November 11 2012 Demopolis and the Black Warrior River

We slept pretty well and woke to a somewhat warmer morning. About 8:00am we left the marina and headed North on the Tenn-Tom, then turned to starboard and entered the Black Warrior river. It was a quiet and peaceful morning, and the 13 or so miles we traveled were mostly wooded, with low banks. There were, however several spots where the banks turned to high cliffs. The first of these cliffs we saw as we headed upstream was of the white, clay type substance we saw yesterday at Moscow Landing, with a layer of harder rock just above the waterline.

These bluffs looked to be made from the same clay type soil as we saw at Moscow Landing.

Several barges were tied up along the bank in a couple of places, but we didn't pass any moving tow boats. We went past the cement plant and then the Alabama Power steam plant at (I think) Forkland, AL.

Several barges were "parked" along the bank of the Black Warrior.

The cement plant with barges at the loading facility.

 

 

This is the Alabama Power "Barge and Wastewater Canal" with the steam plant in the background.

 

We would like to make the entire trip from the headwaters of the Black Warrior, through Tuscaloosa, and to Demopolis one day, but for now the steam plant marked the time to turn around and head back home. On the way back downstream, I pulled over to the right bank to get a better look at "Pearl", a small steel-hulled trawler we'd seen on the way upriver. As I snapped a few pictures, I heard a lady say "I like your boat", and I realized the owners were on deck on the bank just above us. We had to fight the wind, which had now picked up, to keep our boat in position close enough to for us and them to asks a few questions about the other's boat. We got back to the marina and gassed up the Knot-So-Fast with 7.1 gallons. Not bad for 3 days and 91 miles of fun! (That comes our to 12.8 mpg).

After tying up at the marina, we took time to tour Bluff Hall, which was built by Allen Glover in 1832. My great-great grandfather, Nathaniel Glover, was also in the Demopolis area at about the same time, and, like Allen Glover, he came there from South Carolina. So far, though, I can't make a definite family connection between them.


Back at the marina, I hooked up the trailer and Glenda took the truck and trailer around to the city boat ramp, while I took the boat from the marina. She did a good job of backing the trailer in, and after a little winching, we had her in place on her trailer. (Glenda hates backing the trailer in, but she's getting pretty good at it.)


Glenda Says:
I slept really well last night.  The temperature was just right.  We got up about daylight and shared some pleasantries with our boating neighbors.  Dan and Carla from Minnesota had rented a car and were headed back today.  Several other boats were headed south for their adventure.  Tom and I just decided to meander up the Black Warrior for a couple of hours.  The wind had increased and it was partly cloudy so there was a chill in the air.  I don't believe the leaves could be any prettier any where else.  We watched a hawk as he appeared to just hang in the air not moving.  We stopped to take a look at another "custom built" tug docked at a house.   The owners were in the yard and we got the chance to speak to them.  We were yelling from the boat into the wind but we were still able to pass compliments back and forth. 


"Pearl" was a unique, custom built steel-hull trawler, that is a star at the Christmas on the River boat parade in Demopolis.
 

We decided to come home early since some cold rain is forecast to come in during the night.  But we got the chance to visit Bluff Hall, an 1832 house that sits on the river.  Built by Allen Glover as a wedding gift for his daughter and her husband Frances Lyons.  It was beautiful.  I enjoyed Demopolis, there is a lot of history and yet a lot of convenience too.