Off and running!

Windlass issue seems to have been resolved! The engine shop put on a couple of “new brushes.” Wayne picked it up on Friday afternoon and re-installed it on Saturday. Saturday, with north wind blowing and temps way down! He got so cold, working out there, that his hands would go numb and start shaking. He'd come in and drink some hot tea or soup...and go right back out. Finally got it done, tested it...and it works!! We are happy campers, uh, boaters.

Monday, November 3, we left Columbus Marina shortly after 6 AM with True North and Kindred Spirit III. By 6:30 we were out of the lock and on our way. Our day was a short one. We anchored at Pickensville Recreation Area just a mile above Bevill Lock. The setting was pretty and we managed to get enough trees between us and the nearby highway that we weren't even bothered by traffic noise. The other two boats went on through Bevill, aiming for anchorages downstream.

We had planned to stay at Columbus until Tuesday morning, but we managed to get everything done on Sunday (including a brunch at Jackson Square Grill...very good!). One job we tackled Sunday was the shocking of our water tank. We used to do this annually on Segue when we weren't traveling on it full time. The shocking involves 1) draining the water tank 2) pouring in a solution of bleach and water 3) filling up the remainder of the tank with water 4) wait 3 hours or more 5) drain the bleached water out all the faucets to clean the lines 6) fill the tank with clean water 7) repeat #5 until the bleach smell/taste is gone.

What we didn't plan on was how slowly the water tank drains. The pump may be small...and the supply lines narrow...but, whatever the cause it took for-ever to drain the tank in step number 1! Bottom line, we still have a touch of chlorine in our water. We have bottled drinking water so our coffee is still drinkable. But when we shower...well, let's just say we get really Clean!

Tuesday, November 4 – Beautiful morning! Took Lucy in for her morning walk and came back ready to contact Bevill for a lock through. When we called the lock we found out there were several other boats at the nearby marina who were interested in locking through then, too. We took up anchor and got down to the lock in time to be first of four vessels that went through. Attitude Changer and Panacea were our companions for the first half of the day. At around noon we pulled into Sumpter Landing for the night and the other boats went through the lock to an anchorage just on the lower side. By the time we took Lucy in for a walk we had company: Lester and Irene on Prime Interest and Bill and Pam on Overtones. We stopped by in the dinghy and spoke to both crews to coordinate our leaving the next day.

Our companion for the afternoon at Sumpter...

Wednesday, November 5, we were up and at 'em early.  By 7 AM we were in the Heflin Lock and on our way to Demopolis.  Grey skies ruled the day, but we didn't have any of the wet stuff.  The ride was actually beautiful.  This area has chalk cliffs all along the river.  This time of year the fall colors can really make them stand out.  Here are only a couple of the many views we got today.

This structure beside a bridge could make a great sketching subject!

And someone has set up their own playground by the river, complete with beach volleyball court!

We're at Kingfisher Bay Marina, the new marina in Demopolis.  We see several of our travel partners over the past couple of days already docked.  Tomorrow we plan to leave early (same song, second verse) and go 71 miles and go through one lock here at Demopolis.  Next entry will probably come from Mobile Bay, hopefully the first of next week!