August 6, 2007
Mobile, AL
Route to Dog River, Mobile, AL
Alabama that is, or “Bama” as the natives seem to call it.
Tired, beat, out of time, we’ve stopped.
Our adjusted plan was to run up the river to Demopolis non-stop, but we just don’t have it in us. Pat received a phone call and has to go back home. Vanessa seems to really miss me and wants me to come back. I could use a break. All signs point to stopping.
Pat at the helm – working hard
We had a very nice ICW crossing and good sail up mobile bay. The waterways in this area are interesting. Marine VHF traffic is interesting. I have determined the boaters in this area are all retired truck drivers by their radio etiquette. I am not real heavy on protocols, but I do recognize having standards make things work better. VHF radio use is pretty simple and straight forward. Pat and I had a big laugh when we heard the local boaters say things like “Break one-six” or “How ‘bout cha good buddy? You gotchor e-ors own?” or “Somebody know what the we-tha’s gonna be?” Never mind their radio has the little “WX” weather button on it that will give them the forecast. To them, their Marine radios where simply marinized versions of the CB radios in their pick up trucks and they treated them accordingly.
Freighter on Mobile Bay
Shipping traffic in port was busy today, with plenty of freighters, barge tows, and fishing boats. We didn’t care. We went right up the center of the channel – right in the middle of it all. “They’ll get out of our way,” Pat joked, as if we would really have any affect on inbound traffic.
We stopped in at Dog River Marina to take on fuel and water for the long river run. What we found was a big yard and marina. We asked if they could take us for a month or two and decided to stop. The river can wait.
– Steve