I’m writing from our home in Michigan. My heart sank as I sat down at the keyboard and realized my Skipper Bob Cruising Chicago to Mobile guidebook is on Leland Tug in Mobile AL. Skipper Bob’s is a looper must-have in my opinion. It is a mile-by-mile playbook of locks, bridges, anchorages, marinas, historical notes, points of interest, current changes, and cautions. My guidebook also contains my notes of where we stayed, of where photographs were taken, and other things I want to remember along the way. I’m a bit lost writing without it, but will do my best to recollect the significance of the photos and modify when we are back on Leland Tug as necessary.
On top of that, it has been more than a few weeks since the last blog, so there is much ground – or should I say course over ground – to cover.
We hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! Ours was spent on the boat at Aqua Harbor in Iuka MS. Who doesn’t like crock pot lasagna for Thanksgiving?! Overall the docks were quiet. We took the marina courtesy car to Shiloh and walked the cemetery.
Leaving Iuka is the entrance to the Divide Cut, referred to by locals as the Ditch. The Divide Cut is a straight, man-made canal built by the ACOE, and opened in 1985. It connects the Tennessee River with the Tombigbee River (Tenn-Tom) and made possible our Great Loop route. Without it, the only route available to loopers was taking the Mississippi all the way to Louisiana. Some still take the original route, but the Tenn-Tom is more popular. Mobile AL is at mile 0, so from the Divide Cut the miles counted down to the end of our Inland Rivers segment. In all, it took us 7 days to cruise from Iuka to Mobile:
· Leg 1: Iuka to Smithville Marina, Smithville MS (72.2 miles; 4 locks: Whitten, Montgomery, Rankin and Fulton). What people do not say is often more important than what they do say. With that…
· Leg 2: Smithville Marina to Columbus Marina, Columbus MS (43.2 miles; 3 locks: Wilkins, Aberdeen, Amory). Nice marina and wish we had more time to explore. “Voted one of the ten best cultural small towns by USA Today.”
· Leg 3: Columbus to Lower Cooks Bend Anchorage at mile 276.9 (57.8 miles, 2 locks: Bevill and Helfin). Calm night but woke up to floating islands of river debris around us.
That day’s observation: Sometimes you wait in the lock for other boaters to arrive, and other times other boaters wait in the lock for you to arrive. It’s a better day when you are not waiting for others.
· Leg 4: Anchorage to Kingfisher Bay Marina, Demopolis MS (60.9 miles). I was excited to hear when we arrived that the Christmas Pontoon Light Parade was that night. Unfortunately, the courtesy car was in use, and by the time the parade started so had the rain. Rob gets points for walking through gravel parking lot and grassy field … in the rainy night … to see a few floats at the end of the line.
Kingfisher Bay Marina is at mile 217, which is the official end of the Tenn-Tom Waterway. From here, we entered the Black Warrior-Tombigbee River!
· Leg 5: Kingfisher to Anchorage at mile 129 (85.3 miles; 1 lock: Demopolis). First time anchoring on the river, outside of the channel of course. We kept our cabin lights on – trying to stay well lit. We were happy when the first tow that came by confirmed our position as safe/out of the way.
· Leg 6: Anchorage to Anchorage at mile 43.7 (88.4 miles; 1 lock: Coffeeville). Another night anchored in the channel. You can tell when a tow goes by in the night because of 2-3 minutes of waves. It’s relaxing. We passed Bobby’s Fish Camp at mile 118.9 on this leg. Bobby’s is a popular looper stay.
Coffeeville lock was our LAST lock on the Inland Rivers (and I think 35th…). We were in tidal waters upon exiting. Another milestone!
· Leg 7: Anchorage to Dog River Marina, Mobile AL (58.7 miles; 0 locks). LOTS of oxbow bends the past few days. A few tows. One around the corner – out of sight but on radar — hailed Leland Tug, asking how many barges we were pushing. We heard him tell the next tow that we were not a tow but something to the effect of “one of those cool looking light pleasure boats.” Everyone loves a tug.
Mobile is reported to be the 12th busiest port in the US. We passed through fairly early and all tows were sleeping (0 mph on the radar). SO much nicer than when we traveled through the fleeting area on the Ohio River where tows were active. We could marvel at the size of the ships around us rather than be concerned with which were moving and in what direction.
We left Leland Tug at Dog River Marina. What a great bunch of kind, helpful people at that marina. Can’t say enough about our stay there so far. And Old Dutch ice cream is pret-ty good. Not surprisingly, what makes the loop truly special is the people you meet along the way. We look forward to picking back up at the end of the month and starting the Florida segment.
If you’re still with me, thank you for hanging in there and reading this long chapter.
Fair winds, and we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Amy
Thanksgiving Day, Shiloh National Military Park
Thanksgiving Day, Shiloh National Military Park
Waiting at the lock
Waiting at the lock
Woke up to floating islands of debris at Lower Cooks Bend anchorage
Woke up to floating islands of debris at Lower Cooks Bend anchorage
Leaving Lower Cooks Bend anchorage
Leaving Lower Cooks Bend anchorage
Pleasant water feature or critical infrastructure to manage current introduced by entering streams? (See below too)
Pleasant water feature or critical infrastructure to manage current introduced by entering streams? (See below too)
Along the way: Docked riverboat
Along the way: Docked riverboat
Along the way: The Alligator Hilton…we looked but never spotted any
Along the way: The Alligator Hilton…we looked but never spotted any
The White Cliffs of Epps (mile 249)
The White Cliffs of Epps (mile 249)
More White Cliffs of Epps (mile 249)
More White Cliffs of Epps (mile 249)
Demopolis Light Parade - we tried!
Demopolis Light Parade - we tried!
A foggy morning
A foggy morning
Locking through with a tow
Locking through with a tow
Locking opening to fog
Locking opening to fog
Along the way…
Along the way…
Many fishermen mean it’s a Saturday morning
Many fishermen mean it’s a Saturday morning
A looper landmark: The Rooster
A looper landmark: The Rooster
Another looper landmark: The Phone Booth
Another looper landmark: The Phone Booth
Along the way…
Along the way…
Along the way…
Along the way…
Along the way
Along the way
View from the pilot house
View from the pilot house
Along the way…
Along the way…
Looking back…
Looking back…
Along the way…
Along the way…
Along the way…
Along the way…
Entering Mobile Bay
Entering Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay
On the way to Dog River Marina in Mobile Bay, Coast Guard vessel
On the way to Dog River Marina in Mobile Bay, Coast Guard vessel
Journey to date: From Muskegon to Mobile
Journey to date: From Muskegon to Mobile