Alabama: Okatuppa Creek Anchorage to Tensas River Anchorage

Day 138

NM Today: 75

NM Total: 3005

Locks Today: 1

Locks Total: 102

Our anchorage worked out just fine with no unusual nocturnal animal or bird noises.  A fast-moving fishing boat zoomed by us in the anchorage shortly after 6:00 a.m.   We were already awake when they went by so we heard them coming.  To me they sounded like the sped up as they passed, and I imagined them laughing with one saying to the other, “Let’s wake up them thar Yankees!”  Later, another fishing boat went by but they politely slowed as they passed.

Before leaving the anchorage we checked the Army Corps of Engineers Lock Queue to see if the lock downstream from us was busy.  Unfortunately we saw a tow was in queue to be locked down, so we figured there was no need to rush out of the anchorage and took time to enjoy our breakfast. When ready, we pulled in both the stern and bow anchors and found no tree stumps attached.  I had to shake a few floating plants off the bow anchor rode but the mess was minimal and we were underway relatively quickly considering we had two anchors to pull in.

Our anchorage was just a few miles north of Bobby’s Fish Camp.

Bobby's Fish Camp

We arrived at the Coffeeville Lock & Dam at 7:50 an hour after leaving our anchorage.  We had radioed the lockmaster shortly before arriving, and shortly after we got to the lock, the doors started to open.  Since we were the only boat locking through, the doors started to close the moment we pulled into the lock.  As soon as we were secured to the bollard of our choice, the water started dropping.  We were out an on our way at 8:10.

Door opening on our last lock on the Tenn-Tom

Good-bye Locks!!

As we waved goodbye to the Coffeeville Lock, we waved goodbye to our last lock on the Tenn-Tom and our last lock on the rivers that form the western edge of the Great Loop.  From the beginning of the Tenn-Tom, we have traveled 450 miles and dropped 415 feet in elevation to arrive at sea level.

450 Miles / 415 feet drop

The river today, like yesterday, switched back on itself repeatedly.  The screen on the chart plotter showed the most amazing S curve where we actually went back north for a portion of the trip.

Serious Switchbacks On the Tenn-Tom Waterway
The Black Icon shows the position of our boat

 According to one of Clark's charts the point where the Alabama River comes into the Tenn-Tom at mile marker 45 is the beginning of the Mobile River and the beginning of the end of our trip on the river system.

Alabama River joins Tombigbee to form Mobile River

Looking back on the river system, the best parts of our river trip were the Chicago visit with family and the Tennessee River side trip with the stop at the Joe Wheeler for the AGLCA Rendezvous and our stop in Chattanooga.  We met a lot of great people on this phase of the trip and take a lot of memories with us as we exit this portion of the loop.

Now that we have passed through this last lock, we are back on tidal waters. The tide change in this area is only about one foot with one high and one low tide daily. I have to say I am excited to exit the rivers. We are now just 39 miles from the Gulf Coast and Mobile Bay and the beginning of the next phase of our Great Loop adventure.