Day 54 - November 6, 2012: Demopolis and Anne's relatives

Today we were lucky to have Anne's cousins pick us up and take us on a tour of Demopolis, Livingston, and Emelle, AL. We enjoyed their generosity in taking us to lunch and to their homes. Southern hospitality is unrivaled in my opinion.

Sara, Bell and Anne

Day 53 - November 5, 2012: South past Epes, AL, to an anchorage at Rattlesnake Bend

About 11 miles downstream we passed the white cliffs near Epes, AL. These cliffs of pure white "Selma" chalk were laid down in the Cretaceous period (65.5 to 145.5 million years ago) by the warm ocean waters. The chalk is stuffed with fossils which makes it very resistant to the river's erosion. Trees and vegetation have grown in above the chalk and cascade down over the edge. Combined with the fall colors, this made for a spectacular sight.

The white cliffs are up to 50 feet above the river

Vegetation grows over the sides

A bit of moss adds texture

The symmetry of sky, land and water

We anchored in an oxbow near Demopolis, AL. The oxbow is an isolated piece of the river formed when a meander in a river is cut off by the main stream eroding through to make a shortcut. The result is a horseshoe-shaped lake which may or may not be accessible. This one is used as a staging point for barges, so we went in quite far before dropping the anchor in about 25 feet of water. Besides the anchor light, I turned on additional interior lighting for the night to be sure we were very visible to other boats and/or tows.

Day 52 - November 4, 2012: Anne's cousin comes on board and the Sumter Recreation Area anchorage

Today Anne's cousin, Sara, came on board to ride with us through the Tom Bevill Lock and down the river to the Sumter Recreation Area anchorage. Sara and her husband, Pat, live nearby, and while they have often boated on the river, Sara wanted to experience a lock and have an opportunity to join us on our boat. So Pat delivered her to us at the Tom Bevill Visitor Center, where we picked her up by dinghy, and off we went. Despite a prediction of rain, we had good weather and some sun for the trip, and Sara had a good time.

Anne, Sara, and Pat

Dinghy ride to the Sumter Recreation Area launch ramp

The Sumter Recreation Area is a very small cove with a launch ramp adjacent to a remote campground. It is 10 to 15 feet deep and wide enough for 4 to 6 boats. 

Day 51 - November 3, 2012: Visit to the U.S. Snagboat Montgomery

We arose this morning to greet one of the best weather days we have enjoyed on the Great Loop. It was 83 degrees, sunny and calm, and Great Laker was spotless from our thorough cleaning for guests yesterday.

Clean and ready to get underway

We passed through the Stennis Lock and motored down the Tenn-Tom to Pickensville, AL. Just above the Tom Bevill Lock is the Tom Bevill Visitor Center, and we stopped, anchored and took the dinghy in for a visit. The visitor center is an authentic reproduction of an 1830 - 1860 Greek revival home, and the Greek theme is also reflected in the interior and furnishings.

Tom Bevill Visitors Center

Of special interest to me was the U.S. Snagboat Montgomery, built around 1926 and retired from service in 1982. It is a 180-foot, steam-powered sternwheeler and was used to remove fallen trees and stumps on the waterways of the South. There are two large steam pistons driving the paddle wheel and two more powering the crane. The steam boiler was originally heated by coal, and later converted to oil. This snagboat has been carefully restored and is open to visitors.

U.S. Snagboat Montgomery

Giant paddle wheel with 3 rudders

Larry at the helm

Day 50 - November 2, 2012: A day with family

Today we spent the day with Anne's father and his wife touring Columbus and Columbus Air Force Base. We saw the home where Anne lived and the high school where she spent her freshman year before the family moved to South Mississippi. We also visited and toured the childhood home of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Tennessee Williams. It was a good, relaxing day, and we enjoyed catching up with Chuck and Eleanor before we head south on the river tomorrow.

Anne with her father, Chuck, and his wife Eleanor

Childhood home of Tennessee Williams

Day 49 - November 1, 2012: Columbus, MS

We spent the morning at anchor relaxing and then moved about three miles to the Columbus Marina in Columbus, MS, which is just before the Stennis Lock and Dam on the Tenn Tom.

In the marina, Anne ran into a couple of employees who were graduates of Lee High School which she attended as a high school freshman when her Dad was stationed at Columbus Air Force Base. They enthusiastically gave her some names of others she might have known, and surprisingly, some seemed familiar.

We took the marina's loaner car to the Café on Main for lunch. (We like to frequent local places, and the café was wonderful.) Then, it was on to Walmart for supplies. Since this was a day to prepare for Anne's father's visit tomorrow, we washed the boat, did some laundry, and got the dinghy carburetor float bowl unstuck. You see, not everything on a year-long boating adventure is glamorous!

Here is a looper's boat from Massachusetts that we have crossed paths with several times. The Betty L with her pirate flag has real character.

The Betty L from Massachusetts

Day 48 - October 31, 2012: Halloween and a visit to the Waverly Mansion

The Halloween Day passed without a single trick or treater. That was not surprising, since we were anchored out near West Point, MS. I did get some peanut butter M&M's from Anne after dinner, so no complaints!

The visit to the Waverly Mansion & Gardens was special for Anne since she had been there as a young girl when her father was stationed at Columbus Air Force Base.

The Waverly Mansion was built for Colonel George Hampton Young and completed in 1852. It is one of the many antebellum homes built by cotton barons in the South and was remarkable for its granite steps, massive cupola with an observation walkway, and a suspended circular three story staircase rising above the central entry. The gardens surrounding the home were substantial, and it took five full-time gardeners to maintain them.

The Waverly Mansion and Gardens

Robert and Donna Snow bought this home in 1962 after it had been neglected for over 50 years and began restoring it and filling it with period antiques. Anne was friends with their daughters and spent time at the mansion. The family still owns the home, and it is open for tours and special events.

To get there, we anchored behind an island near an old abandoned railway bridge, took the dinghy over to a public launch ramp, and walked 0.5 miles to the home. Our anchorage was a beautiful spot, so we chose to spend the night.

Anchorage near an abandoned railway bridge

Backlit clouds as the sun set