Dennis to Pickensville, AL

This morning started off with a bit of urgency. We didn’t have cell service in our little anchorage, so Ben hailed Whitten Lock & Dam on the backup VHF radio. The lockmaster told us we’d better hurry or we’d have to wait for a barge to come through before us. Ben told them we’d be right there.

Once we got into Whitten Lock, it became clear why you don’t want to anchor just below it. The force of the water release from that 80-foot drop would make for a rough night.

Between Whitten and Montgomery Locks, things got interesting. There were two barges that had gotten into trouble, one being the one we’d have had to wait for before going through Whitten. Both barges, drafting 8-10 feet, ran aground while trying to pass each other in a super narrow section of the channel. One was heading upriver, one downriver, and it was just an overall bad spot to try to make that pass.

Ben, being Ben, knew how the barge thrusters kick up sediment, which causes shoaling, and he knew how to navigate the channel safely with our 3.5-foot draft. He got permission to pass the first barge and eased us by.

But when we got to the second barge, we had to wait for the green light from the captain to proceed. Just as we were passing the tail end, we ran aground. Ben had to spin us off the shoal, carefully maneuvering us free.

As we went aground and Ben started spinning us, I was convinced we were getting way too close to the barge, so I went downstairs to my room to quietly freak out (without annoying Ben). When we were finally free, I told him the whole thing felt like an icy road pileup but on water. I asked how he stayed so calm as we got so close to the barge and he calmly replied that we were never even that close to it. Ooof. I’d be totally fine if we never had to do THAT again.

We kept moving through the day, locking down in Montgomery Lock & Dam and Rankin Lock & Dam. We stopped at Midway Marina to fill up with diesel and water. (I really liked the cute trees growing in the water, just outside of the channel.) Then it was on to Fulton Lock & Dam and Wilkins Lock and Dam.

At Wilkins, there was a family of geese hanging out inside the lock. Roo and I joked about whether they’d stay the whole time or fly off, but they just stayed in, even after we left. Maybe they live there? We loved that little show while we locked through.

Onward to Cochran Lock & Dam, Aberdeen Lock & Dam, and we finished the day with Columbus Lock & Dam. At Columbus we had to lock through during a downpour. It is always interesting to wear a life vest with a raincoat- which one goes on top?!

We finally anchored in Pickensville, just a few miles north of the next lock where we’ll start in the morning.

Locks today: 8 (the most for this year!)

Locks of the summer: 38

Locks of the loop: 152