11/09/06 Mobile Bay

A true river rat boater at Dog River Marina. Sue and I should qualify as river rats seeing as we traversed seven rivers to get to Mobile Bay.





Here is a fishing boat about 100 feet from a marina. Can you guess the name of the hurricane that put it here? It starts with a "K".

On our last night in Mobile our Canadian friends, Roy, Bobbie, Tom and Phyllis made us dinner. The guys did most of the work and it was great. We traveled with them from Columbus Mississippi to Mobile Bay. We were always a day ahead of them since they were traveling in a trawler.











On the left is Tom a retired Supreme Court Judge in Canada. That's me in the middle and Roy is on the right. Roy is a retired inspector in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

They shipped Roy's 42 foot Grand Banks Trawler from the West coast of Canada to FLorida to start their great loop experience.

11/02/08 Bobby's to Mobile Bay

Here we are anchored out so that Lisa Maria can take a bio break.








Sue is pulling in the dingy as Lisa is ready to dash to shore. Or should I say mud.





The old question "does a dalmation pee in the woods" is now answered.


More of the "weird boats" one sees along the way. These guys were very happy we slowed down so our wake didn't upset the apple chart.
As we entered Mobile Bay we saw larger ships.








Dog Riveridge Marina is just past that bridge. It was dark by the time we followed all the bouys to the Dog River. This is a great marina with a lot of friendly people willing to help you.
This picture of Sue and a Banana tree was taken accross the bay in Fairhope, AL.

We've made it to the South.

11/01/06 On to Bobby's FIsh Camp

Anyone want to buy some Civil War shells or bombs. We saw these at a Pawn Shop in Demopolis, AL. I needed to hock my watch for fuel money. :-)






A side street in down town Demopolis.









The working girls in town are a little hard on the eyes. :-)









We see all kinds of boats on the waterway. This pontoon boat looks like a home built house boat.








We made it to the famous Bobby's Fish Camp. He has owned this camp since 1956. The charts still call it by the previous name. So much for updates.







The Susan Darlene safe at Bobby's

10/31/06 Marina Cove and Demopolis

We woke up to a ATV driving down the dock. There is what looks like a large family living on a house boat and they use the ATV to get back and forth on the dock. Again, we're in the South.











On the way to Demopolis it was cold.











We saw many beautiful sites along the way.









Here are some new friends. Bubba and his lovely wife Marica. They have a 43 foot DeFever Trawler that they live on. Bubba made some Jambalya for us that was the best I ever had. He will be the "King of a Krew at Mardi Gras.




More pictures of the water lily that just takes over.












Another live aboard boat that is a Tri-Hull home built boat. Very strange people lived on it.

10/30/06 Marina Cove

The Susan Darlene was docked in Marina Cove on 10/30/06. Check out the fuel dock and those wild flowers that double every 12 days.








We went shopping today and by the "Pigs Ears" and "tummies" you know we're in the South.













Here is the workout room at Marina Cove. Great equipment but hard to get to.













To prove we're in the South Sue is holding cotton from a field we found on the side of the road.

Blast from the past 10/29/06 Trash Can Cooking

Here are the trash cans where Turkeys and Pork were cooked. They were delicious.

Sue, Pirate John and Debbie at the Trash Can Cooking.

Debbie and her husband Jack were guests for a week on the "Candy Dish". They plan to buy a trawler next year and keep it on the East Coast some where.

You can always find a phone to make a call along the Tom-Bigbee RIver

Phase 1 complete: Mobile Bay AL

We did it. We made it to phase one of our trip. We arrived in Mobile bay around 5:00 PM on 11/2/06. By the time we went down the bay to Dog River it was dark and we went thru some 2 to 4 footers on the way.

So far we have sailed 1770 miles, went through 28 locks and had to have two bridges open to let us pass. In total we have spent 137 hours and 50 minutes underway. But then who's counting.

Today we rent a car and spend a few days cleaning up the M/V Susan Darlene and touring the area. We'll then travel home for the holidays.

Last nigt we had a fine meal at the Mobile Bay Yacht Club. A very nice club overlooking the bay.
We'll be back in January to complete the next phase of our trip winter in Florida.