Cruising with Fern

Today is a bittersweet day...we're a little bit sad because it is our last cruising day of Leg III of the "Discovering Ithaka" adventure. We are currently docked at Columbus Marina, mile 335 on the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Leaving Ithaka behind one last time while we head back to Naples....don't worry Ithaka, next time you're bringing us all the way home! ~And, it's a happy time, too, because I am counting the minutes to when I get to wrap my arms around my Marvelous Munchkins! I miss my grandbabies most of all...plus all my loved ones of course! But, I cannot forget to mention missing long hot showers (long being the operative word), a king size bed and my waterpik!

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After losing a day to bad weather on Friday, we stepped it up today and continued onto Columbus rather than stopping at Aberdeen as previously planned. The next couple of days will be spent organizing, packing, doing a bit of site seeing and trying to eat what's left in the fridge. Last night we had fun at the Halloween Party hosted by the owners of Midway Marina in Fulton. Then this morning, thanks to "falling back" our clocks gained an hour and we were underway before 6:30 AM. We saw another spectacular sunrise...there was a mist rising on the river with silhouettes of the cypress trees standing along the shore...hundreds of American Coots were swimming in the slough as we departed the marina's entry and headed back into the flow of the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Mom has really enjoyed cruising and many times through-out each day she has said, "this is such a beautiful world." Today, on two occasions, we saw an otter swim across the river, although once it may have been a beaver...a huge bald eagle perched in the tallest tree...countless blue herons, of course the coots at sunrise...we've kept a watchful eye out for deer as we were told we might see them along the banks, but no luck yet...then as we approached the marina, the White Pelicans greeted us in the channel. It may very well have been one of the flocks heading south that we saw when we left Grafton over a month ago.

I'm enjoying posting our videos on YOUTUBE and creating movies with music from our photographs...It's a great way to share since I am a possessed shutterbug! I'm sure I'll add a few more posts on the blog before hanging up my writer's pen for awhile. I know I can speak for my captain when I say what a wonderful time we have had cruising with Fern. She is a joy to be around and an inspiration to everyone who knows her. Thank you mom for being here.