We are heading out from Florence and will be trying out the new battery system on anchor for the first time. After several checks we head south on the Tennessee River toward the Tombigbee River. The Tombigbee River was first considered by American settlers as a shortcut. Residents of Knox County, Tennessee first approached Congress in 1810 with a proposal to connect the two rivers, the Tombigbee and the Tennessee Rivers. The first survey was made by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1827. Serious consideration was delayed for more than 100 years because of the expansion of railroads. Construction of the Tenn-Tom Waterway was started in 1972 and completed in 1985. The waterway provides shallow draft boats and barges operating in some 16,000 miles of other navigable inland waterways with access to the Gulf of Mexico at Mobile, Alabama 412 river miles to the south of the Bay Springs Lock and Dam. The junction of the waterway at the Tennessee River is 47 miles north of lock and dam. The lock on the waterway is standard dimension, 110 feet wide and 600 feet long.
The Tennessee-Tombigee Waterway has three main parts – the largest section from Demopolis, Alabama north to Amory, Mississippi utilizes the Tombigbee River, howver it changes and shortens the existing channel with dams, locks and shortcuts. From Amory, a canal section using a chain of lakes construction extends to the Bay Springs Lock and Dam. The final section cuts deeply through high ground to the Tennessee River. Its total length is 234 miles with the river section being 149 miles, canal section 46 miles and divide cut section being 39 miles. The standard width is 300 feet. There are areas along this that you cannot stop for a marina or anchorage so planning your distances is important. Those areas are not more than 25 miles but getting caught in the dark would not be pleasant.
We will be stopping near the north side of the Tombigbee River at an anchorage south of Goat Island. We have heard rumours of there being wild goats that live here. Rain is in the forecast so we will be getting there early to have the time to see if indeed this is true.
We notice that the winter pool water level has made the waterline more prevalent. The colours of the leaves are mainly brown now with the evergreens taking over. The nights have been dropping to under 10C or mid 40sF, more rain and wind has also been the nemesis for keeping the leaves hanging on a little longer. The winds are out of the south for the day today however shifting to north, so we will anchor on the south of the island with a calm night for sleep. It’s choppy but we set the anchor with a good hold. The goats are already on the shore grazzing. I cut up some yellow and red peppers and an apple with a very ripe banana as well. We drop “Otter” and head to shore tying a rope to a tree. As we were in the process of getting the tender secured the goats start running along the beach to greet us. A steer, 2 mamas, 1 adolescent and 2 little ones. They are in good form so they must be getting fed with hay too. We try to offer them the veggies and they won’t take them. Poppa goat decides there is nothing to see here and leads the families away only to come back on his own and take what we have to offer. The banana was the biggest hit. Soon the dominant female and her adolescent are in on the frenzy. Poppa goat did not like Scott going up to his women and literally horned him in the leg then stood on his hind quarters. Scott backed away and the guy charged him. Scott made a swift jump to the left and it confused Poppa Goat. At this point all but the little ones were all over us. Poppa is getting snarly with his family so we are chucking the food pieces away from us while I jump in “Otter” and Scott unties the rope on the tree, pushes us out in the water while I keep throwing the food away from us. It was fun until Poppa got narly. If you come to this island to feed the goats, stay in the tender, do not let any of your kids out, and throw the food to the goats. The guy with the horns rules and he is always there in front of his women.
The rain rolls in so we download some movies and veg a bit before we get into our sundowners, but more like drizzle drinks with this rain.
