IVY to Tall Timbers...Friday, June 17...

Left around 7 AM... First and only lock today was ten miles out....waited two hours for our lock down! What the Heck?? It was only a three foot drop...took them forever to move folks through! We made great time after that....river current is pushing so we got an extra couple of MPH...we thought we be at Havana around 3 and we got here at 1:30... Even with that delay! It's a quaint little marina...Floyd and I opted to have a quick cheeseburger and beer ...then Dakota and I walked to town...seems someone (me) forgot to bring birthday cards...and young son number one is having one of those. So up hill...both ways...to get a card in the mail but he is worth it! A Small group of boaters from Peoria pulled in around 2:30....very nice. Of course, they fell in love with Dakota...so we were up past our bedtime chatting with them. (No drinking was involved...right??) we are all drinkers with a boating problem.

We are worried about the next 120 miles to a marina at Grafton...one lock...no marinas...and we are struggling to find a place to anchor where we can get Dakota to shore....and you know, dog's gotta do their business!! We don't think we can make Grafton in one day....but the thought is we should try...the key to us making it before dark is the lock. Say prayers!! We depart at 5ish....

The other fear is the trip back...120 miles with current helping vs 120 against a current...Floyd is thinking we may have to board the dog at a kennel and rent a car to retrieve him after we get back to Havana....geesh! We've got all sort of boater friends who have made the trip...we have asked for suggestions...we'll see!!