When we decided to stay in Mobile for a few weeks, live on the boat, and work on our translation manuals, we knew that there was a certain risk involved. It was, after all, hurricane season and the experts were predicting a particularly active hurricane season. But we figured that if a hurricane did make its appearance in the Gulf we could just take our boat up river to safety and wait it out. What we did not figure on was being pinned down by a tropical storm while a hurricane took aim on Mobile. Tropical Storm Cindy brewed up in the Gulf and made landfall just west of Mobile on Wednesday. With winds of 70 mph it was just short of hurricane status but was not strong enough for us to head up river. We put extra lines and fenders on the boat and waited out the storm tied to the dock in Mobile. While Cindy was moving through Mobile, hurricane Dennis was moving north through the Caribbean towards Jamaica. Projections had it aiming towards the Mobile area and developing into a major hurricane. So on Wednesday we watched Cindy with one eye while tracking Dennis with the other. If we were to make a move it would have to be quickly. Thursday morning we woke early and turned on the TV to catch the latest weather report. The storm was taking aim on Cuba with 145 mph winds making it a strong category 4 hurricane. The projected track still showed it taking aim at Mobile. It was time to leave. We refueled the boat, drove to the grocery store for some last minute supplies, and stopped by West Marine for an extra anchor and line. By 10 AM we were ready to go. Our plans at that point were to try to reach Demopolis, Alabama about 200 miles up river. Demopolis had a nice marina and a travel lift that would enable us to haul Stap Isi out of the water if necessary. If we could average about 50 miles per day, we would make it to Demopolis on Sunday.
It soon became apparent that we would not be able to make Demopolis. Tropical Storm Cindy had dropped a lot of rain in the watershed to the north and all of that water was now making its way down river towards Mobile. As we proceeded north we watched our speed drop from 5.5 knots to 4.5 and finally to 3.7. It was time to consider other options. We anchored Thursday night in Briar Creek about 25 miles north of Mobile. This was a popular hurricane hole and many Mobile boaters took their boats there to wait out hurricanes. We wanted to check this out and see if we might just hang out there. Friday morning the hurricane was still pounding Cuba and aiming for Mobile. We called a friend back in Mobile who had used Briar Creek as shelter to see what he thought. He strongly urged us to continue north. During a hurricane, Briar Creek would fill up with boats, some well anchored and some not. Those that were not would drag down on other boats causing as much or more damage than the hurricane itself. So at 7 AM we started north again. It was a long day as we motored along at about 4 knots. The sun beat down on us and the temperature was in the 90s. After about 12 hours we reached a small inlet called Bates Lake. During our trip down river in January we had anchored one night in Bates Lake. It was a fairly sheltered inlet with good holding for anchors. In addition there was a small community located along the southern shore. So if things when seriously wrong, there would be people around. We pulled in and found a suitable place to anchor for the night. Tomorrow we would look around for a good place in the inlet to wait out the hurricane. That afternoon several other boats came in and anchored. It was nice to have company around.
It was a peaceful night. At first light on Saturday we heard the sound of motors as the other boats made their way out of the inlet. They were all power boats which were able to make much better headway up river than we could. Most of them would easily be able to make it to Demopolis. After they had all left, we moved further up the inlet and found a sheltered area along the north side of Bates Lake. If the hurricane took a course to the east of us, most of the winds would be from the north. So if we stayed close to the north side we would be in the lee of the trees. We put down two anchors and started getting things squared away. Everything that was loose was either taken below or tied down securely. Dennis was now in the Gulf and strengthening again towards a category four. By Saturday afternoon we were as ready as possible. By Saturday afternoon the first rain bands made their way ashore. A large squall line came across Bates Lake about 6 PM with high winds, rain, and lots of lightning. The winds came in from the south and blew Stap Isi up the inlet. We had set the anchors for a north wind and were a bit concerned that the south winds might pull the anchors out of the mud. But everything seemed to be holding well and we did not think much more about it. By Saturday evening things had calmed down again. The evening weather report showed the hurricane with 145 mph winds bearing down on Mobile. The projected course showed it coming directly over Bates Lake.
By Sunday morning it was raining lightly and the wind was starting to increase. The hurricane was wobbling a bit in the Gulf and taking a more northerly course. That was excellent news for us as it would take the storm east and then north of us. About 10 AM we heard someone call out on the marine VHF radio for any boats anchored in Bates Lake. We responded and had a nice chat with Ed, the owner of a trawler who had come in on Saturday afternoon. He had found a nice little hole on the far end of the inlet and had tied up between some trees. It was as "bulletproof" a setup as one could find in a hurricane. After talking a bit, Ed invited us to come down and tie up to his boat. Our first reaction was to tell him that we would just wait it out at anchor. But the more we thought about it the more we liked the idea of being tied to a boat that was tied to trees. It turned out to be a great decision.
When we tried to haul up our anchors we discovered that our main anchor had, in fact, tripped in the storm on Saturday and was just laying on the bottom tangled in its own chain. There is no way that it would have held us in any kind of serious winds. When the hurricane hit, we would have dragged into the trees or into one of the boats anchored behind us. In just a few minutes we had the anchors in and motored down to Ed and Lee's boat. We tied up and relaxed a bit for the first time in several days. By this time it was clear that the hurricanes path would take it to the east and north of us. It would come close enough that we would still catch some wind, but nothing like the 145 mph that we had feared. On Sunday afternoon Ed and Lee invited us over for dinner. As the hurricane moved closer, we ate spaghetti and watched their satellite TV. Around 6 PM the storm made its closest approach. The wind kicked up to around 50 mph and we stood at the back of Ed's boat and listened to the trees cracking and the branches falling in the woods around us. In about 30 minutes it was over. The storm was passed and the wind started to settle down. We went back to the TV and then called it a day.
Monday morning dawned with a bit of drizzle and a nice solid overcast. Ed and Lee had decided to continue north towards Demopolis. We figured that with all the additional rain that Dennis had dropped in the watershed there was no way we could continue north. So we cast off from Ed and Lee's boat and made our way back out into the Mobile River. With the current we were making about 7-8 knots and with the overcast it was a pleasant trip south. All day we were passed by power boats heading south. Everywhere there were barges and tugs tied up along the side of the river. The harbor at Mobile was closed so all the commercial boats were sitting tight. About 4 PM we arrived back at the Dog River Marina and tied up again to the dock. The power was still off and the water in the river was still quite high. But it was nice to be back again and off the river. We were so thankful for God's protection and for Ed and Lee's hospitality during the storm. Our plans at this point are to remain in Mobile until we have to drive north for our son's wedding. There may be a few more hurricanes come along this summer, but if there are we are going to head north and tie up in Ed and Lee's hurricane hole. |
