Crossing the Gulf...We Made It!

Tuesday, December 17
Will there be a Gulf crossing?

Things are falling into place at the Moorings Marina in Carrabelle, Fl.  About one o'clock in the morning, our son, Nick arrived after flying down from Minnesota.  He will share captain duties with Steve on Dream Chaser.  It was a quick night's sleep!

Today, is the day of the Gulf crossing!  Who will go?  Who will stay?  Boaters from eight looper boats met at the Moorings Marina breakfast room at about 7:30 am discussing the conditions of the crossing.  The group weighed the information from Buddy, the marina's local Gulf crossing expert, and the reports from Tom Conrad, AGLCA's crossing expert.  Anticipating an immediate departure, Mary “battened down the hatches” on Dream Chaser for a possibly rough crossing. By 9:30 am, the decision was made.  There would be two AGLCA looper boats and one non looper  boat leaving from Carrabelle:  Tom on Tomfoolery (a 32' Carver), Dream Chaser, and Jim on the Grey Fox ( a 42' Silverton).   The group planned to meet Bob (coming from Apalachicola) on Bar-B (a 47’ Nova Scottie) at the pass by Dog Island.  God Speed!

Most of the boating group made the decision to remain at Carabelle until the weather window widened.  Some of the boaters are nervous because they have animals aboard or are non-trawler type boats, and most lack stabilizers (specially designed fins on the bottom of the boat that counteract wave motion).  One gentleman is thinking of running for mayor because he’s been in Carabelle waiting for a weather window for so long.  We were told that it has been a terrible year for Gulf crossings because of limited windows for comfortable crossings.  Some very disappointed loopers!

As Dream Chaser motored out of the harbor at Carrabelle, Mary pointed the rental car for Tampa with plans to finish laundry and gather provisions before Dream Chaser arrives in Clearwater/Tampa, FL, tomorrow.

THE GULF CROSSING!

Wednesday, December 18
Captains Steve and Nick reported that the Gulf crossing from Carrabelle, FL to Clearwater, FL took 21 hours from dock to dock.  Dream Chaser was directed by auto pilot during 99% of the crossing with monitoring by the captains in three hour shifts.  They noted that the regular radio stations worked fine all along the way even at fifty miles from shore.  As they motored south, the balmy waters warmed the air to t-shirt weather temps (70 degrees), and they drove through the night from the open upper helm for better visibility.  The north winds, from the stern, gave them a boost of one extra mph which put Dream Chaser at 8 1/2 to 9 mph.  The waves were 1-2 ft until they neared Tampa, at which point, they increased to about 3 ft.  Captain Steve was very happy that Dream Chaser had the stabilizers engaged!

Captain Nick loved driving the boat and, also, photographed and videotaped numerous dolphins as they swam and performed along side and often in front of the boat- off the bow wave.

Nick took this picture off the anchor pulpit of Dream Chaser.  The dolphins are guiding Dream Chaser to warmer waters.

The full moon lit up the night, and it was beautiful!  Captain Steve enjoyed the sea loons calling in the dark. 

About 50 miles out from Tampa, the city lights began to appear.  About 40 miles out, a cruise ship was heading out to sea.  About 20 miles from Tampa, the dreaded crab pots began appearing, but the captains counted only about 30 pots.  The crab pots are a boaters nightmare!  The captains have to watch for little floats that mark a crab pot.  Most boaters only pass through this section of the crossing in the daylight-in order to see the floats.  However, our group of boats had left a few hours early due to the weather window (to stay within the weather donut), so it is dark while they are passing through this section. If the waves are too high or it's dark, the floats are often not visible.  Once a boat's prop gets tangled in the ropes from a crab pot, well, you have no engine power and the ropes must be cut off the props.  This means you are not going anywhere until a diver clears the ropes! You need your engine operating!  Dream Chaser has metal cutters in front of the props to clip ropes and cables up to 1/2 inch thick, if they get near the props. Very few boats have cutters.

All the boats in our group successfully completed the crossing!  As the group of boats entered the ICW, they split and headed to slips at different marinas. So nice to have Nick man the lines as Steve slipped Dream Chaser into her slip for a rest.  We've enjoyed having Nick join us for a few days and know he has had a great time and enjoyed the warm weather!

With the completion of the Gulf crossing, our celebration consisted of enjoying the warm day, taking a long nap, and sharing an early dinner at the Cuban Breeze, a highly recommended Cuban restaurant south of Dunedin, FL. 
Following dinner, Captain Nick, reluctantly, caught a flight back to COLD Minnesota leaving Florida with temp's in the 70's.


Thursday, December 19

We had visitors today!
About 10 am, Rick and Susan joined us for breakfast, a walk on the beach, and a tour of Dream Chaser.  They are experiencing Florida, visiting friends, and escaping the Minnesota COLD! 

About 1:30 pm, Dan and Mary (visiting Florida from Minnesota) drove from Ft. Meyers just to visit with us and see Dream Chaser.  They are spending two weeks in Ft. Meyers and their family will be joining them for Christmas.  How wonderful!

For an early dinner, we found a funky, seafood restaurant called, The Thirsty Marlin.  This local favorite appears to have undergone ten additions and has corresponding irregular floor levels-lots of personality!  The friendly staff served up yummy calamari, fish tacos and great times!

As the sun was lowering in the sky, we headed to Honeymoon Beach to watch the sunset.  It was spectacular!

                     So nice to be on this side of the Gulf when we start the New Year!
                                            Jesus is the reason for the season!
                                       Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ft. Walton Beach to Carrabelle, FL

Friday, December 13

At 6 am, we watched a beautiful sunrise, took a short walk and readied the cabin.

By 6:30, Dream Chaser was motoring east on the ICW with Panama City our projected dockage for tonight.  After a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, we settled in for our 25 mile trek across Choctawhatchee Bay in 1-2 ft. waves.  It was overcast with temps in the 40’s.
About half way across the bay, Steve eyed the pecan pie-need I say more?!

The people you meet…
Shortly after docking at Ft. Walton Beach, yesterday, we met a good-looking, tanned, bearded man in his mid 30’s and his young son on the dock, just exiting a dinghy.  We chatted.  They had a little collapsible wagon with some things for sale:  a water maker, sextant, etc.  Supposedly, the man's family of five had been living on their 28 ft. sailboat for the last four years.  Could that be true?  He said, “They were DONE!”, and when the boat sold, the family would be moving back to Ohio.  We contemplated whether HE wanted to be done, or his family was DONE!  Steve wondered if in reality it was: “If momma ain’t happy, nobody is happy”?  Five people in a 28 ft. sailboat- two of them teenagers?!  They had sailed the east coast, Bahamas, and Keys, but hated the armpit (Gulf).  It sounded like they had a horrible experience crossing the Gulf, and he warned us to be careful.  We couldn’t use any of the items he had for sale, and we wished him well.  Later while on our way to dinner, in the shadows of the setting sun, we saw the little family of five in their 8 ft dinghy with a 3 1/2 hp motor coming towards the dock.  Dad, mom, teenage daughter, teenage son, and younger son with their collapsible wagon were coming to shore, possibly for provisions and showers.  What an adventure!  They have a story to tell…

    The sunrise at Ft. Walton Beach.  One of these sailboats contains the family of five!

After three hours motor across Choctawhatchee Bay, Dream Chaser entered the ICW channel with high sand banks on each side.  The weather reported a balmy 52 degrees at Point Washington promising temps in the 60's by 3 pm. We’ll see.

We met this fishing (shrimp?) boat and several small fishing boats in the ICW channel, but still no alligators sunning on the sandy shores.  Still too cold!
This afternoon, Mary drove across part of West Bay (a two hour trip) while Steve took a rest.  The sun shone on the sparking water, the dolphins swam around Dream Chaser, and there wasn’t a boat in sight.  Dolphins have been almost constant companions in all the bay areas.

About 3 pm, we passed under a lift bridge and motored up NEXT to Bayou Joe’s, a seafood grill in Panama City. On Active Captain, an I-Pad app, boaters raved about the fresh seafood at Bayou Joe’s Marina and Grill. This 45 yr old restaurant which is popular with the locals is reported to have the best calamari, grouper, and Caesar salad around.

     Dream Chaser is tied next to the restaurant.  Any closer and we would be IN the restaurant.

The restaurant manager allowed us to tie up and go see the town (only two blocks away) before we ate dinner. 








As we walked through this little town, we enjoyed seeing the historic buildings, restaurants,  city park, and little shops which were festively decorated for Christmas.  Life came to this area in 1908 when the railroad arrived in this area.  The railroad president envisioned this harbor town becoming a major port to Panama and thus suggested the name Panama City.  Established in 1909, the town grew in the early 1900's and again, when the US military established Tyndell Air Force Base and US Navy Coastal Systems Command nearby.  Tonight, the town was celebrating a "Dickens of a Christmas".   The was a lot of hustle and bustle as decorated shops would be open late and there would be all sorts of festivities!  The town took on a festive look as the lights began to sparkle.
 


Back at Bayou Joe’s, we ordered dinners of calamari, shrimp, and salad.  Great place-good food.  The dinner rush hadn’t started, so we chatted with the manager/server while we ate and learned all about his life and the area.









After dinner,  we motored Dream Chaser across to the other side of the harbor and tied up at an abandoned dock.  Around us, boats bobbed and lights twinkled in the harbor as we called it a day.

Saturday, December 14
Our destination today is Apalachicola, FL which will take eight hours of motoring.

We were up at 5:45 am, started the generator to revive the boat batteries, and readied Dream Chaser for the day.  Avoiding the crab pots, next to the boat, we motored towards the lift bridge.  The bridge was down and repeated calls to the lift operator went unanswered.  We floated around in front of the lift bridge for 25 minutes-there was no other way out!
At 6:35 am, after honking our boat horn and having the police make calls, the lift operator woke up, the bridge rose, and we quickly slipped out into East Bay.  After retracing our path to the channel of the ICW, we headed toward Apalachicola, FL.  The skies were sunny, temps at 57 degrees, but rain was predicted.
As Dream Chaser followed the ICW east, our path followed a more inland route, but every time we came to  bay area, dolphins joined us.  One dolphin jumped so close to the boat that he splattered salt water on the port windows.  Temps have increased to the 70’s with drizzling rain that started late morning and turned into thunderstorms in the afternoon (with lightening).  It was a great day for cups of rich hot chocolate and snacks to keep us focused!

            This is our view from the lower helm of Dream Chaser on a rainy day like today!

 This boat didn't make it home. Perhaps, this boat tragedy was the result of a hurricane?!

FYI:
Apalachicola is located on the Apalachicola River and Apalachicola Bay.  The area was originally inhabited by Native American cultures (Apalachees), then explored by Europeans, ruled by the Spanish, turned over to England, evolved into an important trading post, and in 1831, the town was named  Apalachicola.  Over the years, it has had its share of hurricanes and fires.  Being a large seaport, the sponge trade, cotton shipping, and most significant, the seafood industry, have had great impact on the area.  Apalachicola is the home port for many sea workers due to the fact that more than 90% of Florida’s oysters come from Apalachicola Bay.

     This is the shrimp boat parked next to us at the dock.

At 3:30 pm, we arrived at Apalachicola, and docked at the city dock in the pouring rain.  Even in rain suits, keeping dry an impossibility in the torrential downpour.  In spite of the WET, we tied dock lines and headed to town.  Feeling free of confinement,  we trotted from shop to shop, squishing in and out of stores, leaving wet paths on their floors, apologizing for the puddles, and crossing flowing rivers of water in the streets.  Vanity goes right out the window when you get that drenched, besides, you don't know anyone in town anyway!
Apalachicola is a true old Florida kind of place with a slow pace and a sense of whimsy.  It's a small coastal community where one yellow blinking light directs downtown traffic.
Cloudy, rainy days are terrible for picture taking, and I had almost given up hope...until...this beautiful cat met me at the door of the shop "All That Jazz", begged to be petted, and then followed me around.  "Ginger" is deaf, loves people, begs to be petted, and except for not smiling, takes a cute picture!

After checking out the town, we sloshed down the street towards Boss Oyster, one of the top five oyster bars in Florida!  Mary has never seen an oyster that she liked...but Steve loves oysters, so...
The restaurant owner are third generation oyster harvesters, and they are happy to teach you the fine points of shucking.  It is a beautiful setting, but unfortunately, the clouds and rain "dampened" the pictures.  Mary would have shown you a picture of Steve's oyster plate, but the food didn't last long enough to photograph!  By the way, Mary ordered shrimp...it was delicious!

 This is the outdoor dining at
Boss Oyster.


 "Oysters...fried, stewed, or nude!"

"Where they think inside the shell"

"Oysters are chilled from bay to belly"

"Shut up and shuck!"

After dinner, we walked six blocks to the Piggly Wiggly grocery store for provisions.  Piggly Wiggly stores are no longer in Minnesota, and
apparently, these bring back good memories of years past, because we find ourselves taking pictures of Piggly Wiggly signs whenever we
see them.





As we were engulfed by darkness and Dream Chaser was secured for the night, Mary noticed little eyes staring at her from the dock.  In a flash, a little black cat jumped on the boat!  He didn't receive a welcome aboard, so soon was returned to land to pursue other adventures. 
The lights twinkled in this fishing village as we called it a night, hopped in bed, and pulled up the quilt.

Sunday, December 15
In Apalachicola, we woke to a quiet harbor with a cloud covered sky and temps around 60.   Lights twinkled on the palm trees lining the downtown streets, and the Christmas tree in the city park sparkled with lights of every color.  In the harbor, a fisherman in a johnboat was checking his crab pots while pelicans were looking for their morning meal.  The shrimp boats were still lining the dock next to us, obviously in no hurry to enter the stormy sea.

    This picture of our neighbors was taken on Monday before we left-notice the BLUE skies.

Today, we remained at the dock while the stormy weather passes and will head for Carrabelle tomorrow.  After our morning walk, we completed breakfast, watched "Sunday Morning", and headed to church.
We received an old southern welcome at the First Baptist Church of Apalachicola with greetings, hugs, and handshakes.  After church we walked to Tamara’s Cafe and ordered creole jambalaya and chicken stir fry.  Awesome!  Football and a nap filled our afternoon.
At 6 pm, Brent and Susan Anderson (loopers from Mahtemedi, MN) from Once Upon a Time and Bob and Barb (from Milwaukee, WI) from Bar-B joined us for dinner at Owl's Bar to discuss the Gulf crossing.  Great food, new friends, and great planning for the Gulf crossing!
We docked for one more night in Apalachicola. It's 46 degrees, the harbor is quiet, and the heat is on!

Monday, December 16
The sun rose as the shrimp boats motored by us beginning their pilgrimages to the sea rich bay.  After finishing breakfast, taking our morning walk, and making a trip to the fish shop, Dream Chaser pulled out of Apalachicola Harbor beginning the three hour trip to Carrabelle, FL.

       Dream Chaser was docked in front of the big shrimp boats in the middle of the picture.

Everyone says it will happen-it's just a matter of when!
This picture (above) was taken, today, and shows the area (at low tide) in Apalachicola Harbor where Dream Chaser came to rest in mud (yes, that is ground) when entering the area during the heavy rains.  On Friday, this mud was covered with water when we attempted to cross over to get to the docks.  WE GOT  STUCK!  We managed to reverse engines and free ourselves, but the whole process was very exciting!

It was a day with brilliant sun, temps in the mid 50’s, and one foot waves as we entered the ICW and pointed Dream Chaser east.   We followed the channel closely, dolphins accompanied us, and birds rested on the channel buoys.  Steve lunched on smoked fish in the upper helm.

We passed an area of heavy shoaling (sand drifting into the channel). 


Fishing boats were clumped near the channel busy gathering oysters as we passed.

We passed very friendly fishermen.










At 3 pm, Dream Chaser motored into Carrabelle, FL.  The seas have been very rough for days, so we were grateful to have had such a smooth ride, today.  Arriving at The Moorings Marina, Dream Chaser was filled with diesel, slipped (more like wedged) into her dockage, and readied for tomorrow's Gulf crossing.  Carrabelle is the crossing point to the St. Petersburg and Tampa areas.

The Gulf crossing is very serious business!  The boat captains will track multiple sources to acquire wind, wave, and general sea conditions before venturing out on this 22 hour overnight trip.  Some boats with larger engines can cross in less time, but the trawler type boats move at only about 8 mph.

There are at least eight other looper boats that have been hanging out at the marina until the weather window opens up for a safe Gulf crossing.  The Gulf has had almost two weeks of terrible weather, so the loopers have been stuck in Carrabelle.  We know most of these loopers from meeting at prior marinas, etc., so it is like a reunion! 

Dinner was at "2Al's" with John & Diane (on Tutto Bene) and Mike & Lois on (on Inch-n-Along) After seafood dinners, we celebrated Diane's BIG birthday with coconut cream pie for dessert.  Great times!

Our son, Nick, is flying in from MN via Atlanta to co-captain Dream Chaser across the Gulf.  Mary is doing a "happy dance" because she hates "big" water and likes to see the shorelines! Yeah, Nick!

Dream Chaser is in Florida!

Thursday, December 12

Another beautiful day in Paradise! 
With stunning sunny skies and temps in the mid 40’s, Dream Chaser maneuvered for 30 minutes through the back channels leaving Orange Beach Marina.




 Our dockage was the covered slip between the two boats.

We worked our way out to the main ICW channel.












With Otto (autopilot) retracing our path from yesterday, we are back on the ICW and headed east.

Our unusual breakfast consisted of greens that we had prepped last night and cooked throughout the night.  It was a Kickin’ Butt BBQ inspired recipe from Demopolis, AL.  In the big crockpot, Mary combined: collard greens, turnip greens, chopped onions, 1/2 lb. bacon, 3 pork hocks, vegetable broth, and water.  Delicious!

From Mobile to Pensacola, the waterway passes behind Gulf coast barriers islands, and the area is very developed with miles and miles of dream homes and some apartment/condo complexes along the shore.  We are looking at seven hours of travel to Ft. Walton Beach, our next planned dockage.
We are in FLORIDA!
 

This is a very common sight
as we make our way along
the ICW.











 Pensacola Naval Air Station was off our port side, and as we enter entered and crossed Pensacola Bay, we were rocked around in 3-4 ft. waves.  Once we were past the rough stuff and had returned to the more protected channel, our morning consisted of bright sun reflecting off 1-2 ft. waves, a brisk wind, and temps hovering around 50.  We still can't believe were here!

After finishing lunch, Steve eyed the pecan pie, enough said!  With the autopilot set to eight miles out on the ICW, we sat back to monitor the screen and keep an eye out front.

At 2:30 pm, we arrived at Ft. Walton Beach where we will dock for the night.  We tied up to the city dock, called the police that we were docked there (police keep an eye out if notified), and walked a few blocks to town.  (Mary wondered why the police need to keep an eye out!!!)

At 4:40 pm, This was our first  Florida sunset on this journey!  Breathtaking!

About 5 pm, we walked from the dock, through the Ft. Walton Beach Park, and ended up at Staff’s Restaurant (know for seafood) on the main street of town.  The history of the Staff Restaurant began in 1912 when Theodore Staff and his family fled his pineapple plantation in Mexico after Poncho Villa’s banditos began ransacking Mexico.  The family fled to Camp Walton, purchased a hotel, added a restaurant, and the business flourished.  The Staff Restaurant is now owned and run by the third, fourth, and fifth generations.  The history of Ft. Walton Beach surrounded us in the form of pictures on the wall, articles, and artifacts.  By the way, fabulous food!

While we were reviewing the menu, Mary noticed the tower of onion rings at the table nearby and struck up a conversation with the lady seated there.  We were invited to join her, share her onion rings, and her table.  Oh, what wonderful conversation ensued!

Marie has been a college professor teaching organizational theory and political science for 45 years at the University of Maryland. Originally from Boston, she had flown in from Alexandria, Virginia to visit her brother and family for the holidays.  Staff’s Restaurant is her favorite restaurant in Ft. Walton Beach.   Speaking of history…Marie’s father had been Franklin Roosevelt’s body guard with the White House police (now the Secret Service) and worked for the department until one year into Kennedy’s presidency.  Marie met President Franklin Roosevelt and Eleanor at a party.  Clint Hill (the bodyguard who climbed onto the back of the limo when President Kennedy was assassinated) was her father’s coworker. 







More stories…Eglin Air Force Base is nearby and evolved from the Valparaiso Airport (1933).  Marie told stories about the Doolittle Toyko Raiders who trained at the air base. stayed at the Valpariso Inn, and came to eat at Staff’s Restaurant before the raid on Japan.  Marie joined her brother, a well-known historian, when he met with the famous Jimmy Doolittle.  Doolittle’s Raiders would fly their B-25’s off ships, attack Tokyo, and then go on to China, if they survived.  The surviving raiders reunited in April and met at the Staff’s Restaurant.

Also...Ft. Walton Beach celebrates “Billy Bowlegs” every May/June.  William Bowles from Maryland became a pirateer for England in the late 1700’s and, later, broke from England and kept the booty for himself.  At the celebration, the dastardly Billy Bowlegs docks his pirate ship where we are presently docked.



You just never know who you might meet, so strike up a conversation!

                              The Christmas tree in Ft. Walton Beach City Park

Dream Chaser Crosses Mobile Bay

Wednesday, December 11
Oh, what a gorgeous morning of beautiful sunshine!  In spite of the temps in the upper 30’s, we are thrilled to see the sun!  Today we cross Mobile Bay!

Last night we had a visitor!  Mary happened to glance out Dream Chaser’s front windows towards the bow and in the darkness little beady eyes were watching us!   A kingfisher (we think) was perched on the railing next to our AGLCA flag as if he was standing vigil.  As Mary slipped out the side door to get his picture, he flew away, but returned a few minutes later and resumed his position.  Perhaps, he liked the Christmas garland wrapped around the railing?  So, the picture below is through the front window in the dark, but you get the idea.  As Mary headed to bed, those piercing eyes were still staring at her through the window!

At 9 am, we untied the lines, bid Dog River Marina “adieux”, and motored into Mobile Bay.

The navigational forecast for the morning predicted small to moderate chop and temp around 40, but glorious sunshine!  As we headed south across the bay, a barge and four large ocean going vessels were heading out of the bay to the ICW (Inter Coastal Waterway) or perhaps the Gulf of Mexico 22 miles away.  As we ate our lunch, we were entertained by pelicans as they swooshed down and grabbed their lunch from the bay.

Mobile is a city of strong French influence,  a historic port city and a Coast Guard base. There are many attractions worth a visit such as:  the USS Alabama Memorial Park, art museums, historic houses, charming streets, and restaurants with great seafood.  Having traveled through this area in the past, we chose to continue on to new sights and discoveries.

As we left Mobile Bay and entered the ICW, two dolphins appeared in front of Dream Chaser and then swam along side. They appeared to be welcoming us, rolling on their sides, and staring up at us in the helm. Mary was so busy talking to them that she didn’t get pictures.  After about five minutes of checking us out, with a flutter of their flippers they were gone.  What a pleasant surprise! 

We are enjoying the calm waters of the ICW and looking out at the white sand, pretty homes, hundreds of seagulls, pelicans, loons, and great marinas.  As we continued east, many more dolphins joined us, swimming playfully, leaping out of the water, and then disappearing.

The area of Orange Beach was discovered by the Spanish, and many years later was named after the orange groves that provided fruit for soldiers at Ft Morgan.  Orange Beach Marina, which is our dockage for the night, is off the main ICW channel, and it was a little tricky as we began our trek through some confusing channel markings.  Finally, we saw the marina’s private channel, found the marina, and settled in the slip.  Tonight’s dockage is free because Mary received a marina coupon as a prize in a drawing from the Fall AGLCA Rendezvous.  Yeah!

Shrimp was the choice for our early dinner at Fisher’s Restaurant, a popular restaurant near the marina.  Delicious!  After we signed the marina papers and picked up the keys for the courtesy car, we doubled back to Mobile, AL to visit the Bellingrath Gardens. 

Created by the Bellingrath family (owners of a Coca Cola franchise in the early stages of growth) , the property began as a fishing camp and grew into a huge country estate along the Fowl River with a 15 room home, conservatory, rose garden, rock garden, chapel, terraces, pavilion,  lake, and endless gardens.  Our visit was to experience “The Magic Christmas in Lights”.  It was a spectacular wonderland with music and over three million lights.  Absolutely breathtaking!  We walked through light displays of “Candy Land”, Christmas trees, “Under the Sea”, the “Twelve Days of Christmas”, angels, toyland, animals including aligators, and the list goes on and on.  The lit items in the displays are 4-20 ft. high.  Here are just a few.

              This part of the Nativity was beautifully done and did not have lit wire forms.

Demopolis to Mobile, AL: WE MADE IT !

Sunday, December 8
The alarm buzzed at 4:30 am.  Ugh!  After a quick call to the lock master, we pulled the dock lines and said farewell to Demopolis, AL and Kingfisher Bay Marina.  Time to move on!

Demopolis was the last real town and last real marina until we reach Mobile, AL.  This stretch on the Black-Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway is one of the most remote and uninhabited stretches of all the Great Loop with heavy commercial traffic and limited  anchorages.  In 100 miles or in about 11 hours, we will reach Bobby’s Fish Camp.  This was our reason for the very early morning departure. This camp is the halfway point with 117 miles left to reach Mobile, AL.  At Bobby’s, we can tie up and hopefully, our electrical cords will reach outlets for our heaters tonight.

Using the slight reflection on the water from the city lights, we made our way down river and had begun to feel quite confident until a loud thud against the hull broke the spell.  Other than a log off to our starboard side and some river foam, nothing was visible and the props seemed unaffected. Whew!
At 5:15 am, the Demopolis Lock was open and waiting with the green light welcoming us.  Amazing how proficient you become at locking with repeated practice.  The fact it’s becoming automatic is good, since it had been a late night, and we haven't had our coffee this morning.
At 5:30 am, the lock master sent us on our way, and we motored along in the blackness, with only an occasional sweep of our spotlight for reassurance.  The chatter from the tows on the marine radio filled the upper helm and would have been entertaining if we could have understand what they were saying.  It’s like another language!
At 6 am the sky brightened slightly, and we could actually see some of the river, at last!

We are mindful of the fact that the locals don’t like wakes from large boats.  People have seen bullet holes in some of the northerner’s boats and even the tip of a hunting arrow embedded in the gelcoat!  No one was out fishing today, and we have a minimal wake, so Dream Chaser should be OK.

At MM201, we looked for the remains  of old Rooster Bridge. In April 1979 during a flood, the tugboat, Cahaba, was capsized, pushed under the bridge, and popped up righting itself on the other side with three thankful crew members.  Quite a story!

At MM145.0, we passed Bashi Creek, one of our options for anchoring.   Described by a guide book as “cozy” and by another boater as having “postage stamp” space, Dream Chaser happily motored by this anchorage. 

A steaming mug of hot chocolate with a slice of lemon loaf was a treat, since temps have been in the 40’s to mid 50’s, and a light rain has fallen all day. Dream Chaser has wound back and forth most of the day in the rain.  Talk about switchbacks in the river! The tow captains need to be alert especially on those 90 degree turns. Our route today was 100 miles by water which would be 49 miles by air.  Imagine the travel time saved if a channel had been cut straight through.

After lunch, while the rain spattered on the windows, Mary curled up with Erma Bombeck’s book, “When You Look Like Your Passport Photo, It’s Time To Go Home”.  It’s hilarious!  Tales of Erma’s travels around the world told with her unique humor.

At 3 pm, we motored into Bobby’s Fish Camp (MM118) for tonight’s dockage.  Yeah, we made it! This will be a pricey night ($1.50 per foot length of boat) as there is no competition for dockage and no great anchorages in the area.  Originally the old Bladon Springs Steamboat Landing, Bobby Dahlberg opened his restaurant in 1956 and  the fueling station in 1980’s to see how it would go.  After his death, his daughter Lora Jane, has carried on the family business.  There is a long 162 ft. floating dock set along the shore with a gas pump on one end- definitely, nothing fancy.  Due to the size of the dock, when it is busy, boats raft up 2-3 deep.  We lucked out and shared the dock with only two other boats.

By 3:20 pm, with Dream Chaser securely tied, we walked through the rain to Bobby’s restaurant to join our new friends, Dale and Joanne.  They are from Hamilton, Ontario and are traveling on Pontus, a 42’ Cris Craft, which is docked behind us.  We enjoyed catfish dinners and shared stories of sailing and travel.  Some of us really got excited about our catfish dinners!

Bobby's restaurant was Alabama quaint with walls and counters full of pictures, articles, scrap books, and "stuff" telling of the camp and the surrounding area.  The waitress verified that they have alligators around the docks and river edge, but it is too cold for them to be out tonight.  Oh Joy!
Below, we are pictured with our new friends, Dale and Joanne.

We spent a rainy evening listening to Christmas music and reading.  We will be up early tomorrow!

Monday, December 9          
At 6:20 am, we awoke to temps in the low 40’s, overcast sky, and periodic rain.  The rain produced a soothing sound throughout the night, but will make for a wet ride today.  The forecast is for the  the rain to stop and temps to hit 58.  After calling the Coffeeville lock master on the marine radio (channel 14), we prepped the boat, ate our cereal & banana, and unplug the electrical from the dock.

At 7 am, we untied the lines, bid farewell to Bobby’s Fish Camp, and with Pontus and the Kim Jo IV (both looper boats) following us, motored down river to the Coffeeville Lock. Today, we have about six hours of travel to reach our planned anchorage at the Tensas River.

With the green light shining at the lock, we donned life jackets, entered the lock, tied to the lock’s bollard, and informed the lock master of our boat’s name and Coast Guard identification number.  While the water was lowering, we were entertained by the graceful, white egrets swooping down in the lock and catching their breakfast of minnows.

Coffeeville Lock and Dam is the last lock on the Tombigbee River, and when we exit this lock, we are less than four ft. above sea level.  We will notice the tidal effect (4 ft. tides with current against boat half the time) and will encounter salt water from here to the Gulf.  This section of the river runs through remote areas until we reach Mobile Bay. 

The lock horn blew giving the signal that it was OK to leave the lock. Both Pontus and Kim Jo IV  have turbos and need to keep their engines at a higher rpm, so we bid them farewell as they slid by.  We plan to see them at the anchorage tonight.

The Christmas spirit has fallen upon Dream Chaser!  Christmas music is filling the salon, Christmas garland is wrapped around the boat railings, and a Christmas wreath hangs on the stern.  We would love a Christmas tree, but the question is “ WHERE would we put it???”  Another one of those space issues!  We have enjoyed typical Christmas music and hymns along the way, but this morning we are listening to jazz. How about “Silent Night” by the Carribbean Jazz Project-a whole new take on the song with lots of xylophone?  Oh, and then there is Mannheim Steamroller!

WE SAW OUR FIRST ALLIGATOR, today!  He was lying DEAD along the shore, and it wasn’t a pretty picture-so, NO PICTURE!

The river continues to twist and turn with seemingly endless switchbacks!  The picture of the Garmin below shows one section of the river.

At MM 45, The Alabama River joins the Tombigbee River and becomes the Mobile River.  From this point on, the scenery is more like the Georgia swamps than a river- with a wild and untouched look.  There are trees with mistletoe!  This area is known to be a bird watcher’s paradise with orioles, kingfishers, osprey, and swallows.
  
At 4pm, we joined Pontus and Kim Jo IV already anchored at the Tensas River anchorage (MM39).  So nice to arrive with plenty of time to get settled before dark.  The anchor grabbed on the first drop, the rain has stopped, and Dream Chaser is surrounded by the beauty and quiet of the Tensas River.

By 6 pm, we have completed our dinner of BBQ ribs and sautéed zucchini. We have the evening for reading, a movie, and Monday night football!
The darkness is pierced with a moving bright light and an occasional sweep of a spotlight coming up the river towards us.  As the light comes closer and sweeps by Dream Chaser, we can make out through the darkness, men in a boat-a typical swamp boat with a large hound dog on the front howling into the wind!  Too bad, it was too dark for a picture! 

Tuesday, December 10
TODAY IS THE DAY!  Dream Chaser will exit the river system and enter Mobile Bay! 

After a peaceful night’s sleep, we woke up to periodic rain and cloudy skies with temps in the mid 40’s.  We can’t complain with temps back home in the single digits!  Our anchorage for the night, in the Tensas River, turned out to be a great spot-sandy bottom, good current, and good wind protection.

At 6:35 am, Kim Jo IV pulled anchor and motored out, but Pontus was having engine and anchor problems.   We hung back until Pontus had their anchor up and one engine powered.  We will meet up again at Dog River Marina, our destination for the night.

Within the hour, Pontus had radioed back that their second engine was now working, and soon after, motored past us.  We hope they get things checked out in Mobile!

At MM22, We encountered the I-65 bridge called the “Dolly Parton” or “Dolly Varden” bridge.  Whether named after Dolly Varden, a fish found in the delta, or after Dolly Parton from the shape of the bridge’s supporting arches, Dolly Parton seems to be the most popular choice!

 At MM13.3,  the “14 mile” railroad bridge lift bridge was open for us.  Thank You, Sir!

At this point, Dream Chaser is motoring through a scenic blend of cypress trees, Spanish moss, marsh grass, loons, and wading shore birds.  Along the way, pelicans swoop down to dine on fish. On a sunny day, it would be stunning!  Haven’t seen any alligators, today. Too cold!  Pictured below, we found these two "quaint" little places along the river.  While studying a navionics map, we saw hundreds of backwater pathways in the bayous.  Would be fun to have a little boat to go and explore!

HELLO MOBILE!!!  At MM 6.0, we saw the city skyline in the distance!  The I-90 bridge loomed ahead of us and tow and barge traffic increased.

At MM 0.0, WE HAVE NOW MOTORED FROM TOP OF THE U.S. TO THE BOTTOM!

Mobile Harbor is Alabama’s only seaport and is choked with barges (in fleets) tied to anchor pilings, tows, container ships, ocean going vessels, ships in dry dock, and the U S navy fleet. The busy waterfront is an industrial complex with large shipyards, paper mills, manufacturing plants, refineries, oil terminals, chemical plants, and grain elevators.  It is a no wake zone through the harbor.

On our starboard side, we passed the waterfront convention center, maritime center, and carnival cruise line ship terminal.  On our port side, we saw the Littoral #4, a combat ship, intended for operations close to shore where speed is needed.   Interesting design!

We finally enter Mobile Bay which is wide and shallow with areas outside the shipping channel only 2 ft deep in places. The bay is heavily traveled by commercial vessels, and we met the Happy Diamond of Amsterdam just as we left the harbor. Seagulls were swooping and riding the air currents as we made our way across the bay.

We “battened down the hatches” as it became rougher crossing to the west side of Mobile Bay.
We followed a fairly narrow and shallow channel to get to Dog River Marina. The wind was very strong which created strong waves in this shallow bay.  The channel to the marina is is about 5-8 ft deep.  As we motored along, sea water sprayed the windows, and we we saw markers for crab pots along the way. The wind was whipping and temps were in the low 40’s, when Mary set the fenders for dockage. BRRRRR!  One of the dock men, mentioned that it was in the 80’s yesterday.  DARN!

At 12:15 pm, Dream Chaser joined Pontus at the gas dock.  We filled her tanks with diesel, got pumped out, filled the water tanks, and slipped her into her dockage for the night.  Dream Chaser is prepped to go, again!

It was a quiet afternoon on the boat at the dock.  We cleaned the boat, attached the new anchor, and planned the trip west to Florida, etc.

For dinner, we met Chris, a captain of an 87 ft Coast Guard cutter, at the Boiling Pot, a local seafood spot.  Chris is Greg Fall's son-in-law who is stationed in Mobile, AL.  Greg is our good friend who joined us for the first week of our journey from Madeline Island to south of Chicago.  We had really great food (fish, shrimp, and oysters) and great conversation.  We are planning for the Gulf crossing.