The color

Woke up early on this cool and clear morning. Took the camera with me while I walked Radar and got a few pics of the color around Joe Wheeler State Park. Caught this little guy watching the sun come up.
The color at the park was even better than on first stay a week ago.

Happy days

The Eagles

Not much to say about the eagles... Saw a few off in the distance and as we worked the boat over closer to them they seemed annoyed and flew away. The light was not good so the shots are a little blurry. It's really nice that we have eagles on the Tennessee all year long. Good sign the river is getting cleaner.


This guy gave me moment to snap a few off but then....
He too took off.


Happy days

On the way home

So it's a beautiful morning as we leave Hales Bar and start our way back home. The fresh early light makes Painted Bluff glow. And the closer we get the more it glows...
The colors are really amazing...
Then we see our first Eagle. He's off in the distance so the pic is a little fuzzy.
Then as we round the bend toward Goose Pond Marina the sky changes
The wind picks up and the makings of a storm are in the air.

Chattanooga Downtown

Finally bandwidth!! Downtown Chattanooga is always fun. Plenty to do. Restaurants, museums, Imax theater, and not just a great aquarium but two great aquariums. The folks in Chattanooga seem to be very laid back and nice. Memphis and Nashville could take a lesson or two from these folks when it comes to hospitality.
Radar does his glamour shot at the steps in front of the water cannons. He is quite a natural at this... we do not pose him... we just wait until he is ready for his picture to be taken.

and this is just a weird picture of an old wooden sailboat. Has nothing to do with anything I just liked the color and patina of the old wood.

While here we met a very nice couple. They docked behind us at the downtown marina.

Robert, Dana, and their dog Bristol. They were on a very pretty Fountain boat and we struck up a conversation about our friend, David, from Pier 57 Fountain Sales at Pickwick. The dogs also became great friends and had a big time chasing each other around the water front. Nice folks, nice night.

Sunday morning brought brunch and a cruise back down the Gorge to Hales Bar. Friends and In-Laws (or Out-laws) Frattatas and Mimosas were consumed... Music was by Allison Krauss and Union Station... and a good time was had by all.

Well as luck would have it-- work did call us back-- so we have been pushing hard to get home.

Next up: Eagles, color, and a storm or two.

Happy days

The run to Chattanooga

So after hangin out at Guntersville Yacht Club, which is a very friendly and unpretentious club, we left early to head for NickaJack Lake and Hales Bar Marina where Rod and Mary Lee (friends and in laws) are staying. It was cold but a beautiful ride. The trees were almost perfect.
You have to click on each pic to see how vivid the colors were.
We will stay here for a day and move on to Chattanooga.

Happy days

On to Guntersville

Today was a long run. 90 miles and a lock- so we got an early start. The sun was just rising as we left Joe Wheeler Marina. A couple of other boats left at about the same time and followed us the whole way. It is best to travel in groups when having to negotiate with the locks. There is power in numbers and when 3 or 4 pleasure boats are scattered around the lock's arrival point the Tow Boat Captains, who have priority over us, usually tells the lockmaster to go ahead and lock us up. To get us out of his way I am sure.
Our fellow cruisers with Painted Bluff in the background. About mile marker 348. Very close to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. This is where the first missles used in space launches were built and tested. Also the home of Nasa's Space camp
After we lock up we make the bend and I always take a picture of this tree stand. The contrasting colors are very appealing to me.

We are almost done for the day. Guntersville Yacht Club will be our stay.

Still waiting for work to call us back- but so far so good.



Happy days

Joe Wheeler State Park

The colors are a blazing at Joe Wheeler. This is a nice quiet little marina just a couple of miles from the lock. This day's run was a short one. It only took us 3 hours and we had two locks.



We always wait until November to do our fall cruise. It's a little cooler but the colors are better and the marinas are less crowded. This marina was totally booked last weekend by the folks of the AGLCA (America's Great Loop Cruiser's Association). These cruisers come from everywhere in all kinds of boats. Primarily retired folks who want some adventure in their lives along with the camaraderie of like minded individuals. It's quite a trip. Read the link above.

Istaboa at Joe Wheeler State Park

This weekend it was pretty quiet. But there were a few cruisers out.

The above pic is our friend Sam from Pickwick. He's a Yacht Broker for Jim Bennett Yacht Sales.

On this day he and his four legged first mate were locking up with us and heading to Chattanooga to deliver a new boat.

Still no messages from Memphis so... Tomorrow we head further upstream to Guntersville, Alabama.

Happy days

The Tennessee River Fall Color Cruise

So last Saturday we decided we had waited long enough... Business may make us turn around and head back to Memphis at any time--but-- at the last minute we threw caution to the wind and took off cruising up the river. So far so good. Nothing out of Memphis yet. On the first leg we go to Florence, Alabama. This day folks were not happy in Alabama because of their last minute loss to LSU's football team.
It was a beautiful day as you can tell in the above picture of the sailboat with it's Spinnaker out. Nice colors.

Then oddly enough we were strafed by two Army Helicopters.
Up in Panther Cove we spot this pretty little boat. We have since seen her again. "Gatsby"

We tie up at Florence Harbor Marina for the night and kick back to watch the new Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers DVD. Runnin down a dream. It was great. 4 hours long-- so we only watch half.

The next day brings Joe Wheeler State Park Marina.

Happy days

(finally cruisin again)

Recap of Winter/Spring/Summer 2007

I have been asked by a friend who is about to embark on the same trip to do a quick summary of our last cruise. It took us almost six months so this may not be quick but it will be a summary.

It all started in mid February which put us leaving Pickwick in the ice and cold. We actually broke ice entering the Tennessee-Tom Bigbee Waterway. But other than being cold it was actually a pretty nice trip. Not many Tow Boats to pass makes for a less stressful Waterway run.
We made it to Demopolis, Alabama fairly quickly because the current was adding an extra 2 to 3 miles per hour to our cruising speed. While in Demopolis we met a couple of guys on a Nordic Tug. Annie Jo followed us through the very dense fog that morning and tied up along side of us at Bobby's fish camp.
We got a late start leaving Bobby's because of fog but we finally got to the lock and locked down. Then we found it was even foggier than before.
Oh well... It was what it was.
Thank God for Chartplotters, Radars, and Radios. Another incredibly useful tool in the fog was AIS. (Automatic Identification System) This system will actually show a Commercial Vessel's position as well as name, speed, and direction... all on my chartplotter. This was very helpful in the low visibility situation we were in.
We stayed a night in David Lake which is just a cut off of the waterway. It's shallow but you're out of the way of tow traffic and protected from weather. It's about mile marker 49.
The next day the waterway run was near the end. This trip was not so bad except for the fog. We only had to overtake one Tow Boat and that was in a bend where he had all but stopped.
Now Mobile... Finally We had made good time so we decided to run across the Bay and stay in Orange Beach at the Wharf Marina for a couple of days to rest up after the 5 day waterway run.
Then on to Destin Florida. It was a very nice cruise on the GCICW and we tied up at Baytowne Marina where we met up with old friends and had a wonderful dinner.
The next day we shoved off and headed for Panama City where we spent a few nights at Baypoint Marina. Then head east for Apalachicola to wait for good seas to cross the Gulf of Mexico. We had a great time there.
Then the crossing.... It was beautiful!
The next day we had the West Coast of Florida in sight and I called the Crow's Nest Marina to confirm reservations and to give them my ETA. We made it right on schedule.
After a night we made way for Boca Grand cut and Charlotte Harbor. We always run all the way across to Burnt Store marina.
Next stop is Naples and Naples City Dock. The Gulf was behaving on this run which made for a great cruise and we arrived at Gordon's Pass on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We stay at Naples for a couple of days.
On the run run down to the Key's and Marathon... Florida Bay was not quite so friendly.
But this day ends with a beautiful sunset behind 7 mile bridge.
Marathon is our favorite place in the Key's; so we stay here for a few days before heading back north up Hawks Channel on the east coast of Florida. This run north got a bit sloppy so we tucked in behind Rodriquez Key and finished up the Stone Crabs leftover from Marathon. The next morning at daybreak we made way for Fort Lauderdale.
Ft Lauderdale on a weekend is like a yacht traffic jam. Boats everywhere! Courtesy? Not so much.
We end up staying at Ft Lauderdale longer than we expected. But Bahia Mar is a nice place to be stuck. After a couple of weeks we thought we were finally leaving Florida and heading for the Bahamas but weather changes everything. We were invited to an interesting party at the marina-- So we wait another day.
So on this day we set off for West End Bahamas. It was a bit rough but not bad for us humans... the pups didn't agree though.
We stay at Old Bahama Bay for a few days where we catch up with old acquaintances and let the pups run around. Finally back in the islands.
The next stop was Spanish Wells. We had thought of anchoring at Great Sale but we were making great time so we pushed on futher.
The next day started early and we made the short little hop to Green Turtle Cay and Bluff House Marina. This was Easter Sunday.
Next stop was Marsh Harbour--- The Big City.
Here we always stay at Harbour View Marina where Troy and his crew always take good care of us. It was time for us to move on to Elbow Cay and Sea Spray Marina but Mother Nature thought different. The winds wouldn't ease so we stayed put and enjoyed ourselves in the city.
On the next good day our friend and Sea Spray harbor master called to tell us our slip was vacant and ready for us. We made the run to Elbow Cay on a high tide and eased into White Sound without a hitch.
We didn't realize it at the time but this would be our home for the next 6 weeks. We became quite familiar with the little island. Radar was known at all the restaurants and bars. The nights on Elbow Cay are as much fun as the days. Fireworks, Sea Spray Saturday Nights, and Elbow Cay Sunrises. Oh yea... Junkanoo!!
On the days the wind allowed us to go out on the Sea of Abaco to play we dinked over to Tahiti Beach or to Pete's Pub. I went snorkling off Sandy Cay with friends.
There are a lot of Sport Fish boats at Sea Spray and they are all good about sharing their catch.
We really enjoy our little peice of paradise on Elbow Cay...Here's a shot of the Marina
But all good things must end and our final day finally came.
This is a shot of our friends at Sea Spray
Then because of weather and time we aborted our plans to head to the Eleuthera and the Exumas and turned around and backtracked the way we came.
It was a great trip and Istaboa performed wonderfully. What a nice home in the islands.
We won't go into the trip home but it was most enjoyable and the weather was beautiful.
I must put in a link to Pensacola though...
We hope you have enjoyed our 2007 cruise summary.

Bob, Mel and Radar... and the spirit of Sadie.

Happy Days

Next week we do the Tennessee River Fall Cruise again.

Another beautiful weekend on the Tennessee

On this weekend we did something a little different than our usual ---hang out on the boat, read, do chores, and boat ride--- Our friends and dock neighbors, Mike and Janie who own Abracadabra, have just taken possession of their new plane. They offered to take us flying and we took them up on it. We have never flown over the lake in anything other than a commercial jet and it's truly beautiful at low altitudes. The day was perfectly clear and the ride was awesome.
The leaves are just starting to turn as you can see from this shot above Bear Creek heading north.
We buzzed Aqua Yacht Harbor
This is the beginning or the end (however you want to look at it) of the TennTom Waterway.
Then we buzzed Mike's and Janie's home before returning to the Savannah, TN airport.
What a great day! Thanks Mike and Janie -- and congratulations on the Babester. She's a gorgeous airplane.

Next post will be for you boaters who are techie types. We have been rebuilding the computer navigation system in Istaboa and when we finally nail it down we will post it. Some of you may enjoy it if you're into that sort of thing. No pretty pictures (unless you like computers and wires)

Happy Days