Grand Harbor Marina - Iuka, MS - 11/6/10

We woke up this morning to a cool crisp morning. As discussed last night, promptly at 8 a.m. 3 of the 5 loopers left at Joe Wheeler took off. Our traveling friends today were Bill & Charlotte on the Mainship "Precious Time" from Nashville and Stan & Colleen on the catamaran "Next Endevour" from San Diego. Luck was really with us getting thru both the Wheeler & Wilson locks including the 18 miles of Wilson Lake by 11 a.m. so we decided to run on to Grand Harbor rather than stopping at Florence which was just outside the last lock. When we got to Grand

Harbor as we were hooking up power and TV cable, Ron and Missy Bishop and Simon the cocker spaniel drove up to the boat in their golf cart. It turns out that when the Bishops lived in the Ohio Valley area, Missy was working at a Marietta bank and was involved in a project to bring the debit card sytem to the Ohio Valley which I had initiated as president of the local banking association. Of course we had to recall all the mutual bankers friends we had known over the years. After docktails on the boat, Ron suggested a tour of the marina grounds which is awesome. It seems that everyone here gets around on golf carts even on the docks which sometimes create exciting moments and tonight was no exception. When we approached the end of the dock facing Yellow Creek and had to turn around which took several forward/reverse moves, the golf cart got a little too close to Yellow Creek with the rear wheels, according to the ladies occupying the back facing seat, and we were informed that additional yellow was being added to the creek. After the tour we went to Freddie T's for another great meal then back to the Bishop's beautiful home which overlooks the marina before returning to the boat. Our traveling friends Bill & Charlotte are in the slip beside us so we got together and planned our next move down the Tenn-Tom which we agreed would begin at 9 a.m. and involve only 37 miles to Bay Springs Marina in New Site, MS. Our other traveling friends decided to anchor in order to test their heating system running on inverter power. We will pick them up as we leave tomorrow.