Mañana on the Loop: PEBBLE ISLE MARINA TO GRAND HARBOR

Sept 27- We are staying here for a couple of days as we are ahead of schedule for getting to Joe |Wheeler Park for the rendevous. We went for a dingy ride down river a couple of miles with
Charlie and Bonnie (Sonata). As we were coming back to the marina we saw American Pie entering the marina. We all went to dinner here last night (Ma and Pa type restaurant). Dave tried crab legs for the first time (the food was fantastic). The owner Randy did up his special dessert for us which consisted of a warm cookie as the base topped with ice cream and whipped cream. It was fabulous.

Not a great looking morning

Taking Koby for a walk

The white van was our courtesy vehicle

Looking out where they keep the large house boats

Koby not sure of the walkway

Back to the boat

Bonnie and Charlie went for a dingy ride with us

This is all we saw going down the river in dingy

American Pie has just arrived

Sept 28-We have been treated each morning we have been here with cinnamon buns or apple fritters courtesy of the marina. We were able to get the courtesy car and we visited the Loretta Lynn Dude Ranch. We took the one hour tour which was very interesting. While we were waiting for the tour to begin we visited her museum. It was amazing and very enlightening. We toured her home where she raised her children which was built in the 1800's. She has now built a smaller home right behind her first home. She is still touring and had just gotten home as her motor home was sitting in the driveway. Once back at the marina we were invited onboard Sonata for dinner. Bonnie is a southern girl and can she cook.

A few more Loopers have arrived

It had gotten a lot cooler thus the jackets

Sept 29- We were awakened this morning with the sound of rain thundering down on us. It rained that way for a couple of hours but is starting to clear up. The girls are heading to Walmart today for supplies. We rode with four other people from other boats. Three were from Colorado and the brothers were quite funny. Once back to the marina again we went aboard Sonata to play cards and had a great time.

Sept 30- We are going to stay until Friday or Saturday. Dave has been doing odd jobs on Manana and of course I am cleaning. The marina owners invited us to have docktails at 5:00 pm and they supplied the food. A couple from one of the boats called Ocean Dancer play and sing, so they got up and entertained us for about one hour. This marina and their owners are wonderful. I suggest any one coming this way or planning to, do your self a favour and stay here - you won't regret it. They honestly cannot do enough for us. We are planning to thank them in some way.

Dinner with Bob and Lynn (American Pie)

Charlie and Bonnie (Sonata)

Allen and Lila (Blue Haven)

Several other Loopers

Oct 1- Another morning of cinnamon buns courtesy of the marina. It has just begun to rain so we are not doing too much at the moment.

Oct 2-Another day of low key activity as the weather has been quite cold and wet. We did get the courtesy van again and went to the information centre at the end of the road to get the low down on the Johnsonville area. Apparently the South really womped the North and destroyed their navy here right where we are staying. It was quite the battle and quite a surprise for the North.

Dave outside the Johnsville information centre

Small cabins on the battle site

Oct 3- We left Pebble Isle Marina at 9:00 am as we had to get our morning cinnamon buns before we left. We are headed to a small marina about 50 miles down river called Clifton Marina. The way the boats have been leaving here today I hope we will have a spot. About 2 miles from the marina a boat passed us all (6 boats) heading down river. We arrived at Clifton Marina a 5 pm and it was packed. The guy who had passed us took up the whole dock which left us hanging out over the dock by about 3 feet. Dave was very angry as we had called the day before for reservations. We had lost the right shaft as we were coming into the marina so he was also upset by that. We had dinner and Dave worked on the shaft until after 11:00 pm. These same guy (considerate as they were) started up their boat at 6:30 am the next morning which was right at our heads in the aft cabin and ran it for about 1/2 hour before they left. Needless to say we were not impressed with this marina.

Leaving Pebble Isle Marina

Very old railway bridge

Different homes seen along the river

.Oct 4- We left Clifton at 8:30 am along with 5 other boats heading for Grand Harbor Marina. We arrived at 3:30 pm and there are a lot of Loopers here as this is a jumping off spot so to speak. This is where you can get a car and do some day trips i.e. Memphis, Chatanooga, Nashville etc. We are having dinner aboard Sonata again as they are leaving in the morning to go to Knoxville to visit family.

Town of Clifton

Other Loopers at Clifton

We had spagetti dinner at diner

Getting ready to leave Clifton

Quite rocky along the shoreline

There is some serious money in this area

A home where General Grant used as headquarters

Six of us heading into Pickwick Lock

We are rafted alongside Sonata

There is only 3 bollards to tie to so we rafted together

Passing our third tow for today

Oct 5- Sadly this morning we said goodbye to Sonata. We are hopeful we will meet up again before we begin the trek down the Tombigbee. Dave is down fixing the shaft again and doing an oil change. I have cleaned the outside of Manana, vaccumed and done some laundry. It is about 85 degrees outside right now and the sun is finally out.

Long way to dog area

Homes on the marina property

Condos on the property

Playground and pool area

One of the homes next to marina

"That's a long way to go for a pee"

This is how the locals get around the marina

Saying goodbye to Sonata

Oct 6- A great big "Happy Birthday" to my wonderful husband Dave today. We are getting the courtesy car and doing some shopping in the big town of Pickwick. There are no restaurants on premises so I will be making my husband something special for dinner tonight. We busied ourselves with a couple of jobs this morning, then this afternoon we took the dingy over to Aqua Marina around the corner from us and met up with Sea to Sea (Ron and Vicki). We were surprised to hear it was Ron's birthday today as well. We headed back to Manana for dinner and Dave did his favorite thing watching the Argos game, a perfect way to end a perfect day.