Thursday, November 05, 2009
We're in Fairhope, Alabama!
Thursday, November 5.
We are back in big water! We left our idyllic Three Rivers anchorage at 7 a.m. for the final stretch of the lower Tenn-Tom Waterway. Passing under the "Dolly Parton Bridge" and the 14-Mile Railway Bridge, the terrain looked different again -- flatter, sandy soil banks with patches of coastal foliage. As usual, we were in awe as we passed under the suspension bridge leading into busy Mobile Harbor. Ranked 8th in the U.S. for exports, the Port of Mobile passes 40 million tons of cargo each year. Huge ships, working cranes, and tows lined both sides of the harbor, dwarfing little Second Wind and Sandpiper aw we passed through.
Mobile Bay was only a little choppy this time, so our passage across to Eastern Shore Marina in Fairhope, Alabama, was relatively easy. How different it seems to tie the boat up to pilings instead of the floating docks we're used to on the Tennessee River and Tenn-Tom Waterway. Late this afternoon, Sarah and Doug Kennedy, "sort of" cousins from Fairhope, drove over to the boat and took us for drinks at the fabulous new Fairhope Yacht Club. Sunset from the porch was lovely, and we really enjoyed our short visit with them. Afterwards, the Levines joined us for a delicious dinner at Tamara's Downtown.
We're glad to be off the river, but now we have something else to keep an eye on. It is possible that a minor hurricane may come into the Gulf early next week. We will keep our eyes peeled. We're staying here another day just to visit the neat shops and galleries -- and enjoy the many seafood restaurants.
We are back in big water! We left our idyllic Three Rivers anchorage at 7 a.m. for the final stretch of the lower Tenn-Tom Waterway. Passing under the "Dolly Parton Bridge" and the 14-Mile Railway Bridge, the terrain looked different again -- flatter, sandy soil banks with patches of coastal foliage. As usual, we were in awe as we passed under the suspension bridge leading into busy Mobile Harbor. Ranked 8th in the U.S. for exports, the Port of Mobile passes 40 million tons of cargo each year. Huge ships, working cranes, and tows lined both sides of the harbor, dwarfing little Second Wind and Sandpiper aw we passed through.
Mobile Bay was only a little choppy this time, so our passage across to Eastern Shore Marina in Fairhope, Alabama, was relatively easy. How different it seems to tie the boat up to pilings instead of the floating docks we're used to on the Tennessee River and Tenn-Tom Waterway. Late this afternoon, Sarah and Doug Kennedy, "sort of" cousins from Fairhope, drove over to the boat and took us for drinks at the fabulous new Fairhope Yacht Club. Sunset from the porch was lovely, and we really enjoyed our short visit with them. Afterwards, the Levines joined us for a delicious dinner at Tamara's Downtown.
We're glad to be off the river, but now we have something else to keep an eye on. It is possible that a minor hurricane may come into the Gulf early next week. We will keep our eyes peeled. We're staying here another day just to visit the neat shops and galleries -- and enjoy the many seafood restaurants.
