Sumpter Landing Anchorage in Gainsville, Alabama to Kingfisher Marina in Demopolis, Alabama
Day #123: Up at 5:45 A.M. in Sumpter Landing. Clear, 43 degrees with small amount of fog noted. Numerous fishing boats in the anchorage coming from the boat launch as it is Saturday. Mike could see two tows on AIS between us and the Heflin Lock but neither were moving. As Mike was waiting to call the Heflin Lock the fog moved in and we were socked in. Mike called the Heflin Lock on the phone he was told that there was one tow "Chris Pike" that he knew would need to lock through and that if we got there before him that we could be locked through first but if the "Chris Pike" got underway the tow would be locked through first. The lockmaster stated that he didn't know about anything about a second tow in the river close to the lock but the lockmaster did tell Mike that the river was socked in with fog. Mike got on the radio to communicate to "Dash Away" about what he had heard from the lockmaster, Mike mentioned the second tow "City of Louisville" that the lockmaster had not heard from that tow. The "City of Louisville" tow cut in letting Mike know that they would be north bound once the fog lifted so their not heading toward the lock. The tow captain was so nice. As the fog started to lift we started the engines at 8:15 A.M. We were underway at 8:35 A.M. at the same time the "Chris Pike" called the Heflin Lock which meant that the tow would be ahead of us in the lock but the lockmaster told us on the radio that once the "Chris Pike" cleared the lock that he would turn the lock around letting us lock through. At 9:12 A.M. we were holding station at the Heflin Lock. At 9:50 A.M. the green light at the lock was turn on we were allowed to enter the lock with "Bay Tripper", "Dash Away", "Island Girl", "Onward" and "Twin". We were clear on the Heflin Lock (Lock #23) after being dropped 36 feet. At 10:30 A.M. we crossed the "Cooper Duval". At 10:50 A.M. we crossed the "Chippewa". At 12:30 P.M. we passed "Chris Pike" heading in the same direction (which is more stressful than passing a tow head-on) Mike pushed "Parrot Bay" up to 10.2 miles per hour to get passed the "Chris Pike". At 2:45 P.M. Mike and I started listening to U of M versus Penn State football on Sirus-XM while we were underway. At 3:15 P.M. we were passed by two large fast boats which we did a "slow pass" that is were both boats slow down during the pass to decrease the wake. After passing us we came upon a fishing boat that was on the left descending bank that was bailing water out of their boat as the large boats had swamped the fishing boat. As we approached the marina basin there was a tow that hailed Mike letting him know that he was turning around a barge in the river. As we got even closer to the marina the large boats that had pasted us were holding station out in the river waiting to get into the marina. Mike tried to hail the marina for a slip assignment no return response. Other boats tried to hail the marina they were told that they needed to wait that soon they would get to us getting us a place to sleep for the night. At 4:00 P.M. we were holding station at the Demopolis Yacht Basin with 9 other boats. Every time someone tried to hail the marina they were shut down being told that they would get to us. The marina would only take one boat in at a time to get fuel than they would give them a slip assignment letting them go into the marina. Finally, we were given our slip assignment and told to monitor channel 11 that we would be told when we could enter the marina entrance being helped by the dockmaster. The tow needed to get to the gas dock they blew their horn shouting at boats to get out of the way but there wasn't much room as there were an increasing number of boats in a small area milling around trying to wait to go into the basin. There was no organization as far as who would go into the basin next. The dockmaster would tell us to "stand down on the river" anytime someone would ask a question or when Bruce tried to answer her question she informed him that whoever was giving orders out on the river to stop and stay off the radio. We were secure in our slip at 4:40 P.M. Mike tried to go over to help "Bay Tripper" to come in (as he does very time that we go into a marina) he was told by the dockmaster "we have this" as she is yelling at Bruce not to hit the boat that was in front of him and yelling at Bev about what lines she needed to be throwing. Later Ken from "Island Girl" came over to let us know that the dockmaster had been giving orders to Karen during their dock approach, as Karen was trying to maneuver quickly about her boat she missed a step leading to her falling in their boat. Bev and I went over to see Karen. Her ankle and foot were swelling and bruising and she had it elevated, wrapped and iced. Needless, to say Ken, Mike and Bruce all had discussions with each of their co-captains Karen, Bev and I that we own the boat and that no dock hand is to be giving orders (which we all know but during those times you just do what you have to do to get the boats securely into the slip). At 6:30 P.M. we were finally able to register in the office for our dockage. Michigan beat Penn State 42-7. We traveled 55.8 miles today (1,704 miles total for the trip). At 7:00 P.M. we had dinner aboard "Bay Tripper" Bev made western mac and cheese. Bruce took dinner over to "Island Girl". Mike and I headed back to our boat to watch some college football.
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Mike says that the most stressful thing on the trip is passing a tow. Today it was the "Chris Pike" the "Parrot Bay" going 10.1 miles per hour to pass.
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More beautiful white cliffs.
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| Tow turning barges around in the river right before Kingfisher/Demopolis Yacht Basin. Swinging the barges across the river like a big gate. We waited before proceeding. |
Trip from Gainesville, AL to Demopolis, AL
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