Exiting the Tom Bevill lock, and further south, Monarch passes the white chalk cliffs at Epes, Alabama, which purportedly rival the White Cliffs of Dover. Shortly after the cliffs, we revisited the good anchorage we found three years ago, as we took a left turn into Rattlesnake Bend. Actually this is the Tombigbee River’s giant oxbow; the Army Corps of Engineers made a bypass that shortened the kink. We anchored for the night next to new friends on Jackets II, Stephen and Charlotte. We plan to be at anchor or a dock by 4:30 p.m. nowadays, because we lose our daylight shortly after that. No sane mariner would be navigating the river after dark (except the tugs, who are fearless and indestructible!).
The morning fog was lifting as we pulled anchor the next morning, here go our 'new friends' Stephen and Charlotte on Jackets II. A short way down stream the waterway becomes the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway – and passes the town of Demopolis, Alabama.
Here we found a secure tie up at the new Kingfisher Bay Marina, next-door to Demopolis Yacht Basin where we docked in 2009. Located at the confluence of the Tombigbee and Black Warrior Rivers, this small town is committed to historic preservation.
A highlight is Bluff Hall, a beautifully preserved 1832 antebellum house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and now a museum with many of its original furnishings. Period clothing hangs in the Victorian armoires, portraits of the owners grace the walls and a local history display provides commentary. Now the museum gift shop, the original kitchen for Bluff Hall was a separate building, to keep fire danger away from the main house
Larger and even more impressive are the mansion and grounds of nearby Gaineswood National Historic Landmark, billed as the state’s most unique antebellum mansion, featuring domed ceilings, ornate plasterwork, columned and galleried rooms, original furnishings, and ghost stories. Considered one of America's finest examples of Greek Revival architecture, Gaineswood was built between 1843 and 1861 by Nathan Bryan Whitfield, who named the mansion Gaineswood in honor of city father George Strother Gaines. Visitors can tour the mansion which contains many original Whitfield family furnishings donated by descendants – but not today, as it was closed.
The Demopolis Yacht Basin, next door to Kingfisher Bay and part of the same marina, features a huge pecan tree, which we harvested three years ago. Here is this year’s harvest. The Yacht Basin’s on-premises dining establishment, the New Orleans Bar and Grill, features tasty fresh catfish and delicious jambalaya, which we enjoyed that evening.
We were up with the early crew, before 06:00 hours to transit the Demopolis lock, along with four other boats.
After a long run, the only option for the night is Bobby’s Fish Camp, famous because – it’s the only game in the area! The dock is small, and the boats raft off as needed. We had five boats tonight; the record is seventeen! (For the curious and map experts among you, Bobby's can be found at N 31 45.8617 - W 088 09.4756)
The fine dining establishment waits up the hill.
While short on atmosphere, the catfish and companionship of our friends was excellent. A quiet night at the dock topped it off.
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