Almost to Mobile Bay

In the last post we were at Demopolis but there were a few pictures on the way of the White Cliffs of Epes so I posted them first. Demopolis has built a brand new section of their marina and it is very nice. The docks are wide and long, plenty of water and a fabulous new building with laundry and showers. It was a great place to have happy hour. There were many Loopers for the two nights of happy hours that we were there. We topped off our fuel and did a final pump out for our next few days at anchor. We took the courtesy car into town, went to WalMart and took a few pictures of the downtown. The first night we ate dinner at the restaurant on site which was mostly fried food so we decided to eat on the boat the second night. Demopolis is place where many of the tow boats get fuel. After we got back from the store we saw a large tow and asked if we could take a tour. The captain said we could in about 15 minutes but is was about 1/2 hour by the time we got back and they were leaving so we missed it. They said there was another tow coming in at 6 and we could try then. Unfortunately for me I missed it but Ginny on the "Free To B" went to fuel dock and was given a long tour of the boat and she said it was one of the highlights of the trip.

We left Demopolis on Monday and were planning on going to an anchorage called Bashi Creek but when we got there we decided that it was not suitable for us to anchor in so we decided to go to Bobby's Fish Camp. It was getting late so we put the boats on plane and got to Bobby's right before dark. Bobby's Fish Camp is a long dock on the river with limited services and we had to raft off which was fine. Since there were about 8 boats they decided to open the restaurant for us which was great. They had fried catfish, chicken and shrimp. The meal came with french fries, cole slaw and hush puppies so we had our fill of fried food for a while. There was a young couple (Michael and Faith) there in a home built raft with a small outboard motor. They started in Pittsburgh and had two chickens with them. Michael is 25 and Faith is 20. I can't possibly imagine doing what they are and I am sure their parents are pretty worried too.

We left Bobby's the next morning and went to an anchorage about 65 miles North of Mobile called Three Rivers Lake. There were four boats so we all rafted together in the channel which wasn't very wide but the depth was good. The wind was strong so we put out long lines around trees on the shore in case the anchors failed. The first night was pretty nice but the next day there were tornado warnings all around us so we decided to stay put and ride it out. We put out some more lines and another anchor and made plans in case we saw a tornado. Tom and Linda on "Raydiance" had weather radar so they kept us informed and we stayed on high alert but all was well in the end.

Today we decided to go about 25 miles to another anchorage in the Tensas River because Mobile Bay had small craft warnings and Friday was supposed to be better for out trip to the bay. "Raydiance" decided to move closer to Mobile, so it is just the three boats rafted together. Ginny and Gene on "Free To B" have been the anchor experts and they have always gone first but their windlass broke so we said we would anchor first. It took us two tries but we got anchored and then "Something Special" anchored in the other direction and rafted to us and then "Free To B" then rafted to "Something Special". We are planning on going to Eastern Shore Marina in Fairhope, Alabama tomorrow for some R&R.

The White Cliffs

More White Cliffs

Happy Hour at Demopolis

The new marina at Demopols

New Orleans Restaurant at the Marina

One of the tows getting fuel at Demopolis

This is a Confederate statue in Demopolis

Leaving Demopolis

The last lock we will go through until we get to Canada

This boat came from Pittsburgh

Bobby's Fish Camp

Faith and Michael

Bob, Brenda, Marsha and John on "Kadadi"

We enjoyed a dinner of fried food at Bobby's

The decor

The first alligators that I have seen

Early in the morning before leaving Bobby's

I was elected to take a line to shore in the anchorage

Sid and Tom taking a ride in the dinghy

Notice all of the lines

I don't see any tornadoes but the sky is dark

Going South and it is still Cold

In the last post we were at Goose Pond heading back down the Tennessee River so we could then head south at Aqua Harbor. We got to Aqua Harbor Yacht Club on Sunday. This is where the Tombigbee Waterway will start. We took the courtesy car and to a great restaurant called Broken Spoke. They had a very wide selection - a little pricey, but very good.

On Monday we finally started heading South and traveled 56 miles to Midway Marina. We had cocktails, ate on the boat and went to bed. The next day we planned to go to Columbus, MS but we decided to stop in Aberdeen, MS for cheap fuel first. By the time we fueled up it was getting late so we stayed in Aberdeen for the night. The girls got a courtesy car (a '97 Lincoln Towncar) and went to - you guessed it another WalMart. Since Columbus Marina was close we left a little late in the morning and arrived in Columbus early in the afternoon. Columbus Marina is in Columbus, MS (I didn't see one buckeye and when I said O H they looked at me like I was crazy) and is a nice marina with good people running it. We stayed two nights and ate out both nights.

The first night was Ginny and Gene's 48th anniversary so we went to eat barbeque (not Ginny's first choice) at Hanks BBQ. There was nobody inside eating but the food was fantastic. We got to talking to Hank after dinner and he had just come back from a BBQ competition in Georgia. We said we liked his ribs and he gave us three full racks that he had left over from the competition for free. They made a great lunch the next day for the guys while the girls were shopping and having lunch in town. In the afternoon Sid, Gene and I traveled to Aliceville to a WWII German prisoner of war camp museum. It was hard to imagine that there would have been such a place in the middle of Alabama. That night we went to Hucks with four other couples and it was very good also. One of the couples was Billy and Pam on "Godspeed". They just completed the Loop which is a big deal. I had the biggest cheeseburger I ever had.

The next day we had to go 64 miles and two locks so we left at 7 in the cold and some slight fog. We made very good time and got to the anchorage Sumpter Recreation Area by 3:00. We rafted with "Free to B" and "Something Special" and had a very nice group dinner and peaceful night. Sid and Evelyn have a Jenn-Air grill on their boat so we cooked a pork loin, pork chops, chicken and bratwurst. Gene made a great risotto and Evelyn baked a cake. It really doesn't get much better then that.

The next day we all left early again (there was frost on the bow - very slippery) and we are now in Demopolis, AL at a brand new part of the Demopolis Yacht Basin with great docks and facilities. We are staying two nights and then making a long trip to another anchorage called Bashi Creek with is about 71 miles and one lock from here. While I have enjoyed the rivers it is time to get to Florida and we expect to be in Mobile by Thursday. We have traveled 2,400 miles but we are only 592 miles from our home in Columbus, OH. I wonder why some people think we are nuts?

Here are some other blogs of boats that we have met and or traveled with.

Free To B
Something Special
Once Around
Salt 'n Sand

Leaving Aqua Harbor heading South

We added two more flag poles for "The Ohio State University" and "Port Clinton Yacht Club".

We had to go behind this tow with his engines in gear and it was a little dicey.

Evelyn baked a carrot cake and shared some with us.

Columbus, MS Marina

'Godspeed" who just completed their Loop.

Hanks for BBQ

The Tennesse Williams House in Columbus

Dinner at Hucks with friends

Anchored out with other boats in Sumpter

Evelyn enjoying the day

Ginny and Gene taking Skipper for a ride.

Chattanooga and Heading Back South

We are now back in Florence, Alabama watching the Alabama vs. LSU football game. I thought the OSU fans were crazy but the SEC fans are another level. In our last post we were at Chattanooga. We spent 3 nights there and we had a great time in a great city. There are all kinds of places to eat and drink and also several tourist locations that are really nice. There is an aquarium close to the docks and several of the Loopers went and said it was very good. There is a free electric bus that runs through downtown and ends up at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Center which is really a bunch of shops on the grounds of the old railroad depot. They have a trolley that takes you around the grounds and the conductor gives a history lesson. We were the only ones on our trip so the conductor spent extra time with us.

Besides the scenery traveling to and from Chattanooga the highlight for me was Lookout Mountain. We took a city bus about 6 miles and then went up in a cable car about a mile to Lookout Mountain, TN which has a great view of the city and also has a Civil War park that was very interesting. You are supposed to be able to see seven states from up there - we did not intentify that many.

We left Chattanooga on Tuesday and headed back West so we could finally go South. The first night we spent at a really great anchorage. The weather was perfect and the location was fantastic. Sid on "Something Special" and I took a long dingy ride and met some other Loopers who were anchoring. The next two nights were spent at Goose Pond Marina in Scottsboro, AL. On the second night we were invited to have dinner at a local barbecue place called Barry's. There were 13 of us and we were driven by a local couple and also the harbor host for this area. The restaurant was 20 miles away but it was worth the drive. It was an all you can eat buffet with pork, chicken, catfish, greens, coleslaw, beans, bread, ect. and it was all homemade for only $8.95 each. We spent the next night in Ditto Landing marina near Huntsville, AL and today we traveled 78 miles and two locks to Florence, AL. We are leaving tomorrow to to to Aqua Harbor Marina which is where we will start heading South. It has been a great 9 days up and back from Chattanooga - but now it is time to get warmer.

The sign above the shopping center

Our conductor on the trolley

Chattanooga is the home of the Moon Pie

This is for Craig and Deb

There are many of these around town

Another view of the shopping center

Ginny and I couldn't resist having a beer or two at a local place

The cable car to Lookout Mountain

Wonderful views from the top

Ginny in Point Place, the Civil War park

You can see how the Tennessee River winds around and around

I hated to have long pants on but it was a little chilly

Sid and Evelyn on the cable car

Fog is an everyday occurrence and you need to be careful

Sid and me on our dinghy ride at the anchorage

Great scenery

Nice Sunset

Eating dinner with other Loopers at Barry's

Not a huge selection but the food was fantastic