the epic journey of the great WOOLY BAH BAH

[JWalker]

catchy title huh?

i was going to start a thread when we had wifi...but who knows when that will be so im posting from my kindle. sorryfor misspellings lck of smileys and short posts.

so far we are in part one...the epic journey of the wooly bah bah and the rivers of peril.

our plan is to head south from watts bar lake in tennessee on the tennessee river...turn left on the tenn-tom another left in mobile...a hop skip and ajump across the gulf and to the keys

we have 6 months.....and this is sort of a "will we really like the cruisng life" discovery cruise.

currently we are anchored in foscue creek in demopolis alabama. we have 212 miles to mobile...we have gone 575 miles locked through at least 13 dams and run aground 8 times..

just a note to anyone planning a tenn-tom trip...the army corps of engeners does not mark their charts with depth only channels....and 4.5 is considered deep draft. we are in power boat country. anchorages have been tough because what most trawlers can get into we run aground. the navigation channels are fine and if we were going from marina to marina i dont think we wuld have any issuse...but thats not our style.

[okawbow]

I came down the TennTom this spring in a Cheoy Lee 31 ketch. My wife joined me at Mobile, and we sailed to Key West and then up the coast to Maine. It was a great trip!

I didn't run aground any, but I had a 4' draft and flood water. My biggest problem was logs and trash in the river.

Be sure and bring plenty of fuel for the lower part of the waterway. Not many places to fill up.

Good luck, and be sure and say hello at the Grand Mariner marina at Dog River, Al. Great place to stay for a while, just south of Mobile.

Chuck Jones

[JWalker]

Well we shouldnt be having any more problems with shallows....we are just past the confluence of black warrior and tenn-tom....and with all the rain that passed through and the two rivers joining we are 9 feet high now.

we watched the water raise last night....kinda like tide coming in.

interesting watching trees float down river 

We are planning to head out in the am, after a good re-provision today.

we have 150 mile range, which should get us to bobbys....and then out...hopefully not to much longer!

[okawbow]

Bobbies is only about 95 miles, and with the extra current, you should save fuel. You'll be pushing it a little from there, to get to Dog River for fuel, though. Watch out for the channels when you get close to Mobile. Can be a little confusing.
Good Luck

[JWalker]

we are anchored in big lizard creek...mile mrker 20

morgan and i talked about it and we are goin to move to the south side of 12 mile islnd tomorrow...mile 7...and rest before heading out into the bay.

we plan to go to fairhope on the eastern shore and reprovision...then onto pirates cove!


as soon as we cleared the last lock and got to sea level...there was an alligator.sunning itself on shore....ill try to post a pic wen we have wifi.

lower warrior was better for anchorages and we havent run aground again.
more later

[CharlieJ]

We just missed. I'm in Pascagoula. As at Pirates Cove on Friday. Buck a foot  on the slip. Great anchorage inside the bayou (Roberts)

Look up Rick Hall while there. Can't miss him- full white Santa beard. Has two boats there, both junk rigged. Tell him Charlie on Tehani said hello.

Weather permitting I'm leave here bound for Gulfport tomorrow.

Fair winds

Update-

Weather isn't permitting!! 20 NW, gusting 30. Chance of rain and it's durned chilly. Supposed to be much improved tomorrow.

[CharlieJ]

After Pirates Cove, plan to stop in Fort Walton Beach. Free dock, free pumpout. When you tie up just call the posted number and let them know you are there. The police patrol the area during the night.

Dock is between red 6 and 8 on the north shore, just before the bridge. There are two large white signs there too. You should carry around 10 feet of water going in and the first slip on the west side has 9 feet ( or did- the heavy north wind may reduce that)

A Publix and a liquor store three blocks away to the right. Lot's of good restaurants there.

[JWalker]

i kinda thought we would miss when i read that you werein pirates cove on the 2nd....maybe next time!

thanks for the fort walton heads up...

it is downright cold....but at least they revised the low tonight to 30 rather than high 20s.....may only be aa degree or two but that 3 doesnt make me feel as bad as that 2.

there is asmall craft advisory on mobil bay till 5.

anyone use active captian?

[CharlieJ]

anyone use active captian?

Occasionally.. Good site, but getting busy. Too busy to use much on the Iphone which is how I most frequently get online.

[Captain Smollett]

anyone use active captian?

I've looked into it a few times and, well, there's just "something" about it that does not suit me.  This is a personal thing, and I fully acknowledge it does not apply to everyone...or maybe anyone else.  But, but for my part, it SEEMS to me to seek putting the responsibility external - outside MY boat, on someone ELSE's shoulders.  It's a philosophical thing; I've been accused of being a purist.

Let's just say that I oppose, for me, 'computerized' navigation tools while underway.  I use them EXTENSIVELY for planning.  For whatever reason, though, AC is one I just don't seem to gravitate to using.  Underway, not really KISS.

That said, the product is much touted on various forums, and the founder is active on several as well.  You have to trust the data, as entered by 'cruisers' (quite a varied lot, ), and this is no different than using Salty Southeast, Local Notices to Mariners or any other 'guide.'

If you are an 'active' user or try it out, a good, well tested review from a vessel underway would be a good addition to sailfar.  IMO.

[JWalker]

most of the trawlers we encountered had a stack of cruising guides and constantly spoke of active captian.

in theory i like the idea....an interactive guide book where you can post and read and have opinions....

it also seems to be free for theonline version.....there is a 50 dollar chart plotting software called polar navy that inegrates the active captain into it and somehow saves it for offline use....that *seems* handy.

i cant access it from my kindle...heck i can barley read sailfar!

[Captain Smollett]

most of the trawlers we encountered had a stack of cruising guides and constantly spoke of active captian.

Consider the source.   

[Oldrig]

There's a lot to like about Active Captain, especially if you are addicted to mobile devices and always travel within wireless range.

I, for one, do not own a so-called smart phone (just a plain old mobile, or "cell" phone).

The owner of Active Captain is an active self-promoter, which is a good thing for an entrepreneur--and I wish him the best of luck in his endeavor. Having feedback from actual skippers makes his product really appealing and useful.

However, I would not stop stocking cruising guides* and keeping paper charts on board.

--Joe

*NOTE: Disclosure: I make much of my pittance of a living as a freelancer by editing and writing for cruising guides, so I'm not entirely unbiased. But I really am impressed with Active Captain, which I do sometimes look at on my old desk-bound computer.

[JWalker]

we are currently anchored in hogstown bayou...big thanks to bruce and nancy for hosting us for two days and drivng us around to reprovision and to west....and for some great food!

fort walton beach was great...we anchored just off the public docks and dingied in...publix and liquor store 2 blocks to starboard ....west mrine 1.2 miles away where we replaced our dingy painter...and chinese and thia resturaunts closeby. neat place.

weve hd good sailing since we left mobile bay...winds have been favorable....if not strong.

dolphins are everywhere which i pretty neat....morgan is especially enjoying that.

ill try to post som pics next time we have wifi....we got wifi in fortwalton but it was real spotty and i gve up trying to post.

otherwise having a fantastic time....more to come.

[JWalker]

we are now tied up to the public warf in apalachicola.

we pushed a bit to get here but we have been watchin this weather window open up and it look like we will cross the gulf starting thursday am.

forcast is calling for seas less than 1 foot...winds 5 to 10.

we are headin to crystal river to play with the mantees!

its 135 miles from the warf, out gubmint cut (government) and over to crystal river so we are going to head out early and should arive in daylight.

[Snapdragon]

Here's wishing you a safe and pleasant crossing, Jonnie, Morgan, & Max!  What a great way to put the old year behind you and start the New Year in the warm waters of south Florida.  Nancy and I are looking forward to reading about your Gulf Crossing experience as soon as you get wifi in Crystal River. Enjoy the ride!

[JWalker]

found a wifi signal at the warf

pics:

[JWalker]

another

[JWalker]

can you tell i like sunsets?

[JWalker]

I like beaches too....this is fort mcree