Log 60; Day 164; Nov. 1st; Demopolis, AL

Log 60
Day 164
Saturday, November 01, 2008

1:00 PM CDT
Location: Demopolis Maria, Demopolis, AL.
Weather: 73 and bright sun

Just getting around to writing the log today. We are in the Demopolis Marina and decided to stay an extra day to catch up on a few things. I was up early and walking the docks talking to all the boats leaving today and heading south, so I did not take time to sit down and write the log. I also washed the boat, and just had lunch...so I’ll take a minute to catch up on what’s going on.

We don’t have a very good Verizon signal, so I can’t send any pictures, but when we can I’ll be sending the one of what we say when we woke up yesterday at our anchorage in Sumter Recreation Area. We were totally surrounded by water hyacinth (I learned since I wrote the last log that I did not have the correct name of the water plant). Anyway...these things are unbelievable. You can almost watch them grow. They are like big green leaves with flowers growing out of them...and they are everywhere on the river. At first you try to drive around them...they you get used to them and just plow through...hoping there is nothing else under there.

We left the anchorage yesterday at about 8 am...which gave the sun just enough time to get over the trees and burn off the fog. It was about 4 miles to the lock, and they were waiting for us when we got there. Out of the lock by 9:30...we went another 50 plus miles to Demopolis Marina. The waterway now is “more of the same” and although it’s pretty in some spots, we are ready to get to the gulf. But before we do we have 218 more miles of river...which we will do in 3 days, and staying the night in two more anchorages along the way.

We arrived at Demopolis at about 2 PM...but had to sit out in the middle of the river for 30 minutes to wait for 2 boats (who got here 5 minutes before us) to fuel up and get to their slips. This is a very busy place this time of year because of all the boats heading south, and they all stop here before going on the next 200+ miles. Boats start arriving about 2 to 3 PM and continue until after dark. (When I walked the dock this morning there were boats everywhere...many had to raft off others who were on the docks). After getting settled we walked the docks and said hi to several other boats who we have met along the way. At 5:30 we were invited to go to Good News for a cocktail party, and from there 4 couples went up to the restaurant at the Marina for dinner. Back at the boat and in bed by 9:30.

Today...about 11 boats left the harbor as soon as the fog burned off (about 8:20) and they were all heading south. In the next 100 miles there are only 3 safe places for anyone to pull over for the night...so everyone is racing to get a spot in one of the coves, or to stop at Bobby’s Fish Camp...which is no more than a small floating dock just off the waterway. The dock is only about 50 feet in length, but there are stories...told by Bobby himself...that he has rafted up to 17 boats there overnight. Glad I wasn’t there! Anyway...Deb has done the laundry; the boat is clean; we have done some “light” organization on the boat; so now all that is left is to relax, take a boat nap, watch the NASCAR race, and have an evening cocktail. Oh yea...and change the clocks back an hour before we go to bed. Doesn’t sound like too bad of a plan.

I’ll keep you posted.

Bob