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at Bobby's Fish Camp
the local boys found an old log they decided to salvage. We left Dog River on Monday morning, Memorial Day, hoping and praying for calmer waters and fewer crazies on the river. Mobile Bay to the ship channel was fairly calm and it was an easy cruise up to the Mobile River. Through the port of Mobile not much was going on, it was a holiday after all. There was a container ship being unloaded near the mouth of the river. A little farther in a cruise ship was having its stern windows washed by an aerialist on a scaffold dangling above the river. A navy ship was festooned with signal flags and several sailors were stringing more flags. We passed a few tugs moving barges around, then a few fishermen, and finally we had the river almost to ourselves. We passed Big Bayou Canot, where Trevor fought the dragon. Only seven months ago, but we were reliving fond memories. We anchored that night on the side of the river, inside a curve, but out of the channel.
On Tuesday afternoon, late, we locked through the first lock of the Tenn-Tom, Coffeeville Lock. Once we were secure and the lock was filling, the lockmaster told us that Demopolis Lock, the next
The gold plated log
They claimed the log was 50-75 years old and worth a lot of money because it was "water cured" one on the river, was closed indefinitely for repairs. Not good news. We decided to tie up at Bobby’s Fish Camp for the night and contemplate this unwelcome news. Bobby’s is fairly rustic, but the dock was decent, and we had electricity, even if it was an extension cord they ran from the shore. It was really getting hot and we knew we needed the electric fan to sleep. Another boat, a sailboat “Meriah II,” joined us at the dock and we met Gerry and Roberta. Roberta was really unhappy about the heat, but what can you do but cool off the best you can. There were a bunch of people swimming off the dock, both adults and kids, and Kerry soon joined them.
Kerry radioed passing northbound towboats for news on the dock Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning. The crane was supposed to arrive by barge around 10 Wednesday morning, and repairs to begin immediately after. It might open again Wednesday night, or it might be several days to a week, depending on who you asked. So we decided to stay an extra night at Bobby’s, just so we could have the electricity to run the fan.
alligator and prey
we saw this gator swimming across the river with something in its mouth, either a fish or a bird We knew we’d have to anchor out one night before reaching the lock, which was 95 miles away, so decided to stay put and not take the chance on it being 2 nights or more waiting for the lock repairs to be completed. The daytime temperatures have been reaching the upper 90’s, and that’s just miserably hot with no breeze. Nighttime temps haven't been too cool either.
Wednesday evening a passing towboat said the lock was open according to his dispatcher. Our friends, Phil and Linda, are at Demopolis and checked, too. Phil said it would take 36 hours after reopening to get all the waiting traffic through. When the first southbound tow passed us around 6 on Thursday morning, we knew the lock was operating and it was time to go. Thursday was another nasty hot day and we passed Meriah II around 3 in the afternoon. They had just anchored, but we felt it was too early to stop and sit in the heat so went on for another 15 miles or so before again anchoring inside a curve on the side of the river. That day 8 or 9 southbound tows passed us, but none after
2 in the afternoon, and none overnight. I began to get nervous until, finally, a southbound tow cruised on by.
We got to Demopolis Lock and only had to wait about 20 minutes while a southbound tow was lowered and then exited the lock. We were happy to get to Demopolis Yacht Basin, where we got fuel and checked into a nice slip. The sailors’ lounge, bathrooms, and laundry room are all air conditioned, a wonderful luxury to us. I was tempted to make my bed on the bathroom floor.
We spent a great evening with Linda and Phil, catching up, laughing and eating pizza. Kerry and Phil had some fun arguing politics, their favorite past time. Today is laundry and grocery shopping day. Tomorrow back on the river. We’ve decided to go into haul-ass mode and try to get home as soon as possible.
More later…
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