Voyaging America's Great Loop Aboard Still Waters II

Tag: Tennessee

The Chase: Re-imagined
Ahoy from Florence Harbor Marina! Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventurers!

You may notice a different look to the post today. The skipper has decided to embark on a strange mission to conclude a three year hobby of his, Forest Fenn (ff) treasure hunting. So skipper, take it away. I will return once the skipper gets this out of his system.

Eric the Red

So, for those who might not know of Forrest Fenn and his treasure hunt; probably, your first question is “Who is Forest Fenn, and what is this nonsense about treasure hunting”? Those questions will be answered as you read on, but basically he hid a treasure chest full of gold somewhere in the Rocky Mountains back in 2010. Then wrote a book, The Thrill of the Chase, which contained a poem with directions to the chest. Well, if you could understand the directions in the poem.

The elusive prize to the successful solve of The Thrill of the Chase poem

I believe I solved the poem in November 2019. So while waiting for the snow to melt to begin my Search & Rescue mission, I began thinking about the next phase of The Chase. Stephen Covey, of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, taught me that we should begin with the end in mind. So I developed a plan, The Chase Re-Imagined, to implement once I safely had the chest in hand. My plan was simple, but thought it would help keep the Chase alive even though the chest would no longer be alone in the wild frontier.

Unfortunately, someone else found the treasure chest the week before I was going Boots On The Ground (BOTG) to recover the chest. I have been wrestling with what to do with my plan ever since because the guy who recovered the chest has announced he wishes to remain anonymous and will not release the solve of the poem. With that in mind, I finally have settled on a plan of action. Hopefully, others will catch the vision and we can work together to achieve…………

The Chase Re-Imagined.

The Thrill was definitely in my three year stalk of the chest. Taoist Proverb: The Journey Is The Reward!

Obviously, some things will have to change. But I would like to think some form of what I originally planned could be salvaged, reworked, and made to work. I would much prefer a more positive outcome to The Chase, rather than the chaos that ensued over the last few weeks with the announcement that the chest had been recovered. What follows was my original idea:

The Chase Re-Imagined
1. Erect a tombstone at the location where the chest was found
2. Turn the chest over to a nearby Visitor Center/Museum so searchers could view the chest and the contents
3. Set up interactive displays at the museum:
  - Ask searchers what their ‘Word that is Key’ was, and how it helped in their solve
  - Where / what was your home of Brown
  - Showcase the diversity of thought in the solves
  - Have some of the YouTube channels, ‘best of The Chase’ showing on screens
  - Have a place to show some of the documentaries that some are working on
4. Write up the solve, (I have actually completed my solve in 8 power point modules), release the 8 modules once a month, and allow searchers time to complete each module and solve the poem for themselves
5. Searchers go to the tombstone on their own schedule to take selfie
6. Turn the spot into a Puzzle Geocache
  - The Museum would be the initial gps coordinates for the Puzzle geocache
  - after solving poem, searcher could go to the spot, take selfie with tombstone
  - Searcher go to Museum
  - Exchange selfie pic for a commemorative Chase Coin
  - Museum could then post selfies in a display and online
Which finally leads me to the purpose of this post.

Since Mr Anonymous (the chest finder who says he will not divulge the hidden location) does not even want to be a fly on the wall, I have decided to go ahead and release my eight modules. The modules will shine a light on the poem and illuminate a path so that anyone who cares to try can actually figure out the poem and complete the solve. Which will, prove my point, that once you see the secrets hidden in the poem that you too can follow the trail thru the poem and discover the one and only verifiable, confirmed, surefire solve of the poem. I will show that the poem is actually a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the blueprint hidden in the poem. And as with any SOP, the method will achieve a repeatable, consistent outcome that anyone can find. In other words, if you learn to see and hear the words of the poem, the words actually only lead to one secret where. And you will follow the trail on your own, and find the answer on your own, I’ll just provide hints and show the way.

These eight PowerPoint presentations will lead searchers thru the poem and to the solve. I will start releasing them on this blog site (and a few ff fb pages) starting July 5th. METHOD TO THE MADNESS will be first. Then on July 6th, I will release A WORD THAT IS KEY. Then on the 6th of each month I will release the next module. So August 6th, Decoding the Blaze will be released. This will allow time for searchers to solve each Stanza of the poem at their own pace. When we are done, the poem will have released her secrets and all searchers can know the ‘secret where’ the chest was found, discovered by their own hard work, and some gentle nudging from me.

Here is hoping that you will join the adventure and work out the solve to the ff poem.

My Sad Sad Story in solving the poem and subsequent crash landing:

In April 2017, we were having the wheels replaced on Still Waters II, props changed, shafts straightened, stuffing box repacked, and cutlass bearings replaced. The boat was hauled ashore for the work and the crew moved ashore to a hotel.

Still Waters II being hauled out at marina

While chilling at the hotel, reading Dead Man’s Chest, a sequel to Treasure Island, to pass the time, my thoughts of pirate treasures and Long John Silver were interrupted by a ring tone on my phone. A quick glance at the phone showed somebody else was also treasure hunting. The male heir’s name and number appeared. I reluctantly reached for the phone to see what he might need now.

Well, to my surprise, he was looking for help but not the kind I was expecting. He announced that he had come across a poem while doing some unrelated internet search on the Treasure Coast of Florida. Supposedly, some guy named Forrest Fenn (ff) had hid a treasure chest with more than a million dollars worth of gold, coins, and jewels back in the 2010 timeframe. Then ff released a poem in October 2010 that contained nine clues that were thought to be a map to the treasure chest.

Treasure Museum on Treasure Coast

The male heir now clearly was speaking my love language. A hidden treasure, a puzzle to solve, and an eventual Search & Rescue Mission into the Rocky Mountains. It just doesn’t get much better than that. The male heir had been working on the poem for several months and had derived a theory that the first clue would be found in West Yellowstone. He asked if I would help him find the answer to the first clue, Begin it where warm waters halt. He believed that the warm waters were a steam engine, and the halt would be an old train station that no longer existed. He was asking my help to find the long forgotten train station.

I gladly accepted the challenge. I needed something better to do than read a Treasure Island sequel. I asked him if he could send me a copy of the poem, and within moments of hanging up, my phone gave that familiar ding of a text message. I opened the text and read the poem for the first time.

So I wrote a poem containing nine clues that if followed precisely, will lead to the end of my rainbow and the treasure:

As I have gone alone in there
And with my treasure bold,
I can keep my secret where,
And hint of riches new and old.

Begin it where warm waters halt
And take it in the canyon down,
Not far, but too far to walk.
Put in below the home of Brown.

From there it’s no place for the meek,
The end is ever drawing nigh;
There’ll be no paddle up your creek,
Just heavy loads and water high.

If you’ve been wise and found the blaze,
Look quickly down, your quest to cease,
But tarry scant with marvel gaze,
Just take the chest and go in peace.

So why is it that I must go
And leave my trove for all to seek?
The answers I already know,
I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak.

So hear me all and listen good,
Your effort will be worth the cold.
If you are brave and in the wood
I give you title to the gold.

My first impressions after reading thru the poem several times was that the descriptions were extremely vague and there were no obvious distances to travel along the described path. I had hiked and hunted more than a few times in the Rocky Mountains, and something sure seemed a miss with the poem.

I had promised the male heir help, so I turned my attention from the poem and towards West Yellowstone. About the time I had burned the last drop of midnight oil, I had solved the ‘halt’ question at hand. Unbeknownst to me, a halt was actually a water tower stop where steam engines would take on water for the steam engine. From Chicago to West Yellowstone (a distance of just over 1,400 miles) there was a halt about every 7-10 miles, with the last halt actually in West Yellowstone, just past the train station where passengers were exchanged. This meant there were numerous (more like hundreds maybe even thousands of warm waters halts in the Rocky Mountains) possibilities to answer the first clue, Where warm waters halt.

My brain was working overtime as I tried to fall asleep, trying to figure out what that uneasy feeling deep in my gut was trying to tell me. Then like a front end loader dropping a load of sand, it hit me. Guessing at geographical locations to solve the poem just could not be a winning strategy. This ff fellow most have done something unique in the words of the poem to provide the specificity needed to find a treasure hidden in the Rocky Mountains. There are just way too many variables to ever precisely follow the poem as written, match up the descriptions to a guessed geographical location, and connect the guesses to the end of the ff rainbow and the chest. With that resolved, I drifted off to sleep.

The next day I called the male heir and passed on the information he had asked for. Then I broke the news to him that he was on a wild goose chase that would never end with a successful solve. I gave him this little example that he could relate to because he was familiar with the area in Colorado. We had been there numerous times on summer vacation.

Mount Princeton Hot Springs – Chalk Creek

Thought Experiment: let’s assume (or guess) for a moment that warm waters halt is somewhere along the flow of water out of the Mt Princeton Hot Springs. The poem does not define warm, so we will have to guess where hot becomes warm along the creek headed down the canyon. Then we have the vague: Not far, but too far to walk line. So let’s hop in the car and drive down the canyon road towards the Arkansas River. We will need to put in below the home of Brown though. Well, from where we are sitting there at the Arkansas River, there are at least four (guesses) homes of Brown off the top of my head: Brown Canyon which people raft thru, trout fishery where the state raises trout, a home of Brown of unsinkable Molly Brown in Leadville, and her home in Denver. We will have to guess which one of these might be correct. As you can see, none of this is very precise, and way too many variables if you expand the possibilities into the four state search zone of New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana.

I explained to him that I did not know how to solve the poem, but guessing at geographical locations, and travel distances just was not going to cut the mustard. I also informed him of my first strategy to attack the poem. Because I was surprised about the word ‘halt’, I had decided to look up the definition of every word in the poem. I was curious what other secrets the poem might cough up if I studied the words thru the microscopic lens of a dictionary.

This first step turned out to be a winning strategy that firmly planted my feet on the trail that eventually led to solving the poem. The dictionary uncovered several nuances in the poem, which in turn led me to discover a ‘Word that is Key’ in solving the poem. The word literally unlocked the secrets hidden in the poem. (Module 2 will give the details.) (Then you can apply the Word, solve Stanza 2 & 3 on your own, and find the blaze.)

With the Word that is Key, I was able to decipher Stanzas 2 & 3 fairly quickly. The blaze also made an appearance with two confirmations at the end of Stanza 3. This cemented my belief that I was on the right trail. ( Module 3 will give the details.)

When I started into Stanza 4, I was able to use what I had learned in Stanza 2 & 3 to again make quick hay of the words, but the directions made me sit up and take notice. I was not yet prepared to actually do what the poem said so I mulled it over in my mind for several months, and moved onto Stanza 5. (Module 4 will give the details.)

During the summer cruising season of 2017, we headed to Maine. When the geese decided to head south in the fall, we followed them south all the way to the Bahamas in February 2018. All the while, thinking about that nagging little issue in Stanza 4, and the brick wall I ran into with Stanza 5. However, in the spring of 2018 we stopped in historic St Augustine as we headed north along the Atlantic ICW. It turned out to be an historic stop. While touring town, I found the gem I had been searching for. The gem turned out to be the key that helped me unlock Stanza 5. ( Module 5 will give the details.)

Now on to the final Stanza. In 2018, we had decided to cruise America’s Great Loop for a second time. In my spare time, I continued my final assault of Stanza 6 and the poem. I thought I had a good plan of action, but once again I found a wall. After trudging so many miles I could not decipher Stanza 6. I decided to spend the summer reading The Thrill of the Chase and look for hints to unearth the good map. (Module 6 describes the initial thoughts on Stanza 6)

I managed to find the good map, which once again put me firmly on track for solving the poem. (Module 7 describes the discovery of the good map, and with the knowledge of what the good map turns out to be, you should be able to complete the solve of the poem.)

In 2019, we decided to cruise the Down East Loop, up to Quebec City, out the St Lawrence Seaway, down to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and then Nova Scotia. Because this was unfamiliar waters, I spent most of my time focused on the immediate adventure taking place just in front of the bow of the boat. However, on our way south we stopped in Brunswick, Georgia. I spent three days dedicated in November working out the final solution, and like a good detective, eliminating all other suspects. However, I was still stumped on how the last line of the poem confirmed the solve. We needed to travel back to Texas, so we rented a car and headed west. Somewhere between Mobile and Baton Rogue I finally saw the ninth clue solved, and the poem confirm in my minds eye. (Module 8 pulls it all together and unveils the final solve of the poem.)

At that point, I began to monitor the snow conditions in my search area. With early snowfall in 2019, I decided it best to time the Search & Rescue Mission with the spring thaw. By the first of December, the chest was already insulated with more than four feet of snow.

I began to monitor snow conditions at the calculated spot, and it looked like the spring thaw would be early so a Rescue Mission was commissioned for April. Then the big surprise of 2020 hit and COVID-19 yanked the rug out from under my Rescue Mission. Montana put a 14 day self quarantine in place for out of state arrivals. I also am in the high risk group, so I decided life is better than treasure and decided to wait and see how the nation wide lockdown would play out.

By the end of May, things began to look promising for a Rescue Mission, Montana announced that the out of state self quarantine would end June 1st. Yes, things are starting to fall in place and the expectations began to rise. I arranged for a rental car on Monday, June 8th to drive precisely to the treasure chest. Our motto, reminiscent of the gold rush days of old was: Treasure Chest or Bust.

Montana Gold Rush Ghost Town – kinda like my Search & Rescue Mission

And bust is exactly what happened.

The chest, 10 years later

Forrest Fenn examining the found treasure

It took about 30 minutes of starring at the announcement that the treasure had been found before I recovered from the knock out blow. As I slowly began to regain consciousness, I decided to go for a walk. I went into the captain’s quarters to get some socks. I accidentally woke the Admiral up, and as she squinted thru her partially opened eyes, I must of looked like a pale ghost rider. She asked what was wrong. It took a minute, but I finally was able to muster the words: ‘ff has announced that the treasure has been found.’ It actually sounded worse hearing it come out of my own mouth than it did starring at the announcement. I mentioned I was going for a walk, grabbed some socks, turned and left.

(Over the next few days a series of God moments occurred that let me know that The Chase was for me to solve, not to retrieve. What follows are just a few of these encounters.)

Amazingly though, I barely got a half-mile from the boat when I heard God clearly speak to my spirit: ‘Your treasure is in heaven.’ Then a quiet warm peace fell over me and I knew everything would be alright.

Sunday night I prayed that God would answer the why question, Why was the chest not for me to retrieve? At dark thirty in the night I woke to what I thought was someone boarding our boat. While I was tuning my ear to listen for footsteps, I heard God say, ‘It’s for your safety!’ It took me a minute to figure out he was talking about my physical protection from the Chase Crazies, not an unwanted visitor onboard the boat.

There are a few more stories but I will save them for another day. However, after reflecting on what has happened over the last several weeks and months, it is obvious to me I got the better deal. I am still living the good life on my boat, carefree, and worry free. While that sly fox that beat me to the treasure now has several problems to deal with. For starters, the IRS has their handout looking for their fair share of the treasure. I am sure they will track him down, one way or the other. Looks like six lawsuits have been filed making various stupid claims against the guy. And because the guy wants to remain anonymous and never reveal his solve, he has several hundred thousand people up in arms and mad at him for ending the Chase.

Yes, that boy has more problems than a pregnant nun.

Boat Name of the Week

We first met the crew of Long Story at Heritage Harbor Marina on the Illinois River back in 2018. Thought their boat name was appropriate to announce the long story that will unfold over the next few months as we explore the ff poem and head out on the trail of the solve. Hope you take the time to join this new adventure.

Next Week

The crew will return their granddaughter to her rightful owner, so another road trip to Texas is on the books. They will return to Florence and begin planning their next move on the Tennessee River.

Be looking for the first module, Method to the Madness, to be released next Sunday, July 5th.

Loop On –

Where the road ends, the water begins. The water goes on forever, and the adventure never ends.

The skipper
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June 28, 2020
Headed West on Tennessee River
Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventures!

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
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November 13, 2016
The Mountains Are Calling
Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventures.

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 7^th Andrews was hanged in Atlanta. On June 18^th, 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.

La Salle
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October 30, 2016
Fall Foliage Spectacular
Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventures.

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 first we have had a bunch of folks meet the crew on the pier and come aboard as virtual crew members. So we need to pause and welcome aboard:
- Shoaib R.
- Matnobles
- Ginasjoys
- Russ B.
So a hearty Welcome Aboard!!!! Glad you joined the adventure.

Sunday anchored near Clifton, Monday anchored near Savanah, Tuesday & Wednesday at Aqua Yacht Marina for repairs, Thursday anchored, Friday free dock in Decatur, and Saturday free dock in Guntersville

The crew did not make their goal of Chattanooga this week. Still Waters II decided she wanted some rest and relaxation at the Aqua Yacht Marina. The crew limped into the marina on one engine on Tuesday. After getting repairs complete the crew commenced the side trip up the Tennessee River towards Chattanooga.

Sunday, October, 16, 2016

The crew left out of Pebble Isle Marina after stopping at the fuel dock and taking on 216 gallons of fuel. The marina gives a 10 cent per gallon discount for both a AGLCA and Boat US memberships, for a total of 20 cents off each gallon. That was just too good of a deal to pass up without topping off the tanks. Then there was an added surprise at the fuel dock. The guy helping fuel the boat brought out three large hot cinnamon rolls from the restaurant and gave them to the Admiral. Now this is a good way to start the day and week.

Shoreline along Tennessee River

Unfortunately, the good start to the day and week would not last long, but such is the life of a live aboard cruiser. The skipper noticed that the port engine temperature was acting erratic during the cruise, a harbinger of things to come.

Cypress Trees in the River – well sorta

After cruising about 20 miles the crew passed under the Interstate 40 bridge between Nashville and Memphis. The skipper can remember crossing over this bridge at least a dozen times over the years, but this is the first time either crew member has passed under the bridge in a boat.

I-40 between Memphis and Nashville

Another 20 miles up-river, the crew passed Lady Finger Bluff. The Bluff was so named after a woman jumped to her death from the bluff rather than be captured by Indians.

Lady Finger Bluff

Then 10 more miles found this little lady advertising for the Mermaid Marina. The crew resisted the advertisement and went on up river to Double Island to anchor for the night.

Monday, October 17, 2016

This morning when the skipper started the engines to allow them to warm up, the port engine temperature again became erratic. The temperature climbed up to about 200 degrees and then dropped down to 175 where the engine normally runs. Then the temperature started to climb again. This time the temperature kept going past 200. When the temperature reached 210 and climbing the skipper turned the engine off. The initial troubleshooting could not find anything wrong so the skipper decided to go on one engine for the day and look more in depth at the end of the day.

Shoreline Shot

Cruising on one engine developed a few new skills for the skipper. The boat handles much differently and it took a while to get used to the new dynamics. For example, trying to turn around on one engine is much more difficult. And while at idle speed, steering with the wheel is tough because there is not much water passing by the rudder. The skipper learned to increase the throttle a little to help steer while going slow.

More Shoreline

The crew passed by a small town on the river after they got going, Clifton, Tenn. The town was almost the state capitol of Tennessee back in 1843. The town lost by one vote to the eventual winner, Nashville.

Coming around a bend in the river the crew saw what the chart had plotted as Chalk Bluff, very scenic area. As the crew approached the bluff, you can see that the bluff is actually clay and sand, no chalk.

Chalk Bluffs

Then just a little further up river, about five miles they came to Cherry Mansion. The house was built in 1830 by David Robinson. He gave the home to his daughter, Sarah, and her new husband, W.H. Cherry.

Cherry Mansion – Built in 1830

But the home was used by General Grant in April 1862. Grant was actually eating breakfast in the home on Saturday morning, April 6, 1864 when the confederates attacked his soldiers about 8 miles up-river at Pittsburgh Landing. The first day the Union forces took heavy losses and it looked to be a Confederate win in the making. However, late in the day the confederates let up and stopped their attack. This allowed the Union forces to bring in re-enforcements overnight and launch a counter attack on Sunday morning.

Pittsburgh Landing where Union troops re-enforced from the river

The confederates withdrew from the battlefield late Sunday and the Union troops did not pursue the Confederates. When the fighting ended on Sunday, the Battle of Shiloh was the bloodiest battle to date with nearly 25,000 dead and wounded. General Albert Sidney Johnston was one of the many casualties. He is the highest ranking American ever killed in combat.

After skirting around the sacred battle ground, the crew made another 5 miles and dropped anchor at Wolf Island for the day.

Water view from sundeck at Wolf Island

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The crew weighed anchor and set out for the Aqua Yacht Marina to get the port engine repaired.

To get to the marina though they would first have to make it through the Pickwick Lock, which was about two hours away. The crew called the lock and learned that there was one tow about two miles in front of them. The lockmaster agreed to lock the pleasure craft through the lock if they arrived more than 30 minutes ahead of the tow. The skipper did some ciphering and figured they could catch the tow by mile 200. Then due to the bends in the river and the slow speed that the tow would have to go to maneuver around the curves, that they could make the lock (mile 206.5) 30 minutes ahead of the tow.

Looking out the Pickwick Lock

When the crew was about two miles from the lock, the skipper called the lockmaster again. The lockmaster agreed to let Still Waters II and LeryLynn through the lock and he had the gate open when they arrived. With only one engine, getting into the lock and safely secured was a bit of a challenge but the crew worked together and made it happen.

After clearing the lock, it was only another hour to the marina. The little bit of Pickwick Lake that the crew saw was beautiful. But the crew had to turn off the Lake and head into the Tenn-Tom Waterway to get to the marina. The crew passed one point where Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi merge in the waterway.

In the water before the point, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi borders meet

The crew then made their way over to the transient dock at the marina and managed to safely land the boat. No small accomplishment with the high winds blowing the boat off of the dock and maneuvering with only one engine.

The maintenance team came down and decided that the water pump needed to be replaced. They will order the part and the part should arrive sometime Wednesday.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

The new water pump arrived as expected on Wednesday and the mechanic changed the pump out. Post maintenance checks were sat so the crew shoved off from the dock to test the port main engine repairs under actual running conditions. Glad to report that the engine ran well all day. The folks at Aqua Yacht Harbor did a fine job.

Some Fall Foliage Color

With the engine running well, the crew set out to return to the Tennessee River and start their side trip to Chattanooga. The first half of the trip was wonderful, but about 1300 a thunderstorm caught the crew. They were in a heavy down pour for about 45 minutes and even had one lightning strike less than a quarter mile from the boat. After the storm passed the sun tried to break through but just couldn’t make it.

Been a while since the crew got drenched

The crew timed another lock well and got a lift of 93 feet at the Wilson Lock. The lock is named for Woodrow Wilson, our 28th president. After clearing the lock, the crew entered Wilson Lake and headed another six miles upriver to six-mile creek to anchor.

Waiting for the Wilson Lock gates to open

Friday, October 21, 2016

The crew weighed anchor and set out to the Joe Wheeler Lock. This lock is named for Joseph Wheeler. He was one of many West Point graduates that fought for the Confederate Army. During his military career, he rose to the rank of General, fought in 127 battles, and had 16 horses shot out from underneath him. After his military career, he served in Congress. Upon his death, he was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

The crew saw a small armada of 12 looper boats headed down bound leaving the fall looper rendezvous. Because of the distance between the boats, the crew did not recognize any of the boats.

Part of the armada leaving Joe Wheeler

Upon arrival at the lock, there was a tow entering the lock. The lockmaster said it would be two and a half hours before the crew could enter the lock. The lockmaster did give the crew permission to tie up along the wall of the auxiliary lock to wait. The LeryLynn arrived about an hour later, so they rafted off of Still Waters II and the two crews chatted while waiting on the lock.

Had to wait for this big guy to clear the lock

Finally, a little after noon the tow completed locking up and the crew was prepped to go in the lock. When the lockmaster lowered the water level in the lock, the water came boiling up near the crew.

For a little perspective, the wall is about 5 foot tall

Three looper boats locked down and the crew saw Abaco Lady for the first time since Norfolk, Virginia, way back in May. The two crews waved at each other as they passed by.

Abaco Lady and Crew

After clearing the lock, the crew made their way to the town of Decatur where there is a free dock to tie up on for the night. There was a looper boat, Irish Lady Too already on the dock so the crew came over to catch our crew’s lines and help them dock. Kurt and Susan crew Irish Lady Too. They set out on the loop in May of 2015 from Baltimore, Maryland.

Sunset in Decatur

Saturday, October 22, 2016

After shoving off from the dock the crew dodged a near catastrophe. Just another reminder that the crew has to be constantly diligent of their surroundings. After getting past the break water wall for the dock the skipper ran the boat up on an underwater sand/mud bar.

The depth changed from 9-10 feet to less than 4 feet almost instantly. The good news was that the skipper was only running at idle speed waiting for the engines to fully warm up. The starboard engine shut off and the skipper turned off the port. The Admiral ran below and checked all the bilges and made sure there was no water coming in the boat. After a positive report from the Admiral, the skipper started the port engine and tried reverse. The boat budged a little bit. The skipper tried reverse again and the boat rocked back a little more. The skipper then started the starboard engine and put both engines in reverse. The boat slid backwards and off the sandbar. Not a good way to start the morning.

After allowing the engines to warm up the skipper put the engines in forward and speed up. The engines ran fine all day and all seems to be ok.

The run along the river was breath taking today. The fall foliage continues to change more colorful by the day. The cool weather, in the 40’s at night might be the reason for the color change. The run after the Guntersville Lock and Dam was spectacular. The cliffs surrounding the lake were just gorgeous.

The crew did pass one interesting area full of space history, Huntsville, Alabama. This is the area where the US entered the space race thanks to the German engineering of Dr. Wernher von Braun. Von Braun is credited for developing Germany’s V-2 rocket that was used to bomb the day lights out of the British. With the war winding down and not wanting to be captured by the Russians, von Braun and his team headed towards American forces and surrendered to the Americans. Following the war, von Braun and 100 members of his team agreed to come to the United States.

Cruising with LeryLynn

They initially were sent to Ft. Bliss, Texas. In 1950, the von Braun rocket team was moved to Huntsville, Alabama. On January 31, 1958 the US launched a Jupiter-C Rocket from Huntsville carrying Explorer 1, which became our first earth orbiting satellite. Huntsville is the home of the Space & Rocket Center, the world’s largest space museum. The crew plans to visit the museum on the return trip down the Tennessee River.

LeryLynn

About two hours after cruising by Huntsville, the crew approached the Guntersville Lock. The Lockmaster had the gate open for the crew and they cruised into the lock for the 40 foot lift up to Guntersville Lake.

After clearing the lock the crew headed for the town of Guntersville and found another free dock at a municipal park. The crew tied up and grilled steaks on the dock with the crew of LeryLynn.

Next Week – The crew is still two days away from Chattanooga. The plan is to arrive on Monday and spend three nights in town. They will leave Chattanooga on Friday morning and start the four-day journey to Knoxville, Tennessee.

Loop On – The water goes on forever and the adventure never ends.

La Salle
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October 25, 2016
T for Tennessee
Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventures. This week’s post is a tad late because the crew has been without any internet signal since the weekend. These backwoods Tennessee folks apparently have no need for the internet. For some reason though the skipper keeps saying, “Speed up, I think I hear banjo music.”

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.

The week saw our crew return to Green Turtle Bay on the Cumberland River. Then set out up the Tennessee River. They have only made it to mile 96 near New Johnsonville, Tennessee.

Near New Johnsonville on Tennessee River

A little about the Tennessee River since the crew will be on this river for several weeks:

The river is the 7^th largest in the US.

The river is the largest tributary of the Ohio River.

The river begins east of Knoxville, flows southwest and then turns north to flow into the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky.

Water from east of the Smoky Mountains actually flows westward through the mountains to the Tennessee River rather than flowing east to the Atlantic Ocean.

Then the river flows almost 200 miles north to the Ohio River rather than flowing westward straight over to the Mississippi River which is actually much closer.

The area was first visited by the Spanish explorer Desoto in 1540.

Me and my French brothers claimed this area for France when we claimed all the lands drained by the Mississippi River. We finally sold all this land to you Americans to help fund our Napoleonic wars.

Monday, October, 10, 2016

The crew shoved off this morning to complete the two day journey back to Green Turtle Bay. Since we have shared the history of this section of river already, I have decided to show the river and let the beauty speak for itself.

Cumberland River ~ mile 95

Cumberland River ~mile 85

Cumberland River ~ mile 75

Cumberland River ~ mile 75

Dry Creek Cove ~ mile 70 Anchorage

Sunset across Cumberland River at Dry Creek Cove

One observation of the day though was that the skipper noticed an unusual number of Grey Herons along the shore. He decided he would count the number of Herons spotted for the next twenty five miles before the crew anchored. He spotted 80 of the birds in those twenty five miles.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

The crew weighed anchor and made their way back to Green Turtle Bay. There were not as many Looper boats in the marina as when the crew left last week. Most of the Loopers are trying to get south for the fall rendezvous event at Joe Wheeler State Park, which starts next week.

Our crew is lagging behind to allow this surge of boaters to get to the state park so there will not be crowds at anchorages and marinas. The crew is skipping the rendezvous because they only need to get from Joe Wheeler to Fort Myers to cross their wake and complete this journey. The crew thinks they can figure out how to get to Fort Myers from here.

Cumberland River ~ mile 70

Cumberland River ~ mile 65, snags in the shallow water

Cumberland River ~ mile 60, making the Devil’s Elbow turn

Cumberland River / Barkley Lake ~ mile 55

Barkley Lake ~ mile 50

Barkley Lake ~ mile 45, notice the Pen in the background

Barkley Lake ~ mile 35, marina just ahead

Thursday, October 13, 2016

The crew has buddied up with LyreLynn once again. The two crews had breakfast and then set out for a short cruise to Duncan Bay on Kentucky Lake. As the skipper exited the marina, a large barge was going by so the crew waited for the tow to pass. Unfortunately, the tow was also headed into Kentucky Lake. The crew followed the tow through the canal. I think this could be the longest two miles ever travelled, 32 minutes.

Barkley Canal

After the crew entered Kentucky Lake, they headed south, up bound on the Tennessee River. Along the right descending bank, there are five large bays off of the lake. The crew anchored in the third one, Duncan Bay.

Anchored in Duncan Bay on Kentucky Lake

Friday, October 14, 2016

The plan was to weigh anchor at 0800 and head out on a 64 mile cruise. However, the starboard engine decided it would play hard to start. After trying to start the engine, troubleshooting and finding nothing wrong, and failing to start again: the skipper decided to weigh anchor and proceed on the port engine only.

Rock formations along Kentucky Lake

After the anchor was secure and the crew was idling back to the main channel, the skipper reached over and turned the key on and pressed the start button for grins. To his surprise the starboard engine immediately cranked and started. Interesting, interesting indeed.

Big rock on Kentucky Lake

With both engines running the crew made their way up the Tennessee River to the Pebble Isla Marina.

The other issue today would be the rainy weather. It looked as though the storms might pass and the crew would be spared cruising in the rain. However, as the crew continued south they eventually caught the storm. The rain was more of a drizzle and only functioned to make it hard to see. On a brighter note, as the crew was approaching the marina the drizzle stopped and the crew was able to dock without getting wet.

The skipper has spent many a day vacationing in the rain

A few interesting highlights on the way south:

–          The crew entered Tennessee at about mile 62.6

–          There was an old building left abandoned in the river at mile 78. The building was flooded when the Kentucky Dam was built. Authorities tried to remove the building but it was so well built that efforts to destroy it failed. The final solution was to leave it standing.

Abandoned Building in Lake

–          The crew passed Pilot Knob just before entering the marina. Early steamboat captains used the knob as a handy landmark while piloting the river. However, the knob also oversaw the only battle in history where a Cavalry defeated a Navy. Yes, you read that right, a Cavalry defeated a Navy. The crew will go visit the State Park and museum tomorrow to get the details. This should be a good story.

Pilot Knob

Saturday, October 15, 2016

The skipper likes to say that the victors in battle get to write the history. Seems that is what has happened when it comes to Sherman’s famous march across Georgia. Turns out there was a reason he decided to have his army live off the land as they headed to Atlanta, and then on to the Atlantic Ocean. His supply lines and supplies were destroyed on November 4, 1864 in Johnsonville, Tenn.

The Union army had created a large depot in Johnsonville where supplies were shipped down the Ohio, Cumberland, Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers. Then the Union army had built a rail system connected with the existing rails that supplied Nashville.

A Confederate Plan was put into motion to destroy the Depot in Johnsonville. Confederate General, Nathan Bedford Forrest started the action to destroy the supply lines on October 24, 1864. He initially attacked the Union forces further north on the Tennessee River and then disappeared. The Union forces thought that they had defeated General Forrest and went back to business as usual.

Actually, the General was busy placing heavy artillery within 50 yards of Johnsonville. A young officer working for the General noticed that the Union cannons placed above Johnsonville were located such that they would be unable to lower the cannon fire to the low bluffs along the opposite side of the river. He also noticed that the iron clad ships were too low in the water to return fire to the bluffs. After strategically setting 10 cannons along the bluffs, the General opened fire at 1300 on November 4^th.

By nightfall, 33 Union ships had been sunk, two trains destroyed, Sherman’s supplies worth 6 million dollars were burned to the ground, and 150 Union troops were captured. Sherman had no choice but to live off the land because all his supplies were literally up in smoke.

Sherman was quoted as saying, “That devil Forrest must be hunted down, even if it costs 10,000 men and bankrupts the Federal Treasury.”

Another fun fact about Forrest, he mustered into the army as a private and ended the war as a Lieutenant General. The only person ever to pull off such a rise in American military history.

Next Week – The crew will continue their journey up the Tennessee River with a goal to reach Chattanooga by the weekend.

Loop On – The water goes on forever and the adventure never ends.

La Salle

Lynn painted this portrait of Still Waters II while anchored in Duncan Bay

Thanks Lynn!!!!!
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October 19, 2016
Nashville Nights
Hello virtual crew members and fellow adventures.

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.

I would also like to welcome the crew of Moon Shadow aboard as fellow adventurers and voyagers. They are cruising the loop in a 1997 Mainship Trawler. Welcome aboard and hope to meet you on the water!

The week was spent making the 160 mile run up the Cumberland River to Nashville, Tennessee. Then beginning the return trip to Green Turtle Bay by stopping in Clarksville.

The Cumberland River may not be one of America’s, biggest rivers, but it certainly has had a big impact on the nation’s history.

Shore line of the Cumberland River

The navigable waters start at the Ohio River and run for 381 miles to the small town of Celina, TN. The river actually carries on for another 350 miles past Celina.

The Cumberland River first served as a passage way through the Appalachian Mountains and then as a stream of commerce. In the years before the Civil War, there were 340 steamships that carried cargo and passengers up and down the river.

After the war, 26 steamboats continued to run cargo and people on the river. In 1887 a plan was developed to reduce the hazards on the river because of a few dangerous places that caused both loss of life and loss of ships. Eventually 15 locks and dams were built to calm the river. As modern ships replaced the steamships requiring both more depth and width in the locks, the old locks were replaced with four new locks and dams. Two above and two below Nashville.

Today, the river still is an industrial artery for the nation’s commerce, but it also provides hydro-electric power, flood control, and recreation for people such as our crew.

Tuesday, October, 4, 2016

The crew left Green Turtle Bay and headed out into Lake Barkley. The crew will actually follow the old river channel in the lake up to mile 148 where they will encounter the next dam and lock. Though the lake is 2 miles wide at this point, most of the water is extremely shallow out of the river channel. The fall draw down of the lake water level has also begun. The water looks to be about 3 feet below normal summer pool level.

The Castle on the Cumberland

The first major landmark along the river was the Kentucky State Penitentiary. The main building was completed back in 1888. Kentucky imported 30 Italian stonemasons to work on the building. The building has the nickname of “The Castle on the Cumberland.” So, if you would like to live in a castle, come to Kentucky and commit a major crime. I am sure they would be glad to house you in their only maximum security prison. But buyer beware, this place also holds the record for the most legal executions in one day, set back on Friday, July 13^th, 1928, when seven men met sparky, the electric chair.

White Pelicans enjoying a sand bar

Finally, at about mile 70, the lake changed to look more like a river. The area is referred to as the “Thousand Islands” due to all the sandbars that stick up out of the water. Then just a mere four miles further, the crew entered Tennessee.

The Volunteer State

When the crew came around a bend in the river at mile 86, they noticed a battery of cannons pointed at them. This was Fort Donelson, the site of the first major victory for the North in the Civil War, and the beginning of the end for the South. The battle took place on February 14, 1862 and eventually resulted in the surrender of 13,000 Confederate Troops.

The surrender took place on February 26, 1862 in the Dover Hotel. General Grant accepted the unconditional surrender of Confederate General Simon B. Buckner. Interesting enough, this was the one and only unconditional surrender by a large army during the war.

The crew soon passed Dover on the river and then continued up-river to anchor for the night behind Dover Island.

Dover Island Anchorage

Wednesday, October, 5, 2016

These guys passed the crew on Tuesday. The crew found them working on Wednesday morning replacing navigational aids

After weighing anchor in the morning, the crew cruised a more scenic peaceful river until a few large stacks dominated the horizon. The 1,000 foot stacks belong to the TVA Cumberland steam plant. When the construction crews were excavating the foundation of the plant they found evidence from a meteorite. Scientist believe that a 20 mile wide meteor struck the earth in the vicinity.

After passing through the town of Clarksville, the crew arrived at the Cheatam Lock and Dam. After clearing the Lock, the river passed through a waterfowl refuge. The crew saw many birds in this area.

Entering Cheatam Lock for a 26 foot lift

As the sun began to drop in the late afternoon the crew pulled up a mile into the Harpeth River to drop the anchor for the night.

Tonight’s water view in the Harpeth River

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Travelling the Cumberland River in the fog

The crew wanted to get an early start so that they would arrive around noon in Nashville. But as boating is teaching the crew, their plans do not always take shape. With the warm water and cool fall night, there was a heavy fog in the morning. The crew waited until they had about a mile visibility before heading out of the Harpeth River and into the Cumberland River. The idea of rounding a bend and finding a down bound tow did not seem worth the effort to travel in the fog.

Better view without the fog

Along the river from here to Nashville there were many freight terminals working with such materials as grain, gravel, cement, petroleum, coal, and scrap metal.

Look closely. That is a Bobcat attached to the bucket. They put the Bobcat down in the barge to get every last little bit of material. The crew passed by as they were pulling the Bobcat out of the barge.

At mile 182 on the river the crew passed under the Andrew B. Gibson bridge for Tenn I55. The parkway encircles Nashville at a radius of about 5 miles from downtown. However, by boat it is another 10 miles to the downtown docks due to the winding and twisting of the Cumberland River.

5 by land – 10 by river

The first white men to come to this area were my fellow French Fur Traders, but James Robertson and John Donelson are the folks credited for starting the town of Nashville. James Robertson led a group of men, boys, and livestock overland to the banks of the Cumberland from the Carolinas. The men arrived on Christmas 1779 and began to build shelters. John Donelson, who arrived in the spring of 1780, took the wives and children of the men on 30 boats on a 1,000 mile journey up the Tennessee River, Ohio River, and then the Cumberland River to the site on the west bank where the men had started to build a fort.

Founding Father Statue

The little fort was renamed Nashville in 1784. In 1843, the state capital was moved from Knoxville to Nashville. During the Civil War, Nashville’s strategic location on the river and railroad links to towns further south, made it a natural target for the North. After Fort Donelson fell protecting the river route to town, Nashville fell to the North and remained occupied for the three remaining years of the war.

The view from Still Waters II on the east shore

After the war years, Nashville prospered. By the 1920’s the town was linked to country music and by the 1950’s every major record label had offices in the city. America’s longest running radio show, WSM’s Grand Ole Opry, started in one of these studios in 1925. Moved to the Ryman Auditorium in 1941, and has been in its new home near the Opry Land Hotel since 1974.

Larry Gatlin at the Ryman Auditorium

Night Life in Nashville

Friday, October 7, 2016

This was a shore excursion day for the crew. The skipper loves him some hamburgers, and there is a Five Guys Burger and Fries only 1.8 miles from the boat. The Admiral and skipper set out on foot to enjoy a burger for lunch. It had been back in June since they had a Five Guys Burger, and well, that is just too loooooong.

After satisfying their burger craze, they headed over to Vanderbilt University to explore the campus. The 330 acre campus is actually a national arboretum and features over 300 different species of trees and shrubs.

The stone column is all that remains from the original main entrance to campus

The crew then headed back towards the downtown area. When they arrived at the visitor center, they ran into a policeman who came up and introduced himself. The officer asked where the crew was from and welcomed them to his fine city. During the conversation, the skipper asked the officer where the best ice cream in town could be found. Without hesitation, the officer said Mike’s and gave directions.

The Admiral and skipper found Mike’, and both had the banana pudding ice cream. It was delicious.

Budding Artist at the Art Museum

Cornerstone laid in 1830

The crew wandered around town a little longer and then headed back to the boat to sit on the dock and listen to the country music flow across the river.

The Admiral found this guy and wandered over for a closer look. Wish the skipper would have caught her shock when the snowman moved

Saturday, October 8, 2016

The crew shoved off from the dock and headed back down river with the current with the goal of making Clarksville. Though they made the marina before dark, it was with only about 30 minutes left of light for the day.

The skipper spotted this flag on an up bound tow

The tug’s home port is Houston, TX

When the crew arrived at the Cheatam Lock and Dam, there was an up bound tow in the lock. The tow was pushing a 3 x 5 set of barges. The lock was not long enough to get all the barges through with one lift so the tow had to untie the barges and put them through in two chunks. After the first set of barges were through the lock, they were made fast on the wall.

The crew prefers to meet this size tug

The tug then went down and retrieved the remaining barges and locked up. Then the tug crew had to tie and make fast before the tow could clear the lock.

Our crew arrived when the first set of barges were locked up and the tug was headed back down. The crew dropped the anchor and waited two hours before the evolution was complete and the tow passed the crew. After the tow passed, the lock master gave our crew the green light to enter the lock and make the 26 foot drop back down to the Barkley Lake level.

Interesting engineering solution to a boat launch problem

With 25 miles to travel to the marina it was a good thing the current was providing a nice push down river. The crew arrived at 1800 with an 1820 sunset.

Next Week – The crew will continue their return to Green Turtle Bay on the Cumberland. They then plan to cross over into Kentucky Lake and continue the loop south on the Tennessee River.

Loop On – The water goes on forever and the adventure never ends.

La Salle

In the 60’s, Six Flags Over Texas opened with the famed LaSalle River Adventure. The skipper was a young boy when this park opened and his family visited every season. I can recall watching the young skipper dive for the bottom of the boat every time we approached the cannon fire of the Spanish Fort.

I was a bit surprised when Eric told me that our skipper was going to even try to cruise down the Mississippi River. I took this assignment just to see if his fears of cannon fire had subsided. I did get a good chuckle when the crew rounded that bend on the Cumberland and the skipper was facing the cannons. I sure wish one of them would have fired. You would find me still laughing at the skipper.

Since we did make it safely down the Mississippi, I thought I would share the virtual ride back in the day. Click on the link to take the river boat ride. The cannon fire starts about three minutes into the video. Enjoy.
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October 9, 2016