Bay Springs Lake to Demopolis, AL

We hauled anchor and were at Bay Springs Marina by 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 24th. Chuck & Pip (“Miss Pip”) were there to meet us and help us tie up. “Just Rosie” pulled in to the marina a short time later and after we got them situated, the Captain started on laundry while I began preparing appetizers for an afternoon cookout on the dock, courtesy of Chuck & Pip.

Don & Rosie try their luck at fishing on a chilly afternoon at Bay Springs Lake.

Fall colors on Bay Springs.

Todd’s parents, Bill & Marilyn, arrived before noon and then left to take their motor home to a nearby campground for the evening before returning for the afternoon festivities. Even though it was a little breezy and definitely cool in the shade, we had a beautifully sunny area on the dock for the cookout, complete with a television to watch the afternoon college football game.

Bill meets the legendary Mo.

Chuck the Grill-master!

What a lovely afternoon for a dock party!

We borrowed Mo’s camper van Sunday to shuttle Bill & Marilyn’s motor home to Columbus. Todd dropped me and Marilyn off in Tupelo to re-provision while Bill took the motor home on to a campground in Columbus. They picked us up a few hours later and we made our way back to Bay Springs for a quiet evening aboard “Life’s2Short.”

We just happened to be driving over the bridge on our way back to the marina when this tow was exiting Whitten Lock.

Ah, the joys of re-provisioning on a boat!

Monday we took off from the marina about 11:30 a.m., went through four locks and covered 36 miles before anchoring just above Wilkins Lock for the evening. “Just Rosie” left the marina when we did but they kept going and got another couple of locks under their belt before calling it a day.

Downbound at 84-foot Whitten Lock… thanks for the photos, Rosie!

Ginger enjoying the sun on the bow on our first day on the Tenn-Tom.

Marilyn & Todd take Ginger to shore for a potty break.

It rained overnight and remained gloomy and damp all day Tuesday. We went through Wilkins and Amory Locks and traveled the remaining 19 miles to Blue Bluff where we planned to spend a couple of days tied to the dock. A boat named “I Love Lucy” was tied up on the left side of the dock so we went in on the right side. Ed (of “I Love Lucy”) came out to grab a line and we met his wife Lucy a short time later. The rest of the day was spent reading and relaxing and trying to stay dry.

Hauling anchor on a wet Tuesday morning.

As we are traveling, Mama Lanning checks her e-mail on the flybridge…

…while Papa Lanning reads on the sundeck.

Even the rain can’t keep the fisherman indoors.

Ginger, however, has NO desire to be outside!

Wednesday turned out to be a nice day. While Marilyn was out taking a morning walk, she met a retired coach who offered to take Bill to Aberdeen to get a hair cut. Bill & Marilyn wanted to take us out for dinner that evening, so Todd went along to scope out the local restaurants. Coach Tom ended up loaning us his vehicle to tour town and use to go out to dinner that evening. What a nice man!

Bill gets a haircut in Aberdeen, MS.

Wednesday afternoon we were joined at Blue Bluff by two other trawlers and a sailboat. One of the trawlers was “Roy El” who we met at Tellico Marina a few months ago and then again at Spring City Marina on Watts Bar. “Roy El” ended up rafting to “I Love Lucy” while the other two boats anchored nearby.

The Captain tows Ed back to “I Love Lucy” when his dinghy motor quits on him.

That evening we went to the Town & Country Steakhouse where Todd and Marilyn had steak while Bill and I had the catfish. Thanks for treating us to dinner, Bill & Marilyn, we enjoyed it!

Thursday was a nasty morning with virtually no visibility through the pouring rain. When the rain let up we left Blue Bluff, went through Aberdeen and Stennis Locks, covered 48 miles and were anchored in a nice, protected cove above Bevill Lock by 4:30 p.m. After the morning rain passed, it turned out to be a pretty nice day with some sun and temperatures in the 70’s.

Ginger is ready for another trip to shore.

Ginger getting her exercise chasing sticks.

Friday was very windy and warm as we made our way through Bevill Lock and downstream another 38 miles to Sumter Landing with strong current and a lot of debris to watch for along the way. We saw speeds in excess of 12 mph below the lock and probably averaged 10.5 mph the entire trip. Gotta love going downstream!

Leaving Bevill Lock on a windy, overcast morning.

We were off to our final lock, Heflin, about 8:30 Saturday morning. We’d had more rain overnight and it was another cool, cloudy morning. By the time we arrived at the Demopolis Yacht Basin, six hours later, the sun was finally out!

The White Cliffs of Epes, AL.

Fall colors on the White Cliffs.

When we pulled up to B Dock, our good friend Rick who lives in Demopolis was there to greet us and catch a line and was soon joined by Mike off “Dual Dreams.” We were surprised to see Mike & Mary Hall on the dock. They had stopped by to visit with Mike & Harriet on “Dual Dreams” on their way from Mobile back to Tuscaloosa where their boat, “What Daze It?",” is currently located and just happened to be passing through on the same day we arrived.

B Dock resident Buell off “Dale B” meets Bill & Marilyn.

After visiting and catching up for a bit, we went over to the New Orleans Bar & Grill for a brief happy hour with Mike & Harriet. Rick & Peggy joined us there, took us on a tour of their new house on the Black Warrior River and then treated all of us to dinner at Batter Up. Thanks, Rick & Peggy! After we returned to the Yacht Basin we went back up to the bar for a little while but the music was so loud we didn’t stay long and decided to turn in for the night.

Harriet & Mike (“Dual Dreams”) enjoying happy hour with the Lanning’s at the New Orleans Bar & Grill.

Peggy dressed up as a clown for her grandson Clay for Halloween and decided to wear the outfit to the bar to pick us up. Isn’t she adorable?!!!

On Sunday Todd borrowed Rick’s truck and took Bill & Marilyn back to Columbus, MS where we had left their motor home while I caught up on laundry and various other chores around the boat. We hope Bill & Marilyn enjoyed their time aboard “Life’s2Short” and wish them a safe journey back to Boulder, CO. That afternoon Todd and I both napped for a while and then went over to Rick & Peggy’s for a light meal of some wonderful appetizers Peggy prepared.

Todd hurt his back Monday morning while helping Fred, the owner of the Yacht Basin, with a boat he was hauling out and was back on board “Life’s2Short,” immobile on the sundeck, by 9:00 a.m. In fact, Mike used a wheelchair that was in the Boaters Lounge to get Todd to the far end of B Dock where “Life’s2Short” is docked and helped me get him on board. That afternoon Mike stopped by and helped me get him to the aft cabin so he could rest more comfortably.

Harriet and I made a run to Wal-Mart on Tuesday while the Captain continued to convalesce. Later that afternoon I joined Mike & Harriet at the bar for happy hour. While I was gone, Rick & Peggy stopped by the boat with several pieces of Peggy’s famous homemade pecan pie, which the Captain loves. I have no doubt that his back will heal faster after having eaten some of Peggy’s pie!

Wednesday was another quiet day aboard “Life’s2Short,” but Todd was at least able to get up and walk around some. We joined Mike & Harriet at “The Wall” for happy hour and then returned to the boat for a quiet evening. Mike came over Thursday and helped us take the boat over to the fuel dock to pump out our holding tanks. We had planned to haul out Monday and pump the tanks then, but that has been postponed until the Captain is able to get up and around better than he currently can.

Today is Friday, November 6th, and Todd’s back is improving a little each day. If he feels up to it, we will probably have the boat hauled early next week so we can begin some of the many projects on the “haul-out” list. In the meantime, it is supposed to be a beautiful weekend in Demopolis, AL and we hope it is also a beautiful weekend wherever you are!