Day 138 & 139 November 5 - 6, 2022

Day 138   Saturday, November 5, 2022

Lower Cooks Bend Anchorage MM277 to Kingfisher Bay Marina, Demopolis Alabama MM216

At our 6:30am call to Heflin Lock we learned that he was expecting a southbound tow at around 9am.  The lock is at MM266, 11 miles away.  We needed to leave at first light in order to arrive before the tow. 

 We left at 6:45 and arrived at Heflin at 8:25.  The weather forecast was foreboding, with predictions of heavy rain and lots of wind.  We were out of the lock at 8:50 with the lockmaster warning  us about the weather.  He wished us safe travels and to be careful.   

We met the tow Cullen Landolt along the way.  The tow captain talked with us a lot and expressed his concern for our safety.  We traveled with the tow Chipawaw from Rattlesnake Bend MM224 all the way to Demopolis. 

 Yesterday a phone booth, today a refrigerator!

The rain traveled with us most of the day but we still managed to enjoy the scenery.

  

 

The White Cliffs of Epes.  They are made from the Selma Chalk Formation.  The cliffs were depositied around the same time as England's White Cliffs of Dover.

We arrived at Kingfisher Bay Marina after 7 hours of travel.  Although the day was relatively miserable we were comfortable since Jerry drove from below for most of the day.

We were met by Ann and John from Blue Yonder.  They had reserved the courtesy car and hoped we would all join them for dinner.  It was a tight squeeze to get 8 people in a 7 passenger van!  Poor John volunteered to sit on the floor between the 2nd row bucket seats.  Dinner at the Red Barn was fun catching up with them. They head out tomorrow.  Several other Looper boats plan to leave as well.

Daylight savings time -- the clock change means that they will be leaving in the dark.  Our days will end earlier too since sunset will be around 5pm.

Day 139 Sunday, November 6, 2022

We shared the courtesy car with Arlene and attended mass at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church.  After a nice chat with the priest we hit the local grocery store, Vowel Market.  From there, breakfast and chores at the boat.  Nice warm day so we sat at the pool.  The water was too cold to swim. 

 The neighbor's cat visits every Sunday!

Friends on The Perch headed out this morning with the others.  We were surprised when they returned to the marina late morning.  They had moved to the side of a channel to let a tow pass by.  They were still in the channel where there should have been plenty of water, but found rocks.  With a bad vibration and certain propeller damage they came back for diagnosis and repair.  Fun fact -- the boat is named The Perch because they travel with a large bird cage and a macaw named Margot.  Margot has traveled most of the loop.  She didn't travel in Canada because of the possibility she wouldn't be allowed back in the states.

Dinner was leftover Chinese then we enjoyed desert on Grand Wazoo with Laura, Joe, Arlene, Al, Kim and Michael (The Perch).  Laura made carrot cake; Arlene made apple cake.  Both were yummy.

5:30am call to Demopolis Lock - 38 miles away.