Great Loop Day 081 Nov 17, 2016, Three Rivers Lake Anchorage to Tensas Cut Off Big Briar Creek
Three Rivers Lake Anchorage to Tensas Cut Off Big Briar Creek
“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.” ― Albert Einstein, The World As I See It
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Day 81 Thursday, Nov 17, 2016. Three Rivers Lake anchorage to Tensas Cut Off Big Briar Creek. 53.9 miles. Finally a morning with little fog. Pulled up my stern anchor and went to get the bow anchor but I didn't see my lighted anchor trip line bottle. It was underwater. Thought it had a leak but was on a rising tide and I didn't have enough trip line out. Another lesson learned. Anchors held well. And didn't get caught. This past week the morning dew was heavy. I thought I heard raindrops but the stars were out. The heavy dewdrops were falling off the leaves into the river. Gearing down for another 50+ mile day on this winding river. Few homes and fewer industrial outcrops. The largest was the Scott Paper Mill. Unloading and loading barges. Lots of wilderness. No gators. Did see a hawk fly close to the boat and snag up a small fish about 20ft from me. Lots of kingfishers patrolling the river banks. More egrets, fewer herons. Clear skies, and lots of solar glare off the water. My face and eyes are going to be burning tonight. The bimini offers little protection from the sun's glare. The only consolation is knowing I'll be turning soon in another direction.
I had originally planned to anchor at Big Bayou Canot. Pogo Bob and his wife aboard their 23ft sailboat Pogopelli spent a night there on their 2007 loop. However, the tide was out and the opening was difficult to see. The trees and vegetation appeared to engulf the entrance. Didn't think my mast would go unscathed. Henry and Kim aboard Kakku were heading to another deeper anchorage in Tensas Cut Off a few miles down. I checked Skipper's Bob guidebook and decided that would work for me as well. We made good time as it was only 1:30 pm. And we get to go under the "14-mile bridge" a CSX railroad bridge with 5ft clearance when down. The guidebook referred to this bridge as a swing bridge, but now it's a lift bridge and wouldn't you know it I forgot to get photos of it. Darn. A call on channel 13 gets them to raise it but as luck would have it it was up already. The cut-off was easy to find, with a wide treeless bank on both sides and deep water. The Kakku lead the way and decided to anchor half a mile in while I took the guidebook suggestion to motor up a mile to Big Briar Creek to settle in. The creek was wide and offered plenty of depth. Mosied in about 1000 feet while checking the bottom for snags and anchored near the middle. No overhanging trees here. This time making sure my trip line had adequate length for the coming rising tide.
WHAT WAS THAT!!!... As I was writing this out in my cockpit in the dark (about 11:30 pm) now that the mosquitoes settled down, a clear well-defined voice of a middle-aged woman singing streamed from the wooded area off my port bow. AHHHH ahhhhh AHHHH ahhhhh in a sing-song pattern. Lasted about 6 seconds. Very distinct not too distant. Most unusual but pleasant. Not at all like a distress call.
It is pitch black all around my boat, no lights, and Moon is not out yet. Kakku is anchored more than a mile in the other direction. Gosh, I wanted to record that! Never heard anything like that in all my life. Could it have been an animal but what kind? No, it was more a human sound than any animal. I checked the charts and there is no human habitation noted around here. All quiet now just the occasional hum of a mosquito and the ever-present sound of fish jumping. Mullets I believe. No coyotes in these parts, saw raccoons on the bank a half mile back. Herons make a gawking sound, and owls hoot way back. Mickey didn't act unusual. Siren of the Bayou! Female Sasquatch? My ears are listening hoping it repeats the song.
Well, it's time to close up shop and get below. Checking my depth sounder, anchored in 8.5 ft of water at 230 pm now 830 pm its 10.1 ft. Wait… Now I hear scraping on the hull. I glanced below in the cabin with the flashlight. False alarm. That’s Mickey scratching down below.
“Mickey, that's not funny!”
The moon is rising, I see it gleaming thru the trees. All is quiet except for the distance songs of the crickets. Sleeping with one eye open tonight. Fair winds and gentle seas...
Morning light at the Three Rivers Lake anchorage.
Cruising through the fog was manageable this morning. Got a good start at 630am.
Burned off pretty quickly but for this patch.
Kingfishers are the most predominant birds in these parts.
Sentinals of civilization? Or something from H G Wells' War of the World?
Long and winding river.
Pogo Bob writes this bridge, General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge is known by the locals as the Dolly Parton Bridge. I’ll leave it to your imagination.
Last tow of the day with 2 barges.
Last meal on the river.
Watching cypress (I think) in Big Briar Creek as the tide comes in. I came in at low tide and will leave at high tide going out.
Mickey watching over the stern.
Just getting creative with the color saturation. The morning sun low in the sky can bring out some cool colors.
Just another day on the river getting another barge to move around.
The Kakku chasing seagulls across the waters. Haven’t seen seagulls since leaving Lake Michigan two months ago
Another paper mill tried to hide behind some trees but the smoking smoke stack gave its location away.
S/V Kakku working her way along the bank of the Mobile River.
Mr. Egret posing for my photo on the shore of the Mobile River.
Mr. Egret appears to enjoy the attention.
The tug Mr. David upbound following the other tugs.
Big Briar Creek at dusk.
Venus says goodnight as she slips below the horizon following the sunset.
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