Monday, September 25th, 2017. We make it back to Demopolis.

This morning we were awakened by the sound of a towboat, the "Terah Huckabee", passing downstream in front of our anchorage, and I realized that if she was going to lock through at Heflin lock, it would mean we'd have a wait at the lock. I radioed the Captain and he confirmed that he was locking down at Heflin, so we took our time getting ready and gave him about a 45 minute lead. It's much more enjoyable waiting while anchored in a quiet cove, rather than trying to keep the boat in one spot with the engine while in front of a lock.

Another sunrise shot by Glenda.

The vegitation was thick again today.

We pulled anchor about 7:10 and made our way toward the lock, while monitoring the towboat's position through his AIS signal. Our timing worked out great, and we arrived about 5 minutes before the chamber was finished re-filling from taking the Terah Huckabee down. This was our last lock of this trip, and I was happy to have it behind us. 

Seven miles downstream from the lock we caught up with the Terah Huckabee, which was pushing several barges loaded with coal. Another radio call to her Captain and we got the OK to pass her on the "one whistle" which means passing with the other vessel to my port side. The tow Captains deserve a lot of credit for safely maneuvering those huge vessels up and down the winding, sometimes narrow rivers, all the while being patient and helpful toward private boaters. 

The weather was fantastic today - just enough clouds and wind to keep us from getting too hot. The eagles also cooperated again today and we saw several juveniles as well as a couple of adults. Glenda also got a picture of a young wild hog, the first we've seen on this trip.  

A juvenile eagle. 

This young hog was limping and moving slow - maybe injured or sick.

Another juvenile eagle.

We arrived at Kingfishers Bay Marina in Demopolis at 3:31 PM - exactly on schedule! We radioed the marina and were answered on channel 9 by our friend Terry at the fuel dock, who welcomed us home and said that his wife, Anna Marie, was monitoring channel 11 and would meet us at our slip - the same slip we had before we left in May. It's good to be home 'where everybody knows your name'!

Glenda says:

Slept good again last night.  Even though we had a little trouble with mosquitoes.  After realizing we would be later leaving I decided to dinghy over to the construction site to let Daisy take care of her business.  I had worked on the outside of the boat yesterday as we were travling, so I was a little disheartened to find millions ( no exaggeration) of dead and dying williow flies all over the boat this morning.  I repeated the cleaning process again today. 

Willow flies (aka May flies) covered the boat this morning.

 I also continued my fight against all the spiders hiding in various places on the boat.  I promise I am not silly about spiders.  I have picked up dozens on this trip and tossed them overboard.  But today while cleaning I felt a movement on my arm and saw the uglist, fattest, most evil looking spider crawling up my arm, I started screaming.  Tom was actually concerned.  He thought it had bit me.  Once it was off me and on the floor it didn't look so intimidating.  I still thumped it into the water. 

 I managed to sweep my off the willow flies and enjoy the scenery of our last day.  I never get tired of seeing the beautiful bluffs along this section of the waterway.  

I don't know what kind they were, but these yellow flowers were beautiful!

We knew we were almost home when we rounded a bend and saw "the White Bluffs of Epes".

A closeup of the white chalk rock that runs through this area of Alabama.

I'm ready to be home but always a little melancholy because you never know what the future holds.  We hope to get south for the winter but we've got lots going on.  Oh well, Thy will be done! 🙏🏼