MOBILE TO COLUMBUS, MS

June 20 - 25 -  Between these dates, we cruised 347 miles from Dog River Marina in Mobile to Columbus Marina in Columbus, MS.  Our stops included Three Rivers Lake, Bobby's Fish Camp, Demopolis Marina, Cochrane's Cutoff, and Columbus Marina.  We have been through the first five of the 12 locks on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.  The first three days we cruised behind Richard Walker on Holiday VII.

                            LARGE DREDGE IN THE MOBILE BAY SHIP CHANNEL

                               HUGE PARKING LOT FOR BARGES NORTH OF MOBILE

                                LARGE LOADING FACILITY UNDER CONSTRUCTION
                                              ON THE TENN-TOM WATERWAY

                                SUNRISE AT THREE RIVERS LAKE ANCHORAGE
                                                                JUNE 22

                                HOLIDAY VII ANCHORED IN CANAL LEADING TO
                                           THREE RIVERS LAKE - MILE 64

                                 HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PUSH THIS UPSTREAM?
                         A LOAD OF PIPES USED AS BASES FOR WIND TURBINES

We wondered how the tow captain could possibly see where he was going.  Then we saw there was another tow in front of the barges.

                                                                     LEAD TOW

                                        HERE THEY COME AROUND THE BEND!!

                           WHITE HERONS PERCHED ON DEMOPOLIS LOCK WALL
                                                                      JUNE 22

It was really hot the first two days and nights when we anchored out.  Severe storms were forecast for the afternoon and evening on June 22, so we decided to stay at the Demopolis Yacht Basin rather than anchor out.  Enjoyed having dinner with Richard Walker.  He was taking off the next morning, and we decided to stay and enjoy having AC and Internet access for another day.

On June 24th we continued north upstream to Cochrane Cutoff where we anchored for the night.  We were held up at Heflin lock for an hour and a half while a tow was locked through.  All commercial vessels have priority over pleasure craft, so even if you happen to get to the lock before them, you have to wait if they are within a certain distance behind you.  Threatening thunderstorms were approaching as we came into the anchorage, but
 fortunately they moved away from us.

                                     RAINBOW AT COCHRANE CUTOFF, MILE 287.4

Before we got underway on June 25, two northbound tows passed by so we knew we were in for more waiting at the next two locks.  No need to get in a rush to get ahead of them as we knew we couldn't make it through the next lock in time.  We passed both of them and fortunately only had to wait an hour for the first one to lock through.  Another trawler was a short distance behind us, and we locked through with him.   We were able to get far enough ahead of the first tow to get through the second lock (Stennis) without waiting.  Columbus Marina is just above Stennis lock, and we were welcomed by a fellow boater we had met last fall.  They put us in a covered slip, which was an unexpected treat.  There were lots of weekend boaters and fishermen on the waterway today, which requires frequently slowing down to reduce our wake.  We decided to stay at Columbus until Monday when all the weekend warriors are back at work. 

                                         OMEGA AT REST IN COVERED SLIP
                                                   AT COLUMBUS MARINA

June 26 - Went to church in Columbus this morning and caught up on chores (boat washing, laundry, etc.)  Enjoyed visiting with several people at the marina (Frank and Joyce and granddaughter Miranda aboard Daphne from Biloxi, and Jim and Marie aboard Sea Casa from Corpus Christi.)