Here we go again

Bet you thought I was going to say that we are happily cruising through the blue waters of Mobile Bay, or even the Gulf. I'm afraid not.  We're still here at Turner Marine in Mobile - but look at us now!

That's right - we're on the hard again.  The good news is that we got the new starter motor for the port engine installed and functioning, and they got the starboard engine properly aligned (which should have been done last time we were out of the water, but apparently wasn't).  They were able to reduce the vibration in the port engine a lot, but couldn't get it 'within specs'.  Michael, the mechanics, and other experts at the marina agreed that we needed to pull the boat and see if there is a problem with the shaft that is causing the vibration.  This is the same shaft that the guys at Goose Pond had such difficulty with, yet they didn't solve the problem.

Imagine us trying to live on board in our condo in the sky!  We've been out for 2 nights now, and thankfully it is getting warmer, so we are managing OK.  We are filling our days with lots of little odd jobs that we have on our list, but we are getting restless, and really want to be on our way.

The good news is that there are lots of other loopers still hanging around here for various reasons, so we are not alone.  Last night, someone organized a looper dinner at the local yacht club, and there were about 20 of us.

In addition to all of the folks from various parts of the US, there is a couple from Denmark, and a couple from Sweden.  This couple left home 7 years ago and have been through the Middle East, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Brazil, the Caribbean, the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay, and down the Mississippi to here.  Their plan is to now head towards through Panama into the Pacific, and venture to the South Pacific Islands.  I can't even imagine!

Moon rise over the bay

Killing time

If you have to be stuck somewhere while you wait for parts and repairs, this is a pretty good place.  Our view from the aft deck is glorious, and we get to watch the sunset most evenings.

We're surrounded by sailboats, and private big fish boats (these are the guys who go after the marlin and sailfish), as well as the shrimp boats.

The marina hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday for everyone.  They prepared the turkeys, and we all brought the sides.  There were about 65 people there, and enough food to feed a small army.  We met lots of other loopers (those who are travelling the Great Loop), permanent live-aboards of all kinds, sailors and cruisers alike, including a few fellow Canadians.


Thursday was a very quiet day, and on Friday we took advantage of the marina's courtesy car to visit Fairhope on the other side of the Bay.  Our original plan had been to go there as our first stop in the bay, but our engine troubles kept us on the west side for safety.  The bay itself is only 6 miles wide at the top, so the drive around to Fairhope was not a long one.

It seems to be a very prosperous community, with many large gated properties, and a quaint little downtown area filled with galleries, nifty little  shops and restaurants.  

There's a lovely public pier that has been rebuilt twice recently  - one after Hurricane Ivan, and again after Hurricane Katrina.  We heard so much about New Orleans and Katrina that the other affected areas seemed to be forgotten.


On our way home, we drove through the historic old section of Mobile which runs directly into the port that we cruised through earlier.  It was bit odd to see these lovely old buildings just a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of the docks.








The weather has been beautifully warm in the day, while still cool at night.  Today there's a north wind, which has made it much cooler, but if you find a sunny spot, out of the wind, you can relax quite comfortably - and perhaps even take a nap in the sunshine.   What better way to while away a quiet Saturday afternoon?

The Numbers - from the Captain

There has been some interest in the cost of marina dockage and fuel. I will refrain from publishing any information about restaurant costs, other than to say the expense has been more than justified by the quality of the food we have been consuming. When possible I have been comparing Shotgun Shrimp dishes, also called Bang Bang shrimp at the New Orleans restaurant in Demopolis Marina.... The Shotgun Shrimp at Felix's Fish camp (Mobile) is by far the best I have had anywhere. Just read this description from their menu:

Felix’s Shotgun Shrimp
Lightly breaded jumbo Gulf shrimp tossed in a hot and spicy Thai Chili sauce with Chipotle and
Habanero peppers. Served with creamy sweet slaw. It’s lip-numbing good. 8.95

So far all Marina's we have stayed in are charging $1.00/foot/night the only one charging extra for Electricity has been Columbus marina. The Marina at Florence did not charge us as we came in late one evening and left early and no one was at the marina to deal with us, so when we phoned to give our CC info the Manager refused to charge us,

Now on to the fuel....
We started from Goose Pond on full tanks price $4.099/gal  2 Nov 2012
First top up Grand Harbour < 100 Gals price $4.039  8 Nov 2012   4.55 gph  1.88 mpg  @ 11.7 mph avg. speed. Miles traveled = 163.2
Second top up Dog River < 200 Gals   price $3.849  20 Nov 2012  3.25 gph  2.39 mpg  @   9.2 mph avg. speed. Miles traveled= 477.5                                                                                                            

We did run on one engine for about two of those more recent days.... but we are well on our way to working on keeping the mpg in the low 2's.

Day 13: Mobile!!

Get comfortable...this promises to be a fairly lengthy post, as today was packed full of stuff to talk about.


Michael did some work last night to enlarge some of the holes in the coolant system after talking to the experts at American Diesel Corporation, and while we are still running on a single engine, we hoped this would be enough to stop the coolant leak.

We were up before the sun this morning, and underway as soon as there was enough light. As we left our little anchorage, a rainbow shone directly in front of us.  We took this to be a good sign.  We were able to run at about 9.5 mph, and as we got further south the river current picked up, and we had an outgoing tide to help us.  In the end, we were travelling at up to 10.8 mph - on one engine.

We passed under the I65 bridge on the outskirts of Mobile late morning. The locals call this the Dolly Parton Bridge.  Can you figure out why?

The scenery changed again, looking more like bayou than river in places, while the high rises of downtown Mobile poked into the sky in the distance.  As we entered the port of Mobile, we were overwhelmed by the noise and the size of everything.  Having spent so many days in the quiet of the river, with the occasional tow to keep things interesting, to suddenly be in the middle of a large international working port was an assault on the senses.  Activity everywhere, with tugs and tows buzzing around all over the place, pushing barges into place and moving them around to be loaded or unloaded.  Giant freighters sat at their docks, offloading their cargo with cranes.


Two 'stealth' vessels sat at one of the docks.  Michael pointed to the radar as we approached, and they were indeed invisible.  Rumor has it that the pentagon will deny all knowledge of these vessels, but we took these pictures - - - or did we?

As we left the port and entered the open water of Mobile Bay, a line of freighters steamed steadily towards us.  We felt small next to the tows on the river, but I felt we were in a rowboat when these monsters passed us in the narrow channel.  Shrimp boats drag their nets, and birds follow in their wake, hoping for something tasty to be stirred up. We actually saw dolphins within minutes of entering the bay.  It's a bad picture, as it all happened so fast, and they didn't linger long with us, but they are dolphins, I promise.

I confess I got a bit giddy with excitement.  We're finally out of the river and into the salt water.

At Turner Marine we reunited with Irish Attitude, Headquarters and Blewgrass.  This called for a nice dinner out!  We went to Felix's Fish Camp and Grill, but don't let the name or the appearance fool you.  Famous for its seafood, and located right on the old causeway, it lived up to its reputation.  With tiki torches outside and palm trees around the parking lot, we are feeling quite tropical despite the need for jackets.

Dim lighting made the menus a little difficult to read for us old folks.  But we were all prepared...out came the cell phones with flashlight apps.  I'm sure the other diners around us must have been quite amused.

It looks like we'll be in Mobile for about a week to complete the engine work, but all indications are that there will be plenty to keep us amused while we're here.  

Today's miles:  67, to Mile Marker 0 and beyond!

Total miles:  641


PS:  We have been asked to provide some additional technical info, including marina and fuel costs.  Michael has promised a "Captain's Update" to cover this.

Day 12: Smokin'

We woke this morning to clear skies for the first time in many days. This turned out to be the best part of our day.

We fired up the engines by shortly after 7 - well, we fired up one engine but couldn't get the other to even turn over.  As Michael came below to investigate, I heard an urgent - strike that - extremely urgent call to "SHUT IT DOWN...SHUT IT DOWN".

So, of course, I did just that. I learned very quickly that there was smoke coming from somewhere in the engine room.  Thank goodness Michael is mechanically apt, and can evaluate and assess these things extremely well.  There were only two things running - the generator and the starboard engine (the port engine had failed to start).  But what about that port engine that wouldn't start.....

We decided that we were safe to move on one engine.  After all, we had already traveled a day on a single engine, and done fine.  So we started her up, hauled anchor shortly after 8 am, and headed out at a stately 8 miles per hour.  Around 11, I noticed that the tachometer was fluctuating wildly (yes - I was driving) but the temp was holding steady.  It happened two or three more times, so we decided to look for a place to stop.  Of course we were in a section of the river that does not have many safe places to stop, and we had a number of tows coming towards us. (We knew this thanks to our AIS.)

We picked a spot mentioned in our guide books, and confirmed with a passing tow captain that we would be out of the way of oncoming tows if we stopped there.  We were just out of the channel, tucked in behind a green marker, at the entrance to a tiny creek.  And there we sat, waiting for the engine to cool down enough for Michael to safely check things out.

Before too long, there was a call on the radio from Godspeed, a Louisiana based trawler that we had come across once or twice before (Columbus Marina and Bashi Creek).  The lady asked us what kind of trouble we were having, and told us that her husband is a retired diesel mechanic.  "Sit tight" she said, "we'll be there shortly".  They pulled alongside us before too long, and Billy came aboard to see what was up.  He found that the positive feed bolt to the port engine starter had sheared off, and we had probably fried the starter mechanism...which would explain the smoke.

The starboard (working) engine was pumping out a little coolant, but nothing terminal.  It was decided that we could safely run on one engine, and that Godspeed would slow down to travel with us and make sure we were OK.  Pam told me that they had decided before they even got to us, that if we couldn't run under our own power, they would lash us to their side, and carry us down the river with them.  And this from total strangers!!!

We made it to the Alabama River Cutoff at Mile 53, and have arranged to go to Turner's Marina just south of Mobile tomorrow, where they have mechanics, and electrical experts, and the help we will need to get going again.

I have always carried all my tension in my shoulders, and I have not felt my shoulders get tight since we got to Alabama in April - until today.  I don't know if I have ever felt quite so vulnerable - at the mercy of the river, and the kindness of strangers.

A good stiff Bloody Caesar at the end of the day certainly helped, (our Canadian friends will understand) and we'll be on our way again in the morning - one engine still, but confident that it will carry us where we need to go.  And if that fails, there's always Boat US - travel insurance for boats.

Today's miles:  47 (and it took all day), to Mile Marker 53

Total miles:  562

Day 11: You know you're really getting South when...

...you spot one of these guys sunning himself on the bank!

We have also seen lots of great egrets, the ever present herons, several bald eagles, a hawk or two, and a bunch of buzzards.

Fog delayed our departure this morning, again, so we recalculated our distances and made a new plan. Below Coffeeville Dam and Lock the topography changed dramatically.

Sandy shores and dunes graced the banks, and while there is still some red and gold among the changing trees, the predominant colour is now green.





 Instead of travelling in several layers to keep warm, we wore short sleeves and light pants, and were opening windows to let the breeze in.  Temperature in the sun on the bridge reached 95F or 35C, but it was still a touch cool in the shade.  It's wonderful.

We dropped anchor at Mile Marker 100, at the site of the old Lock #1, which is now in ruins.  But it is a beautiful spot, with lots of green, and silver fish jumping all over the place, and birds pacing the shallows looking for their next meal.


There's only one other boat anchored here, but there is a public access boat ramp, and the local bass fishermen have no regard for the wake they produce when charging by at full throttle.  We can only hope they don't do a whole lot of night fishing!  We've heard a couple of hunters shooting at things - at least we're assuming they're hunters.

Another day should bring us within striking distance of Mobile Bay, where we will head for Fairhope on the eastern shore, weather permitting.

Today's miles:  45 to mile marker 100

Total miles:  515

Day 10: And so we are one – again!

Yesterday was a lazy day, spent provisioning and socializing.  As we arrived at Kingfisher Bay Marina, Headquarters found some old friends on Blewgrass, and they were soon included in all of our plans.   If you remember, we started out on our own, hooked up with Irish Attitude just south of Grand Harbor, and added Headquarters to our running group in Columbus.  As Blewgrass has four people travelling on board, our dinner reservations for 10 raised some eyebrows in this small town.

We anticipated a long travel day today, so were up at 5:15 and on our way to the lock just outside Demopolis by 6:20.  At last we saw something that actually looked like it warranted building a lock – the first waterfall we have seen, even though it is a tiny one.  (Dietmar – this will explain the fast current you identified on Google Earth).  And yes - the fishermen use the lock, too.  

The waterway we are now travelling is the Black Warrior River, and still very winding, with hairpin turns and switchbacks happening with unsettling frequency. We passed 6 tows, in both directions, within the space of about 4 miles, and some of those passes were right at the bendy bits of the river.  We’re getting really good at this now!

I have been amused by some of the names we are seeing on the charts, like Big Bunny Creek, Sugarbowa Creek, Kinterbish Creek, and Turkey Shoals. 

Our plan, with the whole group, had been to travel to Bashi (pronounced basheye) Creek, a narrow anchorage but with enough room for us to raft two together, with bow and stern anchors to hold us straight.  We arrived first, and investigated with our forward scanning sonar, which revealed enough depth, and just enough width for two boats.  We got ourselves set, and told Headquarters to come on in.  They took one look, and decided to keep going for another 25 miles to Bobby’s Fish Camp, the next viable place to stop.  Irish Attitude made the same decision, as did Blewgrass.  We did not want to haul anchor and travel for another 2 ½ hours, so we are on our own again, but will catch up with the others again tomorrow. 

Today’s miles:  71 to Mile Marker 145

Total miles:  470

Day 9: The white cliffs of Epes

Plans for an early start were scuttled once again by thick fog, but by about 8:30 it had cleared well enough.  The white cliffs of Epes are quite beautiful, and striking in that they seem to rise all of a sudden from the river bank, and have eroded over the years into beautiful sculptured shapes.  

Still the river winds east, then west, then east again, but always inexorably south. We actually felt heat in the sun today for the first time in many days - a welcome sensation after too many frosty mornings.

We passed the half-way mark on the Tenn Tom at Mile 225 - a cause for celebration.  We will host a Bloody Caesar hour on Done Dreamin' tonight before dinner.  Yes - you can get clamato juice at Walmart!!

Our three boats arrived in Demopolis, Alabama in the late afternoon, and found that Kingfisher Marina is new and very well equipped. They have the best facilities we have seen so far, and provide golf carts for getting around the grounds.

Headquarters soon found others that they had met previously.  We had a group of 10 for dinner, so set about arranging transportation, and ended up using the marina's truck to organize a ferry service to the Red Barn - a great restaurant in town.  It is indeed a large red barn, with old farm equipment scattered about the parking area.  Rustic inside, too, but great food and very friendly staff.  

Tomorrow will be a provisioning day - last chance before the 3 day run to Mobile.  

Today's miles:  61.5 to Tenn Tom Mile Marker 216

Total miles:  399

Day 8: On the road again....

Cold this morning, as predicted, but bright and sunny.  We headed out of the marina and around the corner to our first lock of the day - us, Irish Attitude, Headquarters, and two other boats that we didn't know.

Everything has settled into the river rhythm, slow and winding, with an occasional tow to pass.  There are long stretches of absolutely nothing but water and trees, interspersed with small clusters of homes or cottages, then back to water and trees.  There is a surprising lack of wildlife to be seen - lots of herons and crows, but little else.

Edee has settled into the rhythm, too, and relaxes on the bridge with us as we travel.

We left Mississippi and returned to Alabama, then went back to Mississippi, then back to Alabama, and so on.  Such is the nature of the river.  And with all of those bends, seeing oncoming tows is a bit of a problem.  Michael installed a new radio with AIS (Automatic Identification System) to help us keep track of commercial traffic here and especially in Mobile Bay.  Tows and barges transmit a signal that is picked up on our radio and gps, and identifies the vessel with name, speed, heading, distance from us, and time to meeting.  It has been invaluable in avoiding surprise encounters on some of these blind bends.

The boat also has forward scanning sonar, which allows us to see contours underwater ahead of us.  As we approached Cooks Bend Cutoff, our anchorage for the night, we took the lead, using the sonar to ensure there was enough water without hidden obstructions.  Irish Attitude and Headquarters followed us safely in, and after happy hour aboard Headquarters, we all settled in for the evening, planning another early start in the morning.

Today's Miles:  58 to Tenn Tom Mile Marker 277

Total Miles:  337.5

Land Tour: Best BBQ

The new hose arrived early this morning, so Michael's first job was to get that installed, which meant more green stuff all over the bilge, but after that it was just clean up. Fingers crossed that our overheating problem has been fixed.

We then had lunch at Hank's BBQ, with Mike & Gay from Irish Attitude, and Tony & Shirley from Headquarters. Tony is from New Zealand, and Shirley is from  Australia. They bought a boat in Michigan just to do the loop, and have been on the move since August.  Hank's was delicious - some of the best ribs we have ever had.  After that, we embarked on a driving tour of downtown Columbus to see some of the antebellum homes.

The weather has been very cold for the past few days, and we are not looking forward to an early start tomorrow as we know it will be brutal.  But we head south, so it can't be all bad.

Land Tour: Skyfall

Thunderstorms overnight, and cold, wet and blustery today.  We're taking this opportunity to catch up on a few chores, and will head out to the movies this afternoon....Bond, James Bond!

The new hose for the engine should be here tomorrow, so we will plan to head out again Wednesday morning, weather permitting.

Land Tour: Waverley Plantation Mansion

Columbus is home to some of the finest antebellum homes in the US, miraculously spared during the civil war.  One of the finest is Waverley Plantation.

Built in 1852, this beautiful old home was the centerpiece of a huge and prosperous cotton plantation.  After the last of the 10 children of that family died, the estate passed on to a number of nieces and nephews who began selling off parcels of land.  But they could never agree on what should be done to the house, and so it stood vacant for 50 years in the early half of the 1900's.

It became home to bats, possums, snakes, and thousands of mud dauber wasps. It also became the local party place, where the young folks would gather out of sight of their parents.  Amazingly, throughout these 50 years, there was practically no damage actually done to the house.  Chandeliers remained in place, glass window panes and porcelain door handles remained unbroken, marble mantles remained in tact, and only one of hundreds of spindles on the 4 floors of staircases was missing.  There were original silver backed, gilt framed mirrors that weigh upwards of 800 pounds still in one piece.

In 1962, Robert & Donna Snow bought the house, moved in with their 3 children, and began the mammoth undertaking of restoring the house and grounds.  Donna has since died, but Robert and daughter Melissa still live there.  In fact, it was Melissa who gave us our tour.  She talked about growing up in such amazing surroundings, and discovering journals, letters and other records of life on the plantation still in the house.  She also talked about fighting over whose turn it was to get the snake, and of trying to remove the thousands and thousands of mud homes made by all those wasps, each one filled with dead spiders and other bugs.

The entire house is furnished with the most amazing collection of antiques, including a signed Steinway piano, one of only 5 in the country.  There is a magnolia tree in the garden that experts estimate to be 250 - 300 years old.  We could only imagine what is must look like in full bloom!

Mike and Gay from Irish Attitude were with us, and at one point Gay whispered to me that the window dressings in one of the bedrooms reminded her of Carol Burnett and her Gone with the Wind interpretation.  We both collapsed in fits of giggles.


Oh, and about that starboard engine that died?  It's nothing more than a broken hose, so we'll order a replacement first thing in the morning.  Tomorrow will be a rainy day, so we had planned to stay put anyway.