To The Top Of The Tenn-Tom

I pulled out of Bay Springs Marina at 9:30 ET this morning and motored on over to the Whitton Dam area where about five motor yachts were waiting for the lock. Fortunately for me I was turning north and headed for a day with no locks. This was my first day to travel alone so I made sandwiches and gathered everything I thought I'd need and took it all up to the pilot house.
It was a cold cloudy day with a stiff breeze at times, I had a heavy coat on with the hood pulled over my head as did some of the other boaters I passed along the way. I ran her at about 2250 rpms which pushed me along at 8 mph most of the time while the engine temperature never even hit 175 degrees, I was ecstatic (another thank you to Chris and Greg).
After the loopers at Whitten I only saw about four other motor yachts on the trip, however I saw two barges which is two too many. One was headed south and was no big deal to pass but a few minutes later I came upon one headed north which was a big deal. Once I finally caught him we were headed into a curve so I sat on his right rear quarter panel until the canal straightened out then I called on that mighty 90 hp power plant to lay down some rubber, we jumped from 8 to 8.5 mph in no time. That may sound fast but it didn't seem so while running along side that rascal in a skinny little canal, I think he opened her up to about 8.4 mph because it felt like an old fashioned drag race. It takes a long time to overtake a barge when you are just barely out running it.  I was getting kinda anxious about the next curve, I didn't want to be beside him going into that thing, luckily once I crashed through his bow wave I started picking up more speed... got up to a blistering 8.7 mph and left him eating my dust, ha!
Once I left the canal and entered Yellow Creek I had to keep an eye on the buoys, everyone said to stay in the middle of the channel and they'd throw in a story about so-and-so running aground. I don't know if there were several so-and-so's running aground or if everyone I spoke with knew the same so-and-so, I just knew I didn't want my name mentioned the next time they were on the subject.
I managed to snake through Yellow Creek with no problems and pulled along side the transient dock at Aqua Yacht Harbour at 2:30. I made a quick trip to the grocery store then stopped by the Rib Cage for some BBQ.
I'm aiming for Florence tomorrow, should be another short day but I don't want to lock through Wilson by myself... Shawn will be joining me Thursday evening or early Friday morning.