The next morning we had a planning meeting aboard Joysea. The proposed plan from the previous day was to run to Chickasaw Bogue, about 32 miles below Demopolis, and anchor there for the night, before proceeding down the waterway. Capt. Larry called Roy Short from Roy El’ and ran this idea by him. He got strong advice not to go with this plan as the water levels were too shallow. The alternative was to run to Bashi Creek from Demopolis. Since this involved a 70 plus mile day, a late start was out of the question. All of us, except Confetti, decided to remain in the marina an extra day and get an early start the next morning. Confetti said that they would push on and report what they found. We started the day making another Wal-Mart run. In the afternoon Dickie and Dixie came over to Bavarian Cream and listened to the Saints beat Tampa Bay on the satellite radio. Confetti phoned that evening and said the Chickasaw Bogue was too shallow which found them anchoring near a highway bridge abutment for the night. At first light the next day Joysea and Bavarian Cream headed for the Demopolis lock with several other boats. Me’ Nou remained behind waiting on a boat part with plans to leave the next day. After locking thorough, we started our run for Bashi Creek. It was going to be a long day. The Black Warrior-Tom Bigbee (BWTB) waterway is absolutely beautiful. Perhaps it was the full autumn colors, but we started to talk about this waterway being even more beautiful than the Tennessee River. The only problem for boaters is that there are no marinas and very few anchorages to hide out in. We arrived at Bashi Creek late in the day and not knowing what to expect. We knew that the water depth was good, but the creek is narrow and there is only room for a few boats. We arrived and found no other boats there so we set a bow and stern anchor and Joysea rafted up to us and set their bow anchor. We had happy hour and dinner and a peaceful night’s sleep.
White Bluffs on the Tom Bigbee River
We left our Bashi Creek anchorage and leisurely cruised to our next stop, Bobby’s Fish Camp. We arrived just before noon and were the first boats to tie up to the dock. There is a limited amount of dock space available, and figuring there would be other boats coming in, we tied up so we wouldn’t block access to the fuel dock with Joysea rafted to us. We were unable to reach the manager on the phone or radio for instructions so we thought we were good.The manager came by and only said she had a boat coming in that would require fuel, but we were OK. The next thing we know, a 60 plus foot boat arrives. We helped him tie up so that he had about 20 feet of boat protruding beyond the dock, then he jumps off his boat and tells us that we are not tied up correctly and we will have to move our boats so no other boat can dock between us and possibly damage his boat. The boat’s home port is Dover, DE which is really close to New Jersey, and he had asshole written all over him. He heads up to the office and starts making demands that we move our boat and there would be no rafting, which is traditionally done at Bobby's, to his boat. We followed him to the office and first told the manager that we could not contact her for docking instructions. We were told that there were a number of boats coming in and we would have to move our boats. OK, so we leave the office and Capt. Jerkface continues to tell Capt. Larry how he had docked in the wrong space and why it was necessary to move the boat. Well, Capt. Larry had had enough of this jerk, and he told him that on the waterway all boats are equal and there’s a certain level of courtesy that captains extend to each other and he shouldn’t expect the world to revolve around him.
Rafted up at Bobby's Fish Camp
This started a debate/exchange that continued to deteriorate with Capt. Larry holding his own quite well. We moved our boats, but Capt. Larry sensed that Capt. Butthead was livid that he had been so verbally abused, so everything worked out OK! That was the start of a bad Bobby’s Fish Camp experience. At Bobby’s boaters get to tie up to a dock and that’s about it. There are no restrooms, showers, or dockside trash disposal, and until this year, there was no electrical service. Water is provided to all boaters through a single hose that is shared by all. There are dumpy house trailers with Confederate flags that are used as summer or weekend retreats and a restaurant that is open on weekends only. Crowing roosters awaken you in the morning. Additionally, there were hornet’s nests below the dock and Jane got stung on her hand which immediately swelled and made her sick. For all of this luxury boaters used to pay $1.00/foot, but this year the price increased 50% to $1.50/foot. The manager sheepishly explained that she had to invest $6,000 to have the electricity installed, and it would be a long time before she made that back. Give us a break! Six grand at the extra 50 cents a foot equals 12,000 feet of boat and there was close to 300 feet on the single day that we stayed there. So at that rate and assuming that our day was typical, it would take about 40 days to recoup the investment plus a few more days to cover the cost of the electricity. You do the math. Then there’s the issue of operating the business. As we mentioned we couldn’t reach the office by phone or radio and had no assistance in docking. The manager often leaves to conduct personal business so the office is not staffed. Confetti said that she had a doctor’s appointment and the group they were with collected the dock fees and left it in an envelope. When Capt. Larry raised the issue about not being able to reach her when coming in, he was told that her handheld VHF radio was at home. Duh! But the best example was when Capt. Larry wanted to buy a six-pack of beer.
Beautiful surroundings at Bobby's
He went to the office and got the beer from the cooler. He found the manager in the restaurant eating and talking on her cell phone on the speakerphone. After about 30 seconds, she looked up and asked him if he wanted pay for the beer. He thought, “No Einstein, I just want to stand here and watch you eat your pancakes and listen to your conversation while my beer gets warm!” He told her he could come back later to pay, then gave Dave, who was looking for a weather update on the TV, ten dollars and asked him to pay for the beer. Dave returned to the boat with $2 change and said, “It was actually $8.02 but she must like you because she said she’d "eat the 2 cents." Eight bucks for a six-pack was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Bobby’s Fish Camp is a dump and we will never find our way back there. You can fool us once…..
Swollen and happy at last lock
Exiting our last lock
The next day from Bobby’s was a 70 mile run to the Alabama River Cut Off anchorage. We had to wait on a tow in the lock which delayed our departure. Jane was elated when she learned that the Coffeeville Lock was her last lock on the trip. She handled the lines in spite of her swollen hand. The late start caused us to run faster than usual and we made it to the anchorage about an hour before sunset. Just as we arrived it started to rain fairly hard. We grilled some pork chops, watched a movie, and turned in early.
Frank and Carrie on Once Around
We wanted to move further downstream the next day, but a railroad bridge that was being replaced was blocking the waterway. ConfettiConfetti told us that the bridge was operational and they were in the bay heading for Dog River, but it was too late for us to move so we stayed put. That evening we were invited to happy hour with Frank and Carrie Vellutini from Sacramento, CA aboard Once Around. This was our first experience of going to happy hour in an anchorage and Frank was good enough to pick us up in his dinghy, since our dinghy was rolled up and stowed in the engine room. Joysea was also invited and we all had a wonderful time aboard the Vellutini’s beautiful boat. We were returned to our boats and spent a cold evening in the anchorage. was anchored at the bridge and reported that, although the bridge was supposed to open at 1700 the previous evening, it was still closed and traffic was backed up. Additionally, there was a small craft advisory for Mobile Bay with winds around 25 knots. Since we wouldn’t be able to make it to Dog River Marina and we feared that the limited anchorages downstream would be congested, we decided to spend a second night in our anchorage. Around noon
We awoke the next day to find ice on the foredeck, fog on the waterway, and our stern anchor set so hard from the high winds from the previous day that we had to use the boat to pull it free.
Sighting the Mobile "grain elevator"
Louisiana on our minds
Downtown Mobile and harbor
We finally got underway for a long 70 mile run to Mobile and Dog River. However, we left with 9 other boats out of the Alabama River Cut Off, so there was a parade down the Mobile River and a lot of chatter on the VHF. As we entered the Mobile River, we noticed a lot of scenery changes that reminded us of home. We saw lots of bald cypress trees, exposed mud flats from low tides, and sea gulls and brown pelicans everywhere. All of the boats cruised at a fairly quick clip down the waterway until we came to a halt at the “14 mile” railroad bridge. Here we had to wait over an hour for the new bridge to open after a couple of trains passed over the bridge. The bridge finally opened and there was a mad dash for Mobile and the marinas in the bay. Since Bavarian Cream was one of the faster boats, we decided to run to the front of the pack and be one of the first boats into Dog River Marina. We arrived at the marina with Once Around and fueled up while waiting for our slip assignment. With the help of Confetti, we finally were secured in our slip and had happy hour aboard their boat.
USS Alabama and her 16 inch guns
Going to lunch
Gold looper ladies
Gold looper guys
Pouring the "bubbly"
Celebrating with dinner and friends
At the naval air museum
We all decided to move to Dauphin Island the next day ahead of some approaching bad weather and stage ourselves for a run across the Mississippi Sound when the weather permitted. This would allow us to “cross our wakes” and we would celebrate the completion of the loop on Dauphin Island. However, a rapidly changing weather pattern caused us to reconsider this plan to move and we decided to remain in Dog River and have a celebration that evening. Happy hour would be aboard Confetti and then a celebratory dinner for the “gold” loopers would be aboard Bavarian Cream. A number of looper boats were in the marina and over 20 people showed up for champagne and happy hour aboard Confetti. After happy hour, we had grilled steaks, salad, and dirty rice aboard Bavarian Cream for 6 people. Then we all went to Confetti for dessert and after dinner drinks. We staggered back to the boat and crashed for the evening. The next day Lady in Red took us to tour the USS Alabama battleship and a WWII submarine. Afterwards, we all went to a great seafood restaurant for lunch. We got a rental car the following morning and took off with Dick and Lace to sightsee Mobile Bay’s eastern shore passing through Fairhope, Foley, and Daphne. We passed several small shops and boutiques, but darn if we could get the car to stop so the ladies could shop. The next day we took a ride through downtown Mobile and saw lots of antebellum homes, then headed over to Pensacola. After lunch, the ladies went shopping while Dick and Capt. Larry toured the Pensacola NAS Naval Aviation Museum. The museum focused only on naval aviation, but had planes from the past to the present day. We considered it one of the better military museums. We headed back to the marina to find updated weather reports to be not very encouraging for leaving anytime soon.
Visiting Ft. Gaines on Dauphin Island
Having stayed at Dog River for a week and not seeing a really decent weather window for another 3-4 days, we started to consider other plans, since getting the boat home before Thanksgiving was beginning to look difficult to do. We decided to extend the rental car through the weekend, and if the early part of Thanksgiving week was not going permit us to move the boat, we would take the car to Louisiana and get the boat out of Dog River later. We had already bumped up to the marina’s monthly rate, so moving the boat later would not cost us anymore. We spent the last couple of days before the weekend’s big decision doing some shopping and viewing more of the area’s sights.
Grand Harbor Marina is located at the head of Yellow Creek and the beginning of the Tenn-Tom. Upon our arrival we were greeted by other loopers and had happy hour aboard Joysea. The marina, in Counce, TN, is located near the Shiloh Civil War Battlefield. Shiloh was one of the major battles early in the Civil War. We borrowed the marina’s courtesy car and went with Dave and Joyce to see the site. We had heard other people speak of how impressive this battlefield was, with many saying that it helped to visualize the tremendous costs of the war. With over 23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers killed here, it was indeed something to see. We toured the exhibits at the visitor’s center and watched a movie that was put together by the Shiloh Historical Society, and then we took a car tour of the battlefield. The marina had lent us a CD that narrated the events at each stop of the car tour, so we could better understand the timeline of the battle. Near the battlefield, the borders of Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi join. The routes are confusing and we spent almost an extra hour trying to find our way back to the marina! Oh well, fortunately it was raining by the time we made it back and no one else seemed to be waiting for the car. When we got back to the marina we were reunited that Dickie and Dixie Baylor aboard Me’ Neou. We spent time with them in NYC and had not seen or heard from them since we last saw them on the Hudson River. We invited them and the Johnsons to happy hour aboard Bavarian Cream and had a great time. The next day was a stay-in-port weather day with a major frontal system moving through the area which brought lots of rain and falling temperatures.
Fall colors on the Tenn-Tom
Waterway feeder gate
I'm tellin' ya,' this is how it was!
Happy hour in Bay Springs
Seven boats in the Whitten lock
A leaking Whitten lock
Captain Courageous challenges a tow!
Sunset at Midway Marina
After the weather finally cleared we moved on to Bay Springs, MS. Jane, Joyce and Dave made a Wal-Mart run while Capt. Larry remained behind and listened to some football games. There were several other looper boats that came into the marina and we had a big happy hour in the marina’s boater’s lounge, before returning to have dinner aboard the boat. The plan most people embraced was to leave very early the next morning and travel through 3 locks and almost 60 miles to Aberdeen, MS. Capt. Larry checked the predicted dewpoints and wasn’t so sure that we wouldn’t be fogbound in the morning. Around 0500 everyone started to arise and the chatter was that it would be clear enough to move around sunup at 0700. Capt. Larry noted that the coolest part of the day was just before sunrise and that fog could still set in. Sure enough, a really thick blanket rolled in around 0600 that would delay our departure. Once the sun was up the fog burned off fairly quickly above the nearby lock, but below the lock (an 84 foot drop) it was too soupy for navigation. Around 0830 five boats left the marina for the lock and were joined by two other boats that had anchored out.
Locked down in Whitten
It was the largest number of boats that we had ever locked through with. We ran through another lock and it was slow going and becoming apparent that the trip to Aberdeen would be too much in one day. At this second lock we witnessed an interesting event. A tow was coming out of the lock and asked all of the waiting pleasure crafts to allow him to pass on their starboard side. All of the boats moved to port to comply except one joker who remained close to the path of the tow. The tow captain radioed and told him he was too close for him to maneuver and asked him to move to port. The boat remained close to the tow and then actually moved directly in front of the exiting tow. The tow captain sounded 5 blasts on his horn, the danger signal, but the boat didn't immediately move out. What was he thinking? The guy finally moved out of the way and radioed the tow captain that he was on the wrong radio channel. However, that doesn't explain why he would pull directly into the path of the tow. Some people out here just don't think! The alternative plan was to go into Midway Marina in Fulton, MS. Here a courtesy car took those that needed a Wal-Mart run, but we remained behind and listened to the Saints lose to those god-awful St. Louis Rams! We grilled some steaks for dinner and turned in early for another big day.
Reunited with Confetti
Dressed for Halloween!
The next day we left and made our way to the Fulton Lock fairly early in the morning. On our way into the chamber, the lockmaster informed us that we were going to have to wait for another couple of boats that had just come through the Rankin Lock upstream. As we were waiting, we heard Confetti on the radio who was one of the boats we were waiting for. Sure enough, we were reunited with Dick and Lace Lacey whom we hadn’t seen since we parted in the Chesapeake back in June. It was good to see them. We called and invited them and Joysea to Bavarian Cream for dinner. Since it was Halloween, we decided to make a costume party out of it. We had happy hour and a delicious chicken pasta dinner aboard the boat complete with our recently acquired pumpkin lights just for the occasion. What fun!
Celebrating at Huck's Place
The food was exceptional!
Tennessee William's house
We left Aberdeen and passed through another lock to go to Columbus, MS. We thought that we would spend 3 days in Columbus to celebrate our anniversary and wait out some impending bad weather. We got to the marina and were put in covered slips, supposedly compliments of Roy Short’s efforts aboard Roy El’. We had talked to Roy and were asked to send greetings to the marina staff. Well, this really greased the wheels for us. After trading our favorite Roy El’ stories with the staff, we mentioned that we wanted to go to Roy’s recommended restaurant, Huck’s Place, for our anniversary. Well, Mr. T, the marina manager whips out his phone, and starts talking to someone named “Bubba.” He says we need reservations in the “room upstairs” and told us to reserve the courtesy car for our evening out. With that all set, we took the courtesy van to Wal-Mart the next day. We had dinner aboard Joysea that night where we were treated to a magnificent dinner of grilled Asian salmon with all of the fixings. It was delicious. The next day we borrowed the courtesy van again and took a tour of Columbus’s antebellum homes. We also got to tour one of Tennessee Williams’s early homes. That evening we made our way to Huck’s Place and had an excellent meal with Dave and Joyce. The food was really great from the appetizers to Jane’s selection of bread pudding for dessert. We had a wonderful night and enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate our anniversary with friends.
Taking pictures at Sumpter anchorage
The White Cliffs of Epes
Another white cliff pic
Lots of (big) debris on the waterway
Go, baby, go!
Joysea and Me' Neou
Watching the game
DJ Dixie and her zydeco
We headed for our next stop which was going to be an anchorage at Sumpter Landing on the Tenn-Tom. A bevy of boats left the marina at first light to make it to the waiting lock. We decided that we would play it smart and go with the next wave about an hour later. After 45 minutes, we called the lock and were told to come on over. When we got there the first-wave boats were all waiting. So much for “smart” planning. Bavarian Cream got the only open bollard in the lock, and of course we had to maneuver between boats to get to it since some captains either aren’t skilled or courteous enough to move forward and make room for boats that enter later. It was a rather long day and we entered the anchorage late in the day to find 3 other boats already there. We had a great evening “on the hook” and enjoyed some potato soup that we had made while in Columbus. The next morning we arose early to start off to the next stop, Demopolis, AL. We would go into a marina here and get ready to run the lower Black Warrior-Tom Bigbee River to Mobile. However, fog had set in and we were delayed almost 2 hours before it was clear enough for us to leave. Along the way we saw some fantastic sites such as the White Cliffs of Epes and other cliff and rock formations that were carved by the river. We also saw a fawn swimming across the river right in front of us. It was really cool and we have been amazed at Alabama’s beauty along its waterways. A few miles from Demopolis, we passed Me Neou’ who was running with Confetti. Just before Demopolis, the Tenn-Tom ends at the junction of the Black Warrior and Tom Bigbee Rivers. Everyone was going into the Demopolis Yacht Basin for the evening. We were hoping to catch the Alabama vs. LSU game on TV and had a fairly partisan LSU crowd. The marina told us we could watch the game in the boater’s lounge. Everyone brought some snacks and appetizers and we ordered pizza and cheered LSU to victory (by the skin of their teeth!). It was a great evening and get together and a wonderful end to the Tenn-Tom waterway.
