Castawayll Great Loop

December 12, 2013 Thurs. Day 52 on the river, 70 miles today

Slept good last night, woke up at 6:30, starting to get light. Curt crawled out of our cocoon warm bed to start the generator which starts the heater and the coffee maker. Then crawled back into bed to warm up. To Curt's amazement we didn't float back in the river during the night. Coffee done, starting to get light and we need to make 70 miles to Demopolis today. Frost over everything, got the motor started after turning the generator off and heat off in the cabin. Curt pulled the anchor and turned to go out into the Tombigbee River at 6:50 am. I think this is the earliest we have left anywhere on this trip. A brisk(Darn Cold) morning. Frost still on the boat, dingy, gas tanks in the dingy. Curt and I on deck happy to go farther south, we haven't frozen yet, but close the last two nights.
9:00 am-1300 miles since we left Minneapolis at mile marker 268. Making good speed today 6.9 average speed, must have a good current. Went thru our next lock at 10:30, some hyacinth here also but definitely not as bad as the last lock at Columbus. Saw some beautiful white cliffs today and fan palms on the back with the pine trees and other unknown trees. Arrived at Demopolis at 4:10 pm, didn't get dark till a little after 5, hooked up to the fuel dock and watched our boat rock and roll from the dock office from a tow boat pulling up to the other side of the dock so decided to tie up to an end dock farther away. Still rocking when the tow goes by but out of the hyacinths and floating trees and branches. Drove around town, saw the Bluff Hall, an antebellum (built before the civil war) home a father built for his dau. and her husband. Also saw other antebellum homes and beautiful museum all lit up-Gainswood Antebellum House Museum, Jewish Temple built in 1800's by people who came hear from Europe. The Gainswood House was designed and built by Gen. Whitfield, it is a plantation house in Demopolis, completed after 20 years on the eve of the American Civil War. It is the grandest plantation house ever built in Marengo Co. (Look it up on Wikepedia) It is a huge white house, amazing to think they could build something so grand in the 1800's, very interesting story. The city center had all their trees lit up in white lights, beautiful to walk thru, we didn't because we were cold.
Had cheeseburgers on the grill on our boat with steamed broccoli and cauliflower, key lime and strawberry/banana yogurt with grapes for desert.
Will try to get to Bobbi's Fish Camp Sat. morning and gas up, them keep going, hope to get to Mobile by Sun or Mon. Will most likely anchor out next three nights, depends on the rains Fri. night and Sat.

6:51 am Morning sun