Day Eleven -  Thursday - Cochran Cutoff to Demopolis 

          Once upon a time, in a place far, far away, Kristine accused me of fraud.   I had convinced her to quit her job, (no small feat as she was president of a 500 person company) and come with me on AURORA to live in Mexico for 6 months.  Reminding her more than once that the pressure of running that company was making her old before her time, she finally relented when I told her we’d motor down the coast of Baja, around Cabo and slip up into the Sea of Cortez.  Once there, we’d catch fish, snorkel, eat clams and lobster everyday for six months and recharge our personal batteries.  The final selling point for her was the prospect of floating down the Pacific coast, binoculars in hand, window-peeping for hundreds upon hundreds of miles. I did NOT clarify that we would be anywhere from 20 to 50 miles off the coast all the way south.  Minimal window-peeping opportunities.  Kristine is not a boat person.  She does not like big waves and she does not feel safe if she cannot see land.  The first night out, we had huge 12 to 14 foot rollers lifting our stern and pushing us south making us an actual Jamaican “Hill and Gully Rider.”  Her real fright was only partially ameliorated by her subsequent week- long haranguing of me for fraud.  I admit to a sin of omission but that first night was the worst seas we encountered the entire six months.  (I had worse on the return trip but Kris had wisely flown back to the US while a friend and I brought AURORA slowly back to LA bucking the “uphill bash” all the way.) 

And now another accusation of “fraud.”  This time from several of you on my distribution list.  I inadvertently failed to mention I was filing my trip reports from my office in MKE, AFTER I returned from Mobile.  We had very spotty wi-fi and cell service while on the waterway and besides, I wished to re-live the experience by going over my log reports of each day’s events with a bit of reflection time.  If I have deceived you it was unintentional, so get over it Doug!  

Brett and I prepare ourselves for a long day expecting to travel a little over 70 miles to Demopolis.  Our weather window continues with blue skies, sunshine and warm temps but we are keeping an eye on Hurricane Patricia which is predicted to bring rain to the southwest and all the way to Texas.  That's a long way from where we are and where we are going.  Life is good.

We also have been told by Dennis to expect a dramatic scenery change.  The wooded river banks we've seen for the past few days are prime buffets for the herons and egrets but as we round a bend, the shore line does change character. 

Egret awaiting breakfast

  

White cliffs of Epes

         

         As we glide past the Epes cliffs, I am once again reminded of my good fortune and as happy as I am that Kris is back in MKE earning money, I cannot wait for her to retire and join me whenever and wherever we travel. The 70 miles go by quickly and we pull into Demopolis Yacht Basin behind VELA NARCOSIS.  In the slip next to them are boat neighbors from Green Turtle Bay,  Gerald and Phyllis Harrison on their catamaran, ALLY CAT.  Several other boats we have met along the way are also in the basin and it feels like old home week. Dennis and I both decide to fill up our jerry cans with fuel since there is only one more place between here and Mobile where fuel is available. The fuel dock is about a half mile distant around the basin and we need to use a golf cart to transport the weight. As we drive the path, Dennis asks me if AURORA is up to three more days of 70 mile runs.  Explaining that anchorages and fuel stops are few and far between from here on in, he is giving me a welcome heads up for planning the next few days.