10/18 – 10/19/2015
Cruising up the Tennessee River
Now that all the festivities and sessions of the 2015 AGLCA
Rendezvous were over, parades of boats made their way out of the area, and were
headed south. We, however, had decided
to make a side-trip up the Tennessee River in order to visit Chattanooga,
Tennessee, as well as to view the foliage along the way. We pulled away from the dock at 8:45 a.m. and
arrived after 57 miles at our first stop, Ditto Landing Marina, in Huntsville,
Alabama at 3 p.m. To our surprise,
“Suroan”, a boat owned by Al and Sue Gonzalez, who we had met up with a number
of times on the Trent-Severn Waterway and Georgian Bay in Canada was here in a
slip, but no one was aboard. We then
contacted them by phone to see where they were, only to find out that they had
returned home for some business. There
were also several other “Looper” boats here as well. The weather the next day was cold and rainy,
so pat got up early to do the laundry, while George took care of his usual many
chores around the boat. That evening we
had pizza aboard, while Pat was able to view “Dancing With the Stars”, one of
her favorite T.V. shows.
10/20/2015
Scenic Tennessee River
We continued our trip up the scenic Tennessee River the next
morning at 7:45 a.m., and by 1 p.m. we had arrived at Goose Pond Colony Marina
in Scottsboro, after having passed through the Guntersville Lock and travelling
45 miles. In the early evening we were
invited to have “Docktails” with three other “Looper” boats: “Liquid Assets”,
“Kat-in- a-Hat”, and “Gimme Time”, and afterwards we all got into the marina’s
courtesy van and went to the on-site restaurant, “The Docks”, for dinner.
10/21/2015
Traveling up the Tennessee River
Guntersville Lock
Little Cedar Mountain Anchorage
"Frye Daze" at anchor near us
Today’s destination as we made our way north up the
Tennessee river was an anchorage at Little Cedar Mountain, which was
recommended by our friend, Jim Howe. The
ironic thing was that as we were moving north up the river, a sailboat was
headed down the river, and when the boat, named “M & M”, met up with us,
the gentleman aboard started to yell: “George, is that you?” and we recognized
that this was Jim’s cousin, “Ralph” (the name has a long story), who was headed
south to Florida single-handed! A little
later we called Jim to tell him that we had just seen “Ralph” on the water, and
he told us that his cousin’s wife gave him an ultimatum and told him that this
trip would be the last one! We passed
through the Nickajack Lock and after 49 miles arrived at this beautiful
anchorage in the early afternoon. A
little later, another “Looper” boat also anchored nearby. It was “Frye Daze”, owned by Dave and Betsy
Frye, who we had met in South Haven, Michigan, and also at the Rendezvous.
10/22/2015
"Grand Canyon" of the Tennessee River
We awoke to areas of fog on the river this morning, but we
left the anchorage at 7 a.m., because we wanted to arrive in Chattanooga as
early in the day as possible. However,
despite the fact that the distance was only 37 miles away, we encountered
several areas of dense fog along the way, and at one point prior to our turning
into the “Grand Canyon” of the Tennessee, we had to stop in place for a while, until the fog lifted
somewhat. “Reflection” arrived at the
Erwin Marine floating docks at the Bluffs around noon, and we were able to pull
in alongside with the help of some other boaters who were already tied up. This location was right on the Tennessee River
behind the very large and dramatically-designed Tennessee Aquarium, and we
really got our exercise going up and down the mass of steps leading up and down
from street level to the docks. We first
decided to familiarize ourselves with the city by walking a number of blocks to
the marina’s office where we not only paid for our spot, but also picked up a
“Welcome Bag” filled with brochures along with a “Moon Pie”, which is a local
treat in Chattanooga. This was a thoughtful
gesture made up by our AGLCA Harbor Hosts, Hal and Cheryl Baker. From there we walked back to the Aquarium,
and bought tickets for two 3-D IMAX films: “flight of the butterflies”, and
“Humpback Whales” which we would view later in the afternoon. After doing so, we then went to the Big River
Grille & Brewing Works for dinner, and then headed back to our boat after a
long day.
10/23/2015
Otters at Play
Fish
Chattanooga Train Station Hotel
Today we immediately headed for the Tennessee Aquarium (the #1-rated
aquarium in the country), and spent the entire morning touring their exhibits,
followed by our viewing another 3-D IMAX film: “Hubble”. After a quick lunch on-site, we then walked
to Chattanooga’s Visitors’ Center and boarded their free Electric Shuttle which
makes various stops around the city. We
took it to visit the “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” which is actually an old hotel
that once served as the train station for this famous railroad stop. Behind the hotel is a railyard with the
locomotive and a number of authentic train cars, which also act as hotel rooms,
and a number of shops with railroad memorabilia and souvenirs. We then rode the Electric Shuttle back to our
starting point, and chose the “Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers” restaurant for
dinner.
10/24/2015
Paddle Board races on the Tennessee River
Lookout Mountain Incline Railway
Ruby Falls Caves
Falls Room
Pat at the Mirror Pool
American Queen Riverboat
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This morning we had a car reserved from the local Enterprise
Car Rental Agency, and the agent picked us up at the Aquarium at 8:30 a.m. Soon afterwards, we were on our way to the
Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, the world’s steepest passenger railway. Unfortunately, the day was somewhat overcast,
but the ride up the mountain, and the view at the top was really something to
see. Even taking and leaving a seat in
the inclined car was an experience, and, of course, George (a railroad buff)
had to sit in one of the front seats both coming and going! From there we drove to Ruby Falls which has
been voted on of the “Top Seven Natural Wonders” in the nation. The tour began with a 260 foot elevator ride
down into the mountain, followed by a 1 mile walk through the various caves
until we finally entered the magnificent “Falls Room” where the waterfalls were
crashing 145 feet down through the mountain into the beautiful “Mirror Pool” ,
and both were lit with dramatic colored lighting. After another 1 mile trek back out of the
caves, and then up in the elevator, followed by an up-hill walk to our distant
car parking spot, we were ready for lunch.
This time we headed to the Bluff View Art District where we ate at
“Tony’s Pasta Shop and Trattoria”.
Following our meal, we drove into the city to a small market for a few
fresh vegetables and fruit, as well as some other basic items. After bringing back our rental car, we then
returned to our boat, and got a phone call from our friends, Jim and Betty Howe
from their home in Texas, who wanted to know where we were in Chattanooga. This is a place that they have visited
before, and they then insisted that we get barbecued ribs from “Sticky
Fingers”, and eatery that they claimed served the best ribs that they have ever
eaten. So, early in the evening George
did walk several blocks to the restaurant and picked up an order of ribs along
with their sauce, etc., and brought it back for our dinner onboard. Indeed, the food was great, and we were not
disappointed!
10/25/2015
Heading back down the Tennessee River
“Reflection” pulled away from the dock after our wonderful
visit to Chattanooga at 7 a.m., and we talked about how we would really love to
visit again by car, so that we could take some Tennessee Valley Railroad train
excursions in the area. Today’s
destination was again Goose Pond Colony Marina in Scottsboro, Alabama at a
distance of over 85 miles. Unfortunately
the weather was overcast and misty, but we made the best of it. However, as we were a few miles away from the
marina, we picked up a conversation on the marine radio between a local boat
and “YOLO”, a boat operated by Jeff and Gail Dunham, friends of ours from
Norfolk, Virginia. We first met them a
few years ago, when they were bring their boat north, and George and our
neighbor, Lou Ianniello, went down to Atlantic City to guide them up the
somewhat shallow waters of the NJ Intracoastal Waterway. We have kept in touch ever since, and have
visited with them in Chesapeake, Virginia on our way southbound and northbound
with our boat to and from New Jersey and Florida. They are on the “Loop”, but have had a number
of issues come up which caused them to be delayed in their travels, so we were
delighted to hear that they were in the area!
After a phone call to them, we were even happier to learn that they also
were going to be at Goose Pond that evening.
Jeff and Gail were at the dock to take our lines, and we joined them
later aboard their boat for cocktails along with Ralph and Linda Azersky,
owners of “Mazel Tug”. Jeff and Gail
were on their way to Chattanooga, so, unfortunately for now we were going in
opposite directions, but we certainly hope to see them again along the
way.
10/26/2015
Today was again overcast and rainy, so we decided to spend
the day at Goose Pond, so that pat could do the laundry, and George could take
care of the ever-present boat chores, and we were surprised by a can of
wonderful Virginia peanuts left as a surprise for us on our boat after “YOLO”
left. Believe us, these peanuts are some
of the best we have ever eaten!
10/27/2015
We continued to re-trace our steps down the Tennessee River
today to Ditto Landing Marina, a distance of 45 miles through one lock, which
took us only 5 hours with the current behind us again in overcast skies, and
somewhat chilly weather.
10/28/2015
Foliage on the Tennessee River
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“Reflection” left Ditto Landing at 7:40 a.m. for a trip of
68 miles and one lock to Six Mile Creek Anchorage, a lovely small secluded spot surrounded by
just a few homes, off of the Tennessee River, and arrived there in the late
afternoon.
10/29/2015
On our way to Grand Harbor
         
At 8:15 a.m. we lifted anchor at Six Mile Creek Anchorage,
and traveled for 50 miles and through one lock to Grand Harbor Marina in
Counce, Tennessee, arriving at 2:30 p.m.
We had also been in touch with our friend and Tenn-Tombigbee Waterway
mentor, from our 2009 “Great Loop” trip, Richard Walker, who at that time
guided us down the waterway in a flooding situation. We have seen him each year since then in
Marathon, Florida, and now he was again bringing his boat south from Tennessee,
and he had it at a nearby marina for some repairs. He and his wife, Carol, would be arriving
tomorrow to continue their trip south with two boating friends who now live
aboard their own boat in Alaska, and we all hope to get together then for
dinner. Today, however, we got the
marina’s courtesy car, and took the opportunity to do some food shopping. Later on we had dinner at “Freddy T’s”
restaurant in Pickwick.
10/30/2015
Pat again had laundry on her agenda, and we made further
plans to meet up with Richard and Carol, and their friends, Jim and Robin, at
the “Rib Cage” in Pickwick, but we had to walk quite a distance on the Grand
Harbor property to pick up the marina’s courtesy car because someone had left
it at a parking lot some distance from the marina proper. This caused quite a stir when George pressed
the car-key to locate it, and the car alarm kept going off until we could reach
the vehicle. It certainly got the
attention of the marina’s security guard, as well as we’re sure a number of
condo residents!
10/31/2015
Tombigbee Waterway
    
We left Grand Harbor at 7 a.m. for a 56 mile trip on the
Tenn-Tombigbee Waterway through three locks to Midway Marina where we arrived
at 2 p.m. in extremely heavy rain. When
George had made our dockage reservation, the marina manager told him not to make
any plans for the evening, because the marina was having a Halloween Party at 5
p.m. and everyone was invited. We
informed Richard about this, and he seemed interested, since he also was headed
to Midway, but he had gotten off to a late start after noon. At any rate, we eventually nixed the idea of
attending the party, since it continued to rain, and Richard, who had the
“pedal to the metal”, would probably be arriving in the dark, and might need
help with lines. Sure enough, at 6:30 p.m. the rain slowed down to a drizzle,
and Richard and Carol aboard “Holiday VII” arrived safely and docked behind us!
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