Thursday, November 14: The Tenn-Tom is Behind Us as We Reach the Big City of Demopolis,AL

Date:                           November 14, 2013

Day on the Cruise:     192

From:                          Sumter Recreation Area Anchorage, Mile 270 on Tenn-Tom Waterway
                                     
To:                              Demopolis, AL

Statute Miles:              53.6 SM

Time:                           7.5 Hrs

Cumulative Miles:       4,950.7 SM

On Board:                   Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut

Tonight we are at Kingfisher Marina at Demopolis Yacht Basin in Demopolis, AL.

Demopolis is Southwest of Birmingham

Kingfisher Marina is in a man-made harbor off the Tombigbee River just South of its confluence with the Black Warrior River

This morning was another 4:00 AM wake up call as we were going to get on the water at daylight to make a 50 mile trip to Demopolis. Were we amazed at what we found in the dark this morning! the temps plummeted into the mid 20's overnight and there was ice and frost on the outside of the boat. There was also fog on the river as the very cold temps over the warm river created a canopy of the white stuff.

A call on the VHF to the Howell Heflin Lock just below us yielded news that there was a tow that had spent the night IN the Lock because of the fog, and still had to go down when the fog let up. The lock master said she would let us know when she could get us through. Back to bed for the Admiral!

At 7:30, the sun was well up and helping to burn the fog off. It was a beautiful day. Frost was 3/8' thick on the dinghy, which we had left in the water overnight, and I actually made a snowball and threw it at the dog! The sun melted the ice on the decks and handrails, and it was safe to get out of the cabin. We got Maggie into the dingy and motored over to shore. She did her thing and we motored over to "Sun Gypsy" and "Let's Drift". It would be us and Sun Gypsy starting out. Let's Drift wanted to sleep in and catch up with us later.

We pulled the anchor and left Sumter at 8:30, heading to Heflin Lock. We were in the lock at 9:00 after going 4 miles or so, and we were locked out by 9:15. A very quick drop down into what is now the Tombigbee River got us officially off the Tenn-Tom Waterway. It will now be the Black Warrior Tombigbee River System into the Mobile River to Mobile Bay.

Heflin Lock is named for Senator Howell Heflin of Alabama who passed away some years ago. He was a long time US Senator and before that, was Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Senator Heflin was from the Florence-Sheffeld-Muscle Shoals area of North Alabama. He was a very distinguished politician and a someone with whom I crossed paths several times in construction in North Alabama. Senator Heflin had a wonderful sense of humor and had as thick a Southern Accent as I have ever heard.

I remember one occasion when he spoke at a ground breaking for the Lockheed-Martin Thaad Missile Assembly Complex that we built at Courtland Airport in North Alabama. We had a luncheon at the Civic Center in Moulton, AL for the event. There was a line of folks waiting to get into the men's room before lunch, and I was one of those in line. As I got to the door, Senator Heflin emerged from the Men's Room and looked at us and remarked "You all hold your own in there, now"! We all got a kick out of this.

The tow that spent the night in the lock was none other than the "Joe Cain". We had passed him yesterday, and he was ahead of us today. So, one of our first orders of business was to get by him. We caught up with him shortly before he was to enter a bend. Talking to him on the VHF, we initially negotiated a two whistle pass. He left the decision us to us on which side to get him on, which is unusual. As we up close behind him, I changed my mind and told him I wanted a one whistle pass, because I could see him swing the tow over to the left side of the channel to get around the bend. So, we changed course and went by him on his starboard side, in a lot of prop wash and very close to the bank, which I did not like. It was one of the worse passes that we have and. When ewe got by him, he called and said "we might should of stayed over there on the two whistle" ha ha.

Following "Sun Gypsy" as we go on the One Whistle to pass the "Joe Cain"

Talking to the "Joe Cain" to negotiate a pass this morning

Coming up right astern of the "Joe Cain"

Seeing the "Joe Cain" "On the One"

Well, anyway, we got by him and didn't have to see him again today. We passed under the I-59/20 high way bridge and headed to Demopolis. One of the more interesting sights on this part of the river trip is the "White Cliffs of Epes". For my friend Jack Woodburn, these cliffs are part of the Selma Chalk Deposit and were created about the same time as the White Cliffs of Dover, England. We are very close to the town of Emelle. AL where there is a very large Hazardous Waste Landfill. The landfill was located here because the underlying soils very very impervious to leaching. Of course the landfills are lined to further inhibit the waste from leaving its resting place and leaching into the ground.

The White Cliffs of Epes are breathtaking. The two bridges crossing the river at the Cliffs and the fall colors made a great vista as we traveled by.

Beautiful Fall Colors at the White Cliffs of Epes

Formations at the White Cliffs of Epes

Red Leaves at the White Cliffs of Epes

Railroad Bridge at the White Cliffs of Epes

Bridge Support on the White Cliffs of Epes

Looking Back at the White Cliffs of Epes

At 3:00 or so we passed the confluence of the Black Warrior River with the Tombigbee River. I have been here before! Back in the early 60's my father and I took a river trip with a neighbor and his son in our two small boats down the Black Warrior River to Demopolis. We were in a 15' boat and the other boat was a 20'. We started up near Birmingham and traveled through the locks down the River to Demopolis, then back again. It was a great trip, as we camped in the boats at night as we anchored out. We saw tows, experienced locking, and saw many water snakes and fish. What a great trip! Our ultimate goal was to take another boat trip from Birmingham to Mobile, but alas, we never made it. Maybe this Great Loop Trip is a sub conscious way that we are fulfilling this dream?

At 3:20 we pulled into the fuel dock at the Demopolis Yacht Basin. Let's Drift caught up with us and we all took on fuel, then went for the night in slips at the newer Kingfisher Marina which is part of the Yacht Basin and adjacent to it. The owner and developer of the facility met us at the slip and tied us up. He is very nice and welcomed us to Kingfisher with open arms. This is an excellent facility. Great docks, power, and facilities.

We enjoyed dinner at the marina restaurant. A drawback to this marina might be that the distance from the slips at Kingfisher to the restaurant is so far that you really need transportation. They have golf carts that you can use, which makes it more palatable.

Onward to Bobby's Fish Camp tomorrow.

Thanks for Reading!