DEMOPOLIS-WINTER

Nov. 19-22, 2011---Keith and I made a trip to Demopolis. Drove my new Mustang. What a fine ride! Had the top down most of the time just enjoying the warm fall days. Someone suggested second childhood. Of course we denied the charge.

Bought the California Special GT on Thursday and went to Demopolis on Saturday.

Installed new anchor to replace one we had to cut loose. Foggy before moving the boat to a covered slip for the winter.

Dream Manor looked happy in the new location next to the main walkway.

Closed all the sea cocks. Put two oil heaters in service in the cabin. Shut off pump and drained fresh water lines. Removed King Dome TV tracker to take in for repairs. It makes an undesirable growling noise. May have a bearing problem. Took it with us and returned to Youngsville, LA on Tuesday. Will start adventures on the boat in the Spring.

MERMENTAU

Nov. 16, 2011---Took a drive to a marina near Gueydan, LA. The Mermentaus River Marina is located just off the river by the same name. Had limited possibilites as there was no dock available. Would be required to build a dock and then remove it whenever we left with the boat. Water was shallow near the banks and green growth covered the area that would have been available for dockage. Not what we look for in a marina! Picture shows water can be seen in the narrow channel looking past the vegetation covering the available area.

HOME

Nov. 4, 2011--- Yesterday we accomplished an important task! Pumped out the black water holding tank. It is great that a connection is available on each slip in the new marina.
Today is the 4th day of November already. Drove home to Youngsville, Louisiana. Dream manor will remain in Demopolis for some period of time. Will restart blog entries when boat travels resume.



Not far out of Demopolis we discovered some Alabama art near the hiway. We called it "Chicken in a Tree"

KINGFISHER BAY MARINA

Nov. 1, 2011---Came to realize the correct name for this new marina in Demopolis, Alabama is: Kingfisher Bay Marina. Still in development it is already a very nice marina. Performed some maintenance today. Added enzyme treatment to the fuel tanks. Changed out Separ secondary fuel filter on the starboard engine. Changed oil and filter on the 13 KW generator.

PRIMED

Nov. 1, 2011---Used shop vac to pull diesel through the fuel line from the tank on the port engine. Connected the fuel line and primed the engine. Engine ran a short time and quit again. Found fuel leaking from a seal on the sediment bowl which means it was likely allowing air into the fuel line. Reinstalled the sediment bowel and stopped the leak. Engine runs okay now. Made a trip to Walmart for a few supplies. Captain Tom from "The Thomas B" went with us. Enjoyed visiting with him. Moved our boat from the old marina behind the fuel dock to the new part of the marina.

Looking at the entrance to the new part of the marina. New wash room and showers are nicely done. Slips are laid out well and various sizes are available up to 70'. This is a wonderful improvement for Demopolis. Fred (Marina Manager) has done a great job in getting this project useable and should be very proud. Some additional work is ongoing.

ANCHOR LOST

Oct. 31, 2011---Halloween! Sure enough the spooks grabbed the anchor. It was stuck in some downed trees or something. Whatever the problem that "blankety-blank" anchor refused to come loose so we had to cut the line and let it go.



As the fog lifted we noticed the Thomas B had raised anchor and left the embayment. We caught up with this beautiful boat at the Heflin Lock. Another 30' down and we continued toward Demopolis.


Along a stretch of the TomBigBee Waterway there are some unusual white cliffs.

Nice shot of the white cliffs reflecting on the water.

Gremlins at it again! About 25 miles before reaching Demopolis the port engine quit running. Continued on the starboard engine. Traveled 54 miles today in 5.4 hours. Columbus Marina looked rather inviting after a tough Halloween day.

Somebody in a kayak watched as we managed to get tied up to the fuel dock. Took on 382 gallons of diesel fuel. Managed to get moved over to a slip with electric power. Changed out the primary and secondary fuel filters on the port engine. Still unable to get fuel to the engine. Blew through the lines with compressed air and still could not get fuel to the engine. Will study more on this problem tomorrow. Enough spooks today.

SUMTER LANDING

Oct. 30, 2011---Dream Manor seemed quite content at Columbus Marina. Had fog until 9:00 a.m. as it has lifted about the same time each morning. A group of five boats traveled together through the Stennis Lock located just below the marina. Still going down hill as this lock lowered 27'. Next lock is Bevill located 28 miles down river from Stennis. Just before this lock two of the boats separated from the group and went into Pirates Cove Marina.

Lots of big black crows perched on the electric power towers.

Had to pass behind this tug that was holding some barges in position. Lots of turbulance created by his props.

Two boats behind us coming out of Bevill Lock after being lowered 30'.

Traveled 65 miles today in 7.6 hours.

At mile 270 turned starboard into a secluded area called Sumter Landing. Went past the boat launch to the back of the embayment. Dropped anchor and made sure it would hold. Unfortunately it may be holding too well. Settled in for the night. One of the boats that we traveled with today anchored in the same area but closer to the entrance that can be seen in the distance.

ARRIVED COLUMBUS

Oct. 29, 2011---Fog quite dense in the early morning did not lift until 9:00 a.m. Boat tied in front of us was one of the four that traveled together today.




Could not see very far past the stern of Dream Manor.

Boat in the lead set the travel pace as we departed the dock at 9:10 a.m. taking last position.

Gate was open and we all got into Fulton lock with no wait.
Exiting Fulton Lock just 3 miles down from Midway Marina. Notice all the fog is gone now.

Remember "BB" our boat boxer! He woke up today and provided some entertainment.

Look at the tree with the least bark. A bald eagle is in the middle of this picture sitting just at the top of the open area of that tree.

Gates were open on Wilkins lock so it did not take long to get in and out.

BB looked unhappy as we waited a short time for a tow to be lifted at Amory lock.


As the tow passed BB knew it was our turn for the lock.

Last lock of the day was Aberdeen Lock at mile 357.5

Each of the four locks today let us down 30' for at total of 120' today. Continued to Columbus Marina at mile 335. Total distance today was 59 miles in 7.6 hours.

LAND DAY

Oct. 28, 2011---Awakend by rain, dark clouds, cold and wind. Chose to not move the boat today. Ken was kind enough to drive Keith & I to Aqua Yacht Harbor to retrieve Keith's van. Ken returned to Midway Marina. Keith and I went to Tupelo, MS and rented a small pickup truck from enterprise. We proceeded to the marina in Demopolis, AL. Left the van and returned to Tupelo to turn in the truck. Ken picked us up and we returned to Midway Marina at Fulton, MS. It took about 9 hours of steady driving to relay the van to Demopolis but it was a good day to accomplish that task. Now when we arrive in Demopolis with the boat our ground transportation will already be there. Thanks to Ken for helping us out.

MIDWAY MARINA

Oct. 27, 2011---Put Aqua Yacht Harbor behind as we started our journey down theTomBigBee Waterway.







Fall colors dressed the shoreline.







Passed two boats along the way.



Passed a third boat enroute to Whitten Lock. A different boat later passed us above the lock. The two of us waited at the lock while the chamber was being filled. Doors opened and we entered the lock on the green light. Secure to the bollard the lock master held the gate open nearly an hour until the first three boats arrived and made secure in the lock. In the lock the water was lowered 84' to downstream level.



It was Keith's turn to put the Dream Manor in position so Allen could catch the floating bollard.
Montgomery Lock lowered us 30'. The group of five boats traveled together. Rankin lock lowered us another 30'. Total drop for the day was 144' in three locks. Took 6.3 hours to cover 54.7 miles to Midway Marina. This was our first time into this particular marina. It was a special stop to visit with Ken and Carol Dean. We originally met them on the Tennessee River in 2009 at Paris Landing. In 2010 we caught up with them on Beaver Creek about 35 miles below Pittsburgh on the Ohio River. They are originally from Pittsburgh but now live on their River Queen boat at Midway Marina outside Fulton, Mississippi. Quite a change in location. Preparing for Halloween they had a cute pumpkin and some lights to dress their boat.

AQUA YACHT HARBOR

Oct 26, 2011---Last night we had a good visit with Dick and Dixie from Lake Arthur, Louisiana. We originally met them at Green Turtle Bay. They left Clifton Marina ahead of Brother & I.



It was not long before passing them as they were traveling upriver at 6 mph and we were running 11 mph.
They travel slow and steady in the modified sail boat.





Passed a coal barge.




Did not seem to be much traffic, however 2 miles from Pickwick Landing Lock, TOSMO and Dream Manor caught up with some kind of Govt Barge with a load of equipment. They have priority and we ended up waiting 2 1/2 hours before it was our turn. By then 2 other pleasure craft had joined us.


Notice the difference in how much lock wall is exposed before getting lifted 55' from Kentucky Lake to Lake Pickwick. Keith did a fine job of keeping Dream Manor secure during the lift.


Kentucky Lake is 186 miles long and certainly a nice part of the Tennesse River. Today's travel was 60 miles from Clifton Tennessee to Aqua Yacht Harbor marina located near Iuka, Mississippi. It took 8 hours due to waiting time at the lock. We are now in the headwater of TomBigBee waterway in the very northeastern part of Mississippi only about 3 miles from Tennessee and Alabama. After traveling and visiting friends, Maryann joined us this evening. We drove to Iuka for dinner. Plan is to leave the van at Aqua Marina as we make way to Demopolis, Alabama. Will then get a vehicle and drive back to here to get Keith and Maryann's van.

RON

Oct. 25, 2011---Left Pebble Isle at 9:30 a.m. after the fog had lifted. However a few miles up the river there was a fairly thick patch to keep our attention. Followed a boat named TOSMO, it faided out of sight for a short time.




Lots of large white pelicans could be seen through the less dense fog.

After the fog lifted there was nothing but clear blue sky. More activity on the Tennessee River than we had seen since leaving Green Turtle Bay.

A nice view of bridge on Interstate 40.

Two story white house on the cliff was wearing a "for sale" sign.
Keith said an elevator would be needed to reach the water!


Sand and gravel operations near the town of Perryville, TN.

Arrived at Clifton Marina and tied up along the fuel dock at 4:30 p.m. Traveled 62.5 miles today. Upstream speed 9.5 mph at 2225 rpm. Current appeared to be 1 to 1.5 mph.





Hilight of the day was a visit with Ron Friend. We learned from a comment on our blog that he would be traveling today. He is enroute from Dayton, Kentucky (across the Ohio River from Cincinnati) to Tuscon, Arizona. With a cell phone conversations we talked him into stopping at Clifton, TN. He arrived just a few minutes after we got the boat tied to the dock. It was great to see Ron. We had become well acquainted with him last year on our trip up the Ohio River. He lives on a houseboat in Manhattan Harbor where we enjoyed a fine stay last summer. Ron left at dusk to get a little farther west.