July 3
Position
N35.896335
W89.73928
Had Dinner at the Casino last night and that fun as they had a good steaks and ribs were excellent.
Got moving early and we were the first group at breakfast. We had taken the packs down with us and the owner rushed out after us to give us a couple of bananas. We said thanks but were coming back in for breakfast. She then made waffles for breakfast and biscuits and sausages as well so it was good place to stay and the owners work really hard to made you comfortable and happy. So the Casino Inn in Carathersvilles is the place to stay.
On leaving town we had to cross the channel and take several short cuts on the TN side of the river. The first one would give any canoe handler an adrenaline rush as it started in a bunch of willows and only got worse for a while. I working hard to steer the boat and telling Di when to bow rudder. I made on bad mistake and that was not to tell her which side and that almost was a disaster but she fixed it fast and all was good. The rest of that channel was OK.
Pasted this wreck in the cut
The next two short cuts were just washed over sand bars and required almost no work at all except on one crossing the traffic was a little busy. The Austin Stone tow was as surprised to see us as I was to see him when we popped out from behind an island and he was heading up river without any barges. The current took the canoe too far out and he slowed for us and Dianne called and say thanks. They seem like they were not upset by about the whole thing. I must admit I was not thrilled when I first saw him and I started to move for shore as hard as my “oar” would move me!
Found a good shady spot around 2:30 and laid up to wait out the heat of the day and just passing time while water filters.
Here is how sitting up a campsite works out. Finding a likely spot takes the most time and requires some planning during the day. Once we touch shore Di gets out and makes a preliminary survey and if acceptable I get out and finalize the plan of excately where to pitch stuff. Then the canoe is hauled up and unloaded. Dianne fishes out of the food pack the stuff for dinner and food for tomorrow. Then the food packs are covered with the canoe. Next comes the tent pitching. Once that is done together Dianne organizes the inside of the tent and I start work on the tarp. If all goes well with the tarp I will move on to the fireplace and wood gathering. Dianne arrives to help with the wood. Usually about the time the wood is collected it is time to start dinner and finish out the day.
Here is our tent on the beach we camped on.
Count
1 tire
2 balls
3 john boats
17 barges (only 4 down river)
2 red run away buoys
2 green run away buoys
5 herons
3 fishermen
1 washed and still flooded building
1 tow boat washed up onto shore
3 parked tow boats
1 tow moving with nothing
4 channel crossings
Love to all and good night
Allan
Day 31
July 4
Position
N35.67586
W89.94691
Getting into the habit of waking early 5:30 am just before the sun is up but after the dark hours are done. This allows us to get moving a little earlier and beat the heat a little more. It is warm here for sure. In addition to moving and stopping early we also dump water all over ourselves to stay cool while in the sun. This make it a little like sitting in a pool of water all day while working the paddle it does work but feels odd.
As we get up early Dianne takes pictures of Sunrise here is one such picture
The day started as normal and we made great time reaching our destination Oseceola AR around 3 but alas the hotel or motel I had hoped for was not to be as all my friends in this town have moved or are very busy and exit to the town is impossible for a canoe. So the closest hotel was 1.6 miles and we could carry the packs that far. OH Well Memphis is only 2 days off so thing should be OK there.
The weather forecast is good hot humid and 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. This means from, what I have experienced, it will really hot in morning with blue skies then a shower and heavy winds in the afternoon and hot humid nights making sleeping under anything hard to do. So we are currently sleeping on the bag and hoping not to let too many bug into tent as we come in or go out. We have a bug killing time just after we get into the tent after the before bed swim.
It being July 4 I am taking the rest of the night off Dianne wanted a 3 course meal soup, spaghetti, and a cake for dessert so I have been working hard around the fire and I am done for the day. I will also try to beat her at a game of dice tonight.
Count
2 light bulbs
1 kitchen Sink
7 herons
1 egale
15 barges
7 little runabout boats
3 parked tows
1 small working tow (actually moving around the harbor)
6 fishermen
9 fishing net buoys
Love to all and to all good night.
Allan
Day 32
Position
N35.39101
W90.07953
Another just like yesterday hot hot in the morning followed by hot at lunch, then a little thunderstorm and some lite showers and warmish evening. Not as hot as yesterday but warm. Fortunately we are tucked into a clump on the east side of an island so the shade is even better than yesterday and there is a breeze here. So all is good. I also think we are doing much better at handling the heat, maybe we are more adjusted to it or maybe we just have developed good copping plans. Dianne keeps a wet cloth around her neck and I keep my shirt and hat wet.
At the camp last night just outside of Oselola (hey I never said I could spell) a gentleman came over to visit. He was fishing with his family and they gave us some ice which Dianne added to her drinks and I had some too. It was great I have to admit the generosity of and kindess people will never stop amazing me.
Pasted over the wing dam that holed the canoe the last time down the river. I was not worried with 20 feet of water and being just below flood stage here the wing dams or Dikes are really no problem except for some turbulence.
We are still crossing the channel for short cuts today. Once crossing Di called the barge we could see coming up and told him where we were and asked if we far enough out of his way. He reply was, “Just minute till I see you”. Five minutes later he came back on, “Oh I see you now and you won't bother me there, stick to the bank for a while there is huge barge coming down river behind you all.” We did not see that barge for another hour and had crossed the channel a second time before he put in his appearance. When we did see him we way out of his path. I wonder how many trees floating down river these guys hit. Some of them are much bigger than us.
The scenery today was great with bluffs that must have been at least 200 feet high. We are currently only 20 miles from Memphis and looking forward to an afternoon of R&R tomorrow.
Count
3 trees bigger than than us
2 tires
2 red run away buoys
2 green run away buoys
2 turtles
1 light bulb
3 herons
11 barges moving
1 harbor tow moving empty barge
2 tires (with rim)
1 cooler
1 small runabout boat
2 deer
Love to all and to all good night
Allan
Day 22
Position
Comfort Inn Court Square Memphis
Woke to cool misty morning again and had a quick meal of Oatmeal and Corn Bread. The packing is getting so routine that we moving down the river before 8 and it was still quite cool. But that changed to hot quickly. So I kept cool by wetting myself down. We had to cross the channel and did so first thing after the barge coming up river. Di asked him about traffic and he said a barge was about 12 miles upstream from us making about 12 miles an hour. So off we went quick as possible as we could not see him and sure enough we were across in about 15 minutes and the barge caught up to after the next upstream barge passed us about 1 hour later. I think the barges really underestimate our ability to cross the channel and think of us as just a log floating down the river.
Arrived in Memphis and Di tried to hook up with Sharon her sister butt they are come and gone according to messages. Then the harbor patrol came by and pages us to tell us to “call our family” and he had check up blog and knowing when we had last posted. He said some kids came from there the day we posted and made the distance in one day. We have been 2.5 really in getting down here. Those kids are tough to make that distance and they must have strong push to get done to working that hard. What is it with Memphis and me every time I paddle in someone pages me, last time a news station and this time a police boat?
Here we at lunch
Had a snack of fried green tomatoes, fried dill pickles and chicken wings at Miss Polly's and they were delicious. Then did a tour of the Nation Civil Rights Museum which was great. The museum is located where King was shot, but details the whole history of the movement. I did not understand how the pieces fit together. I guess what I mean by that is I knew many of the events but I didn't understand how the tied together though the years and related to each other. I would highly recommend the museum to others.
Well that was the day
Count
5 barges
1 dredge
3 speeding little work boats (including the harbor patrol boat)
1 run away red buoy
1 crane
1 steam shovel unloading barges
1 great Museum
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