OLD MAN RIVER - DEPARTURE DAY

Now that we have arrived safely in New Orleans, we can tell you the story of how we got here.

The project that was keeping us in Memphis past our original month of departure - October - was finally settling down in the beginning of January. So, Josh and I watched the weather and decided our best day to leave would be the 9th of January. We squared away things with the boat, our mail, our bills, and our car. We were so lucky and touched that family members and friends came down to give a "bon voyage" as we headed down the Mississippi. Ten in the morning is our departure time.

Goodbye Memphis - you've been good to us!

Hello Old Man River! Please be nice!

Now, we quickly learned that although it might be in the 60s or 70s on land, it is at least 10 degrees cooler on the river. It is windy and cold - about 58 degrees. We decide to wear our foul weather gear and I get Will into 4 layers of clothing, keeping him in the forward cabin out of the wind. Tunica, MS is our destination for the first day and we are able to tie up at the Tunica Queen dock. We are able to plug in our radiating heater and warm up a bit. Unfortunately we are on the channel side of the dock, so we get rocked all night. When fenders meet one another they like to squeak really really loud!!

Here we are, all tied up.

For the Architects out there.

The walkway out to the river.

The navigation aides explained.

The dock at night.

The full moon our first night.