Bashi Creek to Three Rivers Lake Anchorage

We departed early this morning just before sunrise, our plan was to travel 82 miles and at 8 miles per hour that is a 10 plus hour travel day plus one lock. It is too dark to anchor comfortably after 6:30, lock transits are generally ½ hour to 2 hours so we left early. The weather generally has not been a problem and the forecast was again for mostly sunny cool in the morning 50s with a bit of fog and warmer in the PM low 80s. Today should be our last lock on this trip to Florida, Coffeeville lock will lower us 34 feet to sea level, the water will be tidal from here to Florida.

Sunrise on the Black Warrior 

Color full embankment

Tanker Loading

Bobby's Fish Camp

Coffeeville Lock Tower

Star Gazer in the Coffeeville Lock

The Last Lock on this trip, nice smile honey!

Some Lock Mascots do special lock inspections

Moving out of the last lock

Bye

Much Sand buildup on the inside of river corners

Some Rock Walls and the trees are beginning to turn

Heading into the anchorage at Three Rivers Lake

Kingfisher Marina to Bashi Creek Anchorage

October 22, 2015

We departed this morning just as it was beginning to get light, the sun rose as we entered the Demopolis Lock with 7 other boats. The lock through was easy and quick and we began our journey. A few tows today and only a few fishermen that was a bit surprising. We followed on tow for quite a while he was moving about a tenth of a mile per hour slower than we were and it was close to our stopping point for the evening. Bashi Creek is just a small tributary with enough room for a couple of boats to anchor.

Good morning Demopolis

Loading the Demopolis Lock at Sunrise

Rapids near the Lock

An early morning Kayak Fisherman

Sunshine and a pretty shoreline

Multiple colors from runoff water

The Black Warrior has Switchbacks

Charles Haun rounding the switchback

Kingfisher Marina, Demopolis AL

A daughters quilt

I was off to the alternator repair shop arriving there at 7:00, a journey by golf cart to the Yacht Basin to pickup the courtesy car, then by car to the shop in town. The dirtiest shop I have ever seen, but the owner was quite knowledgeable and was able to test the alternator and also to check the spare I had on the boat to determine the proper wiring pattern. After much discussion I decided to install the older spare and currently it is working fine. We went to visit a plantation mansion today called Gainswood, a very interesting story about a southern gentleman that purchased a two room cabin with a loft and added in several builds to the grand mansion it is today and was in 1868. Demopolis is a must stop since there are no facilities between here and Mobile Bay. 

Dining Room

Music Room

Drawing Room

Back Entrance

Heflin Lock Anchorage to Demopolis Yacht Basiin

Not quite as cold this morning about 47 when we started, clear skies and light winds until midday. We began looking for the White Cliffs of Epes near mile marker 256 since it would be the highlight of the day. Peaceful river travel with only a few other boats all day. I cleaned the fenders since they get really scuzzy when in contact with the lock wall, I have learned that SOS pads do a good job at removing the rust marks from the white fenders. We will have two locks between here and the Gulf so they will get dirty again. This afternoon I removed the alternator and will take it to the shop tomorrow. This morning it malfunctioned again and I disconnected the field wire so it would not attempt to produce any power but rather just freewheel. After an hour, I reconnected the field wire while running and everything was fine the rest of the day. Tonight we went to the Bistro a new restaurant in Demopolis run by the mayor, who visited our table twice. 

Are these the white cliffs at Epes? No to much rubble.

Are these the white cliffs at Epes? No kind of small.

Are these the white cliffs at Epes? Yes and a bit of color.

Yes, and quite impressive!

Yes, the shadows show it all.

Yes and it continues for about a mile.

Columbus Marina to Heflin Lock Anchorage

Monday, October 19, 2015

We called the lock about 7:00 stating we would arrive about 7:30, the lockmaster wanted us immediately so we departed as soon as we could and 4 of us locked down by 8:30. A bit of current flow and we continued on, three locks later we stopped just below the Howell Heflin Lock about 5:00. The Columbus Marina and the Stenis Lock have many Water Hyacinth plants that float on the water. I was a bit concerned that the bow thruster would inhale the plants and clog. As we entered the lock there was a block of flowers, pretty but a bit difficult to deal with. 

Reunion at the dock

Water Hyacinth

Lots of flowers everywhere

Scrap Steel Loading

Nice Location

The Snag Boat Museum at Bevil Lock

Tow leaving the Bevil Lock, were next

Camping along the River

Hillside House

Construction on the Heflin Dam

Burton Ferry Cutoff Anchorage to Columbus Marina

Sunday, October 18, 2015
Leaving the anchorage this morning our alternator would not operate properly, squealing and no tach signal. After a bit of tinkering, the alternator came on line and we traveled about an hour to the marina. I investigated repair options all day and watched the Packers 6th victory. 

Midway Marina to Burton Ferry Cutoff Anchorage

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Good cruising day, 4 locks and 58 miles, the lockmasters can make or break our day. The first lock had us wait for a half hour for another boat to arrive, that lockage required a full hour. The next three were much faster, the lock doors were open when we arrived and once secure we locked down with little hassle. We were in the river section of the Tenn-Tom most of the day. The rivers weave back and forth but for the most part the canal runs fairly straight. A few commercial tows, a dredging operation, some fishermen, a river bank celebration and a bit of sun and clouds completed our day. Tonight we are anchored in an Ox Bow, an area of the river that winds across the channel and then returns further down the river.

The next Lock(Blue Line) 5 miles down river

A bit of fall color

The Dredge, Kelly L

Aberdeen Lock Tower

Abandoned Railroad Bridge

Railroad Station?

A tow carrying Benzene

Our Anchorage

The Ox Bow

The charted Ox Bow