Sitting in the cool of the Cottonwood Public house, a new, comfortable pub on Washington St, the main street of old Vicksburg, I enjoy my first beer in seven days. In the six and a half days it took to get from Memphis to Vicksburg I traveled 300 river miles, drank seven gallons of water, wore three shirts, one pair of pants and no socks. I also did not make a single stop in any town. The beer tastes good.

When I headed back to the hotel, down the steep hill, I stopped at the boat ramp to check on Little Joy. I left some food, kitchen gear and minor stuff in it. I had made two trips earlier in the noon sun, carrying all my gear, including the oars, to the hotel just above the ramp. I left the rest. I am uneasy leaving the boat here but it is well lit and I can see it from my room in the Margaritaville hotel.

Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Hotel in Vicksburg Mississippi. Yeah it’s weird to me too but its very nice and new and right there. It’s also very empty.

It was only 34 miles from my last camp on the river to the boat ramp in Vicksburg and the last mile and a quarter was up the Yazoo canal. The canal used to be the course of the Mississippi River but on April 26, 1876, 13 years after the river and Vicksburg played a significant role in the Civil War, the river suddenly changed its course and left Vicksburg high and dry.