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UPDATE #29 11/01/06 thru 11/07/06 Howdy
Everybody,
We are very interested in hearing from ya’all.
If you have missed out on any of the previous emails and would like us
to re-send them, please let us know. Please
let me know if these emails containing pictures are too large and we will send
you a version with text only. The
period 4/1 thru 10/31 has been covered in Updates 1 through 28. UPDATE
#29 11/01/06 through
11/07/06.
As you may remember, we have been traveling and exploring along the
Tennessee River in Alabama. At
the last UPDATE, we had spent the night at Goose Pond Colony Marina in
Scottsboro, AL. We now continue
our adventure up the Tennessee River. 11/01/06
WEDNESDAY GOOSE POND
COLONY MARINA, ALABAMA The forecast for today was “iffy”. A quick glance out the windows was enough of an indicator to me that we would remain here in port for another day. It was overcast and rainy. We figured that there was no sense in traveling among this beautiful fall foliage if we couldn’t see it. “Our Way” and “Janie O” echoed our sentiments. Judy made French Toast for breakfast. At 9 am. Tim obtained the keys to the courtesy car. Milton rode shotgun, the gals jumped into the back seat, and I was relegated to the hatchback.
Our destination was Scottsboro, Alabama and the Unclaimed Baggage Store. It is a huge warehouse style building full of “stuff”. They want you to think that this stuff is from lost luggage at the airlines, however, I doubt much, if any, is from that source. Most of it is just junk. It is more like the Goodwill Store. Jane found the perfect hat, however, that mean ol’ Tim wouldn’t let her have it. Oh, well…..
Our lunch stop was at “Captain D’s”, a chain restaurant that serves pretty good seafood. Wal-Mart and a grocery store trip helped to fill up the hatchback. Milton seemed a little over-protective of his groceries and guarded them with his vigilant presence.
Milton posed for a minute on the dock with “Janie O” in front of “Our Way”.
11/02/06
THURSDAY GOOSE POND
COLONY MARINA, SCOTTSBORO, ALABAMA TO
JASPER, TENNESSEE At 6:45 am, we were off the dock and underway. What a wonderful time we had with those wonderful folks, Milton and Jimmie. We hated to leave them but we are confident that our paths will cross again soon. It was cold out (42 degrees), however, the sun was out and the fall colors were awesome. Near Mile 391.6, the TVA project Bellefonte nuclear power plant stands with twin 587-foot towers. It was hard to believe that construction began back in 1974 and that the plant never became operational and probably never will. We wondered if there was any design problems in connection with the disaster at “3-Mile Island” in PA?
Electrical power is one of the principal reasons that the lock and dam system was erected along the river. Here at Mile 399.0, stands the 1000 foot tall stack of the TVA’s Widow’s Creek power plant, a coal-fired facility.
In all quadrants, the magnificence of the changing foliage provides a feast for the eyes. The colors are much more vivid than the camera records.
I am fascinated by these railroad lift bridge designs. As we approach, it is reassuring to see the clearance height clearly marked on the concrete pillars. This one shows in excess of 30 feet and concurs with our charts. About 2 miles later, we cross the border from Alabama back into Tennessee.
The Nickajack Lock and Dam, completed in 1967, cross the river at Mile 424.7.
Judy prepares the boat for locking by placing the protective fenders on the appropriate side and attaching the lines that will secure us to the bollards. Notice that she is wearing her PFD (Personal Flotation Device). This particular type is compact, lightweight, and doesn’t feel cumbersome. It is fully automatic and will inflate immediately should she fall into the water.
Shortly after departing the lock, we located the free dock at the Shellmound Recreational Area. The breeze was a bit brisk and it took a couple attempts to get tied up to the very low dock. Without anyone to help, it was in keeping with our Rule #1 that “nobody gets hurt” to not jump off onto the dock. We snuggled up to the dock and used some of that Texas lasso stuff to catch the short posts. It worked pretty well and we were very secure by 1:45 pm. This was a very lovely and secluded place with rural beauty in all directions. With temperatures in the mid 50’s and winds at 15 to 20 mph, it was still very pleasant as long as we stayed out of the wind. Once again, the foliage colors were at peak.
With these cold conditions settling in, I made up another big pot of Chili to help warm the innards. Once again, here’s my compliment to the chef. Oh, wait a minute, that’s me! POSITION: N35 00.440 W085 36.324 MILE 425.5 11/03/06
SHELLMOUND RECREATION AREA, JASPER, TN
TO CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE Temperatures plummeted down to 28 degrees during the overnight hours. With the clear, calm conditions, a coating of frost and ice covered everything. It was very beautiful to see the ducks paddling about in the thin layer of sea fog that was only inches thick. We had kept warm enough even though the cabin got down to 47 degrees. We had two super, Ralph Lauren blankets that we got at Sam’s Club and Judy added a fleece throw to her side. I got up and started the generator along with the heaters and main heat pump. I worked on the logs and that gave Judy a chance to sleep in. She did make scrambled eggs and toasted bagels before we departed the dock at 8:15 am.
As we travel along the river, we continuously consult the Tennessee
River CruiseGuide written by Fred Myers.
We always learn so much from his detailed commentary.
Today is no exception. We
found out that the abandoned buildings ahead were the remnants of the old
Hales Bar hydroelectric plant. A
local congressman successfully introduced a bill, in 1904 that would improve
navigation and generate large amounts of hydroelectric power.
Plagued with problems, it took eight years to complete the plant that
was the second largest hydroelectric plant in the world. (Niagara Falls was
largest). Early on, problems
became apparent with leakage beneath the dam and the projected repairs would
be economically unfeasible. The
Nickajack Dam, completed in 1967, rendered this facility obsolete.
From Mile 432.4 to the outskirts of Chattanooga is known as the
“Grand Canyon of the Tennessee”. The
steeply rising cliffs and winding riverbed provided a panorama of
awe-inspiring beauty that was unequaled in our travels.
Mile after mile, turn after turn, and peak after peak, the spectacle of
dazzling color encompasses the entire horizon.
Perhaps what makes this area so colorful is that more than 300 kinds of
trees and 900 varieties of wildflowers grow in this area.
In all the world, only central China exceeds this range of flora and
fauna. We could not have had a
more perfect day to travel this marvelous region.
Vacationers aboard the “Southern Belle” could use this photo for
their postcards.
At 11:30 am Central Standard Time, we passed Mile 451.8.
This is the demarcation line for the Eastern Time zone so we switched
our watches to 12:30 pm Eastern Standard Time.
Almost two hours later, we contacted Marine Max for our dock near the
Olgiatti Bridge. Looper friends,
Jean Turnbull and Pricilla Myers, on “Ocean Flyer”, are docked here too.
I am confident that most all of you have heard of “The Chattanooga
Choo-Choo”. You may also think
that it was a specific train but that would be incorrect.
The term became well known from a song made popular by the famous Glenn
Miller Big Band. The lyrics of
the song were about a fictitious train that leaves Pennsylvania Station in New
York City bound for Chattanooga. With
the song’s popularity, any train arriving or departing Chattanooga took on
the affectionate title. Hey there Tex,
what you say?
The Chattanooga Choo-Choo presently refers to the old railroad station
that has been converted into a hotel and presently operated by Holiday Inn.
They have beautifully restored the station and the hotel provides
guests with the unique opportunity to stay overnight in a converted railcar.
As well as regular hotel rooms, they offer stationary railcars with two
rooms per car.
An old electric trolley car, New Orleans style,
is operated around the hotel property. Although
the ride does not cover much distance, it is a chance to step back in history.
The vehicle is operated by a 600-volt DC power source transmitted
through an overhead cable and uses one of the rails as the ground connection.
As a kid in Boston, a similar type of streetcar operated right passed
the front door of our flat. I
immediately recognized and remembered the unique sound of the air pump that
powered the brake system. These
tracked vehicles were later replaced with electric, trackless vehicles that
were more like buses but still relied on the overhead power cable.
During the 45-minute ride, the conductor would
travel a short distance and then stop to give his historical dissertation.
Unfortunately, he was slightly misinformed about some of the facts he
gave. I didn’t know it until
later when I did some extra research on the internet.
Our evening included a dinner mystery theatre.
It was quite fun. The plot
revolves around Flight 138 and a murder that takes place prior to takeoff.
The actors move throughout the room and interact with the audience. We
have become participants as passengers aboard the aircraft.
Some people from the audience are selected to play small roles up on
stage. In one scene, Fred was
chosen to portray one of three passengers.
His role was to be romantically involved with a voluptuous, young lady.
I must say that I am a great actor for this role.
I immersed myself in the role. I
must have been a little too convincing as one person commented to Judy that
she would have “scratched his eyes out” if she had been Judy.
Look, folks, I am a very serious actor that was just playing a part.
It all meant nothing to me, nothing I tell you, nothing at all,
honestly, nothing. I hardly
noticed my acting partner, well, maybe just a little.
No photography was allowed in the theatre.
As I remember, there was an Italian buffet dinner.
At the conclusion of the play, the audience tries to guess who is
guilty of the murder. The plot is
then revealed and the real culprit exposed.
All in all, it was a fun event unlike any that either of us had ever
experienced.
11/04/06
SATURDAY CHATTANOOGA,
TENNESSEE
The morning was absolutely beautiful.
The morning temperature hovered around 40 degrees under cloudless skies
and a still wind. The river was full of sleek, racing shells zipping up and
down alongside AMARSE. This was
the day of the second largest shell race in the world.
The “Head of the Hooch” has been a favorite event in Chattanooga
since last year when it was relocated here from Atlanta and the Chattahoochee
River. The trademark name was
retained. There were many, many
hundreds (perhaps thousands) of these incredible racing boats.
Over 5000 athletes would participate in the many classes of events.
Some of the long boats are powered by as many as eight oarsmen and a
coxswain. There are also teams of
four, two, and singles. These
boats are no toys. The larger
boats cost over $30,000 and then must be equipped with oars and related
equipment. Participants come from large numbers of colleges,
universities, prep schools, and high schools from across the nation.
We never realized the extent of this sport.
The next picture is of a four-man team from the University of
Texas-Austin. The teams are either women or men. They are also ranked by their individual body weight.
The oarsmen leave their shoes attached in the boats.
One of the most popular brands of boat is the Vespoli.
The shells and sculls are transported on these special trailers that
can be loaded with numerous vessels.
This is but one area where lots of oars were lined up awaiting their
turn. This picture was taken
while many boats were already out on the course.
The Chattanooga riverfront has been renovated and has become a
showplace for the city. Here is a photo of the largest, freshwater aquarium in the
world. In the building adjacent,
an enormous saltwater aquarium resides. We
were very fortunate to be able to obtain dockage right here in the heart of
all the activities.
We took a city bus out to Lookout Mountain.
The world’s steepest incline railway carries visitors up to the top
of the mountain. At the steepest
point, the incline reaches 72.7%.
At the top of the mountain, is the historic, Chickamauga-Chattanooga
Military Park, site of the bloodiest, two-day battle of the Civil War.
Maintained by the US Parks Service, it was the nation’s first and is
the nation’s largest military park.
Another attraction is a large, lighted diorama that depicts the major
battles that occurred in this area from Lookout Mountain to Mission Ridge.
The 30-minute presentation chronicles the events of the area battles.
For dinner, Judy schmoozed me to take her to “Sticky Fingers”.
This barbeque place specialized in Memphis style ribs.
Judy, the rib lover, chose the rack, of course.
I had the other specialty with the Pulled Pork Dinner. 11/05/06
SUNDAY CHATTANOOGA,
TENNESSEE
The Holiday Inn operates the historic, “Choo-Choo” station as a
hotel now. The all-brick
structure is quite beautiful and nicely restored.
The hotel lobby is located in the former waiting room.
The main reason for our stay in Chattanooga today was the special performance of Handel’s Messiah. The stage of the magnificent Tivoli Theatre was filled with a huge choir of singers and a symphony orchestra. The pillar of the music community, Glenn Draper, assembled this large group of people from the ranks of those former students and people that had performed with him in prior events. The conductor has been involved with this famous work for over 53 years. He is a Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and has conducted and directed throughout the world. During his career, he directed singers’ performances before heads of state, including every U.S. President since Richard Nixon and British royalty. He has led 49 international concert tours and countless American tours.
A
number of distinguished soloists grasped the attentive listeners in this
deeply moving event. We had
arrived early to get a pair of wonderful, center section, seats, with a
perfect view.
The entire listening audience rose to their feet for the
well-known “Hallelujah Chorus”.
At the conclusion, a standing ovation was well deserved and offered
gratefully. These talented folks
put their hearts and souls into this work of love.
For dinner, we selected the “Mellow Mushroom”
restaurant for their gourmet pizza. Along
with some of our favorite beers, we had a very enjoyable meal. We headed for bed early to be ready for an early departure in
the morning. 11/06/06
MONDAY CHATTANOOGA, TN TO
GOOSE POND COLONY MARINA, SCOTTSBORO, ALABAMA
Under a full moon, AMARSE eased away from the downtown dock in the
clear, darkness of early morning. The
upcoming forecast for a stretch of inclement weather convinced us that we
should set course down river. The
dawn broke pleasant and we enjoyed the added benefit of a following current.
Our route traversed the “Grand Canyon of the Tennessee” for a
re-run of the incredibly magnificent scenery.
In the few days since our upriver passage, the foliage has lost some of
the vivid color. Although still
extremely gorgeous, many of the reds and yellows have taken on a rusty-colored
hue. We are constantly amazed
with the natural beauty of these mountains and rivers.
We are both glad that we stayed here the extra time to explore the
region. Many of our friends have
rushed on south and, consequently, have missed out on what may be the
loveliest areas of the trip.
Within an hour and a half, we would need to
switch our watches from Eastern Standard Time to Central Standard Time.
This made our early 6:30 am EST departure the same as a 5:30 am CST
departure.
In a stroke of good fortune, the Nickajack Lock was standing ready with
her gates open awaiting our entrance. In
less than 20 minutes, AMARSE was heading further downriver.
At Mile 416.3, we crossed the border from Tennessee into Alabama.
We looked carefully into the river water, however, neither of us could
see that line of demarcation.
Now, let me ask you a question.
Does it seem fair to you that one person can sumptuously dine on
barbequed ribs and the other be relegated to only the sustenance rations of
crackers and cheese? Can you
guess which of us had the ribs? Does
this look like the face of someone that would share?
I’ll let you be the judge.
At
2:07 pm, we turned from the main channel at Mile 378.0 into the creek that
would take us to Goose Pond Colony Marina in Scottsboro, Alabama. As you may remember, this is the same marina that we enjoyed
on the way upriver. Within 10
minutes, we had the assistance of two dockhands to take our lines in the
breezy conditions. The folks here
are very accommodating to the transient boater.
The place is located in a lovely spot too.
We visited with Louis Letson, a resident of these
parts that often contributes information to the “Looper” on the AGLCA
website. I had wanted to visit
with him last time but we didn’t get the opportunity.
We chatted for a couple hours aboard his Mainship “Sea Note”.
Judy baked a tray of pre-packaged Lasagna for
dinner. We are much too spoiled
by Maggiano’s Restaurant to fully enjoy this version. We’ve decided to forego any Lasagna until we return to
Maggiano’s Restaurant or some such time when I can prepare that special
recipe for “Andy’s Lasagna” that Andy Misovec from “Frobenius” gave
me way back in Canada.
The smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies
wafted through the cabin. With a
glass of cold milk, they tasted soooo good. POSITION:
N34 34.823 W086 04.783
TENNESSEE RIVER MILE 378.0 OF GUNTERSVILLE LAKE
GOOSE POND COLONY MARINA, SCOTTSBORO, ALABAMA 11/07/06
TUESDAY GOOSE POND COLONY
MARINA, SCOTTSBORO, AL
During the night, it had rained heavily and continuously.
The wind was howling at times and the boat tugged and yanked on her
dock lines. We could hear the
furniture on the aft sundeck sliding around in the gusty winds.
There was so much action that we could hear the water sloshing inside
the aft, fresh water tank.
In the morning, the winds had subsided, however,
the rains continually poured down making this a very dismal day.
On the bright side, we got to sleep late and then Judy made delicious
pancakes. She used a special
recipe that her Aunt gave her. You know her, don’t you?
Yes, of course. Aunt Jemima.
Judy borrowed the courtesy car and we took the
laundry to the Laundromat. It was
a nice place that offered Wash-Dry-Fold service. This is great, when available, so you can use your own time
for other things. A visit
Wal-Mart and lunch took all the time we needed before we picked up the clean
laundry.
The rain continued all day, however, it was much
lighter during the afternoon. Bruce
and Jeannie Elder from “Inevitable Too” arrived from an anchorage upriver
to spend the night. Our courses
have not crossed since the weekend in Little Current, Ontario, Canada.
We joined them for cocktails, snacks, and great conversation.
Our dinner of pasta in butter sauce and parmesan served with meatballs
made the perfect evening meal aboard. Hopefully,
we will be able to travel further downriver in the morning.
Only time will tell. POST
SCRIPT:
The next installment UPDATE will continue with
our voyage downriver in Guntersville Lake, Wheeler Lake, Wilson Lake, and
Pickwick Lake along the Tennessee River. Thence, we will head south along the Tenn-Tom Waterway.
We sincerely hope that you are enjoying these
email UPDATES. Tell us how you
like the revised format enhanced with larger print size and the use of
staggered photos. We thank those
of you who have contacted us recently and we are looking forward to hearing
from each of you in the near future. ATTENTION: SPECIAL NOTE:
My Verizon AirCard that operates my computer
internet still operates slowly and sporadically.
The coverage areas are not as good as we had hoped.
Friends tell us that coverage will deteriorate significantly along the
Tenn-Tom Waterway. We will be
sending out updates when we can.
Judy has Cingular Wireless cell phone service.
So far, it seems to work even better than the Verizon Wireless (except
Canada where Verizon’s North America Plan worked well).
Judy can be reached at 361-550-5353 and Fred can be reached at 210-296-4933.
We can be reached at either number.
Please call us if you like, we’d really like to hear from you. "AMARSE".
is pronounced "AM-ARE-SAY". Our website is: www.amarse.net
. Check
it out while we will attempt to keep you informed via email
We would like to hear more about what is
happening in your lives. Let us
know as we very interested in what’s going on with our friends and family.
Please call or email us with your thoughts and comments and ideas too.
Thanks Lot
of Love, Fred
Reed and Judy Law AMARSE MT40
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