BellaGatto Cruising: WEEK 34 - Back to the Salt! - Demopolis, Alabama to Fairhope, Alabama

This week we ended our journey on the inland rivers with mixed feelings…it is nice to be done with the locks and the commercial traffic and the long travel days, but the rivers were historic and educational and in their own way quite beautiful. There is not a lot of civilization on the Tenn-Tom south of Demopolis until you get to Mobile. Our stops this week were at Bashi Creek (anchorage), Three Rivers Lake (anchorage), downtown Mobile (pay wall), Turner’s Marina on the Dog River (marina, 2 nights), and finally the Fairhope Yacht Club (marina, 2 nights).

Leaving the marina at Demopolis at the crack of dawn and in the rain, we got through the Demopolis Lock right away and began our 71-mile trip to Bashi Creek. We were helped along by a 1-1.5 knot current, and we arrived at Bashi Creek with plenty of daylight left. You wouldn’t look twice at this spot anywhere else, but on the lower Tenn-Tom it stands out as the best spot for a hundred miles. It’s just a narrow creek with good depths for maybe a hundred yards in, full of overhanging trees and snags. But it has a decent little boat ramp there that makes for easy dog landing, and it is at least off the river so you don’t have to be worried about getting run down by a tow in the middle of the night. We shared the spot with Contentment, Alcyone, and Papa Charlie, all anchored bow and stern and with snub lines to shore in the tight quarters.

Looks like the weather is going to clear by 10 and the worst is past us

Happy Anniversary to us...on this day 17 years ago, November 23, 2002

Off we go after a speedy lock-through!

Contentment coming in behind us

Alcyone tucked in the far end

In the morning, we had the choice between a short 26 miles to Bobby’s Fish Camp, a sorta-kinda marina, or pushing on to a point where we were within one day striking distance of Mobile. We decided to shoot for the 81 miles and one lock run to Three Rivers Lake, another little hole-in-the-wall anchorage. Our three buddy boats from last night all dropped out to stay at Bobby’s, but we continued to the LAST LOCK (#152!) for the foreseeable future (yea!) at Coffeeville. They got us through in record time, and we were back in tidal waters again, although still over 100 miles from Mobile. Arriving at Three Rivers, we found our friends on Misty already there and anchored up. It was nice to have a buddy boat way out there in the literal middle of nowhere. There was no convenient launch ramp dock to land on here, and thanks to the recent flooding Bella’s shore excursions here were a muddy mess, but we got it done.

Still enjoying fall colors!

The LAST lock

The gates are opening! Only 22 minutes from entry to exit!!

It only seems fitting to bid farewell to the locks with a little memento

Starting to see some industry on this leg

Lots of sandbars along this stretch

Overtaking a barge on the 2 whistle

Misty at anchor in the morning fog

Jonathan and Bella coming back from shore leave

Paw dipping bucket at least dilutes the horror

Mud murder in the dinghy and on the swim platform!

In the morning, we were all very excited to get to the big city of Mobile just 64 miles downstream. But it was a little foggy, so we and Misty waited a bit. When it seemed to be clearing, Misty took the lead back out the narrow creek to the big river, where a downbound tow was just passing and of course right then the fog came back with a vengeance, with visibility down to a couple hundred feet at best. The tow captain advised us to tuck in behind him until the fog cleared, which we were happy to do. We all plodded along at idle speed for an hour or so until the sun burned off the fog and we were able to pass the tow and throttle up. Before too long, the skyline of Mobile began to peek through above the marsh and swamp. The transition from sleepy deep south river to bustling beehive of shipyards, cargo terminals, and cruise ship landings was a bit jarring, but we were ready for a little big city civilization. To that end, we docked for the night on the wall behind the Mobile Convention Center, right in the middle of downtown. Jayne got in touch with some old friends in the area, and we all went out for a nice dinner at Noble South and a nightcap at a fancy rooftop lounge nearby. It was a nice change from skulking in the swamps and going to bed by 8:00.

Time for radar assist

Cold and foggy but we are headed in the right direction

Waiting for the railroad bridge

Starting to see Palmetto bushes!

Mobile in the distance

Downtown Mobile getting ready for the holidays

https://thenoblesouthrestaurant.com/

Joe and Kim joined us in Mobile for a lovely evening!

Oh Bella!

The waterfront

Downtown Mobile for breakfast at Spot of Tea https://www.spotoftea.com/

The wall at the convention center is well located but there are zero services and not ideal for boarding

We didn’t want to stay too long on the downtown wall – although it was right in the center of all the action, the city wants 50 bucks a night to tie up there. With no electric. And 24/7 tugboat wakes. So the next morning we went out for breakfast then took an Uber to the USS Alabama. We returned shortly after lunch and made a short 15 mile run to Turner’s Marina on the Dog River, where a whole fleet of looper boats were converging for a Thanksgiving eve potluck being held the following day. Here we got to tie up to real dock with electricity for 30 bucks a night. We did some re-provisioning at a nearby Costco for major items and used the new Publix delivery app for general groceries delivered right to our slip. Nice. The Thanksgiving potluck was a rousing success…our hosts at Turner’s made two fried and one roasted turkey for the crowd, and folks brought trimmings, side dishes, and desserts. Everyone had a great time and felt maybe just a bit less homesick for the families we left behind to do the loop.

This was such a great hands-on self-guided tour

So much preserved authenticity

In this area they had a sound track playing that made it sound like a bustling mess hall

In the rest of the ship they had big band music of the day playing softly in the background

Thanksgiving meal with Misty, Alcyone, Contentment, About Time and Golden Daze

Turner Marina

The next day we went straight across Mobile Bay to the town of Fairhope on the eastern shore. There we found the Fairhope Yacht Club would allow us to stay on their docks for only 10 bucks a night, thanks to a reciprocal arrangement with the Marine Trawler Owners Association, to which we belong. Very upscale place, without being in the least snooty. We stayed there two nights enjoyed a dinner there one night and drinks a couple of times. Jonathan's friend Neno came for a visit and took us to lunch at one of her local favorites on the estuary just to the north. Downtown Fairhope is upscale and trendy with lots of boutiques and restaurants all of which were gearing up for the holidays. And the sunsets!