Tenn-Tom Waterway to Mobile

Friday, October 26, 2018

We spend 2 nights at Aqua Yacht Harbor, waiting for the rain to end.  Finally by late afternoon, it has mostly stopped and we borrow the marina courtesy car for a quick tour of Civil War era Shiloh National Military Park, just across the border in Tennessee.  The park comes highly recommended by other boaters.  Shiloh and other area battlefields predate the decisive Confederate losses in the Chattanooga area but were also considered key Confederate losses that severed supply lines extending west to the Mississippi River.  We have just enough time to watch a video in the visitor’s center, then drive through part of the battlefield in light drizzle – too gloomy and dark to get good photos but a fitting ambience for this site of tragic loss of life so long ago.

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Today we start south, heading toward Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.  We cruise 4 miles down Pickwick Lake to the start of the Tennessee – Tombigbee Waterway (Tenn-Tom).  The US Army Corps of Engineers completed this waterway, to connect the Tennessee River with the Tombigbee River, in 1984 at a cost of almost $2 billion.  Wow!  Thank you taxpayers!  A series of 10 locks will allow us to cruise from the Tennessee River to Mobile Bay and the Gulf, dropping a total of 410 feet.  Hopefully it is obvious this waterway was not built to benefit recreational vessels but carries lots of commercial tows pushing barges with a wide variety of cargo.

Tenn - Tom Waterway

We are now in somewhat familiar waters, having taken this route almost 8 years ago when we first bought our boat.  She was docked at Aqua Yacht Harbor and we cruised to Mobile in late spring with the waterways in flood stage.  What a difference the season makes!  Here is a comparison photo, first from 8 years ago …

Tenn - Tom Waterway MS (April 2008)

… and now. 

Tenn - Tom Waterway MS

We are joined by several other boats and pass through today’s three locks with minimal delays.

Tenn - Tom Waterway MS

We pass a tow pushing a barge loaded with interesting cargo.  Not sure what these are, perhaps some sort of pressure pipes.

Tenn - Tom Waterway MS

By late afternoon we pull into Midway Marina, a small facility with adequate depth for our boat.  We arrive to find half a dozen looper boats and a pot-luck dinner / Halloween party sponsored by the marina.  Not knowing quite what to expect, we are greeted by some very creative costumes and friendly locals.

Halloween Party, Midway Marina MS

Halloween Party, Midway Marina MS

Halloween Party, Midway Marina MS

Sunday, October 28, 2018

We are on our way early, joining several other boats at the first lock, just 3 miles from our marina.  We have 4 locks today but only get delayed at one for about 45 minutes.  We are seeing a little fall color, but appear to have left most of the color further north.

Tenn - Tom Waterway MS

More lovely scenery along the way to Columbus MS, another small marina where we stop for the night.

Tenn - Tom Waterway MS

Monday, October 29, 2018

Another early start, another nearby lock, another group of boats to lock down.  Same old, same old …  a familiar routine.  Only 2 locks today with no delays and a small group of boats make for a less-stressful day.

Bevill Lock, Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

More lovely scenery today.

Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

Warsaw Cutoff, Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

We stop for the night, alone at an anchorage very near the Cameron Quail Preserve, a quail-hunting business where we got our late Boka almost 14 years ago.  We enjoy a nice sunset in this quiet, calm spot.

Sunset, Warsaw Cutoff, Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

We awake early to a glorious sunrise and head south again.

Sunrise, Warsaw Cutoff, Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

Our companions from yesterday have anchored nearby and gradually join our procession.  We pass through our only lock of the day with no delay.   By mid-morning we reach Jones Bluff, a memorable spot from our first trip.  This very narrow channel is flanked by high limestone bluffs.

Jones Bluff, Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

A hairpin turn passes under 2 bridges that cannot be seen in advance.

Alabama Great Southernn RR Bridge, Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

It was this spot 8 years ago where we rounded the bend and found ourselves directly in front of two tows, side by side, pushing a large load of barges against a strong current and high wind.  The tows were kicking out a huge wake that was bouncing back and forth between the limestone cliffs, creating 5-foot waves sloshing back and forth across the channel.  The bridge supports limited where we could go.  Robert quickly radioed the tow, asking “where do you want us?” and got the reply “out of my way!”  Yikes!  Really scary and memorable to this day!  We now have AIS (automatic identification system) that transmits our position and course and can be seen by all commercial tows.  This system is a huge improvement, preventing the kind of surprise meeting we had previously.

Alabama Great Southernn RR Bridge, Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

We pass miles of beautiful scenery and very little evidence of civilization.

Tenn - Tom Waterway AL

By mid-afternoon we reach Demopolis and our marina for the next few days.  We will buy fuel here as their fuel dock also services the large tows operating on the river.  We are told they sell hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel, receiving deliveries from up to 9 tanker trucks each day!  We can be sure we are getting very fresh fuel.

Fuel dock, Demopolis Yacht Basin AL

Wednesday, October 31 - Friday, November 2, 2018

Our two-day stop turns into three as we wait for a cold front to come through.  We are happy to be docked in a covered slip as the rain pours down.  On Friday, we get clearing weather and head to the Demopolis Lock, nearby.  We have an astonishing 20 boats locking down today.  The lock tender tells us his record is 27 boats.  Wow!  Not sure where he put them!

Demopolis Lock

Shortly after we exit the lock, we pass this tow, one by one.  Poor guy!  Bet he wonders what he did to deserve this!  The tows generally move over to give us room to pass but they must be careful not to get too far over into shallow water.  It requires a lot of skill on their part to navigate past us and around bends in the river at the same time.

Tombigbee River AL

We have planned a 97-mile run today, hoping for a boost from the current, as this is a very long day for us.  Most of the 20-boat flotilla plans to stop sooner at various anchorages, so we are relieved we should be able to get a spot at our evening destination, Bobby’s Fish Camp.  We reach some of the good anchorages early afternoon and the boats that had planned to stop, keep going.  Oops!  Looks like we will have way more company at Bobby’s than we want.  We arrive to this:

Bobby's Fish Camp, Tombigbee River AL

Bobby’s is the only option anywhere nearby where we can fit, so we ease close and raft to two smaller boats.  We are now part of a raft of 8 boats and must climb across 2 boats to get to shore.

Bobby's Fish Camp, Tombigbee River AL

So this is Bobby’s, the NICE part, a collection of fishing shacks, one floating dock and a fuel dock.  It’s not much but it’s a legend among loopers as a unique, colorful stop.  Bobby has passed on, but his daughter continues operating the marina, the only fuel for almost 100 miles.  She serves great catfish in the adjoining restaurant and our whole group shows up for dinner.

Bobby's Fish Camp, Tombigbee River AL

Saturday, November 3, 2018

We awake to dense fog, so we wait until it starts to lift before leaving.  The Coffeeville Lock is just 10 minutes away and is our last lock before we reach the Gulf Coast.  We have arranged to lock down as a group.  We tie up first and watch as the other boats emerge from the fog and enter the lock.

Coffeeville Lock, Tombigbee River AL

The lock tender assures us the fog will lift before we exit the lock.  Hmmm …

Fog, Tombigbee River AL

We creep along, straining to see any debris in the river.  A bridge is barely visible ahead.

Fog, Tombigbee River AL

We meet another tow in a stretch with back to back curves and a narrow channel.  He calls us on the VHF radio, asking some boats to wait for him to get around the curves before passing.

Tombigbee River AL

After a long, 80-mile day, we stop at a very peaceful anchorage with two other boats.

Tombigbee River AL

Sunday, November 4, 2018

At last we have a short run today, just 40 miles.  We are now in the Mobile River and the terrain has changed dramatically.  We pass flat, marshy land filled with cypress and palmetto.

Mobile River AL

By noon we enter the Port of Mobile.

Port of Mobile AL

Lots of big ships docked here.

Port of Mobile AL

We tie up at the Mobile Convention Center, a very challenging dock designed for much larger vessels.  Our companion from last night’s anchorage is already here.  We are directly across the channel from the manufacturer of these “stealth” ships – fascinating!

Mobile Convention Center Dock

Near dark, this cargo ship glides by, lit by an eerie glow reflected off low clouds.

Port of Mobile AL