Bobby's Fish Camp

This blog will chronicle our (Pat and Patty Anderson's)

cruising adventures on the Great Loop!

DAY 193 - October 10m. 2017

We left our anchorage at Mile 168.5, Old Lock 2, a little later than planned because of the fog, but we were away by 7:30 a.m. Our destination was the famous Bobby's Fish Camp!

For Loopers, two marinas are kind of "must stop" places. The first of course is Hoppies, which is the beginning of the 250 mile run with no fuel (shorter now that the Paducah marina and fuel dock are open) to Green Turtle Bay, and the other is Bobby's Fish Camp. Bobby's is the only marina and fuel stop  on the 212 mile run from Demopolis to Mobile. In truth, neither is anything more than a place Loopers need to stop because of where they are!

Bobby's Fish Camp is a single tie along side, single dock right on the river, about 120 feet long (not sure of the length, maybe 150 feet). It is first come, first-served, and rafting is common, and you pay the per foot fee whether you are on the dock or rafted! The restaurant at Bobby's is famous for the fried catfish dinners, but it is only open from Thursday through Sunday, and we were there on a Tuesday, so no catfish for us!

We got to Bobby's earlier than we thought we would. Cecil and Danny on Desperado were already there tied up at the far end, as was Rico, whose 25 foot sailboat Osazze was tied up at the fuel dock. Rico told us he was not staying the night, and after he fueled up, he headed for the Coffeyville Lock. We tied up near the fuel dock, but Lora, Bobby's daughter who now runs the marina since Bobby died in 2011, told us two large yachts were coming, so we moved back just in front of Desperado.

The large yachts that soon arrived were Moon River, a 90 footer, complete with captain and crew, and Katybird IV, a mere 70 footer.  Katybird IV tied up to the dock and Moon River rafter to her. We said our hellos but otherwise did not have a lot of interaction with the crew or guests on the big boys!

Moon River and Katybird IV at Bobby's Fish Camp

We had a very pleasant evening sitting on the dock with Cecil and Danny from the trawler Depserado,  and this was the longest time we had to converse with them, even though we had rafted to them in several locks on the Trent-Severn.  Some adult beverages were enjoyed! They are from Cape Coral, Florida, and we may or may not have a chance to see them again there!

Cecil and Danny, Desperado in the background!

Once again, we were treated to a pretty spectacular afterglow up the Black Warrior - Tombigbee Waterway!

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Evening view up the Black Warrior - Tombigbee Waterway from Bobby's Fish Camp

We are now two days from Mobile. There is one more night we must anchor out, and this one really has me worried.  There is simply no anchorage that has any dry land to take Baxter to shore. Not  a boat ramp even. And there are alligators downstream from the Coffeyville Lock. This it seems will be a test!