Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the crew of Toscana

 I realize this appears just after Christmas, but that's just how the schedule works.

Just like everyone, we have been terribly busy with the holidays. However, I do wish to make a big announcement for the new year!

Updates may be a little sporadic in the first part of 2024, so I'm going to outline our plans.

1) We are moving Toscana on Dec 31st, headed to Midway Marina in Fulton, MS. We will split our time between the property and storage facility in Waverly, TN. We are hoping to return to the area when a sli opens at Pebble Isle Marina in New Johnsonville. We have been on the list for 2 years, and are tired of waiting to get out of the mess known as Cuba Landing Marina.

We will be spending the first 3-4 months of 2024 resurfacing the main decks of Toscana, and refinishing the brightwork. We will post a few pics here and there showing our progress. 

The main reason to press pause on these written updates comes in the biggest piece of news. we will begin filming, starting with our 3 day trip to midway, and the work I described for a YouTube Channel, Adventures Aboard Toscana. We will still post pictures here, and some written stories, but the videos will likely take a large portion of the time available. We spent the holiday season getting together all the equipment to film everything... including one of those drones. I will admit that is looking to be the biggest hurdle. That and the fact I have a face for radio, and a voice for newspaper (or a blog 😂😂)

So best wishes for a wonderful 2024!

JG Marine Services: Seaz The Day - Mobile, AL to Ft Myers, FL

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 2b:

Day 3:

Day 4 : Sat idle in Panama City waiting out the weather

Day 5:

Day 5b:

Day 6: The Crossing:

Day 6b:

Day 6c:

Day 6 Dolphins 1:

Day 6 Dolphins 2:

Day 7:

Day 8:

Travel Home 1:

Travel Home 2:

Thanksgiving Week

The delay in posting means folks are reading this near Christmas or after. We appologize for the confusion, but the delay makes a world of difference in being able to get decent content out! 😊

I returned from Mobile on the 19th, and so far have been absolutly filled with catch up work relating to the storage facility and the trucking operations. Amy is in Illinois with her family. Unfortunatly with my departure again the 29th and the workload here, I was unable to join them. Thanksgiving Day has been a day of rest, and a ham in the crockpot. So I promise I didn't starve! 😅🤣😂

Amy did pick up some video equipment on Black Friday deals, so we can start some video documentation of our projects and our travels.

This winter's project of refinish the brightwork and the main decks. We will video and document this and work the bugs out of our video processes before we get to the good stuff... Travels!!

JG Marine Services: Seaz The Day from Cuba Landing to Mobile, AL

Pictues and videos for this are on facebook, links are below. Follow the page for real time updates in your feed!

Day 1 Start

Day 1 Pickwick Lock

Pickwick Lock's sharing of our video!

Day 1 end @ Grand Harbor

Day 2 Whitten Lock

Day 2 Mongomery Lock

Day 2 Rankin Lock

Day 2 end @ Midway Marina

Day 3 Fulton Lock

Day 3 Wilkins Lock

Day 3 Thad Cochran Lock

Day 3 Aberdeen Lock

Day 3 end @ Columbus Marina

Day 4 Stennis Lock

Day 4 Bevill Lock

Day 4 Heflin Lock

Day 4 end @ Kingfisher Bay Marina

Day 5 Demopolis Lock

Day 5 Coffeeville Lock

Day 5 Wildlife Pics

Day 5 end @ Tensas River anchorage

Day 6 Welcome to Mobile, AL

Day 6 end @ Dog River Marina

Day 7 - Packed up heading home

Heading out of Wheeler

 2023 Fall Rendezvous Photo!

Well here we are, well before sunrise, prepping to pull out and lock through Wheeler lock with 11 other boats.

 

 After getting through a call to Wilson lock amounted to knowing we would have a good wait, so we just idled the 14 miles and floated the last 3 😆

Unfortunately the delay at Wilson was long enough that the second flotilla caught up with us, adding 8 more for a total of 20. If that's not a big enough group, we had 10 bass boats wanting a ride down as well.

Now we sure thought we had a full lock, however the lockmaster took a couple pics from above as we went down... not as full as we felt.

After all that fun, many pulled into Florence, but 5 of us pushed on. We got into the Rock Pile anchorage just as dark was setting in real good. Sat morning I put the dinghy down and got some nice shots of our raft! 

We were the anchor boat so we were last to pull out, around 0900. Headed for Pickwick State Park for our fall fill-up. 368 gallons later we were off to lock down at Pickwick. Had to stand, the fuel at $4.50/gallon left me unable to sit comfortably!

The Perch snapped our picture on the way.

It was nice to have the chamber to ourselves after yesterday!

We pulled in to Wolf island anchorage, as we just didn't have time to make Swallow Bluff Island. We can still make it back in one day with an early start.

Out on the river by 0600

Delivery boat

Arriva upbound!

Bandit upbound... but where is the Snowman???

At Last II upbound.

Current Plan upbound :)

We got in to Cuba Landing about 1500, got the mast down and settled in the slip. Now off to pack for the trip to Florida with Seaz The Day. I will link the daily Facebook posts in the next entry :)

Welcome to Joe Wheeler!

Friday was a short hour cruise from the mouth of the Elk River over to Joe Wheeler State Park. We will be posting from here all week, attending the AGLCA Fall Rendezvous and visiting with other loopers! 

It finally warmed up enough for a dinghy ride to explore the harbor.

Boats are starting to fill in, the next 2 days will busy with arrivals!

Toscana got an endcap! :)

 

https://share.nebo.global/voyage/14af8e07-768e-4891-a79b-587805f03b8e

Sat was filled with helping new arrivals to their slips, lounging around with a couple beers, and game night with 3 other crews in the lodge. Some LRC dice and a great game of cards. Tomorrow we have to prep for the tailgate kickoff party!

Sunday new arrivals started to get more interesting, as things got tighter. We really do take over this marina! The kickoff party was a big hit! Unfortunately it left us with headaches Monday morning. 😅😂

The rest of the Rendezvous kept us busy, connecting with old friends, and making new ones! Here are some wonderful drone images taken by another member.

The Perch, and Light & Salty left Thurs evening, only to be trapped in the Wheeler lock for about 6 hours. A repair team got 1 door functional about 9pm for their escape. We are set to lead a flotilla out at daybreak and are hoping the repairs are complete and we can get headed for home.

What happened to fall?

Sunday was a late leave from Eastport Marina to Florence harbor. Weather was beautifhl and sunny. The 1st class passenger was busy doing 1st class passenger things :)

Pickwick lake has beautiful rock cliffs here and there, and in the fall obviously the trees are just wonderful to look at.

We got settled in to Florence, staged for a 0600 lock-age at Wilson Lock. Getting some laundry done and dinner aboard! Life is good! 😊

Monday saw us up well before the butt crack of dawn to make the Wilson Lock recreational window of 0600-0630. 

We got through, and across Wilson Lake to Wheeler Lock by 10am. Tva was working on their transmission lines across the river by helicopter. Pictures don't do justice to it.

We had drizzle rain and cold. The forecast called for more cold and rain through most of the afternoon, so we ducked into Joe Wheeler State Park for the night.

We were greeted and had help getting tied up from none other than AGLCA's director Kim Russo! Talk about a celebrity welcome! :)

We were only 1 of 3 loop boats there, and offered to host docktails on the heated flybridge. Consistent with our luck, we lost power at the dock. We could sit on inverter, but nor run electric heat. So I broke out the spare propane and our deck heater. Docktails were provided by propane, and propane accessories! Hank Hill would be proud! 😅🤣😂 Kim was alone, and so was the other loop boat so we shared beef stew for dinner as well!

Tuesday morning was certainly chilly, however it turned into a beautiful day, and a beautiful cruise to Ditto Landing. Decauter, AL has a huge working river port... nice to see, there aren't all that many left.

Several flocks of all types of feathered friends on taking a break on their way south for the winter.

Railroad lift bridge had to make room for us.

We spent Tue night and all day Wed at Ditto Landing, just outside of Huntsville. AL. Very nice folks, and with 100 gallons of diesel we got a free night. 

Passing Bell's Bluff between Ditto Landing and Decatur, AL.

Towboat Crown Star upbound.

Approaching Decatur, AL

Passed a looper heading to Chattanooga

Nuclear power plant near Decatur, AL

We tied up in Elk River at a private dock belonging to a couple we met at the 2021 Rendezvous.