Leaving Columbus Part One

this lovely creek was on the way to the mechanics

Goodbye Columbus

The happy Fishermen and their mighty big catfish

Wednesday, November 20th, dawned crisp and clear and ‘Night Music’ was once again complete. Bob and Barb of the BAR-B also left at the same time and we’ve been hopscotching them until now we sit tied to the one dock at Bobby’s Fish Camp. We didn’t get too far the first day and there were some minor issues to work through so we anchored at Pirate’s Marina Cove. At first we thought to dock there but OMG, it was totally not for us in many ways. Jack sorted out the issues, gave Chris, our mechanic a call to get advice, then we settled down to a quiet evening rejoicing our mobility. 

Thursday was grey when we left that cove. The wind still on our nose, so we were running slower than we hoped. We were forced to tie to a tree in an indent not far from the anchorage at Sumter because the pass into the lovely safe cove was too shallow.  The water was deep right up to the edge making anchoring impossible. We found a small log to make a ramp for the cats so they could explore. Jack stayed in the cockpit all night with the cats, the better to monitor the barge traffic. We see more barges at night than in the day. The next morning, Juan went for a last minute explore, and I had to go get him.

With our speed 5-6 kts on average, we then made our next anchorage at MM 224, a place called Rattlesnake, a horseshoe shaped off-shoot, that comes out at MM 223, our intended anchoring place that was recommended. At 223 a work boat was loading a barge and expected to be there for a couple more hours, so we turned around and made for 224, all this in the dark. We discovered that not too far into Rattlesnake, the water immediately got shallow, so we anchored in the mouth. Still we were safe and out of the channel. But the night was restless because the anchor chain was restless & grousing. Sounded like Jacob Marley come to call.

We got up early, and made for Demopolis and arrived around nine. Rainy, windy and cold. The dock was so far from the office that golf carts were provided. We took Juan down a long dock, then the connecting dock where the laundry and the showers were, then up the ramp to land. With all the people coming and going, plus the visitors to the Nina and Pinta replicas that were open for tours, we didn’t want to leave him. We gave him an hour, then needing to check in at the office and get a few more groceries, we scooped him up and drove him back to the boat in a golf cart. Of course, he wanted to jump out, but I held him tight. We did that one more time later that day, he was better then. None of the cats left the boat that night. It was quite cold and too busy. We thought to stay one more day, but after checking the weather, we decided to leave.

Sunday morning was sunny but very windy and cold and that made going through the Demopolis lock a really bad time. I screwed up the lines which wasn’t fun but even worse was the gusting wind that kept pulling the bow away from the wall. After minor cursing and yelling on both our parts we got out of there as fast as we could. Heaven be praised, the wind was behind us, the current was for us and Jack bumped up the RPMs a little so we picked up speed. Spent a lovely evening, if very cold, at Baron’s Landing, having traveled 48 miles instead of our usual 30. All four cats in the bed with us and I’m wearing so many layers of clothes, I can hardly move. After asking the first barge who came by to give us a ‘slow bell,’ the next five, who came by in the night, also slowed for us. Oh, and best of all, Mickey had his first dinghy ride when Jack took the cats for an evening explore. 

Up and away early Monday and made Bobby’s Fish Camp by 3:30. I won’t get started about all that is wrong with this place for the $1:50 a foot they charge. At least there is electricity and fuel. They are the last fuel stop until Mobile and the weather is really very nasty. Squally, and oh yes, COLD!!! We tied to the one dock behind the ‘BAR-B’ and that is nice. We visited with three of the nicest men from Florida on a fun, if very rainy and cold, fishing trip. They came by Tuesday morning to show off their mighty big catch, and they invited us to go to the best ever catfish restaurant later that day, but we'd invited Bob and Barb for spaghetti. Leaving Wednesday looking to raise Mobile by Friday.

                                                          END OF PART ONE

Change

Jack has written some lovely things in emails to friends and family. The first thing he wrote concerns his parents.

 “It took me a while but I finally figured out that it was here in Columbus, Mississippi, that dad & Uncle Jack did their flight training during WW II. The Air Force base here is very active with (as I understand it) the training of pilots to fly the big fighter jets. There are very fast turbo prop trainers buzzing around all the time, and often the jets whoosh by as well, their big sound following several seconds behind. I am told the base has been training pilots since before WWII.

It's strange to think of dad being here in this town some 70 years ago, as a thin, strong & smart young pilot, who met Uncle Jack, and, I guess, went home to Rolling Fork on a fateful week-end where he met mom. Can you imagine the day that dad drove by the Indian mounds or the Plantation Inn and pulled up at gramps & grandmother's house by the creek?  I wonder if mom was there when he arrived, or whether maybe she was out somewhere, and a smiling Fanny met the young men at the door, and then mom came home to find dad sitting in the parlor, and for the first time they smiled a hello. I'd like to think mom was maybe sitting on the porch, all peachy faced, in a sun dress, sixteen or seventeen years old, looking beautiful when the young, laughing pilots piled out of the old '32 Plymouth coup and their eyes met for the first time. 

Do you think it may have been love at first sight, or did dad start going home with Uncle Jack every week-end to court mom, and the love grew?  I'm sad that I will never really know the story of their first days; how foolish of me not to have asked when all those who could have told me the story were still with us.”

and another

“In the early evening, just after dusk, we walk down the pier, through the gate and out into the gravel covered parking lot with all four cats. We only need to announce "Come on kitties, we're going for a walk," and all four of them scamper to join us. It is just awesome to walk with them all. They roll in the dust, sniff & chew the grass, stop for a pee, chase each other, or take off at break-neck speed for a 20 yd. dash. They, and we, are very much in tune with one another. We talk to each other all the time. Juan starts meowing at the top of his lungs if he is away too long - Arlene says he gets lonely - and we have to yell out our assurances that we love him and are waiting for him to come back to the boat. Sweet, sweet Mickey is so much more loving since his illness and waits to cuddle in my lap every morning during coffee. Ridley goes for rows in the dinghy with me, and loves it. People in other boats are amused to see us row by… and him being black makes it perfect for this time of year. Her Ladyship, Maggie, is so much different than the boys… every bit a woman. Always keeps her aloofness intact, will not condescend to hang with the boys, must eat separately etc.”

We had a lovely anniversary, nice weather, met new friends and drank champagne and danced all night under electric candle light.... well you know the rest.

My anniversary gift, well at least 4 horses and all white.

my anniversary card

 I shall always love him

our new engine

Wednesday, the 13th, Installation Day!

Some Good News

I just liked the colours

these cats  would walk with us anywhere

one gets tired of being the same colour all the time

sweet Mickey enjoying life, hard to believe he was paralyzed for 12 days

Two little coots come by every day. When they get too far from one another they cluck cluck their coot love calls until they are back together. Always, they bend their heads slightly, touching foreheads to form a heart shaped greeting.

At night they leave us, swimming to some secluded haven somewhere on the other side of the cove. Morning comes and they make their way silently, sweetly back to the lush water hyacinths that line the shore close to the docks. At some point in the mid afternoon they stop to attend their toilette, preening and dipping and shaking water feverishly. One stands on a small log to take a break from his watery world. If you move gently and speak softly as you walk along the shore, they will let you come near, as curious about you as you are of them. They seldom fly but when they do you can’t help but giggle. Our friends Gary and Christelle call them run-flappers, we have always called them whirligigs. From my point of view they are two shades of black with a pure white beak. Against the backdrop of the shiny succulent leaves of the hyacinths and the soft gray white stones that describe the shore line, they are so small as to be easily missed. I would bet that many people walking by pay them no mind at all. What a gift they have lost. 

Wednesday, these two coots being alone except for the occasional visit of an even tinier grebe, were engulfed by a small band of other coots, swimming fast, clucking loudly, making a coot ruckus. I realized that was kind of like Jack and I as well. Here in this marina, which is relatively quiet, we were suddenly inundated with thirteen Loopers  coming in one after another in quick succession. At one point 20 people were together on the dock where most of the boats were being berthed. The coming bad weather sending them into safety. A fall out of Loopers.

A remanufactured engine is being ordered and we should have it by this time next week. Soon our aspect shall change. We will miss Don and Rosie Peck, their immaculate friendship has made this anxious time easier to bear. So much they have given to us, time, knowledge, good cheer and wonderful stories. Seeing their faces and hearing their voices was like the sun rising for us, because of their honest warmth. 

My new favourite book sent to me by Gail, Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.