Bashi Creek to Sumpter Recreation Area

We awoke on Day 15 to find that the water level dropped over night, about 5 to 6 inches. This created a bit of an issue. We were now hard aground. We couldn't push the boat off the sand. We didn't have cell service, so we couldn't call Sea Tow. Hmmmmm Ok let's give it a try. I got on the back of the boat near the engine and Charlie started the engine put it in reverse. I was trying to bounce back and forth to get some movement, we were so hard aground there wasn't much movement. Finally the engine pushed enough water toward the front of the pontoons, I could feel a little movement. Finally, we broke free from the grasp of the little sandbar. It looked so friendly last night.

We finished breaking down camp (the cots on the boat) and headed north. The next lock was at Demopolis, AL, mile 213.5. We saw more tows on the river and a few deer along the bank on the way to Demopolis. The Sirena 58 overtook us again about 11:00.

We overtook a tow boat pushing 6 barges with about 15 miles to go to Demopolis. One barge was red flag barge, red flag indicated flammable/explosive material and no other vessels may lock through with a red flag barge. It is going to to be close trying to get there 45 minutes ahead of the tow boat. When we are about 30 minutes out, we call the lock to let them know we are on the way. He tells us that there is a tow coming up and he is going to lock them through first. We recall what the lock operators said at Coffeeville, he runs this show. So when we got there, we just landed the boat against the shore, behind the long wall of the lock, and waited.

As we were waiting, we heard the Sirena 58 on the radio talking to Demopolis Yacht Basin about getting fuel. The Yacht Basin is on the other side of the lock. Well good, they should be out of our way when we pull in to get fuel. We also heard the tow coming up make a pitch to the lock operator when he was about 30 minutes out to let us go through ahead of him. The lock operator said it wouldn't work out, the RV can go up after you. The lock operator runs the show.

We waited about an hour on the lock. We finally got through and up to Demopolis Yacht Basin for fuel about 2:50. The tow boat Captain Earl Duvall was at the fuel dock as well. They were loading groceries on the tow boat. They didn't seem to be a talkative bunch, even from a socially responsible distance. Maybe the Corona has them scared to even say hello. We got away from the fuel dock about 20 minutes later.

Charlie mentioned a possibility of getting to Sumpter Recreation Area, but that is at mile 270 (53 miles away with a lock in between). That is a noble goal. I identified a couple of alternatives, just in case.

The river current (or relative lack of current that is) is again our friend this afternoon. Just past Demopolis is the mouth of the Black Warrior River. We expected some reduction in current once we passed it. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the current was practically non existent past the Balck Warrior River. We picked up about 1 to 1.5 MPH. Whooo who we are flying now. Not near the 20 MPH on the Mississippi, but we are making good time.

Around mile 238, we saw some more wildlife, an alligator. And it looked like it was well fed. I was impressed that it made it through two locks to get this far up river. Charlie told me he had heard of them in Pickwick Lake. That's making it through all 12 locks. I guess some could have went by land, but that would be even more impressive. I read an article that stated " ..all 82 Mississippi counties have confirmed alligator sightings..".

Around 5:00 PM we start weighing our options for an overnight stay. The forecast calls for rain by 10:00 AM tomorrow. If we can make it up to the Howell Heflin Lock, we could be in position to go through the lock first thing in the morning. We would like to get to Columbus before the heavy rain starts tomorrow. Charlie called the lock operator. He told us that the anchorage below the dam may rock around us around a bit, since this is where the discharge flows. He suggested that we anchor above the lock. It was getting late. Sunset is 7:16 and last light would be 7:46, according to my Sunrise Time app. It would be 6:40 by the time we got to the lock. Even in the best scenario, we would get out of the lock probably around 7:00. Not much time to find a sandbar for the night. But, we went for it anyway.

We got out of the lock close to what we figured, it was around 7:10. We decided rather than search for a sand bar for the night, we would head 4 miles up to Sumpter Recreation Area, an anchorage that is familiar to both of us. As we approached Sumpter as the light was waning. According to the App, last light was 7:46, but on this cloudy night it was a little earlier. We arrived about 7:35, it was dark. The lights of the boat ramp helped guide us in. We tied to the wall near the boat ramp and celebrated a good day.