![\"demopolis-dock-2\"\n](\"http:\/\/www.idylltime.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/black-warrior-river\/demopolis-dock-2.jpg\"\n\t\t "\\"demopolis-dock-2\\"\n")
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \u00a0 Demopolis sits at the junction of the Tenn-Tom Waterway and the mouth of the Black Warrior River.\u00a0 It is a major hub for tow boat activity.\u00a0 Barge fleets awaiting transport are lining the river banks.\u00a0 \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n We enjoy watching the constant coming and going of the tows as they assemble their loads.\u00a0Demopolis Yacht Basin is a fueling facility for these big boats.\u00a0 Each tow can hold up to 60,000 gallons of fuel.\u00a0\u00a0 The marina is pumping diesel 24 hours a day.\u00a0 It is a busy place!\u00a0 The New Orleans Restaurant, located beside the fuel dock, is also a popular stop for the tow boat captains.\u00a0 The 2 lb. crawfish boil on Friday night\u2019s has Jeff\u2019s name all over it. \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \u00a0 We enjoy several great seafood dinners while at the marina. When we arrived here, the water levels were 30 feet above normal.\u00a0 Over the past two weeks, the Tenn-Tom has receded about 15 feet and conditions are much more favorable for us to continue down river<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Back on the water, we have a three day trip down river to Mobile,Alabama.\u00a0 Just after leaving the marina, we arrive at Demopolis Lock for another quick lock down.\u00a0 Exiting the lock, we have our first tow encounter of the day as we pass the Terra Huckabee.\u00a0 The river continues to stay busy all day with lots of commercial traffic. It is a long day on the water.\u00a0 On this section of the river there are no anchorages.\u00a0 Bobby\u2019s Fish Camp, 95 miles downstream, is our only viably stop for the evening.\u00a0 Bobby\u2019s is a no frill stop, basically a 100 ft. long floating dock, perched right along the river banks. \n\t\t
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \u00a0 We are happy to find the dock empty when we arrive.\u00a0 Boaters must raft together when the dock is full.\u00a0 We enjoy a good catfish dinner tonight at the fish camp restaurant.\u00a0 \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Day two finds us up at 0 dark hundred hoping to get an early start.\u00a0 Our goal was to run the 138 miles all the way to Mobile today.<\/p>\n
So much for plans\u2026..just as we start to crank the engines, we see the tow Chris Pike rounding the bend headed our way.\u00a0 The Coffeyville lock is just two miles ahead and the tow will get priority.\u00a0 With the hour delay at the lock, we now have no chance of reaching Mobile before dark.\u00a0 We will anchor somewhere along the river banks tonight.<\/p>\n
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Coffeyville is our last lock of the trip.\u00a0 Yeah!!\u00a0 The waters below the dam are now tidal. The river twist and turns with one hair bend turn then another. \n\t\t
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n We see lots of evidence of the recent river flooding.\u00a0 The banks are littered with channel markers that have washed ashore.\u00a0 Many of the nuns and cans still in the water show signs of severe trauma from ugly encounters with the barges.\u00a0 \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \u00a0As we wind our way down river, the tows continue to appear on our AIS, one after the other. \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \u00a0 A few hours after locking thru Coffeyville, we catch up to the Chris Pike.\u00a0 He was the tow that held us up earlier at the lock.\u00a0 We are cruising at 10 MPH and the Chris Pike is doing about 8MPH.\u00a0 After communicating with him, we arrange a \u201cslow pass\u201d.\u00a0 He slows down for us so that we can get around him quickly. \u00a0At our speed, this is the only way we can get past him safely.\u00a0 For the most part, all the tow captains have been very courteous and are happy that we are communicating with them.\u00a0 We have even had several of the Captains asking about our Krogen.\u00a0 They all seem to like her looks. \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
This afternoon we pass our first pleasure boater headed up river.\u00a0 We have been surprised at the small number of other cruisers out on the water. After spotting their Gold Looper flag, we realize that it is Ornico.\u00a0 We last saw them two years ago in Alton,I Lat the junction of the Mississippi and Illinois River.\u00a0 They are heading up to Tennessee.\u00a0 \u00a0You never know who you will meet on the water.<\/p>\n
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We pull off the river for the evenings at mile 12.2 into a cut-off know as the Tensaw River.\u00a0 About a mile up this branch we anchor in Big Briar Creek.\u00a0 It is a very secluded anchorage with great wind protection.\u00a0 We keep our eyes peeled for alligators lurking in the swamp but none are to be found.<\/p>\n
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Leaving our anchorage on day three, we again find the river busy with tow boat activity.\u00a0 Mile 0, the official end of the Black Warrior River, brings us into downtown Mobile.\u00a0 Our AIS computer lights up with targets.\u00a0 At one point we have over 30 different targets to keep track of. \n\t\t
\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n \u00a0 Being one of the top 10 ports for US exports, the waterway is very busy.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Massive ocean freighters, tow boat operators, along with the Coast Guard boats are going every which way. \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n Once through the congested port, we follow the Mobile Ship Channel south for another 12 miles. \n\t\t\n \t<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n Mobile Bay is 35 miles long and 10 miles wide.\u00a0 Outside of the shipping channel the bay averages only 10 feet in depth.\u00a0 The ship channel is constantly being dredged to a depth of 45 feet for the big ocean freighters.\u00a0 The bay has the seventh largest river discharge in North America with 5 to 322 billion gallons per day.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
As we reach the Dog River Channel, a group of pelicans escort us into the Dog River Marina. \n\t\t