November 16, 2011

I was up at 5 today, couldn't sleep.  We had breakfast and fired up the engines about 6:00.  The guy on Double Trouble was also getting ready to go.  We coordinated going through the lock.  He is a fast, long sleek, fishing boat out of Key West.  We guessed its length to be about 70 ft.  Jerry asked him how far he was going today.  He plans to be in Pensacola by the end of the day.  I'd hate to be paying his fuel bill. At best we will do 70 miles in a day.  It's 215 miles just to Mobile, AL.

Double Trouble



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Out of the lock and Double Trouble is on plane and out of there. 












Right out of the lock we see this group of Pelicans just hanging out.







It starts to rain.  The weather radio alarm goes off.  NOAA issued a tornado warning for Demopolis Airport.  Thunder, lightening, wind, and very difficult to see out.  We were sweating it for a while trying to decide what to do.  We got a call on the radio from Double Trouble letting us know he had driven out of it.  Sure enough, 30 minutes later and we were out of it also.

Good thing it stopped when it did, because we met 3 tows within 30 minutes.  Hell, even when it's clear the river is so twisty we couldn't see them until we meet them in a turn around the bend of the river.  Good thing we have AIS.  It tracks those big vessels and let's us know when one is near.

Just an example of what we're seeing on the chart and GPS.  Like I said, twisty.

Check this boat out.  It appears to be made from bamboo with a blue tarp keeping him out of the water.  Not sure what the sails are made from maybe more blue tarp.  To each his own.  I like my boat.





















We tried to anchor in Bashi Creek but it's too shallow so we go to the alternative, which is parallel to the bank, about 10 ft out,  just across from the entrance to Bashi Creek.  This is kind of disconcerting because we are just off the channel.  Jerry set the bow anchor then threw out a stern anchor so we wouldn't swing. 

I grilled some brats and Italian sausage.  The brats will be for lunch tomorrow and the Italian for pasta tonight.  It was such a pleasant evening, we sat on the sun deck and enjoyed dinner.

November 15, 2011

Decided to stay another day in Demopolis.  Met up with Liz and Steve, Shingibiss.  They are wintering in Demopolis.  Their boat broker called with a potential buyer.  They had looked at a Roughwater boat docked at Demopolis about a year ago.  A real fixer upper.  They were still considering it so we went with them for another look. OMG, it was in really bad shape.  It had more structural damage than they remembered and had potential for lots more that couldn't be seen. 

We went into town with them later.  Jerry did some more research on the transmission fluid needed and finally decided on the stuff from Tractor Supply.  He talked to the "expert" at the Cat dealership in KC and Larry Mathews, the broker we bought the boat from.  Larry suggested we call Ed Majors the previous owner to see what had  been used.  I looked up his name to get his number and found an article that he was killed in a freak accident in Hopkinsville, November 4.  A tree fell on his car as he was driving down the street.  Bizarre.  Jerry finally called Bobby at Rottgering Marine where we had some work done and got the skinny.

Went to dinner with Liz and Steve at the marina restaurant.  Back to the boat after dark, we topped off the water and rolled up hoses so we'd be ready to go early tomorrow. 

No marinas for the next 217 miles from Demopolis to Mobile. 

November 14, 2011

Rode bikes into Demopolis today.  The guy at the marina gave us directions so we could stay off the main roads.  It was a wonderful ride.  Nice town.
Went to Tractor Supply first looking for transmission fluid for the boat.  Didn't find what we thought we needed.  The recommended restaurant was closed so found a Mexican place across the street for lunch.  Followed by a trip to Walmart to pick up a few things.

Found another route back.  We passed this incredible old mansion at Capital and Commissioners.  It has 5 chimneys and these beautiful stained glass windows showing bigger than life Renaissance women.  Also, there was a tree arbor in the side yard.  Once again, no camera. 

Later that evening, about 20-35 boaters got together on the upper deck of the new building that held the laundry and showers.  It was great to meet these folks.  Some we'd only talked to on the radio. 

November 13, 2011

Anchor up at 7 am.  Sunny morning but cool. 

 We came around a bend to see the White Cliffs of Epes. Rather spectacular in contrast to the scenery before it. 

The white cliffs are part of the Selma Chalk formations which were deposited at about the same time as England's famous white cliffs of Dover. 







Our goal is to get to Demopolis, AL today quickly.  They don't take reservations so wanted to make sure we had a slip.  We came to the end of the Tenn Tom Waterway at mile 217.  The Black Warrior River enters the Tombigbee River at this point.  From this point south we will be on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway.  Made it to Demopolis by 1:15.  A bit windy so tough getting the boat into the slip.  Had help from a few other boaters already there.  One of the fenders got knocked off, the clip broke and it ended up in the water.  It was fished out but will need repaired. 

Hung out the rest of the day.

November 12, 2011

Up early again this morning, 5:30 today.  Temp in salon is 54F, outside temp 37F.  Cranked up the gen to warm things up and fix tea and coffee. 

Anchor up just before 7.  We turned directly into the sun.  It was tough to see anything for about 2 hours until the sun got higher.  Went through Bevill Lock.  We watched this Great Egret while we were locking through.  What a beautiful bird.

Herons and Egrets find the locks to be a good place to hang out (like fishing in a bucket).  We've come to locks and the birds are lined up on the top rail.  Fun to watch.

Some boaters ahead of us reported seeing an eagle.  Jerry asked them for the mile marker so we could be looking as well.  He spotted these two eagles in a tree port side. 

Anchored out just past the Heflin Lock in the Tombigbee Ox Bow at mile 265.8 on the waterway.  This sailboat followed us into the anchorage.  It was a quiet area, really pretty.  Close to a boat ramp, some bass boats, but none were a bother.  

November 11, 2011

Happy Veteran's Day!

We are staying another day so threw in a load of laundry at the marina.  Walking back to the boat, we ran into Glenda and Carl, Goldleaf.  They had just returned from town with the courtesy car. Liz and Steve were heading to the office to sign up for the car. We had the car at 11 so asked if they wanted to go with us.  The couple that had the car before us decided to head out instead of using the car so we got the it earlier.  Jerry wanted a donut fix so we headed for Dunkin Donuts.  Jerry got a few donuts since it had been awhile, I got donut holes.  Steve and Liz ordered breakfast sandwiches.  It was hilarious what happened next.  When ordering, the clerk said, "we're out of eggs, do you want an egg?"  Steve said I don't understand.  She repeated the same thing.  What they finally got from her was that they were out of the liquid eggs used to make folded eggs and would they like a fried egg. 

So we're sitting at the table and Liz wants to know where her hash browns are.  According to the menu board she should get them.  She asks the clerk and is told that she didn't ask for them so that's why she didn't get them.  Weird answer.  She sits down and is about half done with her sandwich when she realizes she didn't have bacon on the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich.  So back up she goes to the same clerk who says "sorry".  That was it.   Fortunately the manager calls her back up and refunds 1/2 the cost of the sandwich.  Liz gets back to the table and decides she is done with her sandwich.  She asks Steve if he wants the rest of it and he says "no, it doesn't have bacon on it".  It was perfect timing and I'm sure you had to be there, but we all just roared. Liz took her refunded $ and went back up for a donut.   I'm sure the clerk was glad when we finally left.

After this we took off to find Lowes.  Liz pulls up Lowes on her iPhone and Jerry drove according to her directions.  We ended up in a residential area, dead end street but no Lowes.  Jerry backtracked and found it by chance.

Went to Kroger and back to the boat.  They are fun folks.

Jerry thought we could make it a little ways down river and save a night's fee at the marina so we saddled up and took off.  First stop was the Columbus Lock.  We went about 3+ hours and anchored in this great little spot, Hairston, at mile 318.5 on the Tenn Tom waterway.  Beautiful sunset.





I fixed zucchini pasta for dinner then made cookies.  Yummy.

November 10, 2011

Up anchor about 8 am.  I drove around the corner to the Wilkins Lock.  We stayed together for this lock and the Amory Lock.  The others peeled off at Aberdeen Marina.  Shingibiss is picking up friends and Goldleaf was taking on fuel.  We had to wait about 15 minutes for the Aberdeen Lock to turn around.  It was windy so was tough to keep the boat in check.  Kept trying to blow us into the rock piled at the end of the long wall of the lock. Into the lock with a tail wind.  It was challenging but we held on.  I am really glad Jerry is handling the lines.

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Pretty uneventful ride.  The scenery wasn't anything special but it was quiet and peaceful.  Closer to Columbus, MS, we kept hearing what sounded like jet airplanes.  We looked but couldn't see them.  There is an AFB at Columbus so assumed military jets were flying around somewhere.  Jerry took the binoculars out on deck to try to see what was flying around.  Ended up being a P51 flying circles above the river over and over again.  Very cool! 

I spotted this honeybee on the Isinglass.  Not sure what the attraction was, maybe just resting.

Went to dinner with about 8 folks at a place called Hucks in Columbus, MS.  Good food and really had a great time.