TennTom Waterway

Our trip back down the Tennesse and TennTom Waterway was, as cruisers like to say "uneventful".  The weather continued to be warm and sunny most days.  This bridge over the Tennessee River is part of the Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444 mile north-south scenic drive.  Indians and early settlers floated supplies down the river systems and then walked the trace back to their homes upstream.  The Trace Parkway follows the path with campgrounds and history stops along the way. 

Just before the junction with the TennTom Waterway is Waterfall Cove, a tiny anchorage we wanted to visit.  There is only room for a couple of boats, but we were traveling alone and found it open.  One of the neatest anchorages we've ever stayed in.  We tossed out a stern anchor so we could keep the stern of the boat facing the waterfall.

This was our view out into Pickwick Lake. 

We talked to some local folks in a pontoon boat who said the anchorage is filled with boats every summer weekend.  Evidence emerged the next morning when I pulled the anchor and this plastic chair came up.  We took it aboard and tossed it at the next marina.

 On the TennTom Waterway, we had a chance to visit with some Minnesota folks.  First, we made a stop to pick up Julie and Steve in Aberdeen where they will be building their winter home soon.  Unfortunately, it was one of our coolest days on the water, but it was great to see them again and get caught up on news.  At the Columbus Marina, we met Trisha and Charlie on their spacious liveaboard Skipperliner that they had recently brought down the rivers to move to Columbus.  We all had a great dinner out and Trisha and Charlie hosted a social hour the following night. 

Our journey brought us past the white cliffs of Epes... 

... and this cute little towboat that was heading upstream at about 10 mph. 

The Tenn Tom has some crazy switchbacks on it, where you go 20 miles to get about 3 miles as the crow flies and lots of backwaters.  This stretch of river looks like a Rorschach ink blot test on the navigation program. 

A couple of days ago, we landed at Demopolis Yacht Basin.  This is the only marina between Columbus, MS and Mobile and has long been a looper stop.  When we were here in 2009, a new basin was being excavated and is now open for business.  With brand new docks and clubhouse just steps away, great WiFi and cable TV we think it's a great place to park Shingebiss for a while, so that's what we're gonna do.  It's out of the hurricane belt, in fresh water, and affordable.  We recently learned that friends (and loyal blog followers) Jeff and Kathy are driving their van from their vacation home in Pensacola Beach to Minnesota and they have graciously offered to pick us (and Lucy) up and let us ride with them.  Our plans are to return after the holidays in our own vehicle and "ride out" the winter months here in Demopolis.  We know it's not as warm as south Florida, but what the heck, we're from MN and it's gotta be warmer than there.  Shingebiss will be "summer stored" here, either on the hard or in a covered slip.  Next fall, we will resume our cruising journey. 

Chattanooga

We were looking forward to taking the 250 mile side trip up the Tennesse River to Chattanooga, TN because we had heard so many great reviews of the scenery and the city.  As we progressed upriver, the hills got higher and we entered what is called the "Grand Canyon of the Tennessee".  While this is a bit of an exaggeration, we agreed that this was among the most spectacular scenery we had ever seen from the deck of our boat.  The leaves were at the peak of their fall colors and the sun was shining.  It was a great cruise. 

The Chattanooga waterfront has recently been renovated including new transient docks.  Plenty of space so we pulled in with Steve and Kathy on Trip Time, their beautiful 44' Marine Trader sedan.  We immediately set out on foot to explore the downtown area, starting with a walk across the newly renovated pedestrian bridge from which we took this picture.

The Delta Queen, parked right across the river from us, is currently functioning as an inn, but we heard there are plans to recommission her to again sail the inland rivers. 

The next day we set out on a 2 mile walking tour completing it at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel.  Pretty touristy, but also pretty nifty.  For a price, you can stay in one of the old train cars. 

Later that day we drove with Kathy and Steve in their rented car up to Rock City, high atop Lookout Mountain.  Again, very touristy, but this time of year, not crowded at all.  Hard to describe this place, but it was started a while back by a wealthy couple who owned the land, planted the gardens, and built miles of twisty little rock paths among the natural stone formations.  We didn't know what to expect, so started down the path.   

The paths are all paved in stone and edged with thousands of hand stacked stones.  The amount of work is incredible and something new is around each corner.   

This is called "Fat Mans Squeeze" and we had to turn sideways to get between the boulders.  Too bad the pictures turn sideways also when I upload them to the blog. 



The big overlook is called "Lover's Leap" named after .... yep, you guessed it an Indian maiden and her lover who threw themselves over when their warring tribes prohibited their union.   The view is awesome.  

  We think the waterfall you see is man made, but it still looks pretty cool. 

The next part of Rock City is a little "different".  You enter an underground room filled with black light lit dioramas of every nursery rhyme we've ever heard.  Very kitschy, but we totally enjoyed it and took pictures of each one.  Here's a favorite. 

The next day we went to the Tennessee Aquarium.  I'm no aquarium expert, but this is truly one of the best.  Fish from all over the world and more.   Here's just a sample. 

Blue African Parrots, world's largest

Huge crab

jellie fish, dozens of tanks of different varietys, mesmerizing

sand shark 4 story high tank which you pass on each level as you descend through the exhibits

100 year old snapping turtle getting amorous with 30 y/o female ... gotta love it

adorable penquins

American Alligator

Cool Amazon River fish

There's much more to see in Chattanooga, but it was time to head back downstream.  Here's a picture of the Aquarium and the fountain adjacent to the docks taken as we departed. 

It was another bright sunny day as we passed back through the canyon. 

Our trip up the Tennessee River has exceeded our expectations.  It's a beautiful river with inexpensive friendly marinas and pretty anchorages ... and this huge cliff known as Painted Bluff.  

We plan to be at the Demopolis Yacht Basin in about a week.  

AGLCA Rondevouz

We woke to fog on the last day of our run to Joe Wheeler State Park (Rogersville, Alabama) for the AGLCA Rondevouz and Reunion.  The harbor was filled with bass boats waiting for the fog to lift so they could get out and begin the competition. 

By 9 am, the fog cleared and once the small boats raced out, eight cruising boats in the harbor headed out towards the Wilson Lock.  With a 93' lift, the Wilson was the highest single lift lock in the world when it was built in the 1950's.  Currently, it ranks 6th after five other locks in the Pacific Northwest.  It's quite impressive. 

The doors are massive, it's fun just to watch them close.  Okay, you'll have to turn your computer on the side to see them ... seems I used to put "portrait" oriented pics in the blog, but this one won't turn the right way. 

We came into beautiful Joe Wheeler State Park with five other boats.  AGLCA volunteers on the docks were ready to direct us all in, grab our lines, and welcome us to the event.  Very efficient.  A total of 57 looper boats were at the event.  The lodge was also filled with folks who attended by land.  Three days of seminars, lunches and dinners are included with registration.  The event is well sponsored by marinas along the loop who provide breakfasts, wine receptions, and goodie bags.  Name tags identify each of us by name, boat name and home port, along with a ribbon to signify our "loop status".  Gold for those who have completed the loop, white for those currently looping, and blue for those in the planning stages.  Just walking the docks was an event, checking out all the boats and meeting fun and amazing people who were as crazy about looping as we are.  On the Looper Crawls, boats were opened up for visiting and we toured some beauties including a spacious 44' Endeavor Catamaran, a crazy fancy 50' Searay, and a couple of expertly preserved older trawlers.  Our favorite, however, had to be Sea Biscuit, a 38' 1962 steel Chris Craft Roamer.  Her owners had spent 10 years restoring her and she was perfect both inside and out.  We also met a couple from Australia, who had come to America and bought a boat just to do the loop and were close to completion. 

Here's the view of our dock, seen from the deck of the lodge. 

 and this is the view from our back deck.  As you can see, Joe Wheeler Park is gorgeous and the weather was fabulous. 

We had more fun than we had ever expected and were so glad that we had finally attended a Rondevouz.  Last night it was over and we left this morning .... next destination:  Chattanooga.



Tennessee River Cruising

We left Green Turtle Bay Marina with Eschaton (Jack and Nan plus their dog and 2 cats aboard) and went on a short cruise to anchor for the night.  The shoreline along this stretch is lined with beautiful cliffs, sand beaches and forest. 

There are dozens of embayments that provide quiet isolated anchorages. We turned into Sugar Bay, one of the best, where we had anchored in '09. 

It was like old times as we anchored the boats together, launched the dinghys, and headed to shore for a hike through the woods.  

After weeks of perfect weather, the next day brought cool temps and rain.  When cruising, you have to take the good with the bad, so we drove inside where we could stay warm and dry.  We came upon this homemade raft making its way along with a very small outboard motor.  You have to admire their determination.  

 

Lucy climbs up on top of the frig, under the counter whenever the engine is started.  She doesn't have quite as much spirit of adventure that she had during our first loop.  When we land at a marina or anchorage, she goes out onto the deck, looks around and seems to say "well, this isn't my yard" and then goes back inside.  She came out and joined us for a while during the rainy days. 

We stayed at a couple of new marinas and one of our old favorite marinas as we made our way south on the Tennessee.  With the nighttime temps in the low 30's we appreciated the electricity to run the heat.  The marinas on the Tennessee are so inexpensive (still $1/foot) and so friendly.  They really seem to appreciate your business and go out of their way to make boaters feel welcome.  At Clifton Marina they remembered us from 2 years ago, even though we had only stayed one night.  Clifton is the kind of place where when you go in for a burger, they make you feel like they are cooking dinner just for you.  We also have been surprised and pleased to run into several of the Loopers that we had met during our first loop who, like us, couldn't give up the cruising life and were heading south for the winter. 

After 2 days of rain, the sun came back out, and the daytime temps have improved.  After the Pickwick Lock, there are some spectacular homes on the shore. 

We met this man who lives on this unusual cruising boat.  We didn't get a tour of the inside, but can imagine how comfortable it must be.  It's a Jay Benford design, built of steel in Guatamala. 

Boaters following the Great Loop route follow the Tennessee River for about 200 miles and then turn off onto the TennTom Waterway.  This time we are following the Tennessee for another 300 miles to Chattanooga, Tennessee, with a stop at the AGLCA Rondevouz along the way.  The shoreline in this section of the river reminds me alot of the upper Mississippi, with more houses and more boats, even this late in the year. 

Lots of action in the marina we are in tonight, music in the bar, and a bass fishing contest with 150 boats participating began today.  After a month aboard, we have settled back into the cruising life and are enjoying it immensely.  We're glad to say it's as much fun as it was the first time around, perhaps not quite the excitement, but maybe a bit more relaxed so far this time. 

Green Turtle Bay

We've had a great week at Green Turtle Bay Marina in Grand Rivers Kentucky.  I apologize to the readers because I've taken very few pictures and not much to report, so this will be a quick read.  This is the land entrance to the Marina and Resort.  Along with 450 boat slips, there are 80 condos, health and fitness center, 2 restaurants, full service boat yard and great ships store over acres of wooded hills and trails. 

Kentucky Lake, 184 miles long, was formed when the north flowing Tennessee River was dammed in the 1940's.  Twenty years later, Barkley Lake was formed by damming the Cumberland River.  The two beautiful lakes run parallel to each other and are connected at the north end by a free flowing canal.  The Land between the Lakes National Recreation Area is the pennisula that was formed.  If you  check a road map of western Kentucky, you can get a visual idea of the amount of water and the 3000 miles of shoreline that form this recreation and water sports mecca.  Green Turtle Bay is a Looper favorite so we've met lots of new friends and had a little social hour the other night with crews from about 12 boats attending. 

One event that occurred here was a "first time ever" for the captain.  We had a very small leak at the rear of the transmission and actually hired a mechanic from the marina to fix it !!!  Steve said, "I could get used to this" as we had breakfast at one of the on site restaurants while the work was done. 

Today we rented a golf cart for a few hours and toured all over both the Resort and the town.  After lunch and a trip to the grocery, we're watching a little football.  We have cable TV and great WiFi and the bathrooms and laundry have been completely redone in excellent fashion since our last visit here in 2009.  We only stayed a couple of rainy and cold days then, so this long, sunny visit has been a great opportunity to fully appreciate this area.  I leave you with this sunrise seen from the back deck and best hopes for the Vikings on Sunday Night Football. 

Tonight Nan and Jack join us for tacos and tomorrow we depart to the south (but going upstream) on the Tennessee River. 

Kentucky Lakes

The last time we went by the St. Louis Arch, it was cloudy and cold, the worst possible for taking pictures.  80 degrees and sunny this time.   There are no places to stop in St. Louis, so the view from the River was as close as we got. 

Hoppies Marine Service is the last marina for fuel or dockage for at least 225 miles so almost everyone stops there for a night.  Built on top of several barges and right on the main channel of the Mississippi, Hoppie's has its own charm, but little in the way of amenities.   The cleats, however, are more than adequate. 

After Hoppies, the next recommended anchorage is 110 miles downstream.  The last time we traveled this route, we made this stretch in record time with the aid of a fast current that we attributed to abnormally high water.  It seemed like the current was just as fast this time, even with low water, but we left at first light anyway to make sure we had enough daylight.  Here's the sunrise as we departed.

Ten hours of driving so Steve actually let me take the helm for a spell.  We passed many large tows going in both directions.  Fortunately the River is quite wide here and there's room for all.  In this picture you can see three of them and they are all moving. 

With the water down, wingdams were clearly visible. 

Here's an interesting chevron shaped "wingdam", another attempt to control the waters of the Mississippi, but certainly could take out a prop or outdrive if one were to stray out of the channel during high water when they are can't be seen like this. 

As we neared Mile 0 on the Upper Mississippi, where the Ohio enters it, we approached this long S curve.  If one were to stay on the Miss, this is how most of the Lower Miss looks.  Steve's new electronic toy is an AIS receiver.  Working through the VHF radio, it alerts us to commercial watercraft within VHF radio range.  Each little black triangle seen on the chartplotter represents a towboat.  The Ohio is BUSY.... if you click on the triange, it tells you the name of the boat along with direction and speed.  Quite fun and useful little gadget, actually.  Note also our speed of 12.3 MPH, pretty fast for an 8 mph trawler. 

When we turned into the Ohio, upstream, it was like putting on the breaks and we were barely making 7 mph.  We passed this cargo ship on the Ohio.  300' long, we had never seen a ship like this on the rivers before.   

This is a view of the Olmsted Locks, still under construction on the Ohio.  When complete, they will replace 2 older locks that will be removed.  It's a massive project that can't possibly be shown in one photo, but this one shows the locks (structure on left) and part of the dam (white structure on right). 

After about 50 miles on the Ohio, we turned into the Tennesee River.  We had taken the Cumberland River last time, so yippee, a new waterway.  We went by Paducah, Kentucky, no marinas here, but check out how high up that flood wall is, way up by the trees. 

After a short pleasant cruise with much less current on the Tennesee, we approached the Kentucky Lock.   With a 57 foot lift, this is a very high lock.  This lock carries all the local towboat traffic so cruisers often have to wait hours to lock through, but the lockmaster kindly let four of us pleasure boats lock through in front of this tow. 

After we cleared the lock, we took a turn to starboard and docked at the Kentucky Dam Marina, a huge marina, with good prices, great WiFi, and even cable TV.  It's a very sleepy little place, however, so tomorrow we are moving to Green Turtle Bay Marina for a week stay.  We are meeting our old buddies, Jack and Nan aboard the intrepid Eschaton, their 37' Gibson that took them around the Great Loop.  We've traveled over 900 miles in three weeks, so are ready to slow it down a bit and enjoy the Tennesee River.