Thursday, November 05, 2009
An Early Morning Run to Demopolis, Alabama
Tuesday, November 3, 2009.
Bob Levine knocked on our boat at 5:15 a.m. with the news, “The lockmaster says if we can be there in 15 minutes, he will lock us through before the commercial traffic.” Boaters are clearly crazy people, but being in that category too, Bob and I threw on some clothes and were out on deck in record time. It was still pretty dark, the moon was almost full, and mist was rising off the water. Many blobs of foam (industrial pollution?) were floating everywhere as well as large clumps of ubiquitous aquatic weeds as we made our way to Tom Bevill Lock. Four other Looper boats were behind us – all wanting to get a head start. By 10 a.m. we had cruised 40 miles and had passed through both Bevill and Heflin Locks.
The Tenn-Tom is mostly mile after mile of waterway surrounded by trees brush, and some clay banks with an occasional bridge to change the scenery. Today we passed something fairly unique: stretches of tall chalky cliffs. One section is actually named the White Cliffs of Epes. Of course I got some pictures, which will be posted eventually. Just before we arrived in Demopolis for the night, we passed the mouth of the Black Warrior River. We are just a little over halfway down the Waterway. Thank goodness we have Fred Meyers guide book, The Tenn-Tom Nitty Gritty Cruise Book to give us navigation tips and information about what we are seeing. After a dinner with Loopers at the Demopolis marina grill, we headed back to the boat. Tomorrow will be another early departure. No more marinas are available until we get to Mobile.
Bob Levine knocked on our boat at 5:15 a.m. with the news, “The lockmaster says if we can be there in 15 minutes, he will lock us through before the commercial traffic.” Boaters are clearly crazy people, but being in that category too, Bob and I threw on some clothes and were out on deck in record time. It was still pretty dark, the moon was almost full, and mist was rising off the water. Many blobs of foam (industrial pollution?) were floating everywhere as well as large clumps of ubiquitous aquatic weeds as we made our way to Tom Bevill Lock. Four other Looper boats were behind us – all wanting to get a head start. By 10 a.m. we had cruised 40 miles and had passed through both Bevill and Heflin Locks.
The Tenn-Tom is mostly mile after mile of waterway surrounded by trees brush, and some clay banks with an occasional bridge to change the scenery. Today we passed something fairly unique: stretches of tall chalky cliffs. One section is actually named the White Cliffs of Epes. Of course I got some pictures, which will be posted eventually. Just before we arrived in Demopolis for the night, we passed the mouth of the Black Warrior River. We are just a little over halfway down the Waterway. Thank goodness we have Fred Meyers guide book, The Tenn-Tom Nitty Gritty Cruise Book to give us navigation tips and information about what we are seeing. After a dinner with Loopers at the Demopolis marina grill, we headed back to the boat. Tomorrow will be another early departure. No more marinas are available until we get to Mobile.
