Florida to Alabama 8/10/12 to 8/17/12

Join us for a nail-biting, jaw clenching adventure from the coast of Florida to Eufaula, Alabama.

We took the Intracoast Waterway from Port Saint Joe, Florida to Lake Wimico.
This is a picture of the sunrise from our anchorage on the lake.

Leaving Lake Wimico we went into the twisty Apalachicola River.
The river is not maintained for navigation which made for an interesting trip.

Fish Camps dot the shores on the Apalachicola.

Weather was HOT, but these turtles didn't mind.

The river was really low as you can see by this fish camp on dry ground.

Anchorage below Bluntstown, FL.

What the heck? It's 3 rafts built by a boy scout troop floating down the river.

Leaving our anchorage. We tried to get an early start every day before it got to hot.

Sunrise at another anchorage.

Bluffs came into view - don't let all the water fool you.... it was shallow!

Look close to see one of the many sandbars where we were scraping bottom.

Stuck hard! Captain was on the bow preparing an anchor to throw out.
Luckily we were able to pull ourselves off.

When pigs swim! Wheeeeee.....
We were diligent watching for snags in the river, but this one was moving. 

That pig could really move through the water.

It scampered up the side of the bluff like it was flat ground.

Leaving anchorage between a wing dam.

A menagerie of swamp life on the river.

Don't go in the water!

Jim Woodruff Lock. 33 foot lift

Leaving Woodruff Lock.

Leaving the lock, you enter Lake Seminole.

Hydrilla was as bad as the sandbars. You can see the large areas of it in this pic.
We had to keep stopping to clean the engine prop and once got stuck in the weeds!

Nice anchorage in the lake.

Entering George W. Andrews Lock. 25 foot lift

We are now on the Chattahoochee River.
The middle of the river marks the boundary between the Eastern and  Central time zone.

We had  trouble finding an anchorage since the bottom of this river was rocky.
We finally found a beach with a good anchor hold.

Looks like Indian Paintbrush.

Walter F. George Lock. 88 foot lift!

Captain handling the lines inside the lock.
Don't be fooled by the long sleeve shirt - it was to help keep the sun off.
Still plenty hot!

After what felt like an elevator ride, the gates open to Lake Eufaula,
or Lake George depending on what chart you are looking at.
Huge lake of 70 square miles and over 400 miles of shoreline.

Click here for a Google Map link to where we currently are.

Lollygag at her slip in the Alabama National Park.

Can you see Lollygag??

Not the usual cart you find at a marina.
Here they are called buggy's.

Captain unloading grocery's after a Wal-Mart trip.

First mate / Admiral got a new bike. Yeah!

We were planning on staying here for a couple of months, but found out the Locks are scheduled to close on October 7, 2012. There hasn't been enough traffic to justify keeping them open.

At this time, we are going to enjoy the park for a month before going to Bainbridge, Georgia to visit friends.

I'll let you know.