Leg One Completed

We have arrived - Miss Hattie tasted salt water for the first time since 1974 (a previous owner's trip on the East Coast).  We came into the busy port of Mobile - much to see, including working docks, ships off- and on-loading, one from China, one from Panama, and there is a boatyard making US  catamaran stealth gun ships (we tested it - no sign of the ship on our radar). AND right on que, dolphins frolicking in our bow wave.

In total, we went 1369 miles, burned 653 gal of fuel (2.1 mpg), spent 22 days on the hook and 20 days in marinas.  Every bit of it was a joy and we look forward to more when we return after the holiday!

800-Dock Vagabonds,
Wishing you a happy holiday.

Mobile Skyline - civilization, at last

US Navy Rapid Attack, Stealth Ship

Mobile Bay - Yahoo

US Navy Rapid Attack, Stealth

Mobile Bay - it's BIG

No More Locks

After leaving Demopolis, going through the Demopolis Lock, we went down to the only reasonable looking anchorage on the side of the channel.  Rain (2 inches) and wind (tornado watch) had been predicted to begin that evening and we felt secure - except we were at the mouth of a small stream and there was a tree off our stbd bow that looked pretty precarious - oh well, thank goodness the worst part of the storm proceeded north and we just got rain and we left before the stream pushed us out.  Remember the definition of "adventure"?:  It's "a disaster averted" - in this case, just dumb luck.

The next day we were traveling in the rain for the most part, but it cleared up just in time to pull into our next anchorage at Oktatuppa Lake.  We were well off the river, up a 20 yd wide creek and we put our dinghy down to go exploring.  We found that a catamaran, Sweet Sensations, had gone farther up around the bend to anchor - it turns out they are 3 Brits, having started "this journey" from Trinidad and Tobego - wow, they make the loop look like a walk in the park.  On our dinghy ride we saw some amazing plant life - try a floating island of grass up to 20 X 3 yds;  the grass sprang from small eraser-sized leaves that congregate to form the islands (about 8 inches high).  In the AM, one of those islands floated by our boat and was trapped in an eddy pool at the mouth of the creek - oh boy!

We wanted to get an early start the next morning because we had one lock - THE LAST LOCK - and 59 miles to go.  BUT the river was enshrouded in fog.  The Brits came out of the creek, passing us and stopped when they saw the fog.  After waiting another 40 min. it was time to go - fog or not.  Since we had the radar, they followed us.  Navigating down a river by radar and GPS is a new experience and it took a while before our course wasn't just zig zagging down.  First Mate Lenore had to stand watch on the bow to point out the floating debris (trees!!!, remember the rain from the night before???).  After an hour, we came by a small marina at which 3 other loopers we had met were docked;  they saw us going by and decided to jump in line.  So Miss Hattie led the flotilla to Coffeeville Lock.  We had to wait for a 9-barge tow boat to move away from the lock's wall where he had spent the night.  By the time we proceeded, the sun had burnt off the fog.  All was well again.
We pulled into Three Rivers for anchorage, Sweet Sensations followed, the others had gone ahead, speeding down river (with a good current push) at the break-neck rate of about 10 mph!

Now we're in the middle of a marsh, just 12 miles from Mobile bay, 27 miles from our Thanksgiving layover destination, Dog River Marina.  Yes, we have the bug spray handy to fend off the giant, fast flying mosquitos.  We're looking forward to taking a break for the holiday.  We hope everyone has a great Turkey Day.

White Clay Cliffs - AL

White Clay Cliffs

Reflections at Sunset

Yoko is happy Sherry

Arthur - one of our tortuga pets

Oh Boy - Fog and Floating Islands

Sweet Sensations waiting at lock

Our Flotilla thru Coffeeville Lock

Back on the River

Well, I ordered the wrong pump - the starboard engine is designated a left hand engine according to the Operator's Manual, i.e., when looking at it from the front the crank turns counterclockwise;  so, I ordered a left-handed pump. But NOOOOOOO, it is a right-handed pump.  Thus the repair delay was extended one more day while I waited for the overnight delivery of the correct part.  I put it in Thurs and let the sealant cure until Fri before adding the antifreeze, etc.  That gave us a day to see the sites:  The Bevill History Center, which consisted of a replica plantation house and an authentic steam-driven 'snag boat', the Montgomery.  Both were fascinating and a true testament to how a single US Congressman can funnel money home.

Congressman Tom Bevill was instrumental in procuring the funding for the Tenn-Tom waterway. There's an interesting history to it all:  The folks along the Tombigbee River and those on the Tennessee wanted a short cut to the Gulf via an improved waterway - the Tombigbee was only navigable during the rainy season, Oct - March.  They petitioned congress in the early 1800's but nothing happened for some 50 years at which point the US Congress paid for surveys to determine the possible routes such a waterway might take - two routes were chosen.  But it wasn't until 1970, when Bevill pushed the appropriations through the House that work was actually started in the Nixon administration;  the waterway was completed in 1985.

The house erected in honor of Bevill as a history center was quite a piece of work and must have cost a small fortune to construct - it incorporated the styles of three nearby plantation houses and reminds one of Tara, but "Frankly my dear ....."  The snag boat was one used on the Tennessee and Tombigbee rivers to haul out tree stumps and snags, trees floating in the river, from the early 1900's to about 1950;  it is a mechanical marvel.

Now we're in Demopolis, AL, taking care of all the necessities once again.  We'll stay two nights and then move on down the river - 4 nights on the hook in various anchorages, sometimes just outside the navigation channel - and then we'll be in Mobile.  The river has been and will continue to be meandering - sometimes you have to travel 10 miles on the river to go 1 mile as the crow flies,  But who's in a hurry?  Once in Mobile, we'll have the boat hauled and bottom-painted - and check for damages caused by our 3 instances of boat-meets-floating-wood.  Meanwhile, we will rent a car and visit Lenore's mom in Montgomery for Thanksgiving and then come home to Valpo to visit friends and family.

Tree root - exemplifies progress on river

Snag Boat - Montgomery

Snag Boat Paddle Wheel

At Home on the Plantation

Shout-out from Alabama

To Family and Friends:  Now that have traveled over 1,000 miles and we are taking a (forced) break, we have time to reflect on how we appreciate y'all (we are in Alabama!) and the send-off you gave us.  Dennis Sr and Jr, thanks for your advice and thanks for all the parts from your private marine store - I'm still making improvements with them - the external speaker really helps me hear the barge captains, even if I can't understand what the hell they're saying.   Kevin and Patty, Earl and Misty, it's wonderful to have you with us; your comments on the blog keep us connected.  Van, we want you to know that we are still enjoying your canned goods;  the other night I made stuffed mushrooms smothered in your spaghetti sauce, DELICIOUS (I'll text you my recipe - it's a George Forman special).  Jan and Brian, all the other loopers know exactly who we are and where we're from thanks to the big banner on the back of the boat.  Greg and Eileen, the wine was delicious with grilled salmon, especially after a long, long looper day fraught with Mississippi River dangers. Cindy, we always enjoy looking at your driftwood art - it sits in a prominent spot in our salon, reminding us of our home port. Thank you Rachel for looking after us (it's more than just the mail).  Thanks again Dennis Jr - Miss Hattie wouldn't be moving w/o your expertise and thanks for keeping the  house dusted (and a few other small things, like removing the 3/4 ton of leaves).  Gary, the marriage savers are still saving - we couldn't coordinate the anchoring tasks w/o them - first mate at the helm keeping us in place against the current while the captain drops the hook
.  Gretchen and Gavin, keep those pics coming of you-ins and the kids, and we hope you're sharing our blog with Rowan.

We're staying safe. We'll keep in touch.

Here's to You All

Yours truly,
800-Dock Vagabonds
Captn Bob and First Mate Lenore

Repair Delay

Last Thursday we anchored in McKinley Crk Cutoff, just in the nick of time - 10 minutes before sunset.  We had been looking for an anchorage after doing a four-lock day but many of the published sites were no longer viable.  Although the captain was WORRIED, the first mate had no doubt we would find a spot - again the first mate's cool mindedness prevailed.  Friday was an on-again-off-again rainy day and we pulled into a very nice anchorage just above the next lock.  Saturday was forecast to be rain all day so we decided to stay put.  We did a little dinghy exploration and found a small island with feral goats inhabiting it - Billy, his Mate and two Kids - there was a muskrat the size of a beaver too.  On Saturday we checked the engines and found that DD2, the evil twin, had lost most of it's coolant (the closed system) - the water pump had gone bad.  I couldn't order a new one until Monday AM, so we hung on anchor until then and went into Pirates Marina Cove, just 1 mile down.  That's where we are now;  the part should arrive today (Wed); finish the repair tomorrow; leave Fri.   The marina lives up to its name - check out the pics - (just barely) floating docks, a sunken vessel at our bow, a decrepit wooden yacht with nearly continuous bilge pumping, and various other skeeevy looking vessels and people (a toothless dock hand and his wife who live in an equally decrepit tiny trailer on site).  Meanwhile three other looper couples came in - yay!! and we had a lovely evening of docktails on one of their boats.  We hope to catch up to them again once we get underway.

Water Hyacinths - at times blanketing the way

Pelicans keeping up with us

Pirates Cove - almost floating docks

Pirates Cove - project boat

Flowers for First Mate

Pirates Cove - that sunken feeling

Barbara, Jorge, Vicki, Jo, Ken

Down the Tenn-Tom Waterway

Hello from the beautiful Tenn-Tom (Tennesse and Tombigbee Rivers) Waterway!    We anchored at Wolf Island and saw no wolves thank goodness.  Pickwick Lake is where the Memphis' 1% lives. Beautiful, beautiful lake homes but no people. The estates were shuttered and everyone had moved on to wherever? Thank goodness they had left behind their homes for us to enjoy.  As we left the Tombigbee canal we saw a line of rippling splashes in the water nearly all the way across the entry way into Spring Bay (lake) - in turned out we had to wait at the duck X-ing for hundreds of the little black ducks with white beaks. We are spending two nights anchored in McDougal Branch on the Tombigbee R.  It is the loveliest place we have stayed, very peaceful and serene.  We will be moving on tomorrow thru 3 locks, including the 84-foot Whitten.  A piece of cake, for the 800-Dock vagabonds.

Tennessee River

Ready for high water!

Tombigbee canal (w/ stream entrance)

In the canal - high speed

"look Ma, no hands"

"Peace, Brothers and Sisters"

See the 84 foot Whitten Lock in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voaYp2WM9ZA&list=PLUqfc-lhkF6BA2P68Soz7LiLJMMb924WX