Columbus Marina, Sumpter Recreation Anchorage, Bashi Creek, Demopolis Marina

The White Cliffs of Epes

We are working our way down the TennTom.  We are mostly anchoring, and take in a marina when appropriate.  

The stuff you see along the river…. Picture says it all.

Perfect Balance
leading the  way down the TennTom

Bashi Creek anchorage

Our anchorages have been most awesome. We were at Bashi Creek with Patroit, Tahoma, and Perfect Balance.  Simply put, it was a great night of cocktails on Perfect Balance then dinner, then a superb display of stars.
Bashi Creek did not get its name from the following event:  First, there are two entrances to the creek on the charts and chart plotters.  I was leading the group of boaters.  I decided to enter the upriver entrance.  The sun was in my eyes.  I slowed down and while watching my depth sounder proceeded to enter the creek, when -----Bam!  I grounded quickly.  (That entrance was silted in 100%, it was not like the charts at all!)  Damn.  I immediately radioed Perfect Balance to "Wake Me" , meaning,  give me a big wake to help lift me off bottom.  Jim did that while I was in reverse and I easily backed off the bottom.  Fellow Loopers now refer to Bashi Creek as 'Where Hill BASHED his boat at the entrance".

The anchorage in Sumpter was equally awesome.  We dropped the hook, and proceeded to take a walk in the area.  We then decided that we should make a fire and roast HotDogs.  It was fun rounding up the wood, daisy had a blast running around.  We then had a great time around the fire, and then the stars again were really exceptional, as we could see so clearly the milky way. 

View of Mansion from the yard.
The landscaping was in dire need attention.

250 + years old

Interior Pictures were not permitted
 (unless you sneak one)

Entrance to the Mansion

We stayed at Columbus Marina , and visited the Waverley Mansion, which was part of the Waverley Cotton Plantation.  This mansion was the owners home that surrounded the 2,000 + acres that were the cotton fields.  The current owner is an older man, who was an antique dealer, who is in the process of restoring the building, and allows guided tours.  The mansion contains many impressive antiques that are of French origin. The building, an atrium design is three stories, with a cupola rotunda, that contained fake doors from the interior.  The grand staircase was very nice.  The grounds contained an icehouse, coi pond, many gardens, and sitting areas.  A massive magnolia tree that exceeds 250 years old resides in the front yard.

We had dinner downtown at Hucks.  Awesome.  I had Crawfish Fettucini  with cheese tomato sauce…. Awesome.  Vicki had Red Fish topped with shrimp and hollandaise sauce…yummy.

We did a brief tour of the area and then went to Profitt’s Porch.  They are known locally for their Shrimp on french, and red beans on rice.  that is what we had, and it was delicious.

Fall Colors and the White Cliffs

Looking back at the
White Cliffs at Epes

We passed the White Cliffs of Epes.  These are chalk formations, created at the same time as the White Cliffs of Dover England. Pretty cool.

Sunrise at Bashi Creek

Anchorages continue to be fun and especially beautiful at times. 

More Salad

Salad

Locks.  We locked through several locks (tired of them and they will cease after tomorrow...for awhile!!!!).  But the crap in the locks still makes me uncomfortable.  Here, salad that may get into our intakes.  This stuff has roots about a foot deep.  This vegetation  floated into the lock as the doors closed behind us.   An old Captain told me once: "Keep your strainers Clean" .  Sure thing, but this sure makes it worrisome. 

Vicki on the VHF

Load of manufactured goods.

This guy came within 40 ft of us.

Daisy 

Spillway from Coffeeville lock  weir/dam

Thanks for Peeking in on us. 

If you want to email us rather than commenting, here is our email address:  amphihill@gmail.com