Honey Queen Adventures

Fair Hope to Fort McRee

Still fighting the crud, we moved slowly in our routine prep for leaving Fair Hope, Alabama Marina. The temps continued to be quite comfortable and the sun was shining.  Both are always welcome, but the way we have felt physically, they were especially encouraging, giving us hope that the worst of our current condition was behind us.  After a pump out, we eased into Mobile Bay, south by southeast.  The waters were flat, breeze mild.  A couple hours into the day, I saw our most recent traveling friends on AIS .  We could not have timed our rendezvous any better had we tried and ended up on the Gulf ICW in single file, once again.  Talking on the radio, we realized we all had the same sunset destination in mind. 

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There are mixed reviews about traveling with buddy boats.  Some say you don’t develop your skills as well when depending on other boats.  Nor will you meet as many people because you withdraw to your small community.   I completely disagree.  I’m pretty Type A, so I don’t tend to sit around and wait on people to make decisions, nor do I have the patience to debate the “best” way to approach a journey.  But what I have found is that most people we meet are pretty sharp, even if not highly experienced.  And seldom do we encounter an ego that has to be in charge.  As a result, our collaborations prompt learning from others, we enjoy the peace of mind of safety in numbers, and new friendships always result. So, we have become big advocates of the buddy boat-team-attitude system.   Traveling together teaches and does not hamper the learning experience.

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Our 47 NM from Fair Hope to Ft. McRee took about 7 hours.  We passed through Wolf Bay, Perido Key, and the Big Lagoon before arriving at the well protected basin of Ft. McRee. 

The fort itself is essentially gone.  Construction started in 1834 and was completed in 1839, by the United States.  It is located on the eastern tip of Perdido Key and was named after Brevet Officer Colonel William McRee.  Along with Fort Barrancas and Fort Pickens, they protected the Pensacola Bay.  During the Civil War, Ft. McRee was hammered by the Union until it was virtually destroyed.  Not much now to see, it more resembles another big sand dune/island along the Gulf coast.

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It is a beautiful setting as an anchorage for boats.  I understand it is a very popular spot on the weekends in the warmer weather.  With plenty of room for many boats, I can see how it might be a great venue for a big flotilla social event.  The storms of the past couple years have made it quite shallow in spots, so it was a little tricky finding a good anchor location.  We hit bottom 4-5 times looking.  After settling our anchor, our friends on Jo-Ca, Bliss, and Onward filled in around us.  With mild breezes from the East, we all had room to swing and enjoy the day’s end in this well protected tidal basin.  Before sunset, and before the final rain set in, we donned the dinghy and ran over to the shoreline.  Our friends from Jo-Co had taken their dog, by dinghy, for a little exercise, so we puttered over and joined them on the beach.  But soon the rains came and we scurried back to the boat, cutting our little exploration adventure far too short.

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Dinner and a little TV/reading and we put our running noses and cough to bed once more.

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12/5/19 Sunflower East to Mobile Convention Center

Our plans for 6:30 am anchor pull were postponed by Mother Nature.  The fog set in about 4:00 am, resulting in a delay until almost 8:30. 

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With no locks or other anticipated potential delays, we knew we should still make it around 4:30 pm, not too long before dark.  Our destination was the Mobile Convention Center.  The downtown dock charges a nominal fee to stay there with no amenities, other than security. 

We have now traveled with this group for 3 days, yet we have not met them all.  As chilly as it has been, nobody has taken the initiative of putting the dinghy in the water and visiting boating neighbors at an anchorage.  When we reach the warmer weather, afternoon dinghy visiting will once again be the norm. 

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The high of 68 degrees allowed us to run with the doors open most of the day. We have operated the boat from the pilot house, instead of the flybridge, for weeks. We do enjoy being on top and outside, but the weather has been too cold. Amanda and I both are still dragging from bad colds.  Our days are spent sneezing and coughing and going through boxes of Kleenex. The nights are restless, dozing between coughing spells and nose sprays. We are looking forward to getting this inconvenience behind us.

Our approach into Mobile reminded us much of Savannah. The Alabama Port Authority buzzes, but nothing compared to what I see at home.

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We did make it by 4:30. It took the 4 boats a while to coordinate the dockage on the concrete wall at the Convention Center. It was tight, but we squeezed them into place. After everyone chilled on their own boats, we met on the dock at 7:00 and walked a few blocks to dinner. It was nice, finally meeting everyone and getting acquainted.

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As we closed out our day with friends, Amanda and I made the decision to go east across Mobile Bay to Fair Hope on Friday morning. The other boats wanted to stick together and instead would go to Turner Landing on the west side of the Bay. Fair Hope, Alabama, is a town Amanda had visited on several occasions growing up.

12/6/19 Convention Center to Fair Hope City Marina

We slept in a little this morning. Moving slowly from our head colds, we eventually got the energy to make the 15 NM trip across the Mobile Bay. The winds were calm and the water was flat. We wanted to take advantage of that weather window, after hearing that the Bay can get pretty rough. Interesting to me, the bay is relatively shallow, except the shipping channels. Exposed directly to the Gulf, we were told the waves can get 6-8 feet high in the bay. Where much of the water is only 6-10 deep, a boat like ours can actually hit bottom coming down from the top of one those waves. The danger of damaging or sinking the boat is real and we wanted no part of that experience.

Our trip was uneventful, 2 hours long, and we were in the little safe harbor of Fair Hope by 1:00 pm. Because we had pushed our way down the Tombigbee, and were ahead of our planned date, we opted to stay here for 2 nights.

We did very little while here. I washed the outside of the boat and not much more. Our energy levels are low, and though the weather is appealing, we laid around on the boat missing opportunities to shop, restaurant, and sight see. But getting well was more important. Hopefully, resting will pay dividends and we will be hitting on all 6 soon. Our splurge for a night at the Grand Hotel will have to wait until we are well.

The highlight of the weekend was certainly the LSU SEC Championship win over Georgia. GEAUX TIGERS! GO JEAUX BURREAUX!

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Sunday morning, we head to an anchorage on the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway (GICW).

Bashi Creek to Sunflower East

We pulled out of Bashi Creek Anchorage just before 7 am this morning and headed south to our next anchorage, Sunflower East.  Fifty-six NM and ONE MORE lock were today’s goal. 

For the first 2-3 miles, we dealt with fog. 

The sun was bright enough to allow us to keep moving, but we wouldn’t pass each other, not being sure of what might be coming around the corner.  It soon burned off and we passed the slow sailboat.

Coffeeville Lock was our last lock experience, since we will by-pass the Okeechobee Canal, south of Stuart, Florida.  We lost approximately an hour at the lock because 2 barges were just ahead of us, also southbound.  We have been entertained, challenged, overwhelmed, and educated by the more than 100 locks we have traversed. The Erie Canal, Trent-Severn Waterway, the Illinois, Tennessee, and Tombigbee Rivers boast as massive engineering structures, that enable navigation and flood control of North America’s waterways. 

Since leaving the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway last summer, we have had no tide.  Leaving the Coffeeville Lock behind means tidal water now lies ahead. Tidal water always has some impact on your journey.  Whether you are fighting the tide or going with it, trip plans should be planned accordingly. As we continue southward, the tide swing will continue to be a factor.  Tying to a fixed dock must be carefully measured.  Tying tightly to a fixed dock at a high tide can have devastating results 6 hours later.  So, though I am happy to be getting further south, I don’t look forward to adding the tidal planning into the equation daily.

Our day was gorgeous, starting with temperatures in the mid-30’s and reaching the mid-60’s by arrival time.  No wind and a following current made the day (and the miles) pass quickly. Our only challenge was the debris in the river.  The scary part of days like this is what you don’t see.  A tiny little stick or limb that you do see, attached to a log, that you don’t, could literally rip your prop off or do major damage to the hull of your boat. The lead boat normally offers the courtesy of warning the team that follows of any unusual or particularly dangerous conditions.  For most of the day, that boat was me, so I was on the radio a good bit announcing another log or tree or submerged channel marker.

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Another day under the belt, we have made good progress since returning to the boat on Monday. With the other boats in the group, we have been motivated to push a little farther each day. We will be able to do in 3 days what we had planned (on our own) to do in 4. This will be helpful in our goal of reaching Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., where we plan to return to the farm to assist with Amanda’s brother.

12/2/19

Our Thanksgiving was absolutely fabulous.  All our children and grandchildren were there.  Most everyone felt good.  Lauren had strep and Lane and Haynes were dragging part of the time, but otherwise we enjoyed each other and the outdoors.  Thanksgiving Day, my sister and her family joined us for good grub and hanging out together.  We had a great outdoor fire at the fire pit.  As the sun set, it seemed everyone wanted the moment to last just a little longer.  I am a blessed man to have family that cares for, and actually likes, one another. I’m grateful.

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We left the farm mid-morning, headed back to Demopolis in the rental car.  Amanda’s brother was undergoing surgery as we drove.  Pretty extensive, the initial report is that things went as hoped.  We will have to wait for details over the next day or two.  We arrived in Demopolis around 3 pm, made the grocery run to restock the bare cupboard, turned in the rental car, and unpacked for the next leg.  Amanda took a short walk and I met a couple guys, John and Jamie, from other boats who were also southbound. They said we were welcome to join them at the marina office to plan and coordinate the Demopolis Lock passage with the other southbounders.  So our new friends (boats) are Jo-ca, Bliss, Moon Dance, Onward, and Mar Sea.  Anchorages and marinas get further apart in this area, so it’s comforting to join forces with other boats looking out for one another on the long days.  This group, for the most part, was not comprised of Looper boats.  We learned that some of these guys take their boats south for the winter each year from this western side of the Loop.  They travel this section of the Tombigbee frequently, so they know the trouble spots, the anchorages, marinas, etc.   Their experience and knowledge was quite helpful in our discussion.  Their fruitful insight, and the opportunity for camaraderie, influenced and improved our game plan.  We agreed to pull out at 6:30 am Tuesday morning, assuming clear passage at the lock.

12/3/19

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At 6:00 am, Moon Dance called us on the radio and said the lockmaster would lock us through at 6:30 am.  We injected our coffee (for the safety of all parties) and pulled out of the slip shortly thereafter.  Arriving at the lock at 6:35, the lockmaster bluntly told us exactly how he expected us to approach, secure, and go through his lock.  Not rude, but absolutely no non-sense, and direct, we submitted to his authority, and got through without excitement or issue.  I learned later this guy has a reputation for such crassness, and has even been fired for his treatment of boaters.  But most boaters with any experience can attest, you can argue with these guys and lose, or you can be kind, and probably still lose.  Since they are the boss, and they know they are, the best way to get through the obstacle is to kill them with kindness.  The practice obviously applies to more than getting through a lock.

The Tombigbee River will take us to Mobile Bay. That will be in 3 days, based on the new game plan. Our anchorage/ destination for today, with the group, will be Bashi Creek.

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With only the one lock (Demopolis), the whole day was spent moving and not waiting.  We covered 65 NM and arrived at Bashi before 2 pm.  With a nice current on our stern, we averaged 9.4 knots, just under light speed, in our world. I think we only passed 2 tows and with only 1 lock, we covered a lot of miles and still arrived early enough in the day to see where we are and what is going on.

We pulled into the creek, very narrow, with little current, just off the river.  The trees formed a slight canopy above the water, making the feel of the creek narrower than it really is.  The others decided to stay on the side of the river out of the channel.  With 4 other boats needing that space, I volunteered to take the creek, giving them plenty of room to anchor end to end, facing into the current.

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There was plenty of depth, so I moved to a position that would accommodate another boat, if one showed up.  We manipulated the anchors to keep the stern from swinging into the shoreline and was set for the night.  There was a sense of being at a marina, because it was so quiet and still.

As often is the case in rural areas, not much TV, internet, or phone, so entertainment is scarce.  I grilled burgers at 4:30, read the 3 month-old magazines on the boat, and shut down pretty early.  Amanda and I both are fighting cold/sinus issues, trying to stay well.  Amanda’s is worse, so she was out by 8:00 and me just a little later.

Tombigbee Ox Bow Anchorage to Demopolis

Uncharted, Salty Dog, and Honey Queen all pulled anchors at 6:30 this morning and headed toward Demopolis.  Uncharted, whose boat is faster than ours, lead the way.  We would see them tonight at the marina. 

Calm waters, sunny skies, temperatures in the 70’s, and spectacular scenery made this day so delightful.  We took a number of pictures, making up for the past days.

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The limestone cliffs that look like the Alabama version of Mt. Rushmore and colorful trees made the slow trek down the last leg of the Tennessee-Tom Bigbee Canal a delight.  The canal ends just North of Demopolis, where it connects to the Black Warrior River and then the Tom Bigbee River.  From Demopolis, we will be 4 boat days from Mobile Bay, Alabama.  Another 7 boat days after will find us at Carabelle, Florida, the point where we make the “crossing” to Tarpon Springs, Florida.  More to discuss on that later, as the time draws near.

We called to notify the marina we were near and we would need fuel before going to our slip.  Skipping the painful details, we waited an hour for Uncharted to get their fuel and then spent another hour getting ours.  The “high speed” fuel pump shoots fuel into our tanks faster than they can vent which results in constant “burping” of the tanks and fuel back-splashing out the fuel fill inlet all over the place.  With no assistance from the hands on fuel dock, it took forever to trickle the fuel into our tanks.  When the guy walked past our boat with a cigarette in his mouth, while I was pumping, Amanda said, “Please don’t smoke out here,” he said, “It’s just diesel.”  She said, “It’s the law.” He flipped his brand new cigarette into the water and walked off.  The attitude didn’t exactly make a great first impression of the Demopolis Yacht Basin. With diesel all over the boat, I had to wash it as soon as we got to the slip.  Diesel takes the wax right off, slicks up the walking surfaces, and makes the whole boat wreak.

With all the Loopers in the marina, lots of visiting happens on the docks.  Loopers typically pour their cocktails or pop their tops and start wandering the marina neighborhood. For some reason tonight, the majority of the roaming was taking place around our slip. I finished washing the boat and it took me 1 ½ hours to get my water hose disconnected because of all the folks hanging out.  With the Looper flag displayed on the bow of boats, everybody knows who the Loopers are, so there is no lack of conversation as people pass your boat.  We always enjoy meeting folks this way.  And now that we have been doing this adventure for 6 months, people now perceive us as veterans.  Many of the Loopers we’ve recently met have just started in the past few weeks, so they are still figuring out so many things. I don’t realize how much I have learned until I hear some of the questions and comments.  For example, we heard someone complaining about the long hard day.  The bad news is they have no idea what a hard day is yet.  The rivers are virtually unaffected by the wind.  The depth of water on the rivers and canal allows you to almost ignore your depth finder.  There is no chance you will run aground if you follow the marked channel.  And some have never dealt with the tide.  Yes, there are some fun times ahead…for all of us.

We ended up with 6 guests in our little salon.  As tight as quarters are, it doesn’t take very long to really acquainted, nor to figure out their deodorant scent.  After an hour or so of great conversation, folks drifted back to their boats. We had dinner and turned in shortly thereafter. 

11/22/19

We got up this morning, finished our packing, and caught a ride to Enterprise in Demopolis.  We rented a car to drive to the farm for Thanksgiving.  If all goes as planned, we will return to the boat on Monday, December 2^nd, and move on southward.  As some of you know, Amanda’s brother, Tom, has some health issues that may affect our short term plans on the adventure.  We may need to hang at the farm (he lives in the area) to offer any assistance to him as he recovers.  When his prognosis is clear, we will respond accordingly.

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We arrived at Sweetwater late afternoon, looking forward to having all the kids and grand kids for the long Thanksgiving weekend.

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Columbus to Tombigbee Ox Bow Anchorage

Our original plan this morning was to go 58 NM to an anchorage just above (before) the Tom Bevill Lock.  We left the marina at 6:45 with 6 other Loopers.  The Columbus/Stennis Lock was a mile from the marina.  We called the lockmaster who said he could get us through at 7 am.  So we lined up like kindergartners getting ready to go lunch.  We coordinated our tie-up sides, half with fenders on port and half with fenders on starboard.  The lock can accommodate 10 boats (with floating bollards known at pins).  So half of the boats tie up on each side.  This pre-plan ensures we don’t slow the entrance process.

We locked through with very little drama and drove 7 miles to the next lock.  Though some boats are much faster than others, there is really not much reason to drive any faster than the slowest boat (which most of the time is us).  The lock master wants pleasure craft going through together, so fast boats are usually hovering outside locks waiting on boats like us to arrive.  We get to live the story of the Tortoise and the Hare.  

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After the 2^nd lock, it was every man for himself, since there were no more on our intended schedule.  The majority of the boats were all going to the same anchorage.  That was our plan, as well, but the anchorage was limited to how many boats would safely fit.  So, with plenty of time to think an alternative plan through, thirty minutes before we arrived at the anchorage, I called the next lock to see if we could get through so late in the day.  The lockmaster said he could accommodate us and would hold the one faster boat (from the morning fleet) before closing the gates.  I called our buddy boat, the Salty Dog, who is just as slow as we are, and he was all for it.  I felt bad for holding the other guy up, but that was completely out of my control.  We slipped through the lock and found a perfect anchorage just below the lock. There was plenty of room for the 3 boats that locked through.  This got us a good head start for tomorrow morning ahead of all the fast boats. With the additional miles and lock, our final trip distance today was 61 NM.

We are grateful for another safe passage, a warm boat, good travel buds, and for the opportunity to be on such an adventure.

Midway to Columbus MS

Since returning to the boat on October 19^th (in Chicago), we have been aggressive with our travels.  Except for the side trip to Nashville, we have not spent more than one night anywhere. Pushing a minimum of 30 miles per day and a maximum of 100, we closed the gap on many Loopers ahead of us.  Behind is a relative term, for there are no rules for doing the Loop. But there are sensible “timeline” guides that allow travelers to maximize the weather days on the Loop. We were behind the plan, thus we “enjoyed” colder weather than the normal route.  Of course, the record breaking arctic blasts didn’t help the cold weather problem either.   We have discovered much beauty here, but compared to the first half of the adventure, the “pretty” on this side falls short.  The Georgian Bay, the North Channel, and the Hudson River are in a class of their own.  All that to say, fewer attractions have allowed us to focus on getting South as quickly as reasonable.  We still enjoy every day, have no regrets, and are extremely grateful for every experience.  We do look forward to the Florida keys and possibly the Bahamas, especially when some of the days get a little dreary, figuratively or literally.

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Today’s ride, 56 NM, and almost 9 hours bordered on being boring.  I didn’t take a single picture.  Amanda took two. The scenery was much like the last couple days without a particular “aha” moment. 

We arrived at the Columbus Marina, just north of the Bevill Lock shortly after 4 pm.  We enjoyed the chatter on the radio between the dockmaster and the dock hand as they prepared for our entrance.  They brought a smile at the end of the long day.  We met a few new (to us) Loopers and reconnected with Bella Gatta (Johnathon and Jane) whom we had met in Manistee on Lake Michigan.  A little blogging, dinner on the boat, and we called it a night. After all, tomorrow calls for lots of miles and more locks!

Grand Harbor to Midway

Better than expected, the scenery of the Tenn-Tom surprised us.  The lake formed near the intersection of the Tennessee River with the Tenn-Tom canal is called Pickwick.  Twelve locks control the water levels for flood protection and barge traffic access.  We encountered 3 of those today: Witten Lock, Montgomery Lock, and Rankin Lock.  The Witten Lock is the beast.  We have traversed more than 110 locks on our journey thus far. Their sizes, shapes, and designs have been fascinating.  I have said before that each seems to have its own personality or unique feature that makes it easy to remember.  The Witten’s claim to fame is the vertical lift height.

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We dropped 84’ down below the dam. The feeling coming into a lock isn’t overwhelming, but when the water starts draining and you (and your boat) are dropping so fast, it kind of gets you.  To top it off, when you look up just before the gates open and see the 8-story walls surrounding you, your only goal is to get out of that hole!

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Dredges are another part of the adventure. We encountered these guys today, making the water passable.

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We arrived at the Midway Marina about 4:30. Almost 10 hours behind the wheel, covering 51 NM. We took the time to stretch our legs around the marina and catch the sunset.

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We closed our day hosting our newest friends, Greg & Pam Brockdorf. Their boat is the Salty Dog, a 34′ Marine Trader. Greg was a potato farmer in Indiana for most of his career. I had the chance to learn a little about growing potatoes and crop rotation. He had a smaller farm of 1,200 acres. They just started the Loop a few weeks ago. I have had the chance to encourage and help them a little, like many others did for me just a few short months ago. The learning curve is pretty steep, but early on especially, it is nice to hang with folks who have been doing this trip for a few months. We will miss them when we have to part ways in a few days, but hope to catch up somewhere South of here.

Clifton TN to Grand Harbor TN

Rising early for another long day, we awoke to fog too thick for navigating (at least for this rookie).  Instead of a 6:30 exit, we delayed till 7:00.  It appeared the fog was burning off as the sun peaked over the horizon, so we pulled out, went about a half mile and then ran into the same thick stuff. 

We puttered, watching instruments and the bow, which was as far as we could see, for about an hour.  Thankfully, the fog finally lifted and we were able to have a little more relaxed day. 

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We went through 3 locks today.  Seldom do we have a day on any of the river travel where we are not in at least one.

Our destination was Grand Harbor Marina.  The marina is located at the North end of the Tennessee-Tom Bigbee Canal.  This canal was completed in 1984, connecting the Tennessee River to the Tom Bigbee River.  Total length is 224 miles.  This canal was designed to relieve barge traffic on the Mississippi to the Gulf and also stimulate the economy along its borders.  The bonus was to those like us who are Loopers. 

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This leg is much prettier than the option down the Lower Mississippi to New Orleans.  Seldom do Loopers take that route, as a result. Many towns have reaped the benefit of the Tenn-Tom.  Many have purchased property along the banks and built their dream homes overlooking the water. 

The current is virtually non-existent which makes navigation much more appealing as well.  After all our miles upstream and against current, it has been nice making a descent speed.  

We covered 45 NM and it took 8 hours, counting the lock time.

Pebble Isle to Clinton, MS

Today is Saturday.  That used to mean sleeping in, being a little lazy, and catching up on chores.  But to the ever-so demanding lifestyle of the slaving boat life, it was just another hard day at the office.  We, correction, I rose at 5:00 am to start the coffee.  The Pebble Isle Marina had virtually no internet, the phone service was sketchy at best, and our TV would not pick up the first station.  The end result:  we were in bed at 8:15. I won’t complain; I had almost 9 hours of sleep.  I did comment to Amanda that I think this may resemble nursing home life, but that concern is for another day. There are certainly worse things in life than no internet or TV. 

We pulled out at 6:30 with the Salty Dog, Resolute, and Sayonara. Clifton Marina in Clifton, Mississippi was the destination.

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We enjoyed the colors of what will soon be the last of the leaves changing. This leg of the Tennessee River has considerable erosion issues.  We saw many properties whose land mass has decreased because of the swift water and flooding.  Some properties have owners who appear to have the resources to address the problem with rip-rap and/or retaining walls, but from the looks of most, it is my guess that these folks are just biding their time until the creek bank washes away.  It appears the Corps of Engineers manages this river, since they obviously operate the locks.  For the sake of many who have most of their wealth invested in their homes, I hope there will be a solution that keeps them from losing it.

This leg was just under 50 NM and 9 hours, counting the lock. We encountered our usual tows and dredges.  The landscape varies so much, but the prettiest part of today’s leg was the rock formations along the river’s edge, acting as a natural bulkhead.

Clinton Marina is a small marina and under new management.  Stephanie and her mother-in-law make it happen.  After the previous owner retired, they acquired the facility and, according to the locals, they have turned the place around.  This is prime time here where the Loopers are in this season.  A half dozen boats poured in on them in about a 30 minute window this afternoon.  They busted tail to accommodate fueling, pump-outs, and slip assignments.  They were quick to grab our lines and make us welcome.  Later, these gals were in the restaurant, waiting tables and making sure I got to watch the Georgia–Auburn game, and then the LSU–Ole Miss game.  The food was excellent, including their lasagna special.  We enjoyed dinner and went back to the boat where I watched LSU survive against a feisty, hungry Ole Miss team, who wanted it more than LSU.  Fortunately, the talent pool was deeper and we outscored them.