forecast calm night.  Surface water temp in the cove 57 degrees.  We are in Mississippi.

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