Here are some pictures of the living space inside the boat. The India Jayne has a forward stateroom and head, an aft stateroom and head, galley down, salon and lower helm station.

 

Under the galley stairs is the entrance to the engine room and an all in one washer/dryer unit. It works quite well actually.

 

There is also an aft patio deck and a fly bridge with the upper helm.

 

 

 

11-13-2015


We departed Aqua Marina on 11-13 and anchored out for the next two nights. Peaceful settings with birds swooping by and fish jumping out of the water....

We pulled into Columbus, Mississippi on the 15th. Weather said storm was due in 2 days so we decided to stay put for the wind and rain. We ended up staying a week waiting for the high water and the debris to subside. While we were there we borrowed the car and checked out the area.

We see so many beautiful sun
sets on the water.

Found my photo of Tennessee Williams childhood home.

Plantation Home 



beautiful grounds but it is winter now

Quite surprised to see my dining room chairs in their dining room!

We left Columbus through a flood of water hyacinth blocking the entry to the lock. The rain had carried the hyacinth down river until it stopped up at the lock. We went very, very slowly...

Friends on this sailboat needed some assistance. Their engine overheated in the hyacinth and we towed them to the side of the river where they anchored just barely off the ship channel. There they stayed for over 24 cold, scary hours waiting for a tow. The tow boat couldn't get through the hyacinth!

 

Here are some views on the River.

Some real estate on the river

Making our way to the next Marina. I know it looks peaceful but the wind was coming up.

Ah...found it. Entrance is only 4 1/2 ft deep.

We tied up across the dock from this boat. Wow, that was some storm!

We got back to our boat and found this itty, bitty little tug tied up next to her. Sooo cute!

Arrival at Aqua Marina in Mississippi

The India Jayne tied up at the Aqua Marina transient dock

The view from our aft sundeck at the transient dock

Dock Master Bo and Kit taking care of a dirty job

Morning after anchoring out near Fulton, MS

Captain Kit thinking about Neon Cheese Fries and ribs

Mmmmm.....fries

In Columbus, MS. I accidentally erased the house photo but here is the placard

If you can enlarge this recipe and mix this up you will have the best olive oil bread dip. We found this in Florence, Alabama.

Waiting for this tow to vacate the Lock. Took about an hour. It's a typical 8 barge tow and carries the equivalent cargo of 480 semi trucks, about 12,000 tons .

Finally got to enter the Lock. We're down bound toward Mobile but still in Mississippi here.

Nov. 10, 2015

Leaving Wheeler Marina for Aqua Marina




WHEELER LODGE IN FALL

It was sunny and calm, just the kind of day we'd awaited for a 60 miles transit. 0800, a record early departure, sent us right to Wheeler Lock, then, ten miles later, Wilson lock. From there was just a nice cruise downstream, destination Aqua Marina at the north end of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. We had two days of boat repairs and BBQ ribs research here.  

NEON FRIES!

We also visited the Shiloh Civil War Battlefield twice, getting perspective on what had to happen to keep us one country.
 
While side-tied at Aqua the wind shifted at night to SSE and slammed us against the dock with great force. We were compelled to deploy all fenders and fender boards to protect the boat from the dock, as the surface is covered with jagged bolt heads.



WORLDS BIGGEST FENDER DISPLAY

 The Tenn-Tom is the largest project ever undertaken by the Army Corp. of Engineers.  It required moving 1/3 more earth than the Panama Canal and is 5 times as long.  It actually connects two separate drainages, that of the Tennessee River and the Tombigbee, sending Tennessee R. water down to Mississippi and Alabama. The politics had to have been convoluted, to say the least. The project, finished in 1984, took 12 years to build and was  over 200 years in the planning, starting with French explorers.

The Tenn-Tom cuts many days off the barge trip from the Gulf to Chattanooga and beyond.  An average barge "tow" carries the equivalent of 500 semi trucks. 



Nov. 7th, 2015, Wheeler Marina, northwest Alabama

Power of the Burgee

We have been here a week now, doing lots of projects, meeting some good people and touring the surrounding areas. Living, so to speak, in different parts of the country is fascinating, seeing the different styles, cultures, foods, economies and historical sites.

Weather has had some rain, not good for biking, so a car is very nice at times as we are a few miles from town.

One day, having noticed our AGLCA Burgee, Wayne of  Help Me Rhonda, a Gold Looper, stopped by the boat and offered to take us shopping.  Wayne and Rhonda took us to lunch and all over the area for provisions.  They gave up their day to help us out, which we think is pretty special. Thanks, you guys, and thanks, AGLCA!

Our boat neighbors, Steve and Eva, have a rental car and have taken us riding as well.  We feel lucky.

Our boat is one of  only two remaining at the once-packed transient dock. 
Yesterday was balmy. The air has acquired a chill today.  I'm thinking like a duck, time to head south. 
Tomorrow we too, will be gone.




All Alone for now






Wheeler Lodge in November

Oct. 30, 2015

After a night at Goose Pond Marina we continued downstream to Guntersville Lock where we had lost steering coming up.
We entered the lock, secured to the wall and found the boat being pushed bow-first into the concrete, port engine shifted into reverse but stuck in forward.  I know, it didn't compute for me, either.  Shift would not move either way, necessitating shutting engines down.  Managed to leave lock on one engine. After a couple of hours we determined it was a linkage slippage problem, got it adjusted and continued on two engines.  Exciting for a bit.  Fears of extensive towing and repair shop delays were relieved.

Leaving on one engine

Sightseeing homes, leaves changing colors.

 Got into Ditto Marina where we met Charles and Joyce on their Great Harbor N37

Leaving Ditto we called for our first bridge opening at the railroad bridge and, by golly, they opened it right up for us, just like the books say.

 On our way back to Wheeler the ceiling dropped and rain intensified as visibility decreased.  We docked that afternoon in the rain with navigation lights and radar on.  It felt good to get tied up in a safe harbor and settled in to familiar surroundings.