Tearing down the Tombigbee - Day 51 - Demopolis, AL to Silas, AL

We had two options for today, travel 70 miles and anchor at Bashi Creek (mile marker 145) or travel 97 miles and tie up at Bobby's Fish Camp (mile marker 119.4).   We took option 2, Bobby's Fish Camp, which required cruising at 27 miles an hour for three and a half hours after clearing the Demopolis Lock.  Our decision is always influenced by Kodi.  Bobby's offers dry land and the ability to walk Kodi at 7:00 and 11:00 PM without having to dingy to shore, which at most anchorages involves getting one's feet wet and everything muddy.

We woke at 7 AM to morning fog and decided to take a walk into Demopolis.  This proved to be great fun.  We spent an 90 minutes exploring while we waited for the fog to burn off. 

Last Resort and Gayle Winds at the fuel dock

The height of the walk, at least for Kodi, was her making a new friends with a gentle fun loving blood hound.  Kodi engaged the blood hound in her favorite game, chase me.  The blood hound tried hard but Kodi is simply fast.

Kodi and her new friend

For us, the highlights were two antebellum homes, one a private residence and the other now a museum.  The private residence was on an entire city block and sported elaborate stained glass windows. Both we located along the Tombigbee River.  See photos below.

Private antebellum home on a full city block

Stained glass windows

Bluff Hall, now the historical society museum

We departed the marina at 9:17 AM and proceed to the Demopolis Lock, which dropped us down 40 feet to 33 feet above sea level. The lockmaster advised us that a tow was going to exit the lock and then turn around and re-enter.  We later learned that the tow had brought an injured worker to the lock for transport to the hospital.  We locked through with the tow and two other pleasure boats, Precious Time and Gayle Winds.  The photos below give you a sense of the 40 foot drop (lift).


The tow just before we descended 40 feet

Compare this photo to the one above to see the 40 foot drop

Kodi supervising the locking process

We exited the lock at 10:10 AM and put the pedal to the medal, 2,300 RPMs, 27 MPH at 40 GPH.  Except for a brief lunch pause, where we slowed to trawler speed (10 MPH), we ran at 27 MPH.

Unfortunately, you cannot capture this experience with photos (except from another boat) so I will try with words.  The Tombigbee Lower Black Warrior River is wide, generally deep and full of switch backs with several 90 degree corners.  We ran this entire section on plane at 27 miles per hours.  To say the least, the feeling is extraordinary as you maneuver a 35,000 pound boat around an obstacle course.  Truly exhilarating.  You have to pay attention to buoys, debris and fisherman along the banks, which requires slowing down and then speeding up once past.

View of the wake after making a turn

Side Story: In 2008, we were invited to a Sea Ray Expo, a private boat show for select clients at Sea Ray's Sikes Creek yacht facility where they build the 52, 54, 58 and 63 Sundancers and the 58 Sedan Bridge.  A highlight of the trip was the opportunity to take a ride on any of the models.  We chose the 54, 58 and 60 Sundancers.  On each of the demonstrations, the captain would demonstrate the boat's ability to quickly get on plane and make tight turns at full speed.  At the time I said to Diana "so what."  Now, I know what.  The ability of the boat to competently take tight turns at high speed and to get on plane quickly is actually useful as we experienced today.  Boating on Lake Michigan rarely requires taking turns at high speed or quick acceleration.  If done at all, its to show friends the boat's capability, which I suspect most would have viewed as I did.  So what.

We did not miss much in terms of scenery, which is essentially the dense woods throughout this segment with an occasional home along the bank.  Still it made for a great setting to enjoy the boat's capabilities.

The scenery flying by

At 2:20 we arrived at Bobby Fish Camp and tied up along their 150 dock.  Bobby's is very primitive.  It is exactly what's advertised, a fish camp.  That said, it sure beats dingying to shore and getting your wet and muddy.  Just like an anchorage, we had to run the generator as Bobby's does not supply electricity.

Guided Discovery at Bobby's Fish Camp

Bobby Dahlberg, the owner passed away this year.  He was a Staff Sergeant in the Korean War.  He his buried at the fish camp just below the sign and flag.  He was 79.  His daugher runs the business.

Bobby's Fish Camp.  A pretty setting

We celebrated this spectacular day on the water with a bottle of Mount Veeder 2005 Cabernet Savingnon, which itself is spectacular.  We were joined by fellow boater (not loopers) Ed and Gayle from Gayle Winds, a 53 Carver who arrived an hour and a half after us (Note: They are from Green Turtle Bay and are heading to Florida).  They brought over some great h'orderves (Havarti cheese, Chicago Flax crackers and fresh delicious strawberry's which went great with the wine). 

The fun came at a price.  We burned 129 gallons of fuel according to the engine monitoring system, which at $3.00 a gallon is meaningful.  Worth every penny.

Written by Les.