Today was our shortest day yet, only 27 miles. We decided to dock at the Pirates Marina Cove in Pickensville, Alabama in order to tour the visitor center at the Tom Bevill lock and dam. This center is an antebellum style mansion that sits up on a hill at the mouth of the lock. As a home it would have been extremely impressive, as a visitor center it was “informational” (guess that’s what it was supp
ose to be) I was hoping for more mid-19th century furnishings, etc. On-the-hard at the same location is the US Snagboat Montgomery (1926) a 180 foot sternwheel steamboat which was retired from service in 1982 and is now a National Historic Landmark. This vessel is basically a working barge with a huge crane on the front. It primarily removed submerged stumps and fallen trees from numerous rivers throughout the south for close to 60 years. It has been restored and is an interesting old vessel to wonder around.The locks only operate every 2 hours (on the even hour) weekends and holidays. That’s both today so we expected to have a wait. About 1 hour from the lock a larger boat “second wind” passed by us, and then he had to wait at the lock for us to arrive to lock through. Like yesterday the lockmaster radioed for any other vessel on the water. Again we were fortunate to drive in and tie off, then be lifted 27 feet. No waiting, but I’m sure our time will come.
Apparently they set off fireworks last night from the visitor center so we won't be having a display tonight.
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