Our Journey Tracks: Ingram Bayou to Foscue Creek (Demopolis)

Wednesday, April 25, 2018 - We were on the water by 6:45AM. Trip up Mobile Bay was very pleasant. Mobile ship channel wasn't as bad, in terms of traffic, as I was expecting. For one thing, we ran outside the channel part of the time.

We're anchored tonight in Big Bayou Canot at mm16.6. Water is WAY UP and muddy with debris.

Thursday, April 26, 2018 - We're out again at 6:45AM. It was a good night at Big Bayou Canot. The current against us today was fierce...and debris came in large masses. Half the time we just steered instead of relying on auto pilot. Oh...and Wayne called Raymarine and got the "follow from here" option working so we can quickly resume our route after a stop. He also talked with Navionics about the fact that the statute miles on our charts are expressed not in miles, but in feet! A message from them later that day said the change should be completed to correct this error by May 17. Hmmm.

Mobile River is definitely at flood stage now and is expected to rise a couple more feet. Things will begin to look better around Demopolis and the junction of the Black Warrior. So all we have to do is get there! Tomorrow we will struggle (at around 5mph) towards Three Rivers Lake, mm64, above Coffeeville Lock. It will mean a long day...but we will have some good daylight hours to get there. ;-)

Friday, April 27, 2018 - From Three Rivers to Okatuppa Creek, mm123. Good day, but LONG!

Saturday, April 28, 2018 - We had picked out several places to anchor tonight...all above Bashi Creek, our usual stopover. With the current we're facing we knew we couldn't make it from Bashi to Demopolis in one day.

We passed Bashi (mm145) and, in a beautiful day of travel, headed towards Barrons Landing, mm168, and several other places nearby that looked possible (Tuckabum Creek, a bridge, etc.). We could have done the bridge...but it wouldn't have felt good because of the "neighborhood." We could have done Barrons Landing, but it wasn't as good as the spot we saw before that, Tuckabum Creek, mm167.5.

We're anchored very close to the entrance of the creek in 20 ft. and it's near perfect, all things considered. We had a boat with two men come by and talk a few minutes. "I've never seen anyone anchor in here before," they said. They usually run a "trot" line at the mouth of the creek...but said they wouldn't tonight. ;-) Tomorrow: Demopolis for maybe a night or two.

Maggie May, meantime, is showing off her agility skills. (Well, that's what I say. Others might see it as stupidity.) At Panama City she jumped from a standing position up over the gunnels of the boat, over the water, to the dock...to follow me as I left the boat. Well, today she topped that. See this "walk-around" that surrounds the bridge?

Well, today she worked her way under the curtains to the bridge, under the curtain around the back deck, and out onto that ledge. Wayne was sitting closest to that side and just happened to see her along side him! He got up and swiftly (but quietly so's she wouldn't flench and fall off) picked her up by the handle on her life jacket. Whew! My sister, Reba, says we need to invent a "retriever" for dogs. A rope would remain tied to the dog's life jacket so they could be "reeled in" if overboard. Yeah. If a big fish doesn't get her first! ;-)

Sunday, April 29, 2018 - We rested easy last night. Awoke at 5:30AM to what was obviously the first and only tow to pass us all night. We were on the river again by 6:15AM.

As we did yesterday, we "played" the sides of the channel to keep out of the direct current. That way we kept our speed in the 5-6 mph range. It was a beautiful day of travel, again. Passed one tow and were aware of two other tows ahead of us and heading to Demopolis Lock. Fortunately, by the time we got there, around 2:30PM, we had a very short wait for the gates to open. Good thing, too, considering the swirling water going on below the Lock...

This trip on the river, so far, has been calling back memories of the Mississippi River and it's eddies ...and the flooded Illinois River.

We're anchored tonight in Foscue Creek, which is delightfully flush with water. ;-)

Monday, April 30, 2018 -

Our plan today is to go over to Demopolis Yacht Harbor for the day and leave tomorrow morning for parts north. Will post as Verizon allows... ;-).

Here are some pictures we want to keep as remembrances of this trip...

The swampy area we traveled in between Apalachicola and Panama City...

Maggie and I passed by this daily on our walks around the neighborhood. I think Coachman Lane could use one of these!

A few chuckles from our favorite oyster place in Panama City, Hunt's Oysters.

A picture of our boat, Journey while docked at St. Andrews Bay, Panama City. See the two pilings (wooden logs with pointed white tops)? In between the two pilings...about a 1/3 of the way up from the bottom of the picture with navy blue canvasing? That's Journey. ;-)