We actually didn’t get to Mobile Bay until Tuesday, Nov 28th. We spent two nights in Briar Creek, about ten miles north of Mobile, because we still tested positive for COVID on Monday morning. We’d been hoping for a marina, but didn’t want to risk sharing our illness with anyone.
Tuesday morning we set out. Dan still tested positive, so the marina would have to wait, but we were itching to move on, and there was an anchorage south of Mobile, in the Dog River, near all the marinas. The industrial port of Mobile was soon in sights, crowded with tows and barges and large ships being unloaded of their cargo. Mobile Bay also houses a naval shipyard and berths for some of the Navy fleet, which were lined up along the east side of the bay, a smaller version of what we’d seen in Norfolk, Virginia. We turned into the Dog River mid-afternoon and found a nice anchorage up river and away from the recreational traffic.
Wednesday morning (Nov 29) I tested negative (yay!) and we decided to go to nearby Grand Mariner Marina to fuel up and see if they’d honor a free night with a
purchase of 100 gallons. The elderly man - Bill - admitted they hadn’t given away a free night in a long time, but said he’d see what he could do for us. We got more than a 100 gallons and ended up getting the free night. The marina wasn’t quite so grand as it was friendly - it was basically a very rickety set of wooden docks with an even more rickety wooden building half on the water. They offered two bathrooms and two showers and a laundry room with two washers and dryers, and the upstairs of the building housed a restaurant. On the face of the building were signs proudly declaring how high the water has come during different hurricanes (in Katrina, the water had flooded above the doorway) and the entire place looks like it’ll wash away in the next big storm. However, Bill was exceptionally friendly, and personally hauled away all our accumulated trash and used motor oil, and he delivered my mail. And the take-out meal we’d ordered from the restaurant that night was very good. I scurried around doing the laundry while Dan stayed aboard (still positive for COVID) and took care of other things.
Thursday morning (Nov 30) we untied and headed across the river to another marina for a brief visit with Gavin and Lica on Sol Marina whom we hadn’t seen since Kentucky. They are awaiting the stepping of their mast. It was good to catch up with them. We’re all hoping to rendezvous again in the future. Dan and I then set off across Mobile Bay for the GICW, heading toward Florida. It was a lumpy crossing, but a pod of dolphins came to lead the way and play in our wake. We found a really nice, quiet anchorage in Ingram Bayou for the night.
Today, mindful of the cell of thunderstorms heading our way, we picked our way along the GICW, crossing the border into Florida about 0930. More dolphins came to play with us, even as the rain began. We are definitely back in civilization now - there is much development and many military installations in the Panhandle. There are also lots of sandy beaches. In fair weather, I bet this area is pretty busy. We continued past Pensacola and Gulf Shores and found a nice anchorage off Spectre Island. Here we can ride out the thunderstorms predicted for later and we’ll be protected from the wind. It’s nice to be on the move again!
Tommie doesn’t care where we’re going, as long as she can sit in Dan’s lap.
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