Demopolis, Alabama

We left our anchorage Saturday morning October 27th and continued down the Tenn-Tom Waterway toward Demopolis.   This section of the waterway has a natural chalk cliff formation that extends about a mile along the waterway.  It is called the White Bluffs of Epes.  The bluffs are located near the town of Epes, AL from which they take their name.  They were once called Ecor Blanc by 18th century French explorers and map makers that saw them along the river.  At the time the cliff was some 80 feet high.  After the building of the Tenn-Tom Waterway they were reduced to about 30-40 feet high.  This ancient chalk cliff formed around the same time as the famous White Cliffs of Dover in England which are also chalk cliffs.  The chalk is the skeletal remains of tiny algae that lived in the ancient ocean covering this area about 70 million years ago.   As the algae died they formed a muddy sediment on the ocean floor that was eventually compressed into the white chalk we can see today.

The Chalk Cliffs of Epes

Deer along the Waterway

We have been in Kingfisher Marina in Demopolis, AL since Saturday.

While in Demopolis, Captain Keith was checking things in the engine room and thought something looked odd in our Racors (fuel filters for those non-boaters following us).  There appeared to be sediment in them and so he took them off to get a look.  Sure enough, both had a large amount of black "gunk" (that is a technical term) material in the bottom.

Here is one of the Racors

Looking down into it

This is what came out of the Racors (the top pile from one and the bottom pile from the other)

The lesson boys and girls is be careful where you purchase fuel and always be vigilant about checking things in your engine room.

After cleaning out our Racors and some other chores we had a nice evening Tuesday with new friends Tom and Sue on "Bella".  We first met them at Midway Marina several days ago and hit it off.  They arrived Monday into Demopolis, so we got together Tuesday night for drinks.  They are from Minnesota and are just starting their "Loop".  Hopefully we will be able to connect with them throughout the winter as they are fun to be around.

The plan is to be moving south again on Wednesday, October 31st.  Hopefully we can reach Bobby's Fish Camp to overnight Wednesday and Thursday.