October 25, 2013  Friday.    Day 40   Mile marker 335 

We made it to Columbus, Miss.  where we're going to keep our boat for a month.  Left this morning at 8 am, with Kestrel a 42 ft Saber S/V with no mast.  They are heading to Pensacola for a refitting of the boat then to Belize or Honduras, Venezuela.  Locked thru all three locks fast, met only one tow boat with 3 barges single file.  Had a horrible night at the Smithville Marina, tied up to the dock with the North wind blowing down the lake pounding us up against the dock, sometimes it felt like over the dock.  Wind was forecasted to decrease as the night went on but only increased 15-20 knots but felt like more.  Not sure if the barge traffic during the night caused part of the wave action but Kestrel and Castaway crew didn't get much sleep. Wind settled around 6:30 am to 10 knot wind,just minor rocking.  Thank you Lord I didn't get sick from the rocking.  Rocking too hard to do any computer work or even watch a movie. Was good to have electricity to start the heater in the morning since there were frost warnings out.  Curt this he saw some fingers of ice on the windows when he woke up. Glad to leave here, looked like a boat salvage dock more than a marina.  Had a good day with the wind behind us for the most part, a little chilly when we turned to go into the wind.  Sunny, I got some quilting done while on watch, almost ran over a little red buoy sticking out of the water 4 inches, don't tell Curt.  He was finishing his waxing of the top of the boat.  Going down the Canal was so bad, we kept busy cleaning the boat inside and out.  Polished and waxed the stainless steel on top of the boat.  Boat is so slippery on top, we forget to be careful and go sliding but it shines in the sun almost blinding at times and hopefully will be easier to clean when we get back from our month off.  We're so close to the gulf and will miss our friends we've played catch up to.  Won't be that way long after sitting here at the marina.  Have to get things put away and pack to leave in two days.  Heading for Hampton, Virginia to spend some time going to Salty Dawg seminars before Curt leaves with his good buddies Bob and Nelson to BVI. Can't wait to do a rode trip with my friends Sherryl and Bobbie back to Bismarck.  Checked normal weather for this area in Dec.   We're gonna freeze taking the boat the last 335 miles to Mobile, Alabama.  Saw four Bald Eagles today, they soared over us, like they were checking to see if we were okay then off they flew.  Maybe will have more time in the next couple of days to catch up on the pictures and daily blogging.