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| check out the name |
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| we took the dinghy down here |
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| Mississippi cellphone |
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| Who's feet? Diek'or Ashley's? |
vag·a·bond
[vag-uh-bond]
əˌbɒnd
adjective
1.wandering from place to place without any settled home; nomadic: a vagabond tribe.
2.leading an unsettled or carefree life.
3.disreputable; worthless; shiftless.
4.of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a vagabond: vagabond habits.
5.having an uncertain or irregular course or direction: a vagabond voyage.
noun
6.a person, usually without a permanent home, who wanders from place to place; nomad.
7.an idle wanderer without a permanent home or visible means of support; tramp; vagrant.
8.a carefree, worthless, or irresponsible person; rogue.
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (Tenn-Tom): 234 miles. First conceived circa 1760 by Marquis de Montcalm. In 1810, citizens petitioned U.S. Congress for a waterway. First Federal survey in 1874. Project authorized in 1971, work began in 1972 and was completed 12 Dec., 1984. $2 billion. Largest civil works project ever by Army Corps of Engineers, it is 5 times longer and has a total lift 3.5 times greater than the Panama Canal. They removed 307 million cubic yards of earth, poured 2.2 million yds of concrete, and used 33,000 tons of steel. Also much larger than the Suez Canal. The lock walls seem to us to be about 80% aggregate of 2”-4” stone. 28 fixed highway and railway bridges with a min. vertical clearance of 52’ cross the Waterway. 414 feet of difference in water level between Pickwick Lake Ky. And Mobile (sea level). 12 locks measuring 600 feet long x 110 feet wide. 2,640,000 cubic feet or 164,815,200 lbs of water is moved each trip through a lock. This project is famous for its cost. We thank the US taxpayers and the USACE for its past and continuing efforts to make this trip possible.
Our engine on the boat is the original Ford Industrial Engine built in Degenham, England in 1959. These engines were used in Fordson Major tractors and various lorries (trucks) of the time. 200 cubic inch displacement, 4 cyl., 60 HP, Simms diesel injection, Barr marine manifold. We used a bit over 100 gallons of fuel traveling 1,000 miles at an average speed of 5.5 mph give or take the current. Fuel on the water is approx.. $4/gal. We can carry 150 gal. fuel, about 100 gal. fresh water, a LOT of food, but only one six pack of beer at a time says Jan.
The boat was designed by Philip Rhodes, built in Hong Kong 1960, is 38’ long, 12’ wide, and draws 4’ 9” of water. It is ketch rigged (has two masts), weighs 13 tons and is built of solid teak (even the dovetailed drawer sides). It can sleep 6 in the v-berth, main saloon, and private aft cabin. Refrigerator runs on 12V or 120V shore power, water heater runs off engine heat or 120V, toilet is electric 12V (best purchase we made), stove/oven is propane, water pressure is 12V or shore hookup, 75 watt inverter runs off dual 12V deep-cycle batteries, and in the miracle category, all Dave’s plumbing and electrical work works! OK, one flare fitting.
We have Verizon phones and a Verizon mobile hotspot connected to a HP laptop with 2 billion megaRAMROMbyte drivers and have had virtually total coverage all down the rivers.
Jan is a 59 year old retired school teacher/consultant, weighs &%# lbs., is as tough as nails under her luscious, sweet exterior and is always cheerful and willing. She might just be the best FIRST Mate ever, so I’ll let her finish this blog.
JAN:
Well, why say any more?
We usually try to hang in there and not go to marinas because that can dwindle my monthly pension check quickly. Since starting out, we have gone to about 4 of them , at an average of $45/ nite. Sometimes, though, we will make a quick stop at a marina and ride our bikes into town for that six pack I allow Dave to have.
Each night, we have to make a plan for the next day. How many locks we may have to enter and what the current is to determine how far we can and want to go. Then we have to study the charts and reference our books to pick some anchorages. Usually, they have been found but it is not easy these days finding enough water to anchor in. Tonight, for instance we had to kedge off two sandbars before settling in. Our first priority is to be out of the river and away from “those stinking barges”. Tonight I thought I could jump off the boat like Bogie and Hepburn in “The African Queen” and push.
Dave has equipped this boat with all the necessities to make this trip comfortable. He makes sure that the boat is in “ship shape” and we have our Herons in a row so I feel safe and secure. I cannot believe that he has helped me to fulfill a dream I’ve had for years- one for the bucket list. He writes a darn good blog and I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am. I can never write even a smingent as creatively as he has so I won’t even try to walk in his shoes. We are old hats at hanging together and get along swimmingly and love the pants off each other. “So if you find someone/ Who gives you all of their love/ Take it to your heart/ Don’t let it strayaayyaay. No matter what you think about it/ You’ll never be able to do without it,/ Don’t throw it all away/ Don’t throw it all away.” Bob Dylan
It would be great to hear how you all are doing so jot a note (post a comment on the blog) every once in a while, K? Love ya’ll J and D
1 comment:
Love the accent y'all er gittin'! Fun reading!
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