Chapter 21: Docktails, Birthday Pie, Friendships

Below is the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA) docktails toast:
“There are good ships and wood ships,
ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships are friendships,
may they always be!"
We didn’t fully appreciate that lovely sentiment until we traveled 14 days down the Tenn-Tom waterway with a group of four looper boats. Our parade was led by Rio and April on Ti Amo (first boat), Gail and Tim on Tug-Along (second boat), and our looper buddies Gwyn and Rick on Salt and Lime (third boat), then 2 Explore. We departed some days before sunrise to go through 13 locks, and we always arrived safely at our destination before sunset. We ate Southern food, drank chilled spirits, and laughed about our adventures. We supported each other when a boat problem worried us, and never left anyone behind. We shared pictures of our boats, eagles, and alligators. They surprised Bridgett on her birthday with song, presents, and a key lime birthday pie. She cried.
At Mobile Bay, Alabama on Oct. 28, we celebrated the end of river system boating and cheered the new salty waters. We saw jellyfish and dolphin and screamed with excitement! We made it a long way together. We sincerely hope to be long-time friends with these great people.
We parted from our floatilla buddies at Orange Beach, AL and our dear friends John and Vicki went back to Alaska for the winter. Back to just Bill and Bridgett. After 2,218 nautical miles and touching nine states, on to the next great adventure…Read more