Closer to Civilization

Viridian shared the Alabama Cut-Off anchorage last night with four other boats: Moni-Jean, Bird, Satisfied Frog, and the dismasted Cat Sailboat rig carrying a family of four, Binary. The quietness of another foggy, wet morning on the Black Warrior River was pierced by the putt-putt sound of our generator running and spitting cooling water overboard to power the water heater and the megawatt hair dryer as the crew got ready to return to civilization today in Mobile, AL. Viridian will tie up in a slip for a couple of days and we will go into town for groceries, get an oil change and relax on the marina-house porch near the Dauphin Island Parkway Bridge at Dog River Marina. Gone are the floating docks we use above the tidal areas. Creosote pilings and backing into slips will be the new procedure for docking at most Gulf marinas. A different fender configuration is needed as well as the ability to lasso pilings with the bowline as we back past it entering our slip.

UPDATE: We are still sitting in dense fog here in the Alabama River Cut-Off and it is going on 10:00 (sunrise time.. forget daylight savings time). A bass fisherman came by and said nothing is moving on the river yet, so it’s time to go to plan B. Plan B will take us to the Tensaw River Cut-Off about 12 miles north of Mobile and 22 miles north of Dog River. There is a nice secluded creek about a mile up the Tensaw Cut-Off that is perfect for anchoring, so that will be our destination today.

The wind picked up late this morning and bright blue sky started showing through. The trusty bass fishermen confirmed that the fog was quickly melting away, and our AIS shows tug traffic moving again. We sucked in our anchor and started to drift towards the river but Moni-Jean was having trouble retrieving her anchor. It was stuck hard on a snag, but after some maneuvering and circling it finally broke free and Moni-Jean followed Viridian out to the wide Black Warrior and headed south for Tensaw River Cut-Off. At the mouth of the Bama Cut-Off two fishermen were anchored in the middle of the channel. I asked if we could slip past and they said to pass in front where the water is deepest. So we idled past, and they proudly displayed their catch by hauling up a huge blue cat.

That's  the news and here's the views:

We are here

Today's route from Alabama River Cutoff to Tensaw River Cutoff, AL

 Is that a beach?

 Alabama River Cut-Off Anchorage

Mont- Jean and Bird Anchored in Bama Cut-Off with Viridian

 Early morning fog prevented us from leaving in time to make it to Mobile, AL

 Just too thick to move