Log 52; Day 147; Oct. 15; Goose Pond Marina

There's a BASS Masters tournament here and there a lots of bass fisherman like this in the area

Me...on the other hand...choose to fish like this.

Check out the GPS sitting on the seat...this is what I use to find the cool coves. It works great. This is also the one that has XM weather on it which I use when we're cruising.

While I'm fishing...this is how Deb spends here time. Does this look relaxing or what?

This is where I call "the back of the boat" and where I spend most mornings...writting these logs...and many afternoons on the phone making slip reservations. In this case I was unsuccessful at getting in where I wanted to go.

Log 52
Day 147
Wednesday, October 15, 2008

7:15 AM CDT
Location: Goose Pond Marina, Scottsboro, AL
Weather: 61* and very foggy; forecast is for 85* and mostly sunny

Cool and foggy this morning...I took a walk over to the bait shop (they open at 5) and had to wear my blue jeans. After a bacon & biscuit, and talking to the bass fisherman (there’s another BASS Masters fishing tournament here) I came back to the boat. I also took a few minutes to get out my fishing pole and walk up and down the dock to try my luck at fishing...but the fish aren’t biting on anything I’m offering.

Yesterday...it was a near perfect day. Both the weather and the day. It was a picture perfect sunny morning. We cleaned the boat early and I went over to the bait shop and got my fishing liscense and a couple of lures they guaranteed to catch fish. At about 10 I jumped in the dinghy and went fishing for an hour. At 11 we packed a lunch and a cooler and headed out to South Sauty Creek...which turned out to be a large lake. My guess is that before they flooded this area this was a creek (the very narrow channel was about 17 feet deep) and then when they flooded it, a large lake was created. It was very pretty, and a great dinghy ride...we put about 20 miles on the dinghy. Along the way we stopped at a couple of places so I could try and catch a fish...no luck. You can see from the pictures that Deb was also enjoying the stops, because it gave her time to read her book. Back at the boat we both relaxed and enjoyed the nice weather, and I worked on some advance slip reservations. Dinner was a small salad as we watched the latest episode of Raising The Bar...good program.

Today...Deb is planning to use the courtesy car to go to the grocery store and I plan to do a couple of PM projects on the boat. I am also hoping to take some time to go bass fishing. It is supposed to be 85* today...very warm for this time of year. A cold front is due tomorrow night, and supposed to drop the temperature about 10 to 15 degrees, and get down in the 40’s during the night.

Tomorrow...after 4 nights here, we leave Goose Pond and head down river. Not exactly sure where we’ll be staying yet...I need to call at 9 am this morning to see if we can get in at Ditto Landing (we stopped there on our way up river). If not...I have another option in mind in Decatur, AL.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 51; Day 146; Oct. 14, 2008; Goose Pond Marina

Here is our new slip at the far end of the dock and far away from any lights...and hopefully far away from the bugs.

This is a shot from our boat...looking at a boat leaving our cove. It gives you an idea of how pretty this area is.
Full moon last night and it was glimmering on the water so we took a picture
Log 51
Day 146
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

5:00 AM CDT
Location: Goose Pond Marina, Scottsboro, AL
Weather: 67* and clear skies; forecast is for 84* and mostly sunny

Up very early this morning. No schedule...and no reason...just had enough sleep. It’s really nice outside (although I have not been out of the boat) and the forecast is for a very nice day and light winds. Right now the moon is big; bright; and full. We took a picture last night of the full moon...not sure you can appreciate the picture...but to be here was cool.

Yesterday...the morning started out to be windy. It was sunny and warm, but very windy. The boat needed washing badly because the bugs had spent the night hanging out on the side. Our slip here at Goose Pond was right beside two very bright night lights and the bugs were having a blast leaving their marks on HQ. So I did 2 things. First I cleaned all the bug stuff off...then I went to the office and asked if I could move the boat. They said no problem, so we moved the boat to the outside end of a dock...furthest from any light. A little tricky in the wind...but no issues. We decided to get the courtesy car and head into town for some lunch and also do the laundry. So we found a great Mexican place for lunch, and while Deb went to the laundry mat I went shopping for a few things we needed. Back at the boat we did some organizing and I worked on our cruising plans for later this month. Dinner was left over ribs from Porkers in Chattanooga, as we watch some Andy Griffith re-runs.

Today...we plan to take the dinghy about 6 miles down river to South Sauty Creek and go back up this Creek and check it out. We talked to a captain a couple of days ago and he had heard this was a great spot, so we are going to check it out. Deb and I love to take dinghy rides, and we have not done much of this so far on this trip, and are looking forward to today’s ride. There are lots of coves and back waters in this area...can’t wait to see them.

Well it’s time to make some breakfast and get the day started. The first signs of light are just over the eastern horizon, so before long I can go outside and walk the docks.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 50; Day 145; Oct. 13th; Goose Pond Marina; Scottsboro, AL.

A cool shot of the rowers at the races in Chattanooga on the day we left.

We docked just up river from this area...downtown Chattanooga was cool.
Typical view out the front of the boat when you're on the Tennessee
Do I look like I'm a happy boater?
Log 50
Day 145
Monday, October 13, 2008

6:20 AM CDT
Location: Goose Pond Marina, Scottsboro, AL
Weather: 70* and clear skies; forecast is for 80* and mostly sunny

Note: To go to Google Maps and see our location (click here)

We’re back in Alabama, and back in the central time zone. It’s still dark out this morning...but there is a little light off to the east and it looks like it is going to be a beautiful sunrise. Just a few wispy clouds in the sky.

We’re sitting in Goose Pond Marina, about 1/2 mile off the Tennessee River on North Sauty Creek near the town of Scottsboro, AL. This is a marina we stopped in on our way up to Chattanooga and we liked it so much we decided to stay for 4 nights as we head back down river.

Yesterday...was more of the great cruising on the Tennessee. I’ve run out of ways to describe how pretty it is, but will continue to say it is some of the best boating we have ever done. We made it to MM 378 (where Goose Pond Marina is located)...which is 85 miles south of Chattanooga. The first day we left Chattanooga we stopped at Hales Bar Marina for 1 night, and then yesterday we went another 60+ miles, and through the Nickajack Lock, to get to Goose Pond. It was an easy day on the Tennessee. We left our slip at 7:30 and called the lock at about 8:15. The lockmaster said to “keep it coming...there’s no traffic in the area” so we did and were in and out of the lock by 9:00. He dropped us 40 feet, and we are now dropping in each lock we will go through all the way to Florida. We also will be heading pretty much south from here on out.

We arrived at Goose Pond about 2 PM yesterday and after topping off with fuel ($4.09 per gallon...best price on the Tennessee) and pumping out our holding tanks we got to our slip about 2:30. I had been listening to the Bears game on the Sirius radio and was hoping to watch the end on TV. I got the satellite tuned in and the TV’s up just in time to see the last few minutes of the game...what a heart breaker for the Bears. I also had recorded the NASCAR race on Saturday night...so I watched Jeff Burton win (I picked him in our weekly pool) a very good race. After that Deb and I walked the dock and joined 3 other boats for a cocktail. We had been traveling with 2 of these boats the last couple of days. Really nice people who are from marinas another 100 miles down river, and we stayed and talked for an hour or so. We also met 2 other boats as soon as we docked...they came over to our boat asked a lot of questions. They both plan to be at the Loop rendezvous at Joe Wheeler...and one asked us to join them for Mexican food in the next couple days while we’re here. I wonder if that will happen?

For the next 3 days we will be here at Goose Pond. No real schedule...or plan. They have a courtesy car and so we can go into town to a laundry mat; a grocery store; and a liquor store...and I’m sure all 3 will happen. No real boat projects to accomplish other than cleaning and organizing which are an every day occurrence. Makes me wonder if I might just sit and read a book or something relaxing like that. I doubt it.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 49; Day 143; Oct. 11; Chattanooga, TN

The day AFTER the oil change I am in the engine room fixing things!

A night shot at the walking bridge just in front of us at the Chattanooga dock. They say the longest bridge of it's type in the US.
A cool map of the Tennessee River...if you click on this it should blow up and you can really see where we have been.
Log 49
Day 143
Saturday, October 11, 2008

10:00 AM EDT
Location: Downtown marina in Chattanooga, TN
Weather: 70* and partly cloudy; forecast is for 81* and mostly sunny

Another beautiful day in Chattanooga. Not up too early...7 am...and took my time with the computer and watching hunting shows on ESPN 2. Once the sun was up I washed down the boat and Deb and I wiped it down. We also cleaned all the isinglass and rolled it up to let the sun and fresh air in. After the boat was in great shape, I made a bloody mary, and now I’m going to take a few minutes to upload some pictures and a quick log before heading down river.

Yesterday...was a lazy day on HQ. After getting in the engine room and checking things out (and draining a couple quarts of oil out of the starboard engine, to fix the mechanics error) Deb and I did some organizing on the boat to get things back to normal from Chuck and Holly’s visit and the oil change. When you have not been cruising for a few days the boat gets a little un-organized, and we like to have it a certain way when we are traveling. Late morning we decided to walk back up to Porkers to get some more of that great BBQ, and then walked back to the grocery store and back to the boat. We talked about seeing a movie; visiting the IMAX; touring the aquarium; or visiting the museum. That’s all we did was talk about it. We ended up sitting on the boat and doing “boat stuff”. Oh yea...I got a nap in as well. Dinner was tilapia on the stove, and our dinner movie was an episode of “biggest fixes”...where they changed a thruster on a oil rig 30 miles off shore. Cool.

Today...we are sitting here at the dock this morning watching the annual Chattanooga rowing club races. This is an event that has 52 races of different folks in those long narrow rowing boats. Some boats have as many as 8 rowers (with a person in the front with a megaphone hollering row; row; row)...some with only 1 person. As usual, Deb thinks this is really cool, and is out taking pictures and hollering with the crowd. Me...I’m sitting on the boat writing this log, and looking forward to leaving the dock and going cruising. Sometimes I wish I had more of her perspective on things. At noon today they will break for lunch and I am supposed to contact the race safety coordinator (on the ship to shore radio) and ask permission to leave the dock. Once we do, we will head down river about 40 miles to Hales Bar Marina...a stop we made on the way up river...last Sunday (not much there...but a safe stop). Should be an uneventful trip...but as you may remember...the most dramatic scenery on the Tennessee River.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Ps. While I have been writing this there are more boats going by every minute (we are sitting very near the finish line) and I must admit...it’s pretty cool to see the competition. But I’m still looking forward to heading out.

Log 48; Day 142; Oct. 10; Chattanooga, TN

Log 48
Day 142
Friday, October 10, 2008

8:00 AM EDT
Location: Downtown marina in Chattanooga, TN
Weather: 64* and sunny; forecast is for 81* and sunny

It is a beautiful morning here in Chattanooga. A little cool, but not a cloud in the sky and it is forecasted to be very nice today. I’m sitting on the back of the boat having my coffee and, like most everyone else, wondering when the market slide will stop, and what the next few years will be like as we work our way out of this mess. Not much Deb and I can do but wait this out. The good news in this is that oil prices have continued to drop...hopefully this will translate to lower diesel fuel prices at the marinas.

Yesterday was a tough day on HQ (not terrible...just tough). First of all I had to watch the market tank...again. Then there is the story of the HQ oil change, and let me just say it did nothing to lift my spirits. I had planned this oil change about a month ago and continued to stay in touch with the service manager (Jason) at Marine Max in Chattanooga to make sure everything would go well. Jason said the mechanic would arrive at 9:30...he arrived at 10:15, and I wondered if this was a sign of things to come...it was. The mechanic (Tom) was nice enough, but I noticed he did not bring a few things when he unloaded his tools at the boat. He only had an oil filter wrench; a 5 gallon bucket; oil filters; and 3 cases of oil. I was wondering...
1. Where were the fuel filters? I had ordered a complete set
2. Where was the diesel fuel necessary to top off the fuel filters as you install them?
3. What was he going to use to catch the oil as it comes out of the filters? When I do it I use several types of pans and catch cans
4. What was he going to use to put all the used oil in? The boat uses 14 gallons, and he had a 5 gallon bucket
5. What was he going to use to make sure he didn’t spill any oil anywhere? Everyone uses what they call “diapers” which are 2 foot square oil absorbent pads
6. And what was he going to clean up with? He did not bring any paper towels.

To take you through how the day went would take too long but let me give you some highlights:
· It normally takes me 30 minutes to drain the oil and get it out of the engine room. It took Tom (the mechanic) 2 hours. Somehow he was surprised when he had to go and empty that 5 gallon bucket a few times. Wouldn’t you think it would occur to him that when he hauled 14 gallons of oil to the boat that he would have to take 14 gallons off?
· At 2 PM he had the oil out and the filters replaced...including the 30 minutes it took him to clean up the mess he had when he dropped the starboard (large) oil filter and all the oil under the engine. I had to give him lots of (our) paper towels and my oil diapers to fix the mess.
· At 2:15 he asked me if he could run and get a “quick” sandwich...at 3;45 I called his boss to see where he was...he got back to the boat at 4. He said he was the lead technician at Marine Max and several people wanted his time.
· At this point I decided to help him and make sure we got this done in 1 day. I jumped in and became his helper, and things went a little quicker
· I thought we’d end the day fine until I was counting oil containers and found out that Tom put 7 gallons in the starboard engine, and was getting ready to add more. When I asked him about it, he tried to explain that I said it took 26 quarts so he was adding 2 quarts to what he had already put in. To which I said “you’ve already put in 28 quarts...7 x 4 is 28...and he just looked at me with a “what can go wrong next” stare. I told him to leave it...I’d fix it tomorrow.
· At 7 PM he finally left the boat...and I finished up in the engine room this morning.

Today...is our last day in Chattanooga. No real plans for the day, just organize the boat; check the engine room for any left behind damage from Tom; walk into town to get some groceries and maybe even head to Porkers, for some of that great BBQ. Kind of a lazy day.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 47; Day 139; Chattanooga, TN

A shot from across the Tennessee River at our dock in downtown Chattanooga...HQ is the boat on the far left in this shot. The boat behind us is Footloose...a boat I have mentioned a few times

Below we are look down the Tennessee River and to the left is downtown Chattanooga
We took some time from our very busy schedule to visit a local downtown pub with Chuck and Holly
Unbelivable scenery along the Tennessee...some cliffs over 1000 feet high


A typical shot of our view heading up the Tennessee


Great dock in downtown Chattanooga

Our view as we got close to downtown Chattanooga
Chuck & Holly enjoying our cruise

Log 47
Day 140
Wednesday, October 08, 2008

2:30 PM CDT
Location: Downtown marina in Chattanooga, TN
Weather: 67* rainy and dreary; forecast is for more of the same today...clearing tonight

It’s a dreary day here in Chattanooga. It started raining late last night and has not stopped yet. Chuck and Holly have been here since last Friday and just left at noon for the airport. We had a great time and saw some awesome sights.

It took us 3 days to travel the 133 miles from Guntersville, AL to Chattanooga, TN. The navigation was straight forward, and the scenery just kept getting better and better and the last 20 miles was just awesome. At one point the water was 135 feet deep, in a narrow part of the river, and the mountains and cliffs rose 1100 feet above. All the guide books, and things I have read, did not exaggerate how pretty and dramatic the river is in this area. I hope the pictures give you some hint of what things are like.

We stopped at 3 different marinas along the way. Signal Point I mentioned in my last log was a little “used”. We tied to the end of a covered dock which was fine; Deb used their washer and dryer; and we also used their courtesy van to go to town for groceries. All in all a good stop...and we’ll probably stop there again as we head down river. The next night we stopped at Goose Pond Marina, in Scottsboro, AL; a very nice stop about 1/2 mile off the river. We took on 207 gallons of diesel, at $4.09 per gallon...best price we have seen on the river so far. We plan on stopping there on our way back down as well, and will probably top of the fuel to take advantage of the cost. Our final stop before Chattanooga was Hales Bar marina...a 67 mile run from Goose Pond. The docks and area were fine...but not much to do off the docks. The final 42 miles from Hales Bar to Chattanooga were the best river boating we have ever done.

Chattanooga is a great stop. Our slip is just about 1 block from downtown, with lots of restaurants, and nice places to visit. From a boater’s perspective...one of the best places we have stopped. Chuck, Holly, Deb, and I went to town both days they were here. On Monday evening we went to dinner at a place called Blue Water...very good. The next day we walked about 1 1/2 miles to a BBQ place called Porkers...awesome BBQ. From there we spent the afternoon visiting a couple of downtown bars and enjoyed the area.

It’s now 7:20 am on Thursday...I’m picking up where I left off yesterday afternoon. Sun is not up yet, but starting to get a little light. It’s 61* and heading for 78* and partly cloudy. The rain ended about 3 yesterday and the next several days look to be just perfect. The plan for today is to change the oil in the engines and generator. I scheduled this about a month ago...and a mechanic gets on board at 9:30. It should take about 4 or 5 hours to get this done. I have put too many hours on this oil change, and will be glad to get it done. After that we don’t have any plans, but I’m sure we’ll explore more of Chattanooga. We leave Saturday...so we have lots of time. This is a great stop...by boat, or car.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 46
Day 135
Friday, October 03, 2008

The shores of the river are now rocks and getting higher

This is a shot out the back of the boat as we picked up our speed to catch up with Footloose and go through the Guntersville Lock.
This hill rises 550 feet about the river
This is really cool boating.

You can tell Signal Point Marina decided not to spend a lot of money on their office area...but the folks were very friendly


8:40 AM CDT
Location: Signal Point Marina, Guntersville, AL

Weather: 63*clear, and a little windy; forecast is for sunny and 83* and light winds

Side note...(click here) to see our current location

I watched the debates last night and did not go to sleep until after 10...crazy. So I didn’t wake up till almost 7 this morning. It’s been a while since I woke up and it was light out. This morning we are sitting at the end, on the outside, of a long covered slip at Signal Point Marina. If you check out the picture I included of the office at this marina, I don’t really have to explain the condition of the marina. To say we were among a group of hillbilly boaters, would be an understatement.

Yesterday...at 7:30 we fired up the engines and pulled away from the dock, but before leaving the marina we stopped at the fuel dock and did a self service pump out (every place should have one of these). We quickly did this because I wanted to keep with Footloose...a boat who had just left and heading the same direction we were heading. My thought is that we would travel together to the next lock (about 14 miles up river) and be able to lock through together. I did not want to be too far behind him in case he got to the lock and they locked him through and we had to wait for the next lock. As it turned out, this was a great decision because when we got to the lock they had just let out a south bound pleasure craft...so we just pulled into the lock without any wait. Behind us just a little ways, were two pleasure craft who had to wait for the next lockage.
The river continues to be very scenic and the hills and mountains are getting more dramatic. The pictures do a reasonable job of showing this. No doubt this is some of the best boating you can have. Deep, fresh, water...beautiful scenery...and lots of marinas. The guide books are correct when they describe the beauty...and they still say the best is yet to come. Our marina is old and not the best maintained, but the folks are very friendly and very helpful. They have a washer and dryer (which Deb used yesterday, and is there as I write this) and a courtesy car which we will be using later this morning. Not the fanciest place...but not bad either.

Today...we are getting ready for friends of ours (Chuck and Holly Mory) to join us for a few days. They arrive at Chattanooga at about 1 and we think they’ll be at the boat by 3 or so. They will travel with us from here to Chattanooga (about 120 miles by river) and go home next Wednesday. Chuck is a former customer (Oscar Meyer) and a guy we hired several years ago to replace me as President of Power Logistics in Europe. Deb and I love spending time with Chuck and Holly and look forward to the next few days. Before they get here, we need to clean the boat, and go into town for groceries and replenish our supplies.

Because Chuck is an early riser, and we end up spending a lot of the early mornings talking on the back deck, I am not sure how many logs I’ll do while they are here. So it may be a couple of days before my next post.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 45; Day 134; Oct 2; Huntsville, AL

Log 45
Day 134
Thursday, October 02, 2008

5:10 AM CDT
Location: Ditto Landing Marina, Huntsville, AL
Weather: 54* and clear; forecast is for sunny and 81* and light winds

This morning is the coolest morning we have had since we left Michigan last spring. I had to turn the heat on in the salon...and that is where I am sitting because it’s too cool to be in the helm area yet. We did sleep with the windows open last night for the 2nd night in a row, which is very rare for us, but Deb and I agreed that the first night was good, so we tried it again and it was fine. The weather is supposed to warm up from here and extended forecast (for the areas we are cruising) shows days in the 80’s and nights in the upper 50’s with no rain, for the next 10 days. We have had near perfect cruising days for weeks now.

Yesterday...was very pretty, but the views were not as dramatic as the last couple of days. We left Joe Wheeler and in a couple of hours we were going by Decatur AL, and under the I-65 bridge. From there we entered a 15 mile section of the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge which they say is 34,500 acres and the southern most wintering ground of Canada geese. Much of the ride (67 miles) felt more rural and you could also see in the distance a mountain range near Huntsville, AL. We also went by (although you could not see it) several miles that bordered the Marshall Space Flight Center where NASA was formed in 1958.
We arrived at Ditto Landing Marina about 2 pm, and I was happy to see a nicer marina than I had expected. It was nothing special, but certainly nothing wrong with it either. It is owned by the city of Huntsville, and you can always tell a marina owned and operated by a city or state. They are not the cleanest; not the most progressive; and the help is not in a hurry to do anything. After tying up HQ Deb and I took a walk around the marina to pay for our slip and just walk a little. We stopped by a boat called Footloose, a couple from Colorado who we met at Green Turtle Bay Marina. They are heading up to Chattanooga as well, and I’m sure we’ll see them along the way. Back at the boat we spent our time on our computers, and for dinner we had tuna helper (Deb and I actually like it) and watched a new program I had recorded called “worlds toughest fixes” where they film a guy helping folks repair some of the biggest things that need repairing. Last night they fixed the pressure chamber in a 747...good program.

Today...we have 25 miles and Guntersville lock to go through to get to Guntersville, AL, and Signal Point Marina...our slip for the next couple of nights. The guide book says “nothing you have seen yet on the Tennessee prepares you for the view as you leave Guntersville Lock”. That’s quite a statement; and based on what we have seen so far, is something to look forward to. Most everyone you talk to says the Tennessee from here to Chattanooga is the most dramatic part of the river...can’t wait.

Side notes:
· Slip fees really vary in this area. When we were at Aqua Yacht Harbor we paid $66 for the night...here at Ditto we paid $22. At Joe Wheeler they charge $300 per month...at Heritage Harbor we paid $750 a month...in Key West they charge $2100 per month.
· Fuel cost is similar. In this 450 mile stretch of the Tennessee we have seen a low of $4.09 (where we will be fueling up in a couple of days) to $5.25 where we will be tonight. The good news is we are going slow and getting great fuel mileage, so we don’t have to get fuel each day. In fact we have not got any fuel since we left Green Turtle Bay...8 days ago...and we have used 193 gallon since that point. As I was watching news coverage this morning (while writing this log) one analyst predicted oil could go down to $50 a barrel. If so...it will be interesting to see if the price of fuel at the pumps goes back to where it was when oil was $50 before.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

This is a look at Ditto Landing Marina

Below is a shot as we came into the marina and the Cumberland Plateau mountain range
This was our slip at Joe Wheeler Marina...we will be back here in a couple of weeks and staying for a week
Typical afternoon for Deb and I on the back deck with dueling computers
Much of the time this was the type of view I had as we were heading to Huntsville, with the Cumberland Plateau mountains in the distance

Log 44; Day 133; Oct 1; Joe Wheeler State Park

Log 44
Day 133
Wednesday, October 01, 2008

4:50 AM CDT
Location: Joe Wheeler State Park Marina, Rogersville, AL
Weather: 58* and clear; forecast is for sunny and 75* and NNW winds at 10-20

One great thing about getting up early is plenty of time to do the log without being rushed to finish it before having to get the boat ready to head out for the day. While this log is not very long most days...it takes longer to write it than you might think...or I normally think. Many times I’ll start, then quit, then come back again, and extra time helps with that. This morning I have plenty of time and it is a nice morning to do it. Still dark out, but we are sitting directly in front of a lodge (Joe Wheeler Lodge) and the light from the lodge gives the helm area a light glow.

Yesterday...we had to get ready in a hurry to leave the dock and head for the lock. As soon as I finished the log, I called the lock on the ship to shore radio and asked the status of locking up. He told me they were just locking through a double (meaning it was a large barge and they had to take it through in two different pieces. The barge pulls into the lock...they unhook half the barge...the tow backs out of the lock...they raise the first half of the barge up and pull it out of the lock with cables...they lower the lock again and then the 2nd half of the barge goes in, and then they raise it up. The tow then pushes the 2nd half out...hooks up again with the 1st half, and pushes on. This can take up to 2 hours to accomplish this) and they had another double coming up the river. I asked if we get there in a hurry could we get through ahead of the next barge and he said “possibly”. So I woke up Deb and told her we had to leave now, or wait 3 hours...we agreed to go right away. It only took about 10 minutes to leave the slip (I think that’s a record for us) and it was a 2 mile run up a narrow channel to the Wilson Lock. As I headed up the channel I called the lock at 7:40; we were in the lock at 8:10; they lifted us 80 feet; and we were leaving the lock at 8:35. The next lock (Joe Wheeler) was about 14 miles away and I had hoped to get ahead of the double barge that had locked through ahead of us at the Wilson Lock, but the barge was about 8 miles ahead of us by the time we came out of the lock and I knew, even if I ran hard, we might not get to the lock in time for them to lock us through ahead of the barge...so we just took our time and enjoyed the beautiful morning. By about 10 we were close enough to the lock to call them and they said it would be about 2 hours so we tied to one of their outer walls and waited. At 12:10 we entered the lock and at 12:30 we were pulling out.
It was only about 3 miles from the lock to our slip at Joe Wheeler State Park, and by 1:30 we were tied up. Like many state operated facilities there was lots of confusion and little organization. There just does not seem to be any sense of urgency. So after walking around talking to people who worked there and looking for answers on who we pay...and what slip is ok to park in (seems simple...but it wasn’t) we finally were settled in at 2:30. From there is became our normal routine. Organize the boat; emails; internet searches (for who knows what); planning our next days cruise; and relaxing. Dinner consisted of pork chops that Deb did on the stove (even with a restaurant just a few feet in front of us at the lodge we still eat on the boat) and we watched a pre-recorded “Raising the Bar”...which is becoming a show we really like.

Side notes:
· The water leak we had remains to be ok. Although it could probably stay the way I fixed it, I plan to re-do the repair (so any vibration will not cause an issue) when we get a day when we are not cruising
· The cruising yesterday was just as pretty as the last few days of cruising. When we came out of Wilson Lock it was awesome, and the same when we came out of Joe Wheeler Lock. In each case the dams that they have made have created huge lakes and they are wide; deep; and very pretty. No doubt some of the prettiest waters we have been in...and they say it gets better.
· The leaves on the trees are just starting to show a little color. This part of the country will be unbelievable when they really start to turn.

Today...we have about 60 miles (with no locks) to go to our slip at Ditto Landing Marina in Huntsville, AL. I have a feeling this is not much of a marina...or a stop...but it fits with our schedule so we need to stop there. I’ll report on the condition later. The weather looks to be very good. A little cool, and a little windy, but not bad at all.

Well the sun is just starting to brighten up the eastern sky and it will be light soon so I need to get things ready for the day.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 43; Day 132; 9/30/2008; Florence AL

Log 43
Day 132
Tuesday, September 30, 2008

6:15 AM CDT
Location: Florence Marina, Florence, AL
Weather: 62* and mostly clear; forecast is for sunny and 81* and a 0% chance of rain

This morning it is much improved from a fog perspective, verses yesterday morning. Actually it’s pretty clear out. We are still in this high pressure pattern that continues to give us great sunny days. I looked at the long range forecast for our area, and for the next 10 days it promises more of the same (although a little cooler).

Yesterday was very pretty and a great cruise. We untied the lines (after washing the boat and cleaning the bugs) about 8:45 and traveled 51 miles and arrived in Florence at 1:30. The cruise here was beautiful; easy to navigate; and uneventful. Florence harbor is small (a little bigger than Clifton), but very nice. Getting in and out is not a problem at all, and Terry the manager is very helpful. They have a courtesy car to get to town and when we checked in we decided to take the car and run to Wal-Mart (to look at a new camera, because Deb is having trouble with hers) but later decided not to go anywhere and took the keys back. Instead we took the time to work on catching up on emails; paying bills; and working on cruising reservations. (Oh...and following the DC situation on TV. I guess this is just a mess we’ll have to work ourselves out of over time. I’m trying to decide whether to put the for sale sign on the boat now and come home and go back to work. Nah...I’ll just stay out here and help the economy by buying goods and services from all these marinas. That should help). For dinner we cooked some great Mahi Mahi on the grill, and watched the end of Drop Zone...a move I taped earlier.

Last night was one of those scary moments you don’t like on a boat. At 12:05 both Deb and I woke up to a noise that sounded like a pump running (when you live on a boat you are always listening for noises that should not be there). I jumped out of bed and went to the power panel and turned off the water pump...and the noise stopped. I thought...come on...not another water leak. I took off a panel behind our bed and checked the leak we had before...dry as could be. I then got in the engine room and found the problem. (NOTE: I need to backtrack a minute. When we bought the boat I had them install 2 water filters on the boat. One in the back that would filter the water if we hooked up to dock water directly coming into the boat. That’s the filter that broke a fitting a week ago. I also had them put a filter on the boat’s water pump so it would filter any water coming out of the water tank...guess what?) When I had Deb turn on the water pump I could see water squirting out of the water filter. The exact same side, and the exact same fitting as the last water issue we had. So, like before, I laid there a few minutes trying to figure out how to fix this, and with a couple of fittings I bypassed our second water filter and fixed the problem. We turned on the water pump...and all was fine. The entire fix took 50 minutes and at 12:55 we were back in bed. Once Deb gets up this morning I need to go back down there with the wet vac and clean up the water in the engine compartment. I also need to get a different fitting for the pump...although it is fixed I am not happy with the way the water lines are run now and I want to tighten them up so we don’t have another issues down the road.

Today we have 21 miles and 2 locks to go through to make it to Joe Wheeler State Park...our home for tonight. The first lock is Wilson Lock...I think the largest we will ever go through...80 foot lift...just 2 miles up river from here. You never know how long it will take to get through these locks, so not sure when we get there today. As soon as I finish this log I’m going to give Wilson Lock a call and check the status, so we can decide when to pull out.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 42; Day 131; 9/29/2008 Aqua Yacht Harbor

Log 42
Day 131
Monday, September 29, 2008

6:50 AM CDT
Location: Aqua Yacht Harbor, Iuka, MS
Weather: 61* and very foggy; forecast is for sunny and 82* and a 0% chance of rain

Another very foggy morning (as usual..the picture does not do it justice). The water is still so warm (86*) and these 60* nights cause a lot of fog on the water and low lying spots. But that said...it is a beautiful morning. The sun is just coming over the trees and it will burn off this fog and a very nice day is in store. The problem this morning is “bugs”...there everywhere inside the helm area. They are those very small “nat” kind of things and they are all over. During the day you don’t notice how many of them there are and then at night when we sit in the helm and watch TV they are attracted to the light. Then during the night we have those pest strips that put out an oder that kills bugs, and in the morning those dead bugs are everywhere. This is the worst it has been.

Yesterday...was another easy, and great, cruising day. It may get boring to read this each day...but it does not get boring to do it. We went 71 miles in 7 hours. As we approached the Pickwick Lock the river continued to narrow and the current picked up a little bit as well. About 4 miles out I called the lock master and asked for lockage...he said he would empty the chamber and “keep on coming”. It took about 20 minutes for us to make the 4 miles...and for him to empty the chamber. We idled the last 1/2 mile or so and as we got to the lock the doors opened. It took 20 minutes for him to fill this huge chamber and lift us 55 feet. I have 2 pictures to show what it was like when they opened the doors to the lock. We were now in Pickwick Lake and it is as pretty as any lake you’ll see (although they say it is even prettier farther up the Tennessee). About 7 more miles and we got off the Tennessee River and went on the Yellow River to our marina for the night...Aqua Yacht Harbor. Although not as nice as I remember it...still a nice marina. The afternoon was spent reading (Deb) and watching NASCAR and enjoying a margarita (that would be me). By the way...great race and the car I picked to win the race (#48) won...so I was extra happy. For dinner we had a great piece of Tilapia that Deb fixed on the stove. We also watch the first episode of Survivor that I had recorded last week.

Today...looks to be another great weather (once this fog burns off) and cruising day. We are heading about 50 miles up river to Florence, AL. We will be heading a little further South on the river, and then head north as we make our way up to Chattanooga, where we will turn around and head back south.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Here is our slip at Aqua Yacht Harbor

The fog at Aqua Yacht Harbor this morning as I wrote this log
A shot of Pickwick Lake as we came out of the lock.
Another shot of Pickwick Lake...just awesome.

Log 41; Day 130; 9/28/2008 Clifton, TN

Log 41
Day 130
Sunday, September 28, 2008 (Bob and Deb’s anniversary...29 years)

6:30 AM CDT
Location: Clifton Marina, Clifton, TN
Weather: 64* and very foggy; forecast is for sunny and 84* and a 0% chance of rain

It’s so foggy I can hardly see the boats across this very small harbor. We have not had fog in a few days, and I don’t think this can last long because I don’t think there are any clouds in the sky, and the sun should be up in about 15 minutes. We may have to wait a few extra minutes to leave this morning...but not long.

Yesterday...was another great cruising day. We fired up the engines at 8:15...left the dock by 8:30 and traveled the 64 miles and arrived at 3:30. It was a picture perfect day both weather wise and scenery wise. I have included two pictures that were very typical of what we saw along the way. In some places the river was very wide (still part of Kentucky Lake) and much of the way the banks were high and rocky. As I traveled along I could really get a picture of how the Tennessee River flowed through here before they flooded this area to create Kentucky Lake. It’s amazing to me that there are 212 miles between the dams that created this area. Can you imagine the discussions that took place in the early 1930’s to make this all happen? Speaking for Deb and me...sure glad they did, because this is awesome. (Side note: this is at least the 4th time I have traveled this 212 miles up the Tennessee...but I can easily say I never saw it from the point of view I do today. Could be; 1) we were always going fast when we went through here before and now we are going slow. 2) I was working each other time we went through here, and my mind was on work. 3) I’m older now, and have more of an appreciation for these kind of things. The real answer is probably all of the above).
Clifton Marina is a very nice little spot. I say little because it is just a small harbor cut out of the bank, but it looks fairly new, and nicely maintained. The people could not be nicer, and are willing to get you what ever you need. When we arrived Cindy was waiting for us at the dock to help us tie up. She waited while we got situated and told us about good places to eat and said she would give us the keys to a car to use while we were here. She even said she starts at 8 in the morning...but if we need her to, she would be happy to come in early to get us fuel before we leave. And to top it all off, the fuel is some of the cheapest we have seen in some time ($4.09 a gallon with Boat US discount). Too bad we don’t need any.
After tying up, and organizing the boat...Deb got her book and found a cool shady spot on the dock, and I did some cruising work and watched the NASCAR race on TV. For dinner we ate the other 1/2 of the catfish meal we brought home last night. Not quite as good as in the restaurant...but damn close.

Today...we head 42 miles to Pickwick Lock and then another 12 miles to our marina in Iuka, MS. We will actually be located where Mississippi; Alabama; and Tennessee all come together. We have been to this marina a few times...and it is one of my favorites.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Along the way we saw lots of homes built on the hills like these. The white house in the middle looks like it is 5 stories tall

A lot of the banks are high stong like this
This is the entrance to Clifton Marina...very nice stop.

Log 40 Day 129 9/27/2008 Pebble Isle Marina

Log 40
Day 129
Saturday, September 27, 2008

6:50 AM CDT
Location: Pebble Isle Marina; New Johnsonville, TN
Weather: 60* with light winds; forecast is for sunny and 84* and a 10% chance of rain

At 5:30 yesterday I wrote...It’s Friday afternoon and I’m going to start this log. I don’t normally do a log in the afternoon because we don’t get in early enough for me to take the time to sit and write any notes. And...I’d rather relax and do other things than think about what to write. Today is not necessarily any different, except we got in early (1:30) and did not have anything to do. So I’ve done all the relaxing I can, and now I’m waiting on the back deck for us to go to dinner, and I thought I’d write down a few thoughts.
· Bailout...I make it a practice not to discuss religion or politics...but wow...is this messed up or what? With so much time on our hands during cruising, I end up listening to Sirius most of the day and tune in to Fox News Channel and Bloomberg, which means I hear many views on what is going on in our world. Too much information, but the right and left views are so polarized that Deb says “it’s like we’re in a civil war”
· The weather...continues to be near perfect. I feel so bad for all the folks who have to deal with the floods. At the harbor where we spent much of the summer (Heritage Harbor in Ottawa, IL) there are at least 26 Loopers waiting to continue their trek south. A minor inconvenience verses what some have to go through...but we have had such great weather so far, I feel bad for others behind us.
· On our own...Deb and I are very comfortable being alone...or said another way...not traveling with anyone or looking for fellow cruisers in every port. We always enjoy meeting other people and hearing their stories...but once we do...we love going back to our boat and enjoy our time together. We both feel fortunate that is the case.
· Living on a boat...we love it. Obviously, it’s not for everyone...close quarters...not all the comforts of home...weather is always an issue (some great, some bad). But we continue to understand we need fewer and fewer things, and lighten our load when we can. We have always known we are simple folks...and this trip supports that.

This afternoon was very low key and not much to report at all. We arrived...tied up the boat...and went in to relax mode. Deb got her book and took a chair and sat on the dock and read for a while. I worked on some cruising planning.

Tonight...we are heading to the restaurant at the marina for catfish. Yesterday I sent an email to the Great Loop email list asking for any opinions of where we should stop along this stretch of the Tennessee River. I got about 15 responses...all of them said to stop here, (Pebble Isle Marina) and most of them said to make sure we go up and eat at the restaurant...and have catfish. We don’t normally eat out...but tonight we’re going for catfish. I’ll report the verdict tomorrow.

Saturday morning...not up very early, slept in till about 6:30...must have been the catfish. Man was that good. We both ordered catfish (the smallest plate they offered) and we brought home enough for the next couple of days for us. Between the catfish; slaw; white beans; hush puppies; and fries...it was quite a meal. It was so good I decided to go back this morning and have breakfast. It was just as good as last night’s meal, and I’ll have enough extra fried potatoes for another breakfast or two.

Today our plan is to head south for another 70 miles to Clifton, TN. The river continues to be wide, and easy to navigate. It is such a pretty morning that it’s hard to describe. My plan is to quickly wash the boat and fire up the engines and get out there and enjoy this beautiful day.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

We say so many of these shots along the water today...fishing boats everywhere

This building was in the middle of the river...it was there before they created Kentucky Lake and the rumor was it was so hard to tear down...they didn't
Our boat sitting at the transient dock in Pebble Isle

Log 39; Day 128; Paris Landing Marina

Log 39
Day 128
Friday, September 26, 2008

6:50 AM CDT
Location: Paris Landing Marina
To see our exact location on Google Maps (click here)
Weather: 60* with light winds; forecast is for sunny and 84* and a 10% chance of rain

What a great morning I have already had. I have spent the last 45 minutes talking to one of the top bass pro’s in the country. His fishing name is “Brody on the Lake” and here is how this started.

Yesterday was an easy day of cruising. At 7:50 we untied the lines and moved the boat from our slip to the fuel dock. After putting 220 gallons of diesel on (note...we are getting 1.44 miles per gallon...very good mileage for a boat our size), and pumping out the holding tank, we left the dock at 8:30 and arrived at Paris Landing Marina at 1:30; a trip of 51 miles. This part of our trip is about as easy cruising as you get on the Loop. The lake is wide...the channel is wide...and it is very forgiving if you get out of the channel. We had PERFECT weather...and a great cruise. As we cruised south we saw a LOT of bass boats and I mentioned to Deb that there must be a bass fishing tournament somewhere in the area. It turns out I was right...it was at our marina! Almost as soon as we tied up I started seeing boats come in and then I heard a loud speaker announcing “let’s get started”. That was at 2:30...they kept coming in until 5:00. I did not count them...but my guess was there had to be at least 75 to 100 boats. I went over to the weigh in, and it turns out it is an official Bass Masters Tournament and ESPN was broadcasting. As they crossed the stage, they announced folks from at least 20 states surrounding Tennessee (from as far away as California), and they had every kind of boat, and every kind of sponsor. I stood behind the tent where the guys check in, and have their fish inspected by a bass master official. It was really cool to see these fisherman (who fish for a living) come to the check in. It was like being in the garage at a NASCAR race. I’ve never been to anything like this...and it was cool. It was also very interesting to see all these guys put their boats on trailers...you see every technique in the book. But mostly they use power...lots of power.
This morning I got up early to go out and see all the boats get ready for today’s tournament. I had planned to walk over to the ramp and watch all these boats put in, but as I got off the boat there was a bass boat tied right behind our slip with 2 guys in it, so I just said “hi” and for the next 40 minutes I learned everything there is to know about professional bass fishing. It was a fun discussion.
Here are some quick highlights:
· The guy I met is one of the top personalities on the tour and his web site is http://www.brodyofthelake.com/aboutbrody.html
· He ranks 125th in the world right now.
· He told me there were 175 boats registered for this tournament one of the bigger ones on the tour
· This tour is one step below the Bass Masters Elite tour where the top 100 anglers around the world fish
· The top 30 fisherman out of the 175 boats registered (based on the total weight of the best 10 fish you have caught in the last 2 days) will get to fish tomorrow for top prize money of $65,000
· Each boat pays $1000 to enter the tournament

Today...we are in no hurry...and will be heading about 30 miles south to Pebble Isle Marina in New Johnsonville, TN. The weather forecast promises another beautiful day and it should be a great cruise and a great day.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 38; Day 126; 9/24/2008

Log 38
Day 126
Wednesday, September 24, 2008

7:10 AM CDT
Location: Green Turtle Bay Marina, Grand Rivers, KY
Weather: 61* with calm winds; forecast is for sunny and 89* and a 10% chance of rain

Another beautiful morning on Headquarters. The sun is just coming up over the marina now and, while it’s cool, it’s wonderful. As I mentioned yesterday...the extended forecast “for the foreseeable future” is for more of the same. Cool nights; warm days; no rain. Great for cruising. I didn’t go back and look at all the logs, but it seems to me that most of the logs (so far) have started out with how great the weather is.

Yesterday turned out to be a day of improving things. We got up early to get the boat ready for the mechanic to come aboard and go out for a sea trial to see what the clanking was at the back of the boat. We were told he would be there at 8:15 and at 9 o’clock (when he wasn’t there) I went to the service department to see what the story was. It seems the mechanic was late for work and they told me he would be there in 30 to 45 minutes. So Deb decided to put in a couple loads of laundry...and as it turned out got all the laundry done...improvement #1.
Although the mechanic showed up a little late (11:30 instead of 9:30) he had the problem diagnosed in 15 minutes and fixed in 45 minutes. It turned out to be the starboard rudder was a little loose, and we (I helped him) lifted up the rudder with a pry bar...dropped down the top collar a little bit and tightened it up...and no more clanking noise. Improvement #2.
The other thing we improved yesterday was our DirecTV. Too long of a story of why we can’t get certain channels...but one we could not get was ABC. No big deal normally, except that the NASCAR races are now on ABC, so my need to find a fix has been heightened. To help find an answer I went to the Great Loop blog I follow, and it turns out several people have had this problem. What some smart person figured out is that if you have a New York address you will be allowed to get NY local channels (including ABC) and for some reason it works with our satellite TV no matter where you are. So...I Goggled NY marinas...found one that had an address that made sense...and called DirecTV. It took me a couple of times to find an agent that would do what I wanted, but when I did, I told him I wanted to move my “installation” address to this New York address, and keep my billing address the same. He said no problem...and 5 minutes later we were getting ABC on our TV’s. Improvement #3...can’t wait to watch the race on Sunday!!

Today...Deb is going to Paducah (with a courtesy car from the marina) to Kroger to get some things she could not get locally. She is also looking into getting her hair cut a local beauty parlor (that should be interesting...wonder how she will look with a Dolly Parton hair do). I am going to give the boat an outside cleaning, and then I need to spend a few hours planning our trip from here to Mobile. There are a number of reservations I need to make in order to be sure to keep us on track. I also need to make some reservations for the next few nights...at this point we have none, and we plan to leave here and head south in the morning.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Log 37; Day 125; GTB

Log 37
Day 125
Tuesday, September 23, 2008

5:45 AM CDT
Location: Green Turtle Bay Marina, Grand Rivers, KY
Weather: 65* with calm winds; forecast is for 89* and a 10% chance of rain today

Sitting here at Green Turtle Bay is like being home again. We are back at MM32...after going up the Cumberland to MM190 at Nashville, and now back down again. From here we will cross over to the Tennessee and head south (up the Tennessee River). The weather in this area is unseasonably warm. NOAA weather said yesterday that this weather will be with us “for the foreseeable future”.

Sunday...we left our slip at Rock Harbor Marina at 8:30 and headed down river. The trip was uneventful, and we enjoyed the beautiful river and ever changing scenery of the hills along the banks. Our plan was to go to Clarksville, TN (55 miles) where we had stayed only a few days before. We also planned to head into town and eat at the same bar and pizza joint we ate last Tuesday. But, when we arrived in Clarksville at about 3pm we changed our minds and decided to just relax on the boat and have dinner there. On the dock in front of us was a boat called Domestic Squall from Frankfort MI. After the NASCAR race I took a short walk over to their boat and talked to the captain for a while. Quite a story (long story)...the short version is he bought the boat because he had the dream of doing the loop, but his wife did not share the same dream (hence the name). His brother in law was traveling with him at the time and he thought (hoped) his wife might join him somewhere on the Tennessee in the next week or so. His boat was 30 years old, and he had just spent several thousand dollars at Green Turtle fixing a transmission issue he had and now they were on their way to Nashville. Another nice boater...another story.

Yesterday...was one of those good news/bad news type of days. It did not start off good at all. When I woke up about 5 and went out to make the coffee the kitchen faucet just spit out water and had lots of air in the system. I went to the power panel on the boat to see how much water we had left and it showed empty. I knew we had a problem...possibility a big problem. You see the Clarksville dock has no water, and I knew that so I filled both tanks at Rock Harbor before we left on Sunday. We used water on Sunday and when I went to bed I checked to see how much water we had left and it showed one tank completely full and the other about 1/4 full...probably about 100 gallons. Now the gauge showed no water in either tank. The fact the water just spit out of the faucet said this was true...but where did the water go? This could be bad...or very bad. After turning off the water at the panel (so we did not burn out the pump...if we hadn’t already) I started looking everywhere for water...front bilge; engine room; any low lying area. Not finding anything, I woke up Deb and started taking off panels behind our bed to be able to see in the aft bilge. As I took off one panel I felt something wet on my face and saw that a fitting on our aft water filter had broke and was spitting water everywhere in that area. I had to take off another panel to get to the fitting and when I did, I could see the problem. After lying there staring at this for a minute or so, I thought I could by pass this filter and possibly fix the problem...which I did. The next problem was we did not have any water left in the tank to see if it was really fixed. (At this point I assumed all 100 gallons had leaked in the bilge and pumped out...while we were sleeping just above it. Wonder why we did not hear this?)
With the problem identified...and hopefully temporarily fixed...we could get on with our day. But with no water (and no way to get any) made it more difficult. The major issue was going to the bathroom...no water to flush with. So Deb and I visited the port-a-johns at the top of the ramp...a real treat at 6 am...on a Monday after folks have been using them all weekend. There are lots of words to describe this...you pick one.
Knowing we had a long trip ahead of us (over 100 miles) we decided to head out at first light. Next problem was fog. Cool nights and a warm river don’t mix well, so we had to wait till the sun came up a little to burn off some fog and we could leave...which we did. Things were going well until we came around a bend and all of a sudden we were in dense fog. As you might be able to tell from the picture, I could not see a thing. I used my chart plotter to tell me I was in the middle of the river, and my radar to tell me if there was anything in front of me. The good news was there was not much out on the river, but all of a sudden I got saw a blip on the radar. Checking the plotter I could see there were no markers to cause this blip so I knew there was something...but I could not see anything. So I hit the horn a couple of times and slowed down to an idle while Deb stood on the side of the boat to see if she could see anything. All at once I could see the blip moving and it was going out of the channel...and in a minute we passed a fishing boat just off our starboard side. Deb saw it just before we got to it, but I did not see it until we were along side it. Thanks to our instruments there was no danger...but tough going for a while.
After a while the fog cleared and we had our next challenge. Because we had to go so slow (due to the fog) I decided we would get up on plane for a while and make up some time. When I did that Deb went below to make sure everything was ok...and she came back up and said there was a terrible clanging noise in the back. I went below to check it out and after a lot of investigation I still do not know what the problem is. There is no noise until you get to 1700 rpm. Even then there is no vibration...just a terrible clanging sound that seems like metal on metal. So we went back to 1000 rpm and went that speed for the rest of the day. I called Green Turtle and talked to Gary their service manager and he said he could have a mechanic look at it first thing this morning.

Today...to early to tell what this day will be like. The mechanic will be here about 8:15 or so, and we will do a sea trial to see if we can figure out what the noise is. (It could have been like this for a long time but we cold not hear it because the panels were up...but with the panels down (to dry out the back area) it was very noticeable). We also need to go into town and get groceries, and do a few loads of laundry before we leave on Thursday.

Side notes;
· When we took of on plane the first time (and the boat tilted towards the aft) I could see the aft bilge pump come on automatically and it ran for quite a while...telling me the water from the water tank should now be fully drained from the boat
· When we got to GTB I put water in the tank and checked out all fittings...things worked just fine, and we did not burn out the pump or the water heater.

I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

This was a large group of Pelicans who seem to be migrating.

May be hard to tell but if you click on this picture and blow it up you can see how many Pellicans there were

This is the Clarksville free dock...that is the motor vessel Domestic Squall sitting there, and we parked right behing him.

Here is a shot of the fog. You can see I used the wipers, but can't see anything. Deb calls this picture "trust your captain"

Log 36; Day 123 Rock Harbor Marina

Log 36
Day 123
Sunday, September 21, 2008

6:25 AM CDT
Location: Rock Harbor Marina M175 on the Cumberland River
Weather: 66* with calm winds and foggy; forecast is for 80* and a 40% chance or rain today

It’s a little foggy this morning. It rained some last night and the isinglass are wet and steamed up. Had to turn on the heater in the helm area...but it will warm up to a little over 80 later. The internet connection is operating very slow...so I hope this goes through ok.

Yesterday...We said good by to Ted and Billie on Main Course about 8:00 as they left the dock and headed back down river. We were going to just relax and take our time at the dock before heading out, but decided to untie and take off as well. So at 8:30 we fired up the boat and took off. It was a short 17 miles from the municipal dock to Rock Harbor Marina and we arrived about 10:30. Can’t say it was much of an arrival though...I could not raise anyone on the radio or on any of their phone numbers, so we just pulled up to the fuel dock and tied up. Two things we noticed...1) the fuel dock was closed on a Saturday and that seemed strange to us...2) diesel fuel was $5.75 @ gallon...maybe that is why they were closed. No one wanted pay those prices. When I called a couple of times I left a message on the owners cell phone, and about 45 minutes later he called me back telling me he was on his way to the marina and would be there in about 15 minutes and show us where we could tie up...which he did. The owner did indeed turn out to be the X husband of Wynona Judd and it did not take him long to let us know that, and the fact that he had 2 kids with her. Nice enough guy and was very helpful...and that was the last we saw of him. At 3 we had arranged for a taxi to pick us up and take us to Opry Land to get our tickets for the show. After getting the tickets we walked about 10 minutes to the Opry Land Hotel...part of the Gaylord Hotel chain and the biggest and most expansive hotel and convention center I have ever been in (I have stayed there before so I had a little idea how to get around...but it is very easy to get lost...and we did). We decided to eat at Tony Romas Steak House in the mall which was just across from the Grand Ole Opry...and then go over to the show which started at 7. All of these type of shows are about personal preference...but Deb and I loved every minute of it. The Grand Ole Opry itself is a great facility, and it is very obvious that each performer was thrilled to be there (all of them said so...and you knew they meant it). The show was 2 hours of back to back groups and singers. Some would sing 1 song and leave and maybe come out later and sing another one. Others would sing 2 or 3 songs (Alan Jackson was the only one to sing 3). So every 10 minutes or so you would see a lot of things happing on stage as new band members would come on stage and plug in there instruments and stage hands would rearrange the stage and set up new microphones. I was amazed at how fast this would happen and then the next group would just walk out...step up to the mic (without any sound checks or tuning of their guitars) and start playing a new song. It was awesome. We probably saw 10 different acts, including: Little Big Town; Jimmie Dickens; The Whites; Charlie Daniels (yes he sang The Devil went down to Georgia); Kathie Mattea; Darius Rucker (who used to be lead singer for Hootie and the Blowfish...and was fantastic) and the final singer was Alan Jackson who brought the house down. All in all, it was an expensive day with tickets and dinner and about $90 worth of cab rides...but worth it.

Today...we’re back to cruising. Our plan is to head down river to Clarksville where we stopped on our way up river. It’s about a 50 mile run with 1 lock, so we may not be there until late afternoon and not sure we’ll go in to town. We blew our weekly operating budget in Nashville over the last few days...so it’s back to eating on the boat.


I hope everyone is doing well...I’ll keep you posted.

BK.

Here is Arch...Wynona's X...I guess this is what you do after you are married to a celebrity.

Charlie Daniels on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. You can see our seats were up in the nose bleed section...still great to be there.
This is a better shot of how far we were away from the stage. But they had large monitors so we did not miss a thing
Alan Jackson...a folk hero in Nashville...Deb took this shot from the large monitors they had