A shot of our friends on Good News coming out of Mobile Harbor
Mobile Harbor...as we enter it
Cruise ship in Mobile Harbor
Mobile Bay
HQ as we enter Mobile Harbor (thanks to Mary on Good News)
11/6/08
Hey All!
Debbie here…I know it’s been awhile since I put in my 2 cents, but I’ve been busy. Er…um…I mean…my computer’s broken…uh…the internet was down? Okay – I’ve just been lazy and honestly…isn’t BK handling the logs just fine without me? J
As you already know…on Tuesday we left the Tenn-Tom Waterway and entered the salt waters of Mobile Bay. As we cruised through the incredibly bustling Mobile Harbor and left behind all its busy ship activity, it was an awesome sight to see the endless blue water spread out in front of our bow with the sun throwing a carpet of diamonds down in front of our boat for us to follow into our marina for the night on Dog River. But as beautiful as this is, I’m going to miss the security and constant changing scenery of the inland rivers. The Mighty Mississippi (even though to me it was akin to driving the interstate instead of the back roads) is steeped in history and there have been hundreds of great stories written with Old Miss as a main character…so it was amazing to travel those famous waters. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers were stunning in their simple beauty. The Grand Canyon-like cruise to Chattanooga was breathtaking. The winding Tom-Bigbee was peaceful and quiet. But still, even after travelling so many miles on these different rivers, the Illinois River remains a favorite. She’s like an old friend that we sometimes take for granted, and every once in awhile we need to rub elbows with others to be reminded of just how special she is. I will surely miss the rivers.
But on to new adventures…new harbors…no-see-ums…rinsing salt water off the boat after every cruise day…dealing with tides…beautiful, endless expanses of blue water off our starboard side…wonderfully balmy weather in the middle of winter…unchartered waters (at least to the Koerners)…meeting interesting new people and reuniting with old friends.
Right away, there is a feeling of nostalgia as we remember our years spent on the Chesapeake and the many trips we’ve taken on the ICW in the past. It will be fun checking out familiar marinas and exploring new territory…but this time at a much more relaxed pace. I never thought I’d get BK to slow down, and maybe he’s just shifted his focus from company concerns to boat concerns, but somehow it’s different. Yesterday, after coming back from his third walking trip to West Marine (yes I said walking), he tossed his bags on the back deck and walked over to me and gave me a big hug, saying… “I was born to this life on a boat…thanks for letting me do this!” Little does he know that I’m enjoying it as much as he is!
So here’s to the newest phase in our live-aboard lives...and avoiding the Midwest winter! I hope you are all enjoying your own phases as much as we are.
Here’s to warm breezes & calm seas-----------First Mate Deb.
P.S. I also want to echo Bob’s words about our reluctance in leaving Andy & Mary at Dog River Marina. It was an unexpected pleasure spending time with them. I’ll miss their smiles every time we pulled into a new marina or anchorage and especially our evening Captains’ meetings over cocktails. Hope you’re back on the move soon and we look forward to seeing you along the route!
Hey All!
Debbie here…I know it’s been awhile since I put in my 2 cents, but I’ve been busy. Er…um…I mean…my computer’s broken…uh…the internet was down? Okay – I’ve just been lazy and honestly…isn’t BK handling the logs just fine without me? J
As you already know…on Tuesday we left the Tenn-Tom Waterway and entered the salt waters of Mobile Bay. As we cruised through the incredibly bustling Mobile Harbor and left behind all its busy ship activity, it was an awesome sight to see the endless blue water spread out in front of our bow with the sun throwing a carpet of diamonds down in front of our boat for us to follow into our marina for the night on Dog River. But as beautiful as this is, I’m going to miss the security and constant changing scenery of the inland rivers. The Mighty Mississippi (even though to me it was akin to driving the interstate instead of the back roads) is steeped in history and there have been hundreds of great stories written with Old Miss as a main character…so it was amazing to travel those famous waters. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers were stunning in their simple beauty. The Grand Canyon-like cruise to Chattanooga was breathtaking. The winding Tom-Bigbee was peaceful and quiet. But still, even after travelling so many miles on these different rivers, the Illinois River remains a favorite. She’s like an old friend that we sometimes take for granted, and every once in awhile we need to rub elbows with others to be reminded of just how special she is. I will surely miss the rivers.
But on to new adventures…new harbors…no-see-ums…rinsing salt water off the boat after every cruise day…dealing with tides…beautiful, endless expanses of blue water off our starboard side…wonderfully balmy weather in the middle of winter…unchartered waters (at least to the Koerners)…meeting interesting new people and reuniting with old friends.
Right away, there is a feeling of nostalgia as we remember our years spent on the Chesapeake and the many trips we’ve taken on the ICW in the past. It will be fun checking out familiar marinas and exploring new territory…but this time at a much more relaxed pace. I never thought I’d get BK to slow down, and maybe he’s just shifted his focus from company concerns to boat concerns, but somehow it’s different. Yesterday, after coming back from his third walking trip to West Marine (yes I said walking), he tossed his bags on the back deck and walked over to me and gave me a big hug, saying… “I was born to this life on a boat…thanks for letting me do this!” Little does he know that I’m enjoying it as much as he is!
So here’s to the newest phase in our live-aboard lives...and avoiding the Midwest winter! I hope you are all enjoying your own phases as much as we are.
Here’s to warm breezes & calm seas-----------First Mate Deb.
P.S. I also want to echo Bob’s words about our reluctance in leaving Andy & Mary at Dog River Marina. It was an unexpected pleasure spending time with them. I’ll miss their smiles every time we pulled into a new marina or anchorage and especially our evening Captains’ meetings over cocktails. Hope you’re back on the move soon and we look forward to seeing you along the route!
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