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