Ahoy from Muscle Shoals. Welcome back virtual crew members and fellow adventurers.
Summary of the Week
The crew remained at Florence Harbor Marina and conducted shore excursions to explore the surrounding area in northwest Alabama.
Voyage of Discovery
The voyage of discovery did answer the following questions this week:
How did Muscle Shoals get it’s name?
How did commercial traffic navigate around the Shoals?
What replaced the original canal?
Looking down River where the shoals used to be.
By the 1830’s, people began to explore ways to cut a canal around the shoals to make the Tennessee River navigable from north to south. The first Canal had 17 locks over a distance of 14.5 miles. However, Alabama did not have the financial resources to maintain the locks, so the Canal closed just two years after it opened.
This section of shoals dropped 137 feet over about a 37 mile distance. Following the Civil War, a second Canal project was completed and managed to operate until 1918. Today, the Tennessee River is controlled by a series of Locks and Dams managed by Tennessee Valley Authority.
Lieutenant George W. Goethals was assigned to the second Canal project to expedite the completion of the Canal. His work here earned him promotions and assignment to one of the most famous canals in the world down in Panama. Major General Goethal was the chief engineer over the Panama Canal starting in 1907.
Looking upstream towards the TVA Wilson Lock and Dam.
Five Years on the Boat
June 18, 2015 marks the day that the crew moved aboard Still Waters II to start this incredible adventure and boating lifestyle. To celebrate the anniversary of this date, the crew went out to a restaurant and reminisced about all the water that has flowed under their keel in the last five years. What a ride it has been.
The start of this adventure actually predates 2015 by several years though. In what the crew likes to call a pre-ordained God appointment. The skipper had taken a new assignment at work as the Emergency Preparedness Manager in 2008. As part of his on-boarding and training for this new role, the skipper’s boss (Danny Wilder – thank you Danny) signed the skipper up as a peer reviewer on an INPO Emergency Preparedness Review Visit. The skipper was assigned to a team, and the nuclear power plant the team would review was Clinton Power Station located in Clinton, Illinois.
Upon arrival at the Station in 2009, the skipper met the Clinton Emergency Preparedness Manager, Al Darelius. Al seemed rather distracted with some new purchase he had just made and was busy showing everybody he came in contact with a picture of his purchase. (Imagine a brand new grandmother showing pictures of her brand new grand baby.) You get the picture of the enthusiasm Al was displaying.
When the skipper inquired to take a peek at the photo, Al gladly handed the photo over. The photo was a picture of a rather large boat, Al called it a trawler. He claimed he bought it so once he retired, he could cruise America’s Great Loop. (What inspired over the next week was a canny game of cat and mouse as Al continued to distract the skipper with tales of America’s Great Loop, and how he and his wife would cruise this Loop once they retired.) The skipper immediately was intrigued and became a double agent. By day, the skipper was trying to complete the assigned task of reviewing the Clinton Power Station Emergency Program and making recommendations for improvements. At night, he was also sleuthing around the internet trying to learn all he could about ‘The Loop’ so he could ask his new found mentor questions. The skipper got very little sleep that week.
Al and Ruth At Mackinac Island, 2018
Upon arrival back home, the skipper began to share with the Admiral what he had learned at Clinton. ( The ‘Great Loop’, not the gifts of recommendations for improvements he had left Al at Clinton.) They decided it sounded like an interesting endeavor to pursue during retirement, and the idea of navigating America’s Great Loop was added to the Bucket List.
Fine dining at The Woods, Mackinac Island 2018
In an interesting twist, the skipper accepted a job offer to actually work at INPO in 2011, so the crew moved to Atlanta. In addition to the in-house employees (like the skipper) INPO also has a ‘loanee program’ where workers from the different utilities are temporarily assigned to INPO for 18-24 months. Soon after the skipper arrived in Atlanta, he learned that Al had been assigned as a ‘loanee’ to the Emergency Preparedness Division. So they got to work together for just under two years.
Ruth and Al on a rescue mission (provision run) while the crew was stuck in Marquette on the upper Mississippi River
In another interesting twist of fate, the skipper managed to retire before Al. This resulted in the mentee (skipper) earning the Gold Burgee before his mentor and teacher (Al Darelius). Al eventually retired and has since completed the Loop and earned the Gold Burgee.
Al & Ruth celebrating their Loop completion
And in our last interesting twist of fate, Al and Ruth now keep their boat berthed at the Florence Harbor Marina, where the crew just happens to be on this fifth anniversary. You just can’t make this stuff up!
Thanks Al for acting like a grandmother and showing off your ‘new to you’ boat and introducing us to America’s Great Loop. It has turned out to be a wonderful retirement plan.
Boat Name of the Week
Al and Ruth’s Boat
Next Week
The crew will continue to hang out in Florence. They do have a grandkid scheduled for arrival on Tuesday. That should make for a fun week.
Loop On
Where the road ends, The water begins.
The water goes on forever, and the adventure never ends.
Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventurers!
The skipper saw the picture of this big target when he first entered the Navy Aviation Museum. For those who know that the skipper served aboard a submarine, he would remind you that the Navy only has two kinds of ships, targets and submarines. That is one big target.
Summary of the Week:
This past week the crew started their eastward journey along the Gulf Coast. As often happens on The Loop, they were thwarted by the weather. They did manage three travel days and a 0.3 mile jump to find safe haven from the storm scheduled to arrive Saturday afternoon. The Crew Left Dog River (1) and arrived on the Gulf Coast to dock at The Wharf (2) Monday. Stopped at Pensacola (3) to visit the Navy Aviation Museum on Thursday. Ended up at Ft Walton Beach (4) on Friday.
The voyage of discovery did answer the following questions this week:
Who was the Navy’s first Ace?
What war did he achieve Ace status?
Who commissioned the Blue Angels?
At the Box Office
This week’s video shows Still Waters II as she visits the Navy Aviation Museum. Enjoy!
To see past videos, click on the link to the Still Waters II Vimeo site. The library contains videos of Still Waters II cruising America’s Great Loop.
Monday, December 3rd
The crew left with their flotila of Nordic Tugs and headed out into Mobile Bay. With the wind out of the north, it would be a rolly ride with beam seas as the crew traveled east on the Dog River Channel.
On the Dog River Channel headed to Mobile BayBald Eagle marking the entrance to Mobile Bay
After getting back to the Big Ship Channel, the crew made a left and headed toward the Gulf Coast Intracoastal Waterway (GC ICW) with following seas. A much more comfortable ride with those waves on the stern.
Pelicans in flight above Mobile Bay
When the crew left the Bay, they set their sites on LuLu’s Restaurant where they planned to Dock & Dine. However, upon arrival the skipper noticed that there were no lights on. The Admiral noticed a guy on the fuel dock so she yelled across the water to inquire if LuLu’s was open. He responded, “No they are closed on Monday’s.” Now that was disappointing.
Not eating here this year
With that sad news, it was a short two miles down the ICW to The Wharf Marina where the crew would spend the next few days.
Tuesday and Wednesday
The Wharf is a shoppers haven. With so many stores to shop the Admiral had her work cut out. She rose to the challenge and shopped till she dropped. Unfortunately, she dropped a few George Washington’s along the way. After three years of searching, she finally found her perfect recliner that can fit thru the 23 inch door and is the right color.
After an exhausting day of shopping it was nice that KC and Scott set up a dinner for the Loopers at the Wharf.
The Wharf decorated for Christmas:
Thursday, December 6th
The crew made an early departure so that they could arrive in time at Pensacola to go visit the Navy Aviation Museum. The first interesting development in the morning though was watching an Osprey swoop down and catch a fish for morning breakfast just off the bow of the boat.
Fish Breakfast
The crew then entered Florida waters, so they know the quest for the Platinmum Flag is drawing near. A quick rough calc and it appears the crew has around 450 miles to go to complete their second Loop.
When the crew spotted the Pensacola Lighthouse they knew the day’s run was about over. They got docked, and then Bill arranged for an Uber ride to the Museum. Strangely enough, taxi’s are allowed on the Naval Base but Uber and Lyft are not. The Uber driver performed a bit of slight of hand and managed to deliver the group to the front door of the museum. The skipper does not think the driver fooled the gate guard at all, but what the heck, mission accomplished.
Pensacola Lighthouse
The museum was extremely interesting. The group arrived just in time to catch the 45 minute, 1300 tour. At 1530, the tour guide wrapped up his presentation. The tour guide did an excellent job of show and tell, and explaining the evolution of Naval Aircraft from the Navy’s first plane to the planes of WWII.
The Navy’s first ever airplane
The group only spent the afternoon at the museum, and the skipper could easily have spent two days taking in all the exhibits. He diffentily has this place on his ‘return and visit some more’ list.
With a 2.5 hour tour, the skipper has many interesting stories to share but will only share a few here.
For starters, the skipper is always looking for connections to home and family when he visits museums. He found both at the Aviation Museum.
The Texas connection
The tour took them to an interesting little plane named USS Texas. The plane was a Sopwith Camel and was used in WWI. In fact, a Lieutenant (junior grade) flew one of these planes to become the Navy’s first ever Ace. You may recognize that this is also the plane that Snoopy flies in the Peanuts cartoons.
The family connection was discovered by Mary. It was tucked a way in a corner of the museum where the curator had built a Hinoi Hilton display comemorating all the naval pilots shot down in Vietnam. One of these pilots was Captain Robert B. Fuller who was shot down July 14, 1967.
Clothing of the Hanoi Hilton
The last story to share was about a display of the Blue Angels flying in formation. The guide told a story about when the display was first finished, the curator brought in some past Blue Angel pilots to get their feedback. When they unveiled the display, it was obvious by the looks on the pilot’s faces that something was wrong. When questioned, the pilots asked why the planes were so far apart. They commented that while flying in formation the planes are never more than 18 inches apart.
The guide also pointed out another interesting little plane that was used by the Navy between the World Wars. This plane was used to do flight demonstrations while tied together with two other planes. After WWII, Admiral Nimitz commissioned the now famous Blue Angels to carry on the mission and keep the general public interested in Naval Aviation. The Blue Angels formed in 1946 and are the secondest oldest aviation aerobatic team.
Predecessor of the Blue Angels
Ok, you probably guessed there would be one more last story. In honor of Presiden Bush who passed away this past week, here is a picture of the plane he used to log 30 flight training hours in before earning his wings.
The group returned to the marina just in time to witness the sunset.
Friday, December 7th
The run to Ft Walton Beach was anti-climatic for the crew. However, they did begin to see the first signs of Hurricane Michael which tore thru the area earlier in the year. The first signs of damage were the number of new docks that had already been rebuilt along the waterway. The second sign was an abandoned sailboat still lying on the shore waiting for disposal.
The worst of the damage is still east of the crew. As they pass by Destin, reports are pretty bleak. The two marinas in Panama City have still not re-opened. The marina at Port St Joe was completly destroyed.
But those are challenges to deal with next week. Today, the Admiral spotted a Whataburger that was only a mile from the Ft Walton Beach free dock and she mentioned she wanted to partake of a Whataburger for the evening meal. After all the boats were safely docked, several of the group headed to the local supermarket on foot to reprovision.
View from the Ft Walton Beach free dock
Later, after returning to the boat and stowing the groceries, the group set off for the Whataburger. While crossing the streets with Dan and Tori, the skipper learned the finer points of those bumpy mats found at the end of a sidewalk near the road.
When Tori approaches a corner, she pulls Dan over to those bumps and positions Dan on the mat. He can feel the bumps thru his shoes and knows he is ready to cross when the traffic stops. But if a sighted person is standing on the bumpy mat, the seeing eye dog and blind person, who the bumpy mat was designed for, cannot get properly positioned to cross the road.
If you are like the skipper, yes you have stood on the bumpy mat waiting to cross the road. The skipper prides himself on trying to learn something new every day. Today he learned to stay off the bumpy mat. Maybe you learned something new today also.
And yes the Whataburger was most excellent!
Saturday, December 8th
The weather dictated that the flotilla stay put today. The winds were already blowing about about 10 miles per hour at 0700, and are predicted to climb to 20 by late afternoon. The gusts are forecast for the 30’s. With no good options for a marina in the next 150 miles due to the hurricane damage, the flotilla moved across the waterway to get in a small cove that is better protected from the wind and wave action to ride out the blow.
Moved along red line to protected coveIn a protective coveRiding out the blow
Boat Name of the Week
Notice the back of their boat has the following scripture reference: I Peter 5:7 (ESV)
……casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
The crew of No Worries. Had a wonderful evening with ya’ll.
Next Week
The crew will continue their east bound journey along the Gulf Coast and stage in Carrabelle for the Gulf Crossing to Tarpon Springs. At this point, the forecast shows a poential crossing for Wednesday/Thursday night. If that window does not materialize, the next opportunity to get across the Gulf and to the west coast of Florida may not appear until December 18th. The crew will watch and wait to see what happens.
Loop On – Where the road ends, the water begins. The water goes on forever, and the adventure never ends.
Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventurers!
US snag boat the Montgomery
She was the last steam powered sternwheeler to ply the inland waterways of the south. She was built in 1926. As a snag boat, she removed trees, sunken logs, and other debris that obstructed river traffic. Based on what the crew has seen this time down the Tenn-Tom Waterway, maybe they should bring her out of retirement and clear the waterway again. It sure could use the help. She was retired in 1982, and now resides at the Bevill Lock Visitor Center.
Summary of week:
The area that the crew is currently cruising is very remote without many facilities. In fact, the 335 miles from Columbus to Mobile only has one marina, which is located in Demopolis at mile 216.
Because of the remoteness of the area and Thanksgiving on the horizon, the boaters at Demopolis have stayed put and the marina is now full. Based on that, the crew stayed at Columbus for Thanksgiving and only moved two days this week. They also cruised on Sunday to make way to Demopolis.
Click here to read the day-to-day travel log. This includes weather report, sea conditions, captain’s log, a summary of the day’s experience, and a few pics of the route.
The voyage of discovery did answer the following questions this week:
When was the Montgomery put in commission?
What was her mission?
What is the architectural style of the Visitor Center?
What was the first project to be built under the new 1970 EPA regulations?
To see past videos, click on the link to the Still Waters II Vimeo site. The library contains videos of Still Waters II cruising America’s Great Loop.
Thursday, November 22nd
Happy Thanksgiving to all the virtual crew members and fellow adventurers!
The Admiral spent Wednesday prepping food for the big meal. Thursday morning she was busy getting everything cooked and finished at just the right time. Harder than it should be when all you have is a small one rack oven and two burner cook top available. But she managed to serve up a great meal for the crew, Mary and Dan of Gammel Dansk, and Bill of Chip Ahoy.
Pre lunch gathering in Salon
Bring on the desserts
Friday, November 23rd
The crew left the dock and went the short distance over to the Stennis Lock at 0830. Four other boats joined Still Waters II in the lock. When they exited the lock, two of the boats were travelling at 9 mph and left the two Nordic Tugs and Still Waters II in their wake.
Later in the day, twenty-five miles later to be exact, the three boats arrived at the Bevill Lock to find the two boats waiting at the lock for a tow to exit. They had been waiting for over an hour.
The three boat flotilla did not plan to lock thru with the other boats, but made way over to the dock located at the Visitor Center for the Bevill Lock. The skipper landed first and then caught the lines of Chip Ahoy and Gammel Dansk.
Docked at the Visitor Center
The group then headed to shore to go check out the Visitor Center. They entered stealthily, not on purpose but stealthily non the less, thru the back door.
The young man assigned to work the Visitor Center had strategically kept all the lights off in the Visitor Center and probably was hoping that no visitors would drop in during the day. He also was keeping a watch out the front window for any cars that might drive up while he played his war video game with headsets on covering his ears. To say that he did not see or hear the group come in the back door would be an understatement.
Entry via the back of Visitor Center from the dock
Luckily, most of the group stopped near the back door to look at three pictures hanging on the wall. Bill had gone on in to the office area where the young man was totally engaged in his video game. He was loudly verbalizing his actions when he gave out an even louder explicative that would make a sailor blush when his aviator was killed in the game.
Hanging back at rear entrance
It was about this time that he felt someone might be in the room with him while Bill was knocking and saying: “excuse me, excuse me.” The young man wheeled around and immediately began apologizing. He also went around and started turning on all the lights in the Visitor Center. None of the displays were on and working either, but with a little persistence the group got most things up and running.
The young man kept looking out the front window and over at the parking lot, it was obvious he was trying to figure out how the group had snuck up on him. Mary approached the young man and explained that we had arrived via boat, and he said: “Oh, that is why there is no vehicle in the parking lot.”
A look at the front of the ‘well guarded’ front entrance
The Visitor Center portrays an 1830-1860 Greek revival home.
Mary then went on to ask if the group of three boats could stay overnight on the dock, even though the dock is posted ‘No Overnight Docking.’ The young man agreed to let the three boats stay if they left first thing in the morning. That was easy, because they planned to leave early anyway.
One interesting discovery at the Visitor Center was learning that the Tenn-Tom Waterway was the first construction project built under the 1970 EPA Regulations. Maybe that is one of the reasons for the 2 Billion dollar price tag.
After touring the Visitor Center, the group walked a mile to the old Pirate Cove Marina. The Corps of Engineers have closed the marina due to safety violations. The skipper had heard various reports about the shut down marina, but wanted to go check out the actual status with his own eyes.
Old docks at the closed Pirate Cove Marina
As expected, the rumors that the docks had all been removed turned out to be false. The docks were still there and some were still sinking. Looked the same as when the crew was here in 2016, except all but two of the derelict boats were gone. The Corps had also bull dozed the office and restroom facilities.
A few derelict boats left behind
Well, time to walk back to the boats and get ready for an early departure in the morning.
Saturday, 24th
The crew woke up to a light fog on the water and a bunch of White Pelicans swimming around the lock gate. Mary said she counted 60 Pelicans all waiting to lock down. About 0715, a tow pushed out of the lock and by 0800 all three boats were secured in the Bevill Lock.
Foggy Morning
After pushing out of the lock, the crew had to maneuver thru the light fog for about an hour. Then it took the sun another hour and a half to finally break thru the clouds and warm things up. Turned out to be a beautiful day for a boat ride.
Fog lifting
There was more than a fair share of float sum and debris in the water though, which kept everybody on their toes playing dodge-a-log. The flotilla arrived at the Sumter Landing anchorage before 1300, so they decided to go the extra four miles, go thru the Heflin Lock, and anchor in the Ox Bow below the lock.
There was some interesting sites along the shore while they made way to the lock.
Cell service is so bad at this remote area, someone installed an old fashion telephone booth in their yard.
A totem pole was an unexpected surprise.
Then someone used their artistic talents to spruce up this building
After dropping the hook, Gammel Dansk rafted to Still Waters II. This made it easier for the skipper to get Tori, the seeing eye dog, ashore so she could do her business. To see how this transport transpired, watch this week’s video.
Rafted in the Ox Bow
With Tori taken care off, it was time to kick back and relax in the peaceful anchorage.
Tori on the return voyage
Sunday, November 25th
The crew woke to light fog again but the flotilla still managed to leave the anchorage by 0800.
Chip Ahoy leaving the anchor spot
After un-rafting Gammel Dansk, the crew weighed anchor and headed back towards the Tenn-Tom where they then overtook the two Nordic Tugs.
Passing Gammel Dansk on the blind side
After the fog lifted it was an enjoyable cruise down the waterway taking in the interesting bluffs that adorned the shores.
After a 50 mile cruise with no locks, the crew approached the Demopolis Yacht Basin just in time for the storm clouds to start to sprinkle. Lucky for the crew, they managed to get secured to the dock before the deluge started.
During the day, the skipper learned that Bill was celebrating his birthday, so the three crews managed to get the courtesy car from the marina and have a celebration dinner.
Boat Name of the Week
Jim N I 2
Next Week –
If you watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, you know that it was the coldest event in the history of the parade. That artic air that caused the cold is due to arrive in Demopolis Sunday night dropping temps to below freezing. These conditions are to remain until Thursday. Based on that, the crew will remain in Demopolis connected to power heating the boat and shove off Thursday with the warming trend.
It will be four travel days down to Mobile in some very remote areas, similar to this past week. The crew will try to keep the Travel Map updated as cell service is available, but not much expectation on any reliable service until Mobile. The crew will update the blog as soon as they arrive in Mobile on Sunday, but it may be Monday before the post goes live.
Loop On – Where the road ends, the water begins. The water goes on forever, and the adventure never ends.
Welcome back onboard as we begin to cruise in 2017
Eric here catching you up to date on the latest travels of Still Waters II. Click on this link to see the day- to-day travel log.
Summary of week:
After spending a month at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama the crew finally cruised a whole day last week. They left The Wharf on Friday the 13th and made their way to Palafox Pier in Pensacola, Florida.
But before we get started cruising, the crew would like to give a shout out and congratulations to LeryLynn for crossing their wake as they made the run to The Wharf.
Wayne and Lynn with their Gold Burgee
Celebrating new Gold Loopers Lynn and Wayne. Brenda and Scott also at the party.
Friday, January 13, 2017
The crew had planned to cruise along the panhandle of Florida with The Lord’s Provision. However, Roger came over in the morning and informed our crew that Grace was ill and was headed to the hospital. The skipper helped Roger move The Lord’s Provision over for a pump out and get resettled in her slip before setting out for Pensacola.
Still Waters II at rest at The Wharf
Leaving The Wharf
The cruise was exceptional for dolphin watching. The crew counted about 35 dolphins swimming and playing in the water today.
Just before noon, the crew re-entered Florida waters after leaving them in April 2016. Little-by-little, the crew is sneaking up on their goal of crossing their wake in Ft Myers. Today was a major milestone in this quest.
Cruising along the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Entering Pensacola Bay.
After crossing Pensacola Bay, the crew landed at Palafox Pier. After securing the boat, the crew headed out to learn about the history of Pensacola.
Luna who landed in Pensacola in 1559
The Pensacola colony got off to a rocky start. In September 1559, they were wiped out by a hurricane. The survivors continued to try to make a go of it for two more years but finally abandoned the colony in 1561 and returned to Veracruz.
The Spanish settled the area again in 1698 to guard Florida from the French who were expanding eastward from New Orleans. This Spanish period lasted till 1719.
The French then controlled the area 1719-1722. As with the first colony, a hurricane destroyed Pensacola and the French burned what survived. The French then moved back west to New Orleans.
The Second Spanish period was 1722-1763. The Spanish reclaimed the area and moved Pensacola from the barrier islands to its present location.
The Treaty of Paris-1763, transferred Florida to the British following the French and Indian War because the Spanish had sided with France.
The Third Spanish period was 1781-1819. Following the Revolutionary War the British gave the land along the coast all the way to the Mississippi River back to the Spanish.
Spain sold the Louisiana territory to France. The French then sold the land to the United States in 1803. This basically surrounded the Spanish area known as East and West Florida by the growing United States.
Andrew Jackson led the US invasion to Spanish West Florida
In 1819 the United States invaded Pensacola and took control of the area. In 1821, Spain sold Florida to the United States.
On January 10, 1861, Florida became the third state to leave the United States and join the Confederate States of America.
Following the Civil War, Florida was readmitted to the Union on June 25, 1868.
While walking around historic Pensacola the crew began sighting Pelicans in Paradise, a public art display scattered around Pensacola. The crew found 14 of the Pelicans that were within walking distance of the marina.
Some of the crew’s favorite pelicans:
A few feathered friends that were too far away to go find on foot.
Pelvis
Buck
Peg Leg Pete
While walking around historic Pensacola looking for Pelicans, the crew stumbled upon this modern piece of history, The Morrison Family Homestead. The home was built in 1906. The Morrison family bought the home in 1932. The lead singer of the Doors, Jim Morrison, was born and raised in this home. Who would of known?
Next Week – The crew plans to continue along the panhandle of Florida and visit Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, and Port St. Joe. The crew will stage in Port St. Joe and wait for a weather window which will allow them to cross the Gulf over to the west coast of Florida.
Loop On – The water goes on forever and the adventure never ends.
The sun is setting over Mobile Bay and the 2016 cruising season.
Fairhope Municipal Pier and Marina
Eric here catching you up to date on the latest travels of Still Waters II. Click on this link to see the day- to-day travel log.
Summary of week: There is a small community on the east side of Mobile Bay that the crew wanted to visit so they left Dog River on a rising tide to make their way to Fairhope, Alabama. After visiting a few days, they shoved off for the ultimate destination this week, The Wharf in Orange Beach. They made one stop along the way to enjoy a late lunch at LuLu’s.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Mobile Bay is known for shallow water so the crew took it slow and easy as they travelled the 10 miles across the Bay. The channel leading out into the Bay seemed much larger since the crew was not fighting the howling winds and waves. They crossed the Big Ship Channel with no vessels in sight and then steered towards the Municipal Pier in Fairhope.
Following two sailboats out of the Dog River channel and into the Bay
Active Captain navigation alerts warned to stay on the south side of the entrance channel to the Municipal Marina to find the deepest water. As the crew entered the channel the water depth dropped to five feet. The depth stayed five feet all the way to the dock. As the crew was docking, the Admiral noticed the crews of Arora B and Bright Angel standing on the pier.
After the boat was landed safely, the crew enjoyed lunch at Shucks, a restaurant right on the pier known for its oysters. After lunch, it was time to go explore the town.
Fairhope has ranked high on many lists as a best place to retire. After visiting the crew can see why.
One of many public art fixtures along the shore
The town was started as an experiment by 28 followers of economist Henry George back in November 1894. They formed an Association with a vision to “establish and conduct a model community, free from all forms of private monopoly, and to secure to its members therein equality of opportunity, the full reward of individual efforts, and the benefits of co-operation in matters of general concern.”
The corporation initially bought 4,000 acres along the east shore of Mobile Bay. Then the corporation leased the land back to the people. The corporation kept the land along the Bay for the general good of the community. Many of the town folks gather along the shore each night to watch the sunsets over the western shore. The Bay front property is now all parks, walking and biking trails.
A few locals out enjoying the bike trail along the shore.
Today, there all still 1800 lease holders of the original 4,00 acres.
The 4×4 block downtown area is beautiful. The streets are lined with trees, there are large brick paved sidewalks, colorful flower gardens and hanging baskets decorate the area. The people were friendly and took a lot of pride in their town. Definitely, a place to come back and visit again.
Downtown Fairhope
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
One of the things the crew tries to do when the weather is looking bad is to weigh the risk and rewards of venturing out in bad weather. There was dense heavy fog when the skipper woke up. On Monday, the fog lifted around 0900. Today, the forecast was calling for the fog to lift at 0900 also. The crew waited till 0900 and the fog was beginning to burn off again. The crew cast off the lines at 0915 and headed out into Mobile Bay.
Not to bad out here, visibility greater than a mile
Unfortunately, as the crew got further from shore the fog got worse. The skipper plotted a new course that would keep them closer to shore, in 10 foot of water, and away from the Big Ship Channel. The crew cruised south the length of the Bay in the heavy fog for four hours.
Visibility less than a quarter mile
The risk seems to be way more than any reward at this point. Just when you think it cannot get any worse though, it does. The skipper was trying to turn the radar on so he could at least “see” any ships on the radar screen before the ships got to close. Only problem was that the radar did not seem to be cooperating. After a half hour of frustration, the skipper decided it would be best to stay focused looking out the front rather than the non-functioning radar screen.
Good news, at about 1240, the crew entered the Gulf Intercostal Waterway (GIWW). Bad news, there might be more vessels in the area.
The navigational aids marking the GIWW Channel were only a half mile apart, but the fog was still so heavy the markers were not spotted until the crew was almost on top of them.
As the crew continued east towards land the fog began to slowly lift. The crew did over take this sailboat. I guess our crew are not the only fools caught by the ‘fog will clear at 0900 weather forecast.’
Sailboat less than 100 yards as we overtake them
It was a good feeling when the skipper could finally see a string of navigational aids leading the way east. Not a good day when the view below is good.
Red and green marks in the distance
Once the fog cleared, the crew began to see multiple pods of dolphins. They probably saw 30-40 dolphins in the five miles to LULU’s. The Admiral was excited to start seeing dolphins again. She went out on the bow so she could watch the dolphins swim in the bow wake. One dolphin jumped completely out of the water twice as he raced to the boat.
Pair of dolphins swimming towards the bow wave
But if you think the Admiral gets excited when she sees dolphins, check out Lucas and Marcos when they see dolphins for the very first time in their lives. Lucas and Marcos are from Peterborough, Canada and are doing the loop with their parents on a 26 foot sailboat.
If you want to see Americas Great Loop thru the eyes of second and fifth grade boys, follow their adventure at: Cruising on Living Life.
The crew decided to do a Dock and Dine at LULU’s. This is a restaurant operated by Lucy Buffett, that is right, Jimmy Buffett’s sister. Some of the Admiral’s cousins had eaten here back in October and had to wait 90 minutes to get a table. Our crew motored up to the joint, docked, and walked up and got a table. The food was good and the atmosphere was fun.
Still Waters II docked at LuLu’s
The crew had another four miles before they docked at The Wharf. The skipper had called ahead to get their slip assignment at the marina. The staff told them Dock H, slip 98, stern in, starboard side tie. Excellent, just the way the crew likes to land. The Admiral got the lines all ready for the starboard tie and put three fenders down for the floating docks.
Passing Tacky Jack’s along the canal
When the crew arrived at Dock H, slip 98, there was already a boat in the slip. The dock hand called back to the office and got a new assignment, Dock, H slip 88. So much for prior proper planning. This would be a port side tie so the Admiral had to move the fenders and lines all over to the port side. After the boat was made ready, the skipper backed the boat into the slip.
The first order of business was to troubleshoot the pesky radar. As one might expect, now that the radar is not needed it fired right up and started working.
This is just how some days roll on the Great Loop.
Next Week – The crew will head back to Texas to enjoy Christmas with family and friends.
Merry Christmas from The Wharf to all the virtual crew members and fellow adventurers out there, and have a Happy New Year!
We will resume the Great Loop Adventure mid-January. Current thoughts are to cruise the Florida panhandle in January. Then cross the Gulf over to the west coast of Florida early February.
Loop On – The water goes on forever and the adventure never ends.
La Salle here catching you up to date on the latest travels of Still Waters II. Click on this link to see the day- to-day travel log.
But, before we get started, we need to welcome three new virtual crew members aboard:
Samuels S.
Alexa A.
Makayla K.
Glad to have you aboard and hope you enjoy the cruise!
During the week of Thanksgiving the crew took the week off and headed to Texas for Thanksgiving. Before leaving Columbus though, they took the time to visit the Waverly Mansion.
Walking thru the front gate at Waverly
After entering the grounds you see one of the finest antebellum homes in the south.
The home has an interesting history. The mansion was built back in 1852. The Lady of the house died before the home was completed. The man of the house moved his 10 children in and soldiered thru the Civil War.
Ultimately, two bachelor sons lived in the home until their deaths. The last son died in 1913 and the home remained empty until 1962. Most amazing the original mirrors and chandeliers survived the 50 years without damage from vandals. The local town teenagers would visit the house to have parties and see the supposed ghosts of the mansion.
The Snows bought the mansion in 1962 and spent 23 years restoring the home. Mr. Snow still lives in the mansion today with one of his daughters.
Mr. Snow gave the Admiral a kiss while the skipper was not looking
The grounds had a few pens where the crew found some peacocks and turkeys.
Not sure if the turkey survived the holiday but the crew made it back to the boat on Monday and headed south on Wednesday.
Summary of week: The weather was not cooperating due to heavy rains, so the crew did not shove off until Wednesday morning. The rain was dearly needed as this area has been without any measurable rain in months, and the rain did help put out the fires in the Smokey Mountains. On Monday, there were 25-30 mph winds. On Tuesday, the winds continued with additional rain and thunder. The crew spent most of the evening under either a tornado watch or warning. One tornado touched down in north-west Alabama killing several folks.
Finally on Wednesday, the crew got underway and continued south on the Tenn-Tom Waterway. They reached their destination in Demopolis on Friday with two intermediate stops.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
The crew shoved off from the dock and made their way through the Stennis Lock with minimal delays. After clearing the lock the skipper noticed that the boat was moving about a full knot faster than normal for this engine rpm. The water run-off from all the rain is responsible for this added speed.
Water flowing thru the open gates at the dam
The water run-off is also responsible for all the floating debris washing down the river. The crew must be extra vigilant the next few days to prevent hitting some of this flotsam and causing boat or prop damage.
The skipper expected that most of the leaves would be off the trees because of the wind and rain. However, many of the trees are still sporting their fall colors.
In addition to the fall color, the crew also spotted a few interesting things in peoples’ yards. This ‘old school’ phone booth must be Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, secret homestead.
Then they cruised by this home with a totem pole out front.
About noon the waterway wound itself far enough east that the river re-entered Alabama. The crew then cruised under the HWY 86 Bridge and then settled into the Pirate Cove Marina for the afternoon.
After docking, the crew walked down to the Bevill Lock to visit the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is patterned after the 1830-1860 Greek revival homes of the era. The exterior of the building is based on the Erectheum, an iconic temple in Athens, Greece. It looks very much like the Waverly Mansion that the crew visited in Columbus.
A few shots inside of the Visitor Center:
Notice the Waverly Mansion painting on the wall
The crew also toured the US Montgomery which is a National Historic Landmark on display next to the Visitor Center. The vessel was the last steam-powered sternwheeler to work the inland rivers. She was retired in 1982.
Thursday, December 1, 2016
The day got off to a slow start when the skipper radioed the lockmaster and learned that a tow was about to enter the lock just outside the marina. The lockmaster said it would be an hour before he could lock our crew down. Better to be tied to the pier than float around by the lock so the crew relaxed and waited at the marina.
After getting word that the lock was ready for the pleasure craft, the crew shoved off the dock and entered the lock. Upon exiting the lock the crew found that the water was still spilling over the dam so they continued to get a 1 knot push from the current.
Notice the muddy water from the rain runoff.
The run-down river was interesting today. The scenery continued to change. The trees went from the hard wood forest to include Cyprus and pines. The shore has begun to get more of a sandy loam rather than the red clay. The river bank has also begun to lower.
With about 10 miles to the anchor spot for the night the crew decided to go another 6 miles and clear the Heflin Lock today rather than first thing in the morning. Only problem was they passed a tow boat 6 miles from the lock.
As a reminder, locks are supposed to take commercial traffic before pleasure craft. The skipper decided to roll the dice and see if they could speed up enough to make the lock without having to wait on the tow. The skipper increased the shaft rpm with the engines and settled at 10 mph.
When they rounded the last bend before the lock they still had two miles to run. The lockmaster saw them and radioed the tow and asked for his estimated time of arrival to the lock. The tow Captain responded that he was at least 45 minutes from the lock.
The lock master then asked the tow captain if it would be alright to put a pleasure craft thru the lock before he arrived. The lock master told the captain that he would turn the lock around and have the gates open for him when he arrived
The tow captain agreed and said he would dial it back a bit to give more time. The crew entered the lock and got one of the fastest drain downs to date. When the gates began to open the lock master sounded the horn to signal the crew to untie and leave. Normally the horn does not sound until the gates are completely open.
Secured in the Heflin Lock
The skipper got the message to get out of the lock. The admiral removed the line holding the boat to the bollard and yelled “All Clear.” The skipper moved the boat off the lock wall and exited the lock while the gates were still swinging open. The skipper called the lockmaster and informed the lockmaster that the boat was clear of the gates. The skipper looked back and noticed the gates closing.
About 20 minutes later, the skipper heard the lock master radio the tow and tell him that the lock was ready for the tow to enter when he arrived. A win-win for everyone.
The crew pulled into Ox Bow Creek just below the lock and celebrated their lock success by grilling hamburgers on the bow of the boat.
Friday, December 2, 2016
The crew got started as soon as they could after the fog lifted. Thirty degree nites cause thick fog in the mornings with the still warm water. By the time the fog lifted, the skipper noticed that the water runoff from the dam had stopped. It would be a calm day on the water.
Notice that there is no current flowing around the green navigational aid.
The cruise was another enjoyable day. With the sun shining, the 50 degree outside temperature is very comfortable in the enclosed helm. The wildlife was also taking advantage of the sunshine with many birds standing along the shore.
A Kingfisher soaking in the sun.
The turtles were also sunbathing.
There were some very interesting shore formations along the route today. The cliffs were high white bluffs.
In the following shot can you spot a dolphin or penguin?
The river was very winding today so as the crew was making their way thru these white cliffs they caught a down bound tow.
There was a short straight run of river past the above bend. The Captain of the tow told the crew to pass on the 1 so the skipper sped up and passed the tow in the straight narrow river section.
Yes, the skipper is only a few feet away from the tow as they go by, as you can see while looking out the window.
But that is because there is not much room over to the shore side as you look out the window on the other side.
A little after 1300, the crew passed the 225 mile marker which means that we are now halfway down the Tenn-Tom on the way to Mobile, Alabama.
About mile 225
At mile 217 the Tenn-Tom Waterway ends and the Black Warrior-Tom Bigbee Waterway begins. The junction of the Black Warrior River.
After passing this tow pushing his barges into the shore, the crew entered the Kingfisher Marina.
Next Week – The crew will head out on Monday and make their way down the Black Warrior-Tom Bigbee Waterway to Mobile Bay. Only 2 locks to clear and the boat will be back in salt water. Looking forward to spotting the first dolphins in the Bay.
Loop On – The water goes on forever and the adventure never ends.
La Salle here catching you up to date on the latest travels of Still Waters II. Click on this link to see the day- to-day travel log.
Summary of week: The crew arrived back on the boat from their trip to Texas in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. After getting some sleep, they spent Wednesday afternoon preparing to set out on their return trip down the Tennessee River.
The crew managed to travel three days from just above Chattanooga and ended up in Ditto Landing Marina in Huntsville, Alabama for the weekend
Replica Pinto and Nina were docked in Chattanooga as the crew went by
Thursday, November 10, 2016
The crew decided to shove off and start back west because of the cool weather. They had about 6 miles to go before arriving at the Chickamauga Lock. Unfortunately, there was a tow just beginning to lock up so the lock master said to find a place out of the way because it was going to be a while. The crew’s experience is the wait would be at least three to four hours.
Bearcat in the Chickamauga Lock
However, the lock master called on the radio and informed the crew that he would allow them to lock down with the tow Bearcat as he went back down to get more barges. So after the tow secured his two barges above the lock, the crew followed him into the lock for the 44 foot drop down to the Nickajack Lake level. The crew only had to wait about an hour to get in the lock.
Locking through with a commercial tow was a first for the crew.
Locking down 44 feet with Bearcat
The next part of the cruise was the 25 miles thru the ‘Grand Canyon of Tennessee.’
The crew saw this large house up on the hill. Locals say it is owned by the DuPont’s.
20,000 sq ft under one roof
Another interesting structure in the canyon was the Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Project. At the top of Raccoon Mountain is a large reservoir, 528 surface acres, 107 billion gallons of water. It takes 28 hours to pump water from the river below to fill the reservoir.
The facility has four hydroelectric generators for a net of 1628 MWs.
When power is cheap they pump water up the hill to the reservoir for storage. During peak demand (think high prices) they drain the lake back to the river and sell the electric power.
The crew passed by where the water comes back into the river.
The gates are behind the wall
The crew then arrived at the Shellmound Recreation Area, and landed along a 30-foot dock. Upon arrival, the skipper spotted a Bald Eagle that looked like he was standing on the water. As he observed the eagle and was trying to take a picture, a second young eagle landed for the photo bomb.
Shellmound Recreation Area
Friday, November 4, 2016
Short dock at Shellmound Recreation Area
The crew woke up to an early sunrise and shoved off from the dock after the fog lifted. The Nickajack lock was only about a mile away and the lock master had the gates open to allow the crew to cruise into the lock and get secured. The lock dropped the crew 37 feet down to Guntersville Lake level.
Guntersville Lake
The cruise was mostly through wilderness refuge areas so the scenery was great with very few homes along the shore. As the crew approached Guntersville though, the wildlife areas gave way to residential development. The crew got docked at 1600 and decided to take a mile hike to the nearest restaurant to enjoy a night out on the town.
Gilbreath House
They walked by a home with an historical marker in the yard. The home was built in 1851 and was only one of seven buildings to survive the Civil War in Guntersville.
The marker explained that the owner of the house was a mason. Just so happens that the Union officer in charge was also a mason. The officer in charge ‘spared’ his fellow mason’s home when the home owner begged the Union officer not to destroy the house.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
The crew left the dock and made their way over to the Guntersville Lock. Along the way, they passed two interesting sites. However, they only saw one of the sites. The first site is on Goat Island. The island gets its name from a local goat rancher who allowed his goats to roam free on the island before the Civil War. During the Civil War the Union troops harvested the goats for food.
70 foot cliffs at Goat Island
Supposedly, carved in the rock face is the following: ‘Gen Andrew Jackson 1813-1914, Ala. D.A.R.’ The crew looked but could not spot the carving. Looks like the island trees have blocked the view from the water.
The carving was made back in 1914 by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The 1813 commemorates the year that the General was in the area and used a cave, that is now under water, as a supply depot in his war against the Creek Indians.
The Creek and Indian War was a side war during the War of 1812. General Jackson defeated the Creek with the help of the Cherokee. The Creek lost all their lands and had to relocate west to the Indian Territory of Oklahoma. After the General became President, he rewarded the Cherokee for their support by moving them along the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma also.
Grey Bat Cave
The second site is a Bat Cave Sanctuary. The sanctuary is to protect the Grey Bat. It is estimated that 20-50 thousand grey bats use the cave.
The crew then entered the lock and made the 40 foot drop to Joe Wheeler Lake. The crew decided to make it a short day and stop at the Ditto Landing Marina for the weekend.
First view of Joe Wheeler Lake after the lock
Next Week – The crew will continue their return trip on the Tennessee River to Aqua Yacht Harbor, and then start their journey down the Tenn-Tom River towards Mobile, Alabama.
Loop On – The water goes on forever and the adventure never ends.
La Salle here catching you up to date on the latest travels of Still Waters II. Click on this link to see the day- to-day travel log.
Summary of the week – The crew arrived in Chattanooga on Monday and took a couple of days to enjoy the town. Then they set off up river to make their way to Knoxville. They ended the week in Fort Loudon Marina, about 50 miles southwest of Knoxville.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
The crew shoved off early from the Guntersville Lock (0755) in preparation for a long cruise. The goal was to arrive at the Nickajack Lock in the late afternoon and depending on the availability of clearing the lock, either anchor above or below the lock. These plans were almost immediately crushed when the skipper ran the boat up on a sand bar coming out of the break wall guarding the docks. He immediately shut off both engines to prevent them from sucking sand and mud up into the engine cooling system, strainers, and heat exchangers. That was a sick feeling for the skipper.
Since the engines had not warmed up completely, the skipper was only idling along into the current. However, the boat got wedged up on the sand bar pretty good. After the Admiral checked the bilges below decks and confirmed that there was no water entering the boat, the skipper tried to rock the boat off the sand bar.
He initially started the port engine and bumped the engine into reverse. The boat nudged back a little bit. He bumped the port engine in reverse again and the boat moved back a little more. He started the starboard engine, then bumped both engines into reverse. The boat pulled itself off the sand bar and the crew was finally under way. The sick feeling was washed away with feelings of joy as the boat headed towards the days first bridge.
The cruise across northern Alabama on the Tennessee River was extraordinary. The view was obstructed a few times by industry along the banks, but for the most part this is a very isolated and remote area. By 1500 the crew left Alabama and re-entered Tennessee.
Then it became obvious that the Nickajack Lock would be within reach to lock through if there was no commercial tow traffic. As the LeryLynn and Still Waters II were making the final approach to the lock, they were joined by a Ranger Tug, Tug O’ My Heart. The three boats entered the lock and were raised 40 feet up to the Nickajack Lake.
First look at Nickajack Lake
Upon exiting the lock, the crew headed over to a small park that had two free docks. One dock was already full of boats. The second dock was full of fisherman. Rather than run the fishermen off the dock, the crew decided to go around to the next cove and anchor for the night. Turns out the anchor option was a perfect spot to swing on the hook for the night.
Looking across the lake from the anchorage
Monday, October 24, 2016
With the cool night (44) and warm water, there was a heavy fog at day break. The crew had to wait for about an hour before they could see far enough ahead to safely navigate up river. Also, this next section of river is touted to be some of the best scenery so it would be worth the wait to let the fog clear out.
LeryLynn waiting for the fog to lift
By 0900, the crew had weighed anchor and made their way to the ‘Grand Canyon of Tennessee.’ This area was some of the best that the crew has seen on the entire loop. The river made about a dozen u—turns over the 32 miles to Chattanooga, with the mountains towering over 1,000 feet above the river.
Entering the Canyon
When the crew approached within 10 miles of Chattanooga they came by Williams Island. This Island played a part in the Great Locomotive Chase that took place back in April 1862. You may have heard the story told that James J. Andrews led 21 men behind enemy lines in Marietta, Georgia. The goal was to capture a railroad engine, drive the train north 100 miles to Chattanooga, and destroy the track and communication lines as they returned north.
Which way to go? Sometimes you have to stop looking at the scenery and remember there are other boats out here.
On April 12, 1862, Andrews and his 21 men boarded the GENERAL and then waited for the engine to stop for water and allow the passengers to eat breakfast. While the passengers and train crew were off the train at the nearby hotel having breakfast, the team unhooked the passenger cars and took off in the engine. William Fuller and two other train crew members initially gave chase on foot. Fuller soon came upon a hand propelled cart and continued the pursuit on rail. Fuller then traded the cart for the engine Yonah, when Andrews failed to destroy the engine as he passed the engine.
The Texas locomotive in the Atlanta Cyclorama
Fuller traded the Yonah in for the William R. Smith in Kingston. However, four miles later Fuller abandoned the Smith due to destroyed tracks and continued the pursuit on foot for three miles. Finally, Fuller came upon THE TEXAS and once again began to close in on the GENERAL. When it became clear to the crew of the GENERAL that they would not make Chattanooga, they began jumping off the engine and running to the woods to avoid capture. Within the week, Andrews and his 21-man team had all been captured. Turns out that Andrews was captured right here on Williams Island.
Looking back at Williams Island where Andrews was captured
On June 7th Andrews was hanged in Atlanta. On June 18th, seven more of the raiders were hanged. The remaining 14 soldiers planned and executed a daring escape rather than swing from the end of a rope. Eight of the 14 made it to safety. The other six were recaptured.
Private Jacob Parrot
On March 25, 1863, these six were involved in a prisoner swap and meeting with the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. He was so moved by their story that he excused himself and then returned with six new medals. He told the six that Congress had recently passed a law allowing medals for valor on the combat field. Stanton stepped in front of the youngest member of the team, Private Jacob Parrot and pinned the very first Medal of Honor ever awarded. After pinning the remaining five soldiers he took them to the White House to meet President Lincoln.
Approaching Lookout Mountain
Looking up Lookout Mountain as we cruise by
Looking down Lookout Mountain at Chattanooga – pic by Lynn Merritt
Preparing to dock in downtown Chattanooga
Safely on the pier in Chattanooga
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
The crew docked in downtown Chattanooga upon arrival in town yesterday. The dock is located near what was the original Ross Landing, a ferry crossing on the south shore of the Tennessee River. The ferry was run by the Cherokee Chief, John Ross. The ferry allowed transport of goods and services from the US on the north side of the river to the Cherokee Nation on the south side of the river.
The crew decided to visit the Aquarium that is right beside the docks. The Aquarium is housed in two separate buildings. One is dedicated to fresh water fish and one dedicated to salt water fish. The Aquarium also is showing a special exhibit on monster fish from around the world. The crew spent about five hours wandering around the exhibits. A few of the favorites were the sea horses, jelly fish, and freshwater sting rays.
On the way to the Aquarium the crew passed an interesting art project commemorating the Trail of Tears. The project had Cherokee Art on a wall overlooking a waterfall. The forced removal of the Cherokee from 1838-1839 to Oklahoma took place in response to a speech that President Andrew Jackson gave to Congress in 1829. The speech called for the relocation of all Indians east of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). Congress responded to the speech by passing the Indian Removal Act in 1830. Always remember – words matter.
You may be wondering why the need to move the Cherokee Nation back in the late 1820’s. Well, as the skipper likes to say, “Follow the money.”
The Cherokee Nation was south of the Tennessee River and extended into what is now north Georgia. Some white folks illegally had crossed into the Cherokee Nation and discovered gold in the north Georgia mountains in 1828. The Cherokee were making it difficult for the white man to steal the Cherokee’s precious medal. So, the Indian Removal Act was the response to allow miners to go for the gold.
The Cherokee Nation split into two factions. Those wanting to negotiate the best possible land in Oklahoma, became the Ridge Party. John Ross, the legitimate Chief of the Cherokee Nation lead the majority in the National Party. The US government negotiated a treaty with the Ridge Party. The Treaty of New Echota in 1835, was never approved by the Cherokee Nation Council. The treaty required all the Cherokee’s to relocate by 1838.
The Trail of Tears was the result of the US Army’s forced removal of the Cherokee from their land in 1838, in accordance with the unapproved treaty. Twenty-five percent of the Cherokee’s died on their way to Oklahoma, including the wife of John Ross. Cherokee tradition required leaders who gave up ancestral lands to die. Two of the three Ridge Party leaders were mysteriously killed by fellow Cherokee who were carrying out the tradition. The third narrowly escaped with his life.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
There is an Art Museum just up the river from the docks. The museum has some interesting public art displayed around the museum.
FULL COUNT is a four-piece sculpture with a pitcher, catcher, batter, and umpire.
FREE MONEY is a piece with a couple dancing on a money bag.
Interesting enough, the sculptor of FREE MONEY also made a piece titled LAST PENNY.
What is fun about art is the different perspectives one can contemplate about the art itself. These two pieces can invoke a very different emotion if viewed separately, or together. If viewed together, the order in which you ponder the pieces also makes a difference, rags to riches or riches to rags. Hmmmmm…….
Thursday, October 26, 2016
The crew cast off from the deck to begin their trek to Knoxville. They had hoped to go all the way to Knoxville, but were not sure if the weather would hold long enough to make the run and get back south. Looks like another week of 80-degree weather so they will keep heading north. They might regret this decision later, but for now it seems to be the right thing to do.
Entering Lake Chickamauga
The weather was indeed perfect. The crew continued to cruise through beautiful fall foliage.
After clearing the Chickamauga Lock they cruised around a bend and left the channel to cruise up the Hiwassee River about three miles. They had found a few anchorages to try for the night, but were uncertain about the approach depths due to low water levels. The crew was unable to get very far off the main channel before finding 4-foot water. They tried three locations before giving up and heading to the back-up plan, the Blue Water Resort.
Lake Chickamauga
The Blue Water Resort is on Richland Creek that winds its way to Dayton, Tennessee. You may recall the famous Scopes trial was conducted in Dayton back in 1925. The skipper is trying to figure out how to go visit the restored courtroom and museum related to the trial.
Looking up the creek to Dayton from the sundeck
Friday, October 27, 2016
These short days make for shorter cruise days. This morning the sun did not break through until after 0730. Then there was still light fog in the area. The crew got off the dock a little after 0900, but almost immediately got socked in by the fog. The skipper slowed to an idle speed and moved all the way over to the port shore. Looking to starboard you could not see the shore. The skipper was sure hoping no tow boat was coming.
A little fog is pretty
This much fog is flat out dangerous – glad no tow was coming
While they were running slow along the shore the skipper did spot one Bald Eagle standing on a nest. He marked the location and hopefully the crew can get a better look on the return journey. After about four miles the fog finally gave way to the sun and the rest of the day was beautiful. The scenery continues to get better each and every day.
This is a little better view looking out the front
After clearing the Watts Bar Lock, the Crew entered the Watts Bar Lake. The lake is easily the best lake along the Tennessee River so far. Its remote location from both Chattanooga and Knoxville seem to have kept the development down. Also, the lake has islands and bluffs that are just drop dead gorgeous.
After six hours of cruising, the crew found a cove to pull into and drop anchor for the night.
The end of another great day
Saturday, October 28, 2016
The crew had to wait for the fog to lift again this morning before setting out. After the fog lifted the crew headed to Fort Loudon Marina. The marina has a good fuel price and only charges a minimal transient fee rather than a charge by the foot of boat length.
The Lake is starting to narrow and look more like a river
The journey on Watts Bar Lake continues to be spectacular. The crew has timed the fall foliage color change just about as good as can be done. The views just continue to dazzle. The only problem is that the pictures just do not do the actual scenery justice.
After a good cruise, the crew arrived at the Fort Loudon Lock with the gates open and just waiting for us to arrive. After getting secured in the lock the lockmaster raised the boat 60 feet to the level of Lake Loudon. After clearing the lock, the crew had their first view of the Great Smokey Mountains in the distance.
Entering Lake Loudon
After landing at the marina, a couple came over to talk with the crew. The couple highly recommended scrapping the plans to go to Knoxville and head into the Tellico and/or Little Tennessee River instead. They painted a convincing argument so the skipper may spend some time recalculating the next route.
Calmly at rest in Fort Loudon Marina
The closer the crew gets to Knoxville the more of this type of graffiti adorns structures, sorry Bob
It’s called Fall for a reason, the leaves are beginning to let go and fall
Next Week – John Muir was quoted as spinning the phrase, “The mountains are calling and I must go.” The crew has decided to answer the call of the mountains, so they will go explore the waters of the Little Tennessee River and head to the Smokey Mountains. They will spend several days exploring the area and then start back to Chattanooga.
Faint grey blue outline of the Smokey Mountains in the background
Loop On – The water goes on forever and the adventure never ends.
Voyaging America's Great Loop Aboard Still Waters II 