Fall has arrived on the river

We spent the past week at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, Alabama.  The social aspect of the AGLCA Rendezvous can only be described as rush week.  We began and ended the week with docktails and were kept very busy in between.

The real purpose is the incredible information that is shared during the week.  Receiving specific route planning tips and cautions from experienced Loopers was incredibly helpful.

But the most valuable aspect of the rendezvous is meeting the people that will be along this journey with you as the group “loop frogs” along the way.  You don’t know when you will see another looper along the way but we know we will.

Remember that pesky broken 90 foot lock that we had to get through in the dark to get here?  Yep, we need to ALL get back through that to continue along the loop route down to Florida.

The last docktails of the week was one of the captains meeting to plan our Flotillas departure time and positions inside the lock.  One person communicates with the lockmaster for the group in the hopes that we can squeeze in when there is room since the commercial tows and barges have priority going through the locks.

Majority ruled and we opted not to begin our day at 3:oo am to get through both Wheeler lock and Wilson lock (the problem one).

We got up at 5:00 am and then checked in via vhf radio.  It was very foggy so we would wait until 7:00 to leave since we heard that we would most likely be waiting most of the day at Wilson for permission to lock through.  We left at 6:30.  Plans change VERY fast on the loop.

We got through Wheeler lock as expected and it was a pretty  morning once through the fog.  At the Wilson lock we were allowed to wait while tied onto the lock barges.  It was a pretty cool place to have breakfast and we were allowed to ALL lock through (15 boats) WITH a tow and barge.

It looks like we will be getting rain this week along with all of you back at home.  I’m sure our plans will change several times this week.