RIVER SYSTEM: DAY 140-141: 188 Smith ‘Island’ Anchorage - 118 Bobby’s Fish Camp/ 116 Anchorage by the Coffeeville Lock and Dam - 39 Tensaw River

NOTE: There are two long days ahead of you. You need to leave at first light each day. 


November 6, 2021: 35 degrees - you have GOT to be kidding me. 


We need to be in St Petersburg, FL by November 20th to catch a flight to NOLA for Thanksgiving with Kabir, Kennan, and Paige. This is my first Thanksgiving without the kids. Yeah, I know they are older now; but, how lucky am I to have had them all to myself for all these years? The kids will holiday with family or friends - but it isn't the same. 


DAY 140

188 Anchorage to Drop Anchorage Again Because of FOG: 4.5 mph; 1.5 miles; 0:20 hours

189 Try Again to 116 Coffeeville Lock & Dam Anchorage: 8.9 mph; 68.4 miles; 7:41 hours


188 Anchorage to 116 Coffeeville Lock & Dam Anchorage:

  • Hello alligators! BIG ALLIGATORS in this part of Alabama - saw two and looked for more. These fellas were bigger than me!

  • You need to call Bobby’s Fish Camp ahead of time so they have a time frame of your arrival.

  • Bobby’s Fish Camp does not use computers or emails. When I called, I was told, “ Eh’ don’t trust ‘em.”

  • Bobby’s has a 150’ dock that includes the fuel dock; so, with 90’ taken by the big boats. Bobby’s has no problem rafting big boats and little boats together then charging everyone the same price. 

  • We decided to anchor downstream by the lock, 0.5 miles from the dam. There really isn’t a current, absolutely no rain in the forecast - anywhere - I checked three times.; we dropped a stern anchor and set two anchor alarms.

  • SISU anchored with us, behind us and closer to the ‘NO BOATS BEYOND THIS POINT’ signs. I will not lie, this setup makes me nervous; I still have remember a certain night on the Mississippi and this time there is a dam downstream.


DAY 141
Coffeeville Anchorage to Coffeeville Lock & Dam: 1.6 mph; 283 yds; 0:06 hours

Coffeeville Lock & Dam to Tensaw River Anchorage: 9.4 mph; 80.3 miles; 8:32 hours 

116 Coffeeville Lock & Dam 

  • Floating Bollards 

  • This is the last lock on the river. After this lock, we are back in tidal waters and well on our way to saltwater - I can’t wait! I really miss the ocean - and I will miss the river system.

116 Coffeeville Lock & Dam to 39 Tensaw River Anchorage: 

  • There is a LOW railroad bridge that is always UP and will announce when it is lowering for a train.

  • Not much to see along this route.

  • The Tensaw Anchorage is the BEST anchorage; there were five 38’+ boats with room for more.

While on the Tensaw River, it’s good idea to look at the route to Carabell and decide what weather apps you will need to comb through for a weather window to cross the Gulf. You want less that 15 mph winds and no more than 2 ft waves. Be sure to hook up with the hobby meteorologist from AGLCA. He does this because he loves it - and he is always right.




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