Mobile Bay and Salt Water

Early Morning Fog
11-2       Monday morning we left our last anchorage on the river system and yesterday we finished our last lock. About 1/2 mile above the lock we spied (with the help of our Canadian friends) a Razorback swimming across the river, Karen was able to get a quick picture of it. It’s been cool down here. While anchored in the Tensaw River we actually awoke to ice on the boat. To me it’s hard to believe that the alligators can live in this weather, however the water is close to 70 degrees. Our trip from the Tensaw to Mobile was uneventful. After the past 2 months on the rivers I knew it was rural but I didn’t realize how rural. Approaching Mobile we noticed the distant rumble to jets. This sound seemed so foreign now. When back in Elgin low flying jets passed over our house constantly. After the rural rivers the Port of Mobile shipping area was incredible. It made the Cal-Sag look like childs play.
Cool Morning on the Tensaw River









Rafted Waiting for Train to Pass

Wild Pig Swimming Across the River




























When Last Mango reached the outskirts of Mobile Bay it opened up and reminded Karen and I of Lake Michigan. On this compass heading our next landfall would be the Yucatan Peninsula or Cancun. I think the idea hit both Karen and I at the same time. We’re really doing this. We’re finally in salt water and have no real home other than Last Mango. Very scary for some and I think a little scary for us also. A home is what you make of it and Karen’s done a great job of making our little boat feel like home. Although I do know that she wished she would’ve had more Halloween decorations.
Crowded Anchorage at Bashi Creek

Grant and Cindy Aboard Their Boat

Cindy the Good Witch of the North Locking Through

Navy Ships Waiting in Mobile Bay





































We followed our buddy boat As A Crow Flies, our chart and range markers closely to make the trip into Turner Marina. We made it into our slip without issue.  The slips here are a bit different then we’re used to, the dock area that’s next to the boat only extends about 4 feet along the boat making it interesting to dock and get on and off the boat.  Karen and I are practicing our yoga moves getting off and on.


Karen spotted the Gator Sunning Itself

Grant Can Really Roll Sushi

Jewelry From Nauti Girl Beads

Last Mango Lying in the Early Morning Fog

Last Mango Tequila, Need to Get Some

Some of Grant's Finished Product



















I need to tell everyone that this whole trip has been incredible. It hasn’t always been great but as I’ve said before the people we meet have helped make the trip. I was speaking to a friend from back home and said taking this trip is wonderful and will make you have faith in human nature. From people lending us their cars or offering to take us places, inviting us into their homes for dinner or drinks or to watch football. Everyone helps everyone without question or expectation. Is it that southern hospitality we’ve heard of, I don’t know.
Not Just Beer Tasting, Bloody Mary Contest












We rented a car and went to the 7th annual Oyster Cookoff and beer tasting in Gulf Shores with our Canadian friends on M/V “As The Crow Flies” and  S/V “Fracas”. Even Karen enjoyed oysters prepared by several famous chefs and local talent. Live music, great food and beer. Doesn’t get much better. I think everyone would have been just as happy walking barefoot on the white sandy beaches without the food and beer. Afterwards we stopped by Lulu’s. It’s Jimmy Buffets sisters restaurant filled with old family pictures and memorabilia. They have Last Mango tequila and I had their signature Loopty Lu.
Karen Happy to be Barefoot on the Beach

Do we look as though we've been on a
boat together for over 2 months ?

Oyster Shucking Contest























Calm Sunrise

Last Mango Loopty Lu
Tomorrow the 9th we go to New Orleans for a few days by car staying at the French Market Inn. The Inn was recommended by our friends on the M/V “Just Us” and we’re really looking forward to being on land as tourists for a few days.  We will be joined with our friends from M/V “As The Crow Flies”.  It should be a good time.

When we get back from New Orleans we will work on getting our mast back on. Can’t be soon enough for me. It appears that since our mast is not on the pelicans prefer to fly over us rather than gain altitude to fly over the other sailboats masts. This would not be a problem except the pelicans crap the size of a horse. Each morning I go out and rinse the crap off. I didn’t realize why until one of the locals thanked me for not having a mast. His boat now stays clean. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Out of contact for a while

Image
The trip down the river on the 14th and 15th has not been that pleasurable. Let me start by saying that when we are boating or sailing, weather is the number one thing to follow closely. The flooding on this part of the Illinois River is incredible. Water is well over the flood stage. That’s good because we’re less likely to run aground. Last Mango needs at least 4 1/2 feet to float without running aground. Also the high water makes the current run faster which helps lessen my fuel consumption (currently .46 gallons per hour @ 2400rpm). The downside of the high water is the amount of debris in the water makes it somewhat stressful to be motoring down the river. I told Karen it reminds me of the video game Frogger. Almost constantly having to dodge logs, tree branches and tires. Tree branches and more. More Debris. More Pictures of Flooding. Flooded dam. We get to pass right over it without locking. Hurray! Picture Maury and Sandy fro
Read more
Image
 4-10-21 Our last night in Florida has me thinking of this years cruising season and how different it was from previous years. Karen and I talked well before the normal winter cruising season about staying home quarantined in Iowa City for the winter. We debated the pro’s and con’s and quickly decided that we would enjoy quarantining aboard Last Mango much better. Being aboard Mango (even if we didn’t sail a lot) would allow us to enjoy the warm Florida weather rather than what turned out to be a much colder and snowier Iowa winter. Not to mention that the Florida summers are really hard on boats in storage. Boats like RV’s or just about anything else fare better when used regularly rather than sitting idle. We really feel for our Canadian friends who were stuck up in the Great White North, we missed them and look forward to seeing them next season. This year spending almost all of our time in and around the Fort Myers Beach area has me being thankful for several things. First I have t
Read more

Good Bye Key West, Hello Shut Down

Image
4-4-20     As of this writing Karen and I are residing at her parents house down here in Florida. The past several weeks has been a stressful adventure for us and I’m sure everyone else. Karen and I were not sure what shoe would drop next as Florida began to take the Coronavirus more seriously. We were very happy spending time at Stock Island Marina and Resort in Key West as we started to sense trouble was heading our way. Each day I would wake up reach over and turn NPR on the radio, each morning broadcast would reveal more spread of the virus around the world and across our country. Karen was very nervous as each day brought more bad news. In the whole scheme of things we’re very lucky, we were not concerned for our health (maybe living in a false reality) but we were concerned about Florida being shutdown and not being able to pull and store Mango. We had plenty of food, water, fuel and could sail anywhere we wanted (winds permitting). Sailing down Hawks Channel towards Key West
Read more