Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - Okatuppa Creek, mile 123.2 on the Tenn-Tom

 

We arose at 6:30 am to a foggy morning. There were thunderstorm warnings in the area and we could tell that places a little north and west of us were getting some rain. Along about 8 am, we felt the front come through from the north and experienced a few sprinkles. About an hour later, we had our own thunderstorm with heavy rain and a little lightning and thunder. By 10 am, the rain quit and the sky was beginning to brighten so we hauled in the anchor, washed off the mud and set out. The spider web picture was taken just as we got underway.

 

The barge traffic going north was very heavy again. The first one came by as we were enjoying our morning cup of coffee, the second as we were leaving the anchoring spot and the third just a few minutes later. In the afternoon, there were three more northbound tows before we anchored. In addition to the working barges, we were passed by no less than eight southbound cruising trawlers all in a hurry to get off the river. We thought that they were probably trying to make Bobby’s Fish Camp, mile 118.9, before dinner time. It would have been fun to see all of those big boats rafted up to the little dock at Bobby’s which can only accommodate two cruisers.

Our initial plan was to anchor at mile 134.7, Whites Bluff, where Todd and Brenda of m/v Life’s 2 Short said we could find a nice sand beach. Indeed, it was nice – and that was where we saw two alligators. The one in the picture below wasn’t the least bit afraid of us and stayed put the entire time we were there checking out the anchorage.

 

Since it was only 3:30 pm when we were at White Cliffs taking pictures, we decided to go the extra 20-plus miles to Okatuppa Creek and stay in a bit more protected spot. Gale thought the fishing might be better there, too. At 5:10 pm, we were in the entrance of the creek with our bow anchor set. We lowered the dinghy and the Captain also took out and set a stern anchor to keep us out of the trees if the wind came up.

 

As soon as the anchoring task was complete, Gale went fishing for dinner. Within moments, he was back with one fish and invited Maureen to go for a ride up the creek before the sun set. It was a beautiful place with many little lakes off the main creek. We were pretty sure we could take Blue Heron way into Okatuppa and anchor in one of these lakes, however, since we were getting a nice 3G signal at the entrance to the creek, we decided to leave the big boat where she was and use the dinghy to get into the backwaters.

 

The mosquitoes were beginning to come out in force as the sun was going down, so we zoomed back to Blue Heron and brought the dinghy up. Gale made a cast from the stern and brought in another bass for our supper.

 

Monday, September 26, 2011 – Baron’s Landing, mile 168.6 on the Tenn-Tom

NOTE: Be sure to double click on the photos for a better look. Especially the picture of the alligator sunning on the bank!



We were up at 5:30 am and anxious to get moving. Gale checked with the guard about 5:45 am to see if he could borrow the courtesy car for a run to the grocery store, but it was already out! The folks who’d come in last evening on four cigarette boats and sport fishers had taken the vehicle to pick up breakfast at McDonalds. These boats had come down from Pickwick Lake yesterday morning and were headed for the Keys.

 

It wasn’t long before the car was back and Gale made the trip to town to pick up the case of beer and few bottles of wine we couldn’t buy yesterday. As we were getting things ready for our cruise, we heard the pleasure boats conversing on the VHF radio in the lock. They mentioned that the lockmaster had said there were eight barges between Demopolis and Coffeeville (a 100-mile stretch between the locks) all coming north. We didn’t want to get held up waiting for barges all day, so at 7:30 am after confirming with the Demopolis lockmaster that it looked clear for now, we left our slip. The lock gates were open and waiting for us and we were locked through by 8:30 am. As we exited the lock, the lockmaster urged us to be very careful and alert for all the barges on the river.

 

 
 
 It was interesting to see the rapids and the cliffs that were all underwater when we came up the river in late April / early May. There was a lot of erosion and it was very easy to see the high water mark several feet up the cliffs. As we cruised downriver, we saw large sand beaches that were nowhere in sight during our spring travels.




The northbound barge traffic did turn out to be very heavy. We assumed this was due to the two locks that had been closed for 2-1/2 weeks north of us and had just reopened the day before. Five tows passed us as we were underway – all going north.






Around noon or so, we came to mile 187.5, Chickasaw Bogue. When we stopped there the first time in October 2009, we found a nice little cove just off the river with a large clean sandy beach. In May 2011, everything was submerged but it was still a well-protected stop. This time, the entrance appeared to be shoaled in and we could see snags that would be difficult to avoid. We passed it by and continued south.

At mile 172.5, Gale spotted an alligator sunning itself along the shore. At about 8 feet, it was the biggest one we had seen outside of Indiantown, Florida, on the Okeechobee Waterway. We were lucky to get a picture of him before he swam away.

 

 


























Baron’s Landing, mile 168.6, an indentation in the riverbank where old Lock No. 2 used to be, turned out to be our stop for the night. We were far enough out of the channel not to be of much concern to any passing barges and we were actually able to nose up on a nice sandy bottom and bring our anchor ashore. At 3:30 pm, we were all cozied in as we began to hear a few rumbles of thunder in the distance. It didn’t take long before Gale was in the dinghy and out looking for bass. About 4:30 pm, it clouded over and we received a short, light shower. Gale caught two nice bass for dinner which we combined with some leftover rotisserie chicken and added a side of instant mashed potatoes. Voila – a feast!

 













The towboats continued to power northbound throughout the day and night. We noticed three after we anchored and before we went to bed and another three during the night. Only one was going south.

During the night, the sky was clear, the stars bright and plentiful and there was a very light fog just above the water. We enjoyed quite a pleasant experience at Baron’s Landing.

Wed, Sept 21 to Sun, Sept 25, 2011 – Demopolis Yacht Basin

Hooray! The part we ordered on Monday arrived at 10:30 Wednesday morning. Maureen went for her walk while Gale got things ready for the installation. He had a little bit of trouble attaching the yoke to the outdrive, but with some help from our friend Mike Lewis, m/v Dual Dreams, and the tool shed, or “man cave,” they were able to put things together.

Maureen assisted Gale with the repair work. There was a lot of heavy lifting and pulling trying to line things up but we were able to get it done without a hitch. Gale even had time to do a little fishing afterwards.

 

The test run on Thursday morning went just as we hoped it would. Everything sounded good, looked good and felt right. We were quite confident that the repair was a success. We’ll know for sure when we finally take off and leave Demopolis.

 Roger had asked Gale to give him a lesson on fishing for bass. He was unfamiliar with freshwater fishing and was interested in learning about the gear needed and the different techniques to be used. Gale took Roger to his “honey hole” and they found the bass. That evening, Gale cut up the fish in small pieces and grilled hors d’oeuvres at “The Wall” for everyone that was gathered there. The fish was served with the rye bread that Roger had made the previous day and actually made for a nice dinner for most of us.

 

Friday morning we were up early and the guys (Gale and Roger) were out fishing by 7 am. They returned a few hours later with two keepers. After lunch, they did a little more fishing and picked up another nice one.

 

When we walked up to the showers late in the afternoon, a few of the folks were already gathered at The Wall for happy hour. Mike, m/v Dual Dreams, had been inspired to write a poem about “Fred’s Triangle.” Fred runs the Demopolis Yacht Basin and there is an ongoing joke that cruisers come to stay for a night, a week, or a month but end up never leaving. Here is Mike’s poem. Just insert the appropriate boat name:

BACK IN A SLIP AND ALL TIED DOWN
LOOKS LIKE BLUE HERON’S GONNA STICK AROUND
STUCK IN FRED’S TRIANGLE CANNOT LEAVE
OH!! THE HORROR – IT MAKES ME GRIEVE
THEY REALLY THOUGHT THEY COULD GO ON DOWN
DOWN TO THE GULF TO PLAY AROUND
ONE MORE TIME DOWN COMES THE DEMO HAMMER
NOW BLUE HERON IS STUCK IN ALABAMER


Thanks, Mike! You gotta laugh, right?



That evening we were invited over to Roger and Dita’s boat, s/vZephyr. We enjoyed a few drinks, cheese, olives, crackers and a special dish Dita made called “ceviche.” Ceviche (also spelled cebiche or seviche) is a seafood dish popular in the coastal regions of the Americas, especially Central and South America. The dish is typically made from fresh raw fish marinated in citrus juices such as lemon or lime and spiced with chili peppers. Additional seasonings such as onion, salt and pepper may also be added. As the dish is not cooked with heat, it must be prepared fresh to avoid the potential for food poisoning.

 
 

 

 

 
 Saturday morning we took on a few small projects around the boat and felt pretty good about what we accomplished. Just before the noon hour, we walked uptown and checked out some of the old historical buildings. One of those buildings housed the theatre and the Marengo Café’. We stopped in and found a quaint little café with a few tables and nice menu. Maureen ordered a small pasta salad and Gale tried the chili with a lettuce salad side. The food was very fresh and our unplanned luncheon was delightful.
 
 
Saturday afternoon, was quite relaxing even as we continued with our little boat projects. Roger stopped by and asked Gale if he could hoist him up the mast so he could change out the anchor light on the top of the mast with an LED bulb. Roger had a bosun’s chair so Gale winched him up on one line while Maureen tended the safety line. At The Wall that evening, our friends Robby and Brenda, m/v Crazzy Nuff, from Mobile, provided Cajun cornbread and beans for everyone to enjoy. It was spicy and tasty!

Sunday was spent doing all the last minute things we do as we prepare to cruise; i.e., laundry, blog work, errands, etc. We ran to the grocery store but because it was Sunday, they wouldn’t sell us any wine or beer. It looked like we would be making another run early tomorrow morning. At least, the store will open at 6 am. Tonight’s happy hour at The Wall included hors d’oeuvres made by three of the ladies: Harriet, Dita and Joy. Joy made a sausage, and egg quiche; Harriet cooked up a chicken and avocado dip baked in a small loaf of bread, and Dita’s contribution was jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped with bacon. There was also cheese, crackers and fruit and everything was delicious. Our original plan had been to go out to a Mexican restaurant with Roger and Dita for our last night at the marina, but with all the food provided, everyone agreed that we’d already had enough to eat. Roger and Dita invited us over to Zephyr for another cocktail and we laughed and visited for awhile before going home for the night.


 

Thurs, Sept 15 to Tues, Sept 20, 2011 - Demopolis Yacht Basin, mile 216.2 on the Tenn-Tom

Motu was anxious to get to the marina so she hauled up her anchor and set out shortly after 8 am. We weren’t long after and when we did arrive at Demopolis Yacht Basin, the folks there already knew we were on our way.

Our first stop was for fuel – yes, we did make it all the way on what was in our fuel tanks when we stopped at Pirate’s Cove a couple of days ago and even had a few gallons to spare. After fueling up, we secured ourselves in the slip and headed to Walmart in the courtesy car. The next day, Friday, we took care of laundry and all the other chores before joining the folks at “The Wall” for happy hour. We were all set to leave in the morning.

The original plan, or should we say “intention,” was to stop at the marina in Demopolis for one or two nights in order to buy supplies, do laundry and take care of any other chores that came up. And we seemed to be right on target when we left the marina on Saturday afternoon. It was a nice day and we hoped to spend a few hours relaxing and fishing at the Foscue Creek anchorage two miles south of the marina and just above the Demopolis Lock. We would be in good position to lock through right away in the morning.

 
 
As we entered Foscue Creek, we admired the Coast Guard Cutter, Wedge, and noted that it was used for setting and repairing navigation aids in the river. Following the instructions for anchoring given in our guidebook, we let down the anchor and about sixty foot of chain. The Captain put her in reverse and was slowly backing down when there was a loud “BAM.” Not good. We hit a submerged snag and broke the yoke that supports the lower unit. Big bummer. We were lucky, however, to be able to limp back to the marina and tie ourselves up once again at the dock to assess the damage.


 

Since it was Saturday, we knew we wouldn’t be able to order any parts until Monday. We weren’t sure if we were going to have to get the part from England or if we could have one shipped from Annapolis.

On Sunday, Gale was able to remove the drive leg without a hitch. Step One: Great.

 
 


























Monday, Step Two: The part needed was available to be shipped overnight from Annapolis. We were informed that it was the only one they had in the shop. Lucky Day!

 
 
 
 Since we were caught up on a lot of things when we left the marina on Saturday, we took a nice walk to the cemetery we had seen from the river. It was appropriately called, Riverside Cemetery, and we found headstones dating back to the 1840’s along with a mausoleum just as old. Nowadays it seems odd to see a cemetery on such prime real estate, but the occupants had a great view of the daily comings and goings along the river.
 
 
 
 




 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 













It began raining Monday evening and continued on into Tuesday morning until about 9 am. When checking the UPS status of our shipment, we learned that the part had been returned to the shipper. Not so great! The UPS rep told us there was no problem with the ‘ship to’ address or the credit card used. It seems that our supplier packed the part in a box labeled “Flammable.” UPS would not transport this box by air freight. Even though we were told that we got the last available yoke yesterday, “Amanda” said she would tear the shop apart in search of another. Happy Day! She found one and took it to UPS immediately. Would it arrive tomorrow morning??

Tuesday evening, we invited Roger and Dita, s/v Zephyr, over for a fresh fish dinner. Roger is a native of Switzerland and Dita has dual heritage in that her father was German and her mother was from El Salvador. Her father’s job took them to several Central American countries as she was growing up. Roger and Dita have lived in the United States for the past 25 years; 10 years in Miami and the last 15 in Mississippi.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011 – Rattlesnake Bend, mile 224 on the Tenn-Tom

 
 
 
We were only about 50 miles from Demopolis and the plan was to stop about seven miles above the marina and anchor at Rattlesnake Bend for the night. Blue Heron and Motu left Sumter Landing just before 9 am and pointed their bows south into light breezes and sunny skies. The morning temperature was 75 degrees with a forecasted high in the mid-90’s.


We motored past several miles of beautiful white cliffs along the waterway. The going was easy and by 4 pm, we were anchored and enjoying a light breeze. One husband and wife came by in their small fishing boat to visit. They were staying at the little campground up and around the bend and were out setting their trot lines.

The three of us got together for dinner aboard Blue Heron. Of course, the menu included fresh bass.