After finally getting Lauren Grace out of "sick bay" in Dog River we cruised across Mobile Bay to Fly Creek on the Eastern Shore and shared an enjoyable Thanksgiving feast with our friends Pat & Ruth Kelley in Daphne, AL. After the Holiday we were so ready to move on and get to the blue water and sandy beaches, alas it has been too chilly to enjoy the beaches.
We saw our first dolphins of the winter last Saturday (Nov 28) about an hour after we left Mobile Bay astern and entered into the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway (ICW). Actually it was a couple of hours because we stopped for lunch at Lulu's and we didn't see the dolphins until after lunch. Lulu's is kind of a tourist trap, largely due to the celebrity connection, but we like the shrimp and oyster Po' Boys, yum. Regarding the celebrity connection - Lulu's is owned by Lucy Buffett, Jimmy's sister. And yes they do serve a great cheeseburger, and while it might not be paradise it is mighty nice to sit and look out over the ICW while enjoying that burger with a "big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer". After such a feast for lunch we motored on over to a favorite anchorage and spent a chilly night on the hook. Sunday morning was warm and beautiful but the weather forecast was stinky and so we headed a few miles into Florida and checked in at Holiday Harbor Marina where Lauren Grace will reside while we celebrate Christmas in Boise.
That was Sunday, by Monday it was raining and windy, Tuesday was worse and a heck of a storm was moving ashore. Even in the marina we were getting waves, especially after the wind shifted to the Northwest. By Wednesday the winds were 40 mph and the waves were creating all kinds of whitecaps even on the ICW. Before leaving the boat to visit with friends ashore we put a couple of extra lines from the windward side to pilings a couple of piers over. Wednesday night we gathered, along with the occupants of several other boats, at the Innerarity Island home of our friends Tom & Patsy to commiserate about the horrible conditions and swap stories about the restless night we had all had. Turns out that our friends got the worst of the storm, about a half an hour before he was scheduled to collect all the boaters with no cars Tom noticed that something appeared "funny" down at his dock and when he went to investigate he discovered a broken piling and a section of dock missing. Luckily it was daylight and he noticed it before his boat had the opportunity to bounce down on a wave and hit the broken piling. He and Larry are planning to spend tomorrow doing dock repairs while Patsy and I go to Fairhope to do a little shopping ('tis the season) and collect our truck which is sitting at the Fairhope Yacht Club.
This week will be spent getting ready to leave the boat and head to see our girls. We are flying out of New Orleans on Friday and I can't wait! In the meantime there is the refrigerator to defrost, packing to attend to, and a little last minute cleaning to finish. Hopefully by the time we return next year the weather will have settled down and we will be able to have smooth sailing as we explore the Gulf Coast.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Surviving our first hurricane
Well, okay, it wasn't technically a hurricane by the time it got here but these storms are unpredictable at best (and deadly at worst) so the watchword is caution. Of course you may ask (as I did) if we are so damn cautious how in the world did we get ourselves into this position. The truth is that hurricane season is generally considered to be over in November; by this time of year conditions don't usually support development of storms of this magnitude, or if they do develop out in the Atlantic they do not commonly come ashore in the US.
Knowing this we planned to arrive in Mobile in November, but this year Mother Nature decided to mess with us and so we found ourselves waiting for Hurricane Ida. We were both a little uneasy, well, make that downright edgy. As you know Miss Lauren Grace was sitting on the hard, insurance companies like this because in their experience boats ashore do not sustain as much damage as boats in the water. We didn't like the way it felt as the boat was buffeted by the wind. Generally when a boat is in the water she is better supported and does not shudder as much, also when a boat is anchored (as in a thunderstorm) she lies with her bow to the wind and presents less resistance; throughout this storm the wind was on our stern.
About noon on Monday the storm was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm that was also when the rain started. We worked until nearly dark finishing our preparations (detailed here Monday evening) and then all we could do was wait. Sometime mid-afternoon they were predicting landfall around 2:00 a.m., at some point they moved that up to midnight which was fine with us as we were ready to get it over with. Even though we were very tired from a long day of hard work we were too edgy for sleep so we spent the evening watching the storm on the local weather and on the computer (do we know how to have fun or what!). As we watched the storm was slowing down and landfall was being pushed back; finally about 2:00 a.m. I was unable to keep my eyes open any more and fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. At some point Larry must have crashed as well because when I awoke around 4:45 am he was sleeping. The wind was from the North and our stern was facing North, our stateroom (a fancy word for bedroom) is in the stern and I think that there was a change in the sound of the wind but whatever it was I couldn't go back to sleep so I got up and checked the computer only to find that Ida had slowed down and was taking her sweet time. That was probably good news because the longer she spent over the cool water of the Northern Gulf the less punch she would pack when she did come ashore. The bad news was we were still waiting. Larry got up and checked outside where it was still raining hard then he went back to bed.
The record shows that Ida first came ashore on Dauphin Island at 5:40 am on November 10, 2009. For those not familiar with Alabama geography Dauphin Island is about 20 miles or so South of Mobile , it is a barrier island on the Western mouth of Mobile Bay. After Dauphin she crossed the bay and came ashore again near Bon Secour which is on the Southeastern tip of the bay. then she churned North up the bay. Because the eye wall had fallen apart we did not get the wind shift that generally accompanies a hurricane and the winds continued strong and gusty from the North/Northeast.
We had been expecting a storm surge and an extremely high tide, the arrival of the storm coincided with high tide and by 5:30 there was about 2' of water in the lot at Dog River Marina. This photo was taken about 6:30 am because I forgot all about getting the camera earlier.
Knowing this we planned to arrive in Mobile in November, but this year Mother Nature decided to mess with us and so we found ourselves waiting for Hurricane Ida. We were both a little uneasy, well, make that downright edgy. As you know Miss Lauren Grace was sitting on the hard, insurance companies like this because in their experience boats ashore do not sustain as much damage as boats in the water. We didn't like the way it felt as the boat was buffeted by the wind. Generally when a boat is in the water she is better supported and does not shudder as much, also when a boat is anchored (as in a thunderstorm) she lies with her bow to the wind and presents less resistance; throughout this storm the wind was on our stern.
About noon on Monday the storm was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm that was also when the rain started. We worked until nearly dark finishing our preparations (detailed here Monday evening) and then all we could do was wait. Sometime mid-afternoon they were predicting landfall around 2:00 a.m., at some point they moved that up to midnight which was fine with us as we were ready to get it over with. Even though we were very tired from a long day of hard work we were too edgy for sleep so we spent the evening watching the storm on the local weather and on the computer (do we know how to have fun or what!). As we watched the storm was slowing down and landfall was being pushed back; finally about 2:00 a.m. I was unable to keep my eyes open any more and fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. At some point Larry must have crashed as well because when I awoke around 4:45 am he was sleeping. The wind was from the North and our stern was facing North, our stateroom (a fancy word for bedroom) is in the stern and I think that there was a change in the sound of the wind but whatever it was I couldn't go back to sleep so I got up and checked the computer only to find that Ida had slowed down and was taking her sweet time. That was probably good news because the longer she spent over the cool water of the Northern Gulf the less punch she would pack when she did come ashore. The bad news was we were still waiting. Larry got up and checked outside where it was still raining hard then he went back to bed.
The record shows that Ida first came ashore on Dauphin Island at 5:40 am on November 10, 2009. For those not familiar with Alabama geography Dauphin Island is about 20 miles or so South of Mobile , it is a barrier island on the Western mouth of Mobile Bay. After Dauphin she crossed the bay and came ashore again near Bon Secour which is on the Southeastern tip of the bay. then she churned North up the bay. Because the eye wall had fallen apart we did not get the wind shift that generally accompanies a hurricane and the winds continued strong and gusty from the North/Northeast.
We had been expecting a storm surge and an extremely high tide, the arrival of the storm coincided with high tide and by 5:30 there was about 2' of water in the lot at Dog River Marina. This photo was taken about 6:30 am because I forgot all about getting the camera earlier.
In the photo above where you see the posts there is a dock behind those boats that is underwater, the long silver things you see are sailboat masts that were on blocks beside the dock, as you can see they are awash.
By the time I remembered to start taking pictures the tide was already going out and by 7:30 the dock was awash as you can see
And by 8:30 the flotsam had been stranded on the lot and things were mostly dry.
Here is Miss Lauren Grace with here pretty new bottom paint, the big timber you see floated under us on the tide, amazing that it could come in between the blocks that are supporting the keep and come to rest against the forward block. 
The final photo of the flags was taken about noon and you can see that the wind was still quite strong.
The day continued raw, windy and rainy but this morning (Wednesday) dawned bright and sunny, although still quite windy. So today we spent the entire day drying out the lockers on the flybridge (and all the contents) and then returning the "stuff" to the locker. We took the opportunity to re-arrange things a bit as well as divest ourselves of some stuff that we decided we don't need to haul around anymore. There was even water inside the table on our sundeck that my brother-in-law Hank made for us to keep our spare props in! We had stuff (ropes, bag chairs, swim flippers, fishing tackle) spread out all over the foredeck to dry in the sun.
To summarize we have spent a day preparing, a day drying out and putting things back together (and we still aren't finished), and some tense hours just waiting. What did we learn from Ida? Perhaps just that we can.
Monday, November 9, 2009
"On the hard" and waiting for Ida.
I have had a few questions about the photos that I included in the last post showing Miss Lauren Grace out of the water so perhaps a little explanation is in order for the non-boaters out there.
The blue contraption that you see in the photo is called a travel lift, you can see way better photos if you click on the link. Simply put it has two big slings that are suspended between the two sides. The lift is driven by the operator out onto two concrete piers that have conveniently been placed at exactly the same distance apart as the legs of the lift. The slings are lowered deep into the water and the boat is driven in between the concrete piers. The operator slowly tightens the slings and lifts the boat out of the water, then he drives the lift (with the boat resting in the slings) over the ground to a parking spot where the boat is slowly lowered and supported by blocks placed under her keel. At that point the lift is driven away from the boat and stands are placed to help support the hull while she is on land, aka "the hard".
We have spent most of today getting ready for Hurricane Ida. Actually she was downgraded to a Tropical Storm about noon but precaution was still the order of the day and so we moved everything that could blow loose or blow off out of harm's way. You don't realize just how much "stuff" this is until you have to put it somewhere; I mean if we had somewhere else to put it it wouldn't have been there to begin with. For example the seat cushions on the flybridge live on the flybridge, there is no room for them elsewhere; likewise the cushions for the chairs on the sundeck. Ditto for the long handled brushes, the boat fenders, flags and coolers. We put the window coverings, the fenders, the buckets and the cushions in the back of the truck; which, conveniently, we had moved down here from Northern Alabama this weekend while Ida was busy blowing up into a Category 2 storm.
The biggest job was taking down all of that new canvas enclosure we had installed last summer and carefully rolling it in sheets so as not to scratch it. This process involves at least 15 zippers and more snaps than we can count. Of course by this time it was raining and so we had to carefully dry the Strataglas before we covered and rolled it.
Finally we moved the truck a few miles up the road to a parking lot at the grocery store to protect it from the possible storm surge. So now we are sitting inside waiting for Ida to arrive, with "stuff" stacked on every available surface. We have a path to walk through and a seat for each of us down in the cabin. Perhaps the best description would be "organized chaos", with emphasis on chaos. It feels like we are camping out in our own living room.
Stay tuned and we will fill you in once the storm passes.
The blue contraption that you see in the photo is called a travel lift, you can see way better photos if you click on the link. Simply put it has two big slings that are suspended between the two sides. The lift is driven by the operator out onto two concrete piers that have conveniently been placed at exactly the same distance apart as the legs of the lift. The slings are lowered deep into the water and the boat is driven in between the concrete piers. The operator slowly tightens the slings and lifts the boat out of the water, then he drives the lift (with the boat resting in the slings) over the ground to a parking spot where the boat is slowly lowered and supported by blocks placed under her keel. At that point the lift is driven away from the boat and stands are placed to help support the hull while she is on land, aka "the hard".
We have spent most of today getting ready for Hurricane Ida. Actually she was downgraded to a Tropical Storm about noon but precaution was still the order of the day and so we moved everything that could blow loose or blow off out of harm's way. You don't realize just how much "stuff" this is until you have to put it somewhere; I mean if we had somewhere else to put it it wouldn't have been there to begin with. For example the seat cushions on the flybridge live on the flybridge, there is no room for them elsewhere; likewise the cushions for the chairs on the sundeck. Ditto for the long handled brushes, the boat fenders, flags and coolers. We put the window coverings, the fenders, the buckets and the cushions in the back of the truck; which, conveniently, we had moved down here from Northern Alabama this weekend while Ida was busy blowing up into a Category 2 storm.
The biggest job was taking down all of that new canvas enclosure we had installed last summer and carefully rolling it in sheets so as not to scratch it. This process involves at least 15 zippers and more snaps than we can count. Of course by this time it was raining and so we had to carefully dry the Strataglas before we covered and rolled it.
Finally we moved the truck a few miles up the road to a parking lot at the grocery store to protect it from the possible storm surge. So now we are sitting inside waiting for Ida to arrive, with "stuff" stacked on every available surface. We have a path to walk through and a seat for each of us down in the cabin. Perhaps the best description would be "organized chaos", with emphasis on chaos. It feels like we are camping out in our own living room.
Stay tuned and we will fill you in once the storm passes.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Hello from Mobile, Alabama
Here we are in Mobile, AL at good ole Dog River Marina waiting to see what Hurricane Ida is going to do. Miss Ida has come calling very late in the season but that does not necessarily make her any less dangerous. Then again the water temperature is cooling and so she may fizzle out before she gets here, time will tell.
We arrived in Mobile last Friday and the wind was blowing from the SE, this meant that the weather was warm and humid and the waves on Mobile Bay would be up, and on our bow. Really we started picking up waves for the last 10-15 miles down the river. The worst part of the trip was on the river due to all of the floating debris (in the form of large logs) which was difficult to see because of the waves. Yes we could have waited a day, but a cold front was forecast to come through overnight and we reasoned that the next day would be just as windy from a different direction (N/NW) and with the wind on our stern we would wallow down the bay in the cold. We opted to travel while it was sunny, dry and warm.
Miss Lauren Grace has been hauled out to have her bottom painted and some new zincs installed, a minor transmission repair and new cutlass bearings will complete her "well baby" check-up.
Since she was lifted out of the water last Monday the painting & zincs are completed; now we are waiting to see what the storm will do before she is disabled (by uncoupling the engine shafts) to fix the cutlass bearings. That is because if Ida heads this way (considered by many to be a slim possibility) we will need to take her back up the river to hide out until the storm passes; if the storm fizzles then she will get her new bearings early next week and we will be on our way East to enjoy the Florida Panhandle.
On the bright side due the delay at Demopolis lock changing the pace of our travel south we found a delightful anchorage that we had never used before. We had not known there was such a pretty little lake just off of the waterway about 64 miles above Mobile. A couple of sources mentioned Three Rivers Lake but others did not, everything I could find was complimentary and so we decided to give it a shot and we are sure glad we did because we enjoyed a restful night and met new friends Sue & Dave aboard "Saltwater Therapy" in the process.
Along the way we saw a couple of boat names that we particularly appreciated. “Alligator Hilton” was an 80’ houseboat with two satellite antennas (for TV reception) and a hot tub on the top deck. We could only speculate on the origin of the moniker “Locomotive Breath”, on a sailboat no less! And we couldn’t help but chuckle when we saw a big Grand Banks with “Wrong Knee” emblazoned on her stern; yep, it was just what you thought an operation on the wrong knee earned him a new Grand Banks for his pain and suffering!
We arrived in Mobile last Friday and the wind was blowing from the SE, this meant that the weather was warm and humid and the waves on Mobile Bay would be up, and on our bow. Really we started picking up waves for the last 10-15 miles down the river. The worst part of the trip was on the river due to all of the floating debris (in the form of large logs) which was difficult to see because of the waves. Yes we could have waited a day, but a cold front was forecast to come through overnight and we reasoned that the next day would be just as windy from a different direction (N/NW) and with the wind on our stern we would wallow down the bay in the cold. We opted to travel while it was sunny, dry and warm.
Miss Lauren Grace has been hauled out to have her bottom painted and some new zincs installed, a minor transmission repair and new cutlass bearings will complete her "well baby" check-up.
Since she was lifted out of the water last Monday the painting & zincs are completed; now we are waiting to see what the storm will do before she is disabled (by uncoupling the engine shafts) to fix the cutlass bearings. That is because if Ida heads this way (considered by many to be a slim possibility) we will need to take her back up the river to hide out until the storm passes; if the storm fizzles then she will get her new bearings early next week and we will be on our way East to enjoy the Florida Panhandle.Our ride down river from Demopolis was mostly uneventful but we did have the most frustrating locking at Demopolis that we have EVER experienced at any lock. Our departure from the marina was seriously delayed due to early morning fog that we thought would never burn off. Quite a number of boats in the marina and a nearby anchorage were calling the lock on both the VHF radio and the phone (which probably ticked him off) and his response was always the same: “I won’t lock anyone until this fog clears” along with the information that he had “a northbound tow in the pit and cannot lock anything until he leaves and I cannot force him to leave until he is ready”. Eventually a Southbound tow moved down to a position above the lock (moving in the fog) and so now there are two tows ahead of all the pleasure craft. Finally about 10:00 am the lock called for all southbound pleasure craft that want to lock down to come and hold above the lock”. Off we go; the southbound tow is already in the lock and he does not have to be split so we expect things to go reasonably quickly. Only it does not. The lockmaster decided to call the boats in one by one and tell them exactly where to tie up and only when a boat was secured did he call for the next boat, it took forever to stack the boats in the lock. Then, just as the last boat was getting secured, two more boats called and ask him to hold the lock. He still had one pin left and he did hold for them which cost us another 15-20 minutes. When the water level in the chamber was down he called us one by one and told us we could untie and exit. Never have we had a locking like this in the U.S. By the time we exited Demopolis lock over 2 1/2 hours had elapsed since he called us down! Needless to say our mileage for the day was disappointing, however I did have plenty of time to take this great shot of the roller dam there.
On the bright side due the delay at Demopolis lock changing the pace of our travel south we found a delightful anchorage that we had never used before. We had not known there was such a pretty little lake just off of the waterway about 64 miles above Mobile. A couple of sources mentioned Three Rivers Lake but others did not, everything I could find was complimentary and so we decided to give it a shot and we are sure glad we did because we enjoyed a restful night and met new friends Sue & Dave aboard "Saltwater Therapy" in the process.I must say that the homes along the Lower Tenn-Tom are a sore disappointment after the beautiful environs of the Tennessee River.
Along the way we saw a couple of boat names that we particularly appreciated. “Alligator Hilton” was an 80’ houseboat with two satellite antennas (for TV reception) and a hot tub on the top deck. We could only speculate on the origin of the moniker “Locomotive Breath”, on a sailboat no less! And we couldn’t help but chuckle when we saw a big Grand Banks with “Wrong Knee” emblazoned on her stern; yep, it was just what you thought an operation on the wrong knee earned him a new Grand Banks for his pain and suffering!Tuesday, October 27, 2009
It's so Cliche, BUT...
It really is a small world or at least a small country since I haven’t really seen all that much of the world. I know that I have shared other experiences in this vein but this is the most incredible story.
In this small world is the small town of Demopolis Alabama on the Tenn Tom Waterway. We don’t particularly care for it here and had not intended to be here longer than a fuel stop and overnight dockage but the weather (don’t worry I’m not going to wine about that again) caused us to remain a day longer than we anticipated. More for entertainment than any real need we borrowed the courtesy car for a run to the grocery store which is on the northern edge of town. Since the marina is on the southern edge of town we had to travel through the “downtown” area and that is when I noticed, in the window of a cute little shop, some Christmas ornaments. Of course we had to stop.
As we entered the store a clerk asked if she could help us and I replied that we just wanted to check out the ornaments. She then inquired where we were from, our accent (or lack of one) was probably her first clue, and then again it's likely she knows everyone in town. We never know how to answer that question because we are no longer from any particular place; however, recognizing that others want to know where visitors to their town hail from we often say St. Louis; which is what we said yesterday. The clerk smiled and said “I used to live in St. Louis, well St. Charles really”. Naturally I replied that I had grown up in St. Charles. The usual kind of conversation ensued.
Clerk: “Where did you go to school”?
Me: “I went to a small little country high school at Orchard Farm.”
Clerk: “I went to school there!”
This was just too surprising because I grew up in a rural area North of the town of St. Charles which was then a fairly small town itself. I think my graduating class (of about 40 or so) was the first class to spend all fours years at and graduate from O.F.H.S.. Prior to about 1962 high school students were bussed to the town of St. Charles because there were too few of them to warrant a high school (there were only 3 scattered elementary schools each with about 4 rooms). Talk about small! Then came the amazing part.
Suspecting that she was younger than I am I asked what year she graduated and we determined that she must have been a freshman back when I was a senior. As we were chatting about what a coincidence our meeting was the clerk said: “I was there when they did the play The Sound of Music”. “OMG, I was in that play, I was the crabby nun” and she replied, “I sang in the back-up chorus”.
As I said it was a small school and I grew up there and had no recognition at all of this person which surprised me a little. When we asked where she lived she said her parents lived in a trailer court; then we mostly knew that she lived right on highway 94 just outside of town. A little more conversation and we were able to determine which of the 2 trailer courts she had lived in (Princess Jodi, for those of you who remember). We tried to see if we had any mutual acquaintances but nothing clicked there. It might be important to note that at this point in the conversation none of us had introduced ourselves. Then she said, “people had unusual names up there” and I replied that there is a lot of German heritage so that might be why they sounded strange to her.
“Well”, she said, “I remember one name was Valentine”! Unbelievable! Larry said that his name was Valentine.
Clerk: “Where did you live?”
Larry: “You know that subdivision that was across the highway from the gas station and about a block down, I lived in the only two-story house in that subdivision”.
Clerk: “I’ve been to your house!”
Oh My God! She couldn’t remember why she was at his house, just that she had gone there with several other girls who lived in the trailer court; perhaps to visit some of his younger sisters/brothers.
The strangeness continues because we learned that Ann (by now we are on a first name basis) only lived there for two years before returning to Demopolis. And Larry’s family only lived there for two years before they returned to Texas. We aren’t sure if it was the same years but there was obviously some correlation in the time.
What are the odds that we would ever encounter this person? Even if we both stilled lived in the area I would think the chances would be slim and here we are many miles away.
So here’s to a really small world; and to Ann Jones, from Demopolis and Larry & Theresa Valentine also from Demopolis, at least for today.
In this small world is the small town of Demopolis Alabama on the Tenn Tom Waterway. We don’t particularly care for it here and had not intended to be here longer than a fuel stop and overnight dockage but the weather (don’t worry I’m not going to wine about that again) caused us to remain a day longer than we anticipated. More for entertainment than any real need we borrowed the courtesy car for a run to the grocery store which is on the northern edge of town. Since the marina is on the southern edge of town we had to travel through the “downtown” area and that is when I noticed, in the window of a cute little shop, some Christmas ornaments. Of course we had to stop.
As we entered the store a clerk asked if she could help us and I replied that we just wanted to check out the ornaments. She then inquired where we were from, our accent (or lack of one) was probably her first clue, and then again it's likely she knows everyone in town. We never know how to answer that question because we are no longer from any particular place; however, recognizing that others want to know where visitors to their town hail from we often say St. Louis; which is what we said yesterday. The clerk smiled and said “I used to live in St. Louis, well St. Charles really”. Naturally I replied that I had grown up in St. Charles. The usual kind of conversation ensued.
Clerk: “Where did you go to school”?
Me: “I went to a small little country high school at Orchard Farm.”
Clerk: “I went to school there!”
This was just too surprising because I grew up in a rural area North of the town of St. Charles which was then a fairly small town itself. I think my graduating class (of about 40 or so) was the first class to spend all fours years at and graduate from O.F.H.S.. Prior to about 1962 high school students were bussed to the town of St. Charles because there were too few of them to warrant a high school (there were only 3 scattered elementary schools each with about 4 rooms). Talk about small! Then came the amazing part.
Suspecting that she was younger than I am I asked what year she graduated and we determined that she must have been a freshman back when I was a senior. As we were chatting about what a coincidence our meeting was the clerk said: “I was there when they did the play The Sound of Music”. “OMG, I was in that play, I was the crabby nun” and she replied, “I sang in the back-up chorus”.
As I said it was a small school and I grew up there and had no recognition at all of this person which surprised me a little. When we asked where she lived she said her parents lived in a trailer court; then we mostly knew that she lived right on highway 94 just outside of town. A little more conversation and we were able to determine which of the 2 trailer courts she had lived in (Princess Jodi, for those of you who remember). We tried to see if we had any mutual acquaintances but nothing clicked there. It might be important to note that at this point in the conversation none of us had introduced ourselves. Then she said, “people had unusual names up there” and I replied that there is a lot of German heritage so that might be why they sounded strange to her.
“Well”, she said, “I remember one name was Valentine”! Unbelievable! Larry said that his name was Valentine.
Clerk: “Where did you live?”
Larry: “You know that subdivision that was across the highway from the gas station and about a block down, I lived in the only two-story house in that subdivision”.
Clerk: “I’ve been to your house!”
Oh My God! She couldn’t remember why she was at his house, just that she had gone there with several other girls who lived in the trailer court; perhaps to visit some of his younger sisters/brothers.
The strangeness continues because we learned that Ann (by now we are on a first name basis) only lived there for two years before returning to Demopolis. And Larry’s family only lived there for two years before they returned to Texas. We aren’t sure if it was the same years but there was obviously some correlation in the time.
What are the odds that we would ever encounter this person? Even if we both stilled lived in the area I would think the chances would be slim and here we are many miles away.
So here’s to a really small world; and to Ann Jones, from Demopolis and Larry & Theresa Valentine also from Demopolis, at least for today.
Monday, October 26, 2009
No More Whining
Before I go off on a tangent I want to remember to tell you that I have started adding something called "hyper-links" to the blog. Don't ask me to explain them because it would be beyond the scope of my ability. BUT using them is simple enough; when you see text that is a different color than the rest of the type you can click on the text and it should take you to a website that will give you more information about the topic. Try it, you'll like it.
Last time I posted I apparently got so caught up with whining about the weather that I forgot to tell you about the fun stuff that we saw (and some that we didn't see) in Florence, Alabama.
At the top of my "things to see" list was Ivy Green, the birthplace of Helen Keller who you might remember as the blind and deaf girl who learned to sign and speak and read Braille back in 1887. The original family home was built in 1820 by Helen's grandfather and was the home to which his son Captain Arthur Keller brought his wife Kate after their marriage. Most of the furniture and objects in the home are pieces which belonged to the Keller family when they lived in the home which survived the Civil War (or the War of Northern Aggression as it is know in Alabama). Today the home is beautifully maintained by the Helen Keller Foundation.
Those who remember the movie The Miracle Worker" will be glad to know that the original pump, scene of the dramatic moment when 7 year old Helen made the connection between the finger tapping out a code for the word "water" and the sensation of the water flowing over her hand, is still standing in the yard. She must have been incredibly intelligent to have managed to put it all together at such a tender age with the limited teaching methods available in 1887.
While at Ivy Green I picked up a "tourist book" listing 10 things to do in "The Shoals" (as the towns of Florence, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals are known). I noticed that Florence is home to a Frank Lloyd Wright house, I have always been intrigued by photos of Wright's designs but had never visited one, so we took advantage of finding ourselves practically next door to the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in Alabama. Let's just say that I was underwhelmed. The home was built in 1939 for the Rosenbaum family and they are the only family to occupy it. In 1999 with Mrs Rosenbaum in failing health and unable to fine a buyer the family sold the home to the City of Florence with the proviso that it would be restored. With the extensive & lengthy restoration completed the home is now open for tours and other public events.
This home was built in the Usonian-style (whatever that means because I did not research it). The exterior was striking but once inside the front door I was amazed at how dark the interior felt despite one entire side of the home having glass walls, well really individual framed glass doors that opened out. The walls were all wood and stained a medium to dark tone, about the color of dark teak wood, the ceiling was also wood in the same tone and the floors were stained concrete in a reddish-brown tone. The ceilings were only about 7' above the floor, all in all I had the feeling of being in a cave. The docent told us that when Wright was questioned about the low ceilings he replied that he "didn't know anyone tall enough to require a higher ceiling". The kitchen was amazing; it was about the size of a powder room in a home today! I am not exaggerating, it was about 8' x 8' with a U-shaped arrangement of counters/sink/stove/icebox (yes, I do mean icebox) along 3 walls, there was almost room in the center of the "U" for one person to turn around to tend to all 3 surfaces. The 4th wall had a narrow doorway opening directly out onto the hallway that connected the living areas of the home to the bed/bath area, across the hallway from the kitchen door was a "dining room" no larger than the dinette on our boat! Actually that kitchen doorway was quite wide (maybe 30"-36", max), at least compared to the bathroom and bedroom doors which were only 24' wide. Not all was negative though; the master bedroom was a suite, not terribly common in 1939 when the house was designed, and the plumbing fixtures were surprisingly modern.
Another item on the "top 10" list was the Coon Dog Cemetery. We passed on the opportunity to check out this "monument to the breed" (their words, not mine) but we talked to some boaters who did make the trip and they said the marker stones were phenomenal. Since 1937 there have been more than 185 certified coon dogs from all over the country buried at the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard. I know you think I make this stuff up, but really it's true.
Last time I posted I apparently got so caught up with whining about the weather that I forgot to tell you about the fun stuff that we saw (and some that we didn't see) in Florence, Alabama.
At the top of my "things to see" list was Ivy Green, the birthplace of Helen Keller who you might remember as the blind and deaf girl who learned to sign and speak and read Braille back in 1887. The original family home was built in 1820 by Helen's grandfather and was the home to which his son Captain Arthur Keller brought his wife Kate after their marriage. Most of the furniture and objects in the home are pieces which belonged to the Keller family when they lived in the home which survived the Civil War (or the War of Northern Aggression as it is know in Alabama). Today the home is beautifully maintained by the Helen Keller Foundation.
Those who remember the movie The Miracle Worker" will be glad to know that the original pump, scene of the dramatic moment when 7 year old Helen made the connection between the finger tapping out a code for the word "water" and the sensation of the water flowing over her hand, is still standing in the yard. She must have been incredibly intelligent to have managed to put it all together at such a tender age with the limited teaching methods available in 1887.
While at Ivy Green I picked up a "tourist book" listing 10 things to do in "The Shoals" (as the towns of Florence, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals are known). I noticed that Florence is home to a Frank Lloyd Wright house, I have always been intrigued by photos of Wright's designs but had never visited one, so we took advantage of finding ourselves practically next door to the only Frank Lloyd Wright designed house in Alabama. Let's just say that I was underwhelmed. The home was built in 1939 for the Rosenbaum family and they are the only family to occupy it. In 1999 with Mrs Rosenbaum in failing health and unable to fine a buyer the family sold the home to the City of Florence with the proviso that it would be restored. With the extensive & lengthy restoration completed the home is now open for tours and other public events.
This home was built in the Usonian-style (whatever that means because I did not research it). The exterior was striking but once inside the front door I was amazed at how dark the interior felt despite one entire side of the home having glass walls, well really individual framed glass doors that opened out. The walls were all wood and stained a medium to dark tone, about the color of dark teak wood, the ceiling was also wood in the same tone and the floors were stained concrete in a reddish-brown tone. The ceilings were only about 7' above the floor, all in all I had the feeling of being in a cave. The docent told us that when Wright was questioned about the low ceilings he replied that he "didn't know anyone tall enough to require a higher ceiling". The kitchen was amazing; it was about the size of a powder room in a home today! I am not exaggerating, it was about 8' x 8' with a U-shaped arrangement of counters/sink/stove/icebox (yes, I do mean icebox) along 3 walls, there was almost room in the center of the "U" for one person to turn around to tend to all 3 surfaces. The 4th wall had a narrow doorway opening directly out onto the hallway that connected the living areas of the home to the bed/bath area, across the hallway from the kitchen door was a "dining room" no larger than the dinette on our boat! Actually that kitchen doorway was quite wide (maybe 30"-36", max), at least compared to the bathroom and bedroom doors which were only 24' wide. Not all was negative though; the master bedroom was a suite, not terribly common in 1939 when the house was designed, and the plumbing fixtures were surprisingly modern.
Another item on the "top 10" list was the Coon Dog Cemetery. We passed on the opportunity to check out this "monument to the breed" (their words, not mine) but we talked to some boaters who did make the trip and they said the marker stones were phenomenal. Since 1937 there have been more than 185 certified coon dogs from all over the country buried at the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard. I know you think I make this stuff up, but really it's true.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Everybody talks about it...
..no one does a thing about it. About what? The weather! This was an old jingle that a TV station used to market their weather segment when I was a teenager. Sort of like death & taxes the weather is an issue everyone is required to deal with on a fairly regular basis. It is just when things are going well, the sky is blue and the sun shining we tend to forget that it is "weather" and take it for granted, or at least I do. On those days I tend to take an attitude that is something like "yes, this is the way things were meant to be"! I love the sunshine and the rain that we have been experiencing the last month is getting me down, not to mention slowing us down.
As you might expect, given our lifestyle, the weather governs our day to day life in a fairly big way. For one thing we are outdoors quite a lot; I mean taking the trash out is not just a trip to the garage to drop the bag in the trash can it may mean a half-block walk, or at the extreme a half mile dinghy ride, to put the bag in a dumpster. It's no fun to schlep dirty cloths to the laundry room in the rain, and it is even worse to have it rain on nice freshly laundered sheets & towels.
Then there is the schedule. As you may have surmised we don't usually have a very rigid schedule but even our loose timing is affected by a month of rain, and it is not fun traveling in rain. Yes when we are operating the boat we are inside a covered enclosure but then there is the matter of transiting locks, at which time I have to leave that nice dry enclosure and go out into the rain and catch the bollard and tend the line. Generally on the river there is at least one lock each day and sometimes as many as 4 or five. There is also the matter of docking or anchoring, the big difference between the two is whether it's Larry or I who gets wet; if we are docking I am out handling the lines, if we are anchoring he is out setting the hook or raising it. Not only are thunderstorms no fun they are also potentially dangerous so we do our best to avoid them.
Our plan, such as it was, anticipated the customary nice warm mid-South September with generally clear dry days and cool evenings (good sleeping weather). It was our intent to use this lovely month to sample the beautiful anchorages On Watt's Bar and Guntersville Lake, if you have been checking in you already know how the September plan failed. We had also decided that if the hurricane situation allowed we would plan to arrive in Mobile on Halloween, thus avoiding the potential for frosty weather that can occur by mid-November in lower Mississippi & Alabama. This schedule would allow us time to spend a week in early October anchoring on Bay Springs Lake with a stop to check out the "waterfall anchorage" on Pickwick Lake as we went by.
We have wanted to try this anchorage for a couple of years and every time we go past there has been a reason that we can't/don't stop, this trip was no different. We had run in overcast weather through two locks that day and the forecast was for thunderstorms overnight, feeling that the waterfall anchorage would not afford adequate protection from the expected thunderstorms we found a different anchorage and hunkered down. It did indeed storm but we were protected on three sides by rock cliffs covered with trees so all we got was rain and a spectacular light show courtesy of Mother Nature.
The next day was bright and sunny as we left the Tennessee River astern and pointed our bow Southward on the Tenn-Tom Waterway to Bay Springs Lake. The forecast was for rain the following day and then a glorious stretch of fall weather. That forecast lasted for about a day. The rain arrived, on schedule, the day after we did it just never left. We stayed at Bay Springs 5 days and it rained 4 of them. We finally left and went to a marina near Fulton to visit friends who have bought a home there. We were lucky to make it through all 3 locks and get docked before the skies opened up and it poured rain for 12 hours.
As you might expect given the amount of rain the region has experienced in the past six weeks the ground is saturated so now the Tombigbee part of the Tenn-Tom is flooding (which you expect in the Spring but not in the fall). After 3 days in Fulton we made our way as far as Columbus where we will wait for the water to recede and the debris and trash to float on downstream and watch for a good opportunity to continue down to Mobile. We spent part of last winter here and coming back reminded us how much we missed the people here, the marina manager & staff just can't do enough for you.
Today the sun finally came out, first time we have seen it in over a week. The downside to that is that the strong and windy cold front which pushed out the rain also brought a chance of frost here tomorrow - so much for avoiding frosty weather!
As you might expect, given our lifestyle, the weather governs our day to day life in a fairly big way. For one thing we are outdoors quite a lot; I mean taking the trash out is not just a trip to the garage to drop the bag in the trash can it may mean a half-block walk, or at the extreme a half mile dinghy ride, to put the bag in a dumpster. It's no fun to schlep dirty cloths to the laundry room in the rain, and it is even worse to have it rain on nice freshly laundered sheets & towels.
Then there is the schedule. As you may have surmised we don't usually have a very rigid schedule but even our loose timing is affected by a month of rain, and it is not fun traveling in rain. Yes when we are operating the boat we are inside a covered enclosure but then there is the matter of transiting locks, at which time I have to leave that nice dry enclosure and go out into the rain and catch the bollard and tend the line. Generally on the river there is at least one lock each day and sometimes as many as 4 or five. There is also the matter of docking or anchoring, the big difference between the two is whether it's Larry or I who gets wet; if we are docking I am out handling the lines, if we are anchoring he is out setting the hook or raising it. Not only are thunderstorms no fun they are also potentially dangerous so we do our best to avoid them.
Our plan, such as it was, anticipated the customary nice warm mid-South September with generally clear dry days and cool evenings (good sleeping weather). It was our intent to use this lovely month to sample the beautiful anchorages On Watt's Bar and Guntersville Lake, if you have been checking in you already know how the September plan failed. We had also decided that if the hurricane situation allowed we would plan to arrive in Mobile on Halloween, thus avoiding the potential for frosty weather that can occur by mid-November in lower Mississippi & Alabama. This schedule would allow us time to spend a week in early October anchoring on Bay Springs Lake with a stop to check out the "waterfall anchorage" on Pickwick Lake as we went by.
We have wanted to try this anchorage for a couple of years and every time we go past there has been a reason that we can't/don't stop, this trip was no different. We had run in overcast weather through two locks that day and the forecast was for thunderstorms overnight, feeling that the waterfall anchorage would not afford adequate protection from the expected thunderstorms we found a different anchorage and hunkered down. It did indeed storm but we were protected on three sides by rock cliffs covered with trees so all we got was rain and a spectacular light show courtesy of Mother Nature.
The next day was bright and sunny as we left the Tennessee River astern and pointed our bow Southward on the Tenn-Tom Waterway to Bay Springs Lake. The forecast was for rain the following day and then a glorious stretch of fall weather. That forecast lasted for about a day. The rain arrived, on schedule, the day after we did it just never left. We stayed at Bay Springs 5 days and it rained 4 of them. We finally left and went to a marina near Fulton to visit friends who have bought a home there. We were lucky to make it through all 3 locks and get docked before the skies opened up and it poured rain for 12 hours.
As you might expect given the amount of rain the region has experienced in the past six weeks the ground is saturated so now the Tombigbee part of the Tenn-Tom is flooding (which you expect in the Spring but not in the fall). After 3 days in Fulton we made our way as far as Columbus where we will wait for the water to recede and the debris and trash to float on downstream and watch for a good opportunity to continue down to Mobile. We spent part of last winter here and coming back reminded us how much we missed the people here, the marina manager & staff just can't do enough for you.
Today the sun finally came out, first time we have seen it in over a week. The downside to that is that the strong and windy cold front which pushed out the rain also brought a chance of frost here tomorrow - so much for avoiding frosty weather!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
We meet the nicest strangers, mostly
And then again some of them are just, well, a little strange. The most recent case in point was just yesterday at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, AL. In Alabama (as well as Tennessee & Kentucky) many State Parks have lodges and marinas as well as the usual camping & hiking. Our boat is docked near the lodge where guests with rooms on the water side can sit on their balcony and look out over the marina.
The other day as Larry was walking up to dispose of our trash some guys sitting out on a balcony called to him and he waved in response. One of the fellows called to him and asked if he was on "one of them boats out there", of course that led to a conversation. The guy said he had heard that people could "take them boats from here all the way to up to Canada and then come back here from up in Lake Michigan, is that true". Upon being assured that indeed it was not only true but that Larry had done just that he responded with, .."well I still don't believe it".
So as I said at the outset we meet the nicest strangers, I mean have you ever had that kind of conversation in a hotel lobby?
The other day as Larry was walking up to dispose of our trash some guys sitting out on a balcony called to him and he waved in response. One of the fellows called to him and asked if he was on "one of them boats out there", of course that led to a conversation. The guy said he had heard that people could "take them boats from here all the way to up to Canada and then come back here from up in Lake Michigan, is that true". Upon being assured that indeed it was not only true but that Larry had done just that he responded with, .."well I still don't believe it".
So as I said at the outset we meet the nicest strangers, I mean have you ever had that kind of conversation in a hotel lobby?
Saturday, September 26, 2009
All in all I'd rather have fog...
… over a thunderstorm, I mean. Not that I would ever want to start out in either of them but you know the old expression S*** Happens!
As unbelievable as it sounds in the 3+ years we have been aboard we had not, until yesterday, experienced traveling in a thunderstorm; while at anchor yes but not while running. I would like to say that it has been good planning on our part but rather I think that we have enjoyed some fine luck and yesterday it ran out!
Unless you have been living in a cave you have probably heard on the media about the rains in the Southeast. It has been raining for 2 weeks now across Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina. Aside from spoiling our plans to spend some nice September days hanging out in beautiful anchorages as we slowly made our way downriver we have experienced no real harm from the rain but it sure has been unpleasant. Mostly we have made our way from marina to marina (thankfully most of them had covered slips) on the good days (meaning it was only rain showers), and spent the worst days (monsoon type downpours & thunderstorms) sitting in those marinas listening to and watching the rain. Then we got in a hurry. Our budget had taken a bit of a hit from the unanticipated days in marinas and we knew we had some time at the marina at Joe Wheeler Park already paid for and waiting for us so we hurried along in spite of the forecast.
I mean it was only a 50% chance on Friday, not like 70% or anything! On top of that we set a very ambitious schedule of 100 miles and a lock for the day, meaning that we would not be off of the water early. We could have chosen a shorter travel day but we would have had to anchor overnight and the forecast for Saturday was for 90% chance so you can see our compulsion to move along. To compound things we got a bit of a late start because we had to wait for morning fog to burn off.
The day was going great; we got through the lock and were within 28 miles of our destination when things got ugly. As we were approaching Decatur, AL the sky took on a “rainy” sort of look but checking the radar we couldn’t see it, yet. We waited about 10 minutes for the railroad bridge to open and while waiting the sky began to look ominous, we listened to the NOAA forecast on the weather radio. Still they weren’t calling it. We cleared the bridge at 3:55 and continued on our way. At 4:00 NOAA sites a thunderstorm right where we were and issued a warning, a lot of good that did we could see the storm by that time. We were in a narrow channel and there was nothing to do but continue on, slowly. By 4:05 it was raining HARD and very windy; we couldn’t see a thing, just like when you are driving in a heavy rain – and then a big semi passes you. The waves popped right up to 1 ½ - 2 feet – on the river. Rain blew in through every little crack and I spent my time trying to stuff towels so that they would slow the water down and also wiping up to protect the electronics.
Thank goodness for radar and our navigation software that interfaces with our GPS to give us a picture and puts our little boat right on the chart. With these tools we can see the buoys and the other boats if there are any which, gratefully, there were not.
By 4:27 it was mostly over, the sky was lightening up ahead of us and the rain had slowed to a sprinkle and by 4:42 the sun was out again; nature’s fury was spent. Other than not being in such an all fired hurry and just spending a couple o’ more days at Goose Pond where we were quite comfortable there is not much we could have done to avoid this experience.
A couple of years ago we got caught in some sea fog out on the Georgia coast, I think I wrote about it in a travel update. After the storm yesterday I was thinking that the thunderstorm was much like the fog in that you can’t see anything which can be disorienting. But, in the fog you can hear because it is very still, whereas in a storm everything is making noise, the rain pounds, the waves pound or slosh, the thunder bumps and the boat. So all in all I think I prefer fog – today at least.
As unbelievable as it sounds in the 3+ years we have been aboard we had not, until yesterday, experienced traveling in a thunderstorm; while at anchor yes but not while running. I would like to say that it has been good planning on our part but rather I think that we have enjoyed some fine luck and yesterday it ran out!
Unless you have been living in a cave you have probably heard on the media about the rains in the Southeast. It has been raining for 2 weeks now across Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina. Aside from spoiling our plans to spend some nice September days hanging out in beautiful anchorages as we slowly made our way downriver we have experienced no real harm from the rain but it sure has been unpleasant. Mostly we have made our way from marina to marina (thankfully most of them had covered slips) on the good days (meaning it was only rain showers), and spent the worst days (monsoon type downpours & thunderstorms) sitting in those marinas listening to and watching the rain. Then we got in a hurry. Our budget had taken a bit of a hit from the unanticipated days in marinas and we knew we had some time at the marina at Joe Wheeler Park already paid for and waiting for us so we hurried along in spite of the forecast.
I mean it was only a 50% chance on Friday, not like 70% or anything! On top of that we set a very ambitious schedule of 100 miles and a lock for the day, meaning that we would not be off of the water early. We could have chosen a shorter travel day but we would have had to anchor overnight and the forecast for Saturday was for 90% chance so you can see our compulsion to move along. To compound things we got a bit of a late start because we had to wait for morning fog to burn off.
The day was going great; we got through the lock and were within 28 miles of our destination when things got ugly. As we were approaching Decatur, AL the sky took on a “rainy” sort of look but checking the radar we couldn’t see it, yet. We waited about 10 minutes for the railroad bridge to open and while waiting the sky began to look ominous, we listened to the NOAA forecast on the weather radio. Still they weren’t calling it. We cleared the bridge at 3:55 and continued on our way. At 4:00 NOAA sites a thunderstorm right where we were and issued a warning, a lot of good that did we could see the storm by that time. We were in a narrow channel and there was nothing to do but continue on, slowly. By 4:05 it was raining HARD and very windy; we couldn’t see a thing, just like when you are driving in a heavy rain – and then a big semi passes you. The waves popped right up to 1 ½ - 2 feet – on the river. Rain blew in through every little crack and I spent my time trying to stuff towels so that they would slow the water down and also wiping up to protect the electronics.
Thank goodness for radar and our navigation software that interfaces with our GPS to give us a picture and puts our little boat right on the chart. With these tools we can see the buoys and the other boats if there are any which, gratefully, there were not.
By 4:27 it was mostly over, the sky was lightening up ahead of us and the rain had slowed to a sprinkle and by 4:42 the sun was out again; nature’s fury was spent. Other than not being in such an all fired hurry and just spending a couple o’ more days at Goose Pond where we were quite comfortable there is not much we could have done to avoid this experience.
A couple of years ago we got caught in some sea fog out on the Georgia coast, I think I wrote about it in a travel update. After the storm yesterday I was thinking that the thunderstorm was much like the fog in that you can’t see anything which can be disorienting. But, in the fog you can hear because it is very still, whereas in a storm everything is making noise, the rain pounds, the waves pound or slosh, the thunder bumps and the boat. So all in all I think I prefer fog – today at least.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The Scopes Monkey Trial
Along the waterways we seem to discover the most arcane little pieces of history. The tiny town of Dayton, Tennessee offered up just such a prize (as well as some great honey at the Farmer's Market). It was also a reminder that things aren’t always what they appear to be. If you remember hearing about the Scopes Monkey Trial, as I did when I searched through the fuzzy files in the gray matter, then read on to learn more.
Apparently in the early 20th century Dayton was a big mining center and as such became a large and thriving commercial area that provided for the needs of the miners and their families. Due to a series of explosions the mine was shut down and the town was languishing, businesses were closing, hotels were shuttered, things were grim.
Around this time schools around the country had begun teaching evolution. In January of 1925 a Tennessee state legislator, worried that his children would be corrupted by such teaching, introduced a bill to prohibit the teaching of evolution in the schools of the state and it becomes law.
In May of 1925 the ACLU placed an announcement in the Chattanooga Times
In which they offered to pay the expenses of a teacher willing to make a test case of the new law. A civic leader and promoter from Dayton saw the announcement and was quick to sense an opportunity to remedy the limping economy of the town. He hurried to discuss the matter with the owner of the local drugstore, the judge and the superintendent of schools. A young math teacher, John Scopes, was recruited and agreed to participate. How, you may ask, can a math teacher teach evolution? Well it seems that Mr. Scopes had, on a few occasions, substituted for the biology teacher; and besides they were mainly looking for any teacher willing to agree to participate in making a test case. Thus the “trial of the century” began as something of a publicity stunt to revive the fortunes of the town of Dayton.
Ultimately some of the best legal minds in the country participated in the spectacle. Famed orator and three time presidential candidate Williams Jennings Bryan served as the chief prosecutor and Clarence Darrow as the lead defense counsel.
Sensing that Dayton was going to get a lot of publicity Chattanooga tried, in vain, to have the trial moved to the city but Dayton outfoxed them and the trial was held in Dayton. It was the first national broadcast of an American trial with radio station WGN. Over 200 reporters thronged the press box, and 65 telegraph operators moved in and began sending more words to Europe and Australia than had ever before been cabled about any other American happening.
Read more accounts of the Scopes Monkey Trial at these links. Rhea County Courthouse was the site of the trial and today there is quite a little museum in the courthouse basement, the docent there was eager to share this bit of Dayton’s history. The most ironic thing is that both the prosecution and the defense wanted Scopes found guilty. The reason for this was that the ACLU (remember their announcement is what started this ball rolling) wanted a test case to take to a higher Court. In fact the Tennessee Supreme court did uphold the constitutionality of the law but reversed Scopes’ conviction on a technicality. The original plan to revive Dayton was certainly successful as the newsmen flocked to Dayton, they filled the empty hotels and many stayed with local residents who proved room and board.
In the aftermath of the trial John Scopes who had become the “forgotten man” in the entire production left Dayton, studied geology at the University of Chicago and worked for an oil company in South America before moving to Louisiana where he died in 1970. Bryan died five days after the verdict while he was still in Dayton. The citizens of Dayton initiated a memorial university to honor Bryan’s life and in an ironic twist the doors of “Williams Jennings Bryan University” (now Bryan College) were opened in 1930 in the old high school building where John Scopes had supposedly taught evolution.
Apparently in the early 20th century Dayton was a big mining center and as such became a large and thriving commercial area that provided for the needs of the miners and their families. Due to a series of explosions the mine was shut down and the town was languishing, businesses were closing, hotels were shuttered, things were grim.
Around this time schools around the country had begun teaching evolution. In January of 1925 a Tennessee state legislator, worried that his children would be corrupted by such teaching, introduced a bill to prohibit the teaching of evolution in the schools of the state and it becomes law.
In May of 1925 the ACLU placed an announcement in the Chattanooga Times
In which they offered to pay the expenses of a teacher willing to make a test case of the new law. A civic leader and promoter from Dayton saw the announcement and was quick to sense an opportunity to remedy the limping economy of the town. He hurried to discuss the matter with the owner of the local drugstore, the judge and the superintendent of schools. A young math teacher, John Scopes, was recruited and agreed to participate. How, you may ask, can a math teacher teach evolution? Well it seems that Mr. Scopes had, on a few occasions, substituted for the biology teacher; and besides they were mainly looking for any teacher willing to agree to participate in making a test case. Thus the “trial of the century” began as something of a publicity stunt to revive the fortunes of the town of Dayton.
Ultimately some of the best legal minds in the country participated in the spectacle. Famed orator and three time presidential candidate Williams Jennings Bryan served as the chief prosecutor and Clarence Darrow as the lead defense counsel.
Sensing that Dayton was going to get a lot of publicity Chattanooga tried, in vain, to have the trial moved to the city but Dayton outfoxed them and the trial was held in Dayton. It was the first national broadcast of an American trial with radio station WGN. Over 200 reporters thronged the press box, and 65 telegraph operators moved in and began sending more words to Europe and Australia than had ever before been cabled about any other American happening.
Read more accounts of the Scopes Monkey Trial at these links. Rhea County Courthouse was the site of the trial and today there is quite a little museum in the courthouse basement, the docent there was eager to share this bit of Dayton’s history. The most ironic thing is that both the prosecution and the defense wanted Scopes found guilty. The reason for this was that the ACLU (remember their announcement is what started this ball rolling) wanted a test case to take to a higher Court. In fact the Tennessee Supreme court did uphold the constitutionality of the law but reversed Scopes’ conviction on a technicality. The original plan to revive Dayton was certainly successful as the newsmen flocked to Dayton, they filled the empty hotels and many stayed with local residents who proved room and board.
In the aftermath of the trial John Scopes who had become the “forgotten man” in the entire production left Dayton, studied geology at the University of Chicago and worked for an oil company in South America before moving to Louisiana where he died in 1970. Bryan died five days after the verdict while he was still in Dayton. The citizens of Dayton initiated a memorial university to honor Bryan’s life and in an ironic twist the doors of “Williams Jennings Bryan University” (now Bryan College) were opened in 1930 in the old high school building where John Scopes had supposedly taught evolution.
Sequoyah and the Cherokee Language
One of the interesting things we have learned about in this region is the importance of the Cherokee Civilization and one of the most interesting things about the Cherokee is that they had a written language by the early 1800’s; more on that in a bit. In the late 18th century the Cherokee had many serious conflicts with white settlers who, the Cherokee felt, were encroaching on their tribal hunting lands. By around 1795 those conflicts had mostly ended and the pressures of the flood of white settlers dictated changes in the tribe’s political organization. After the cessation of hostilities with the whites the Cherokees experienced rapid acculturation and prosperity.
By the 1820’s the Cherokee had created a form of government that sounds eerily familiar. They elected a principal chief as well as a deputy chief and established a two house legislature as well as judicial districts; each district had a judge and a sheriff. They also had established a supreme court, and a constitutional government.
You may recall that in 1838 the Cherokee Nation was removed from their homeland in Tennessee and resettled in Oklahoma with the forced march now know as the “Trail of Tears”. Not knowing much about this resettlement we were interested when we found out that the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum was right across the Little Tennessee River from our marina near Vonore, TN. Our visit there provided a fascinating look at Cherokee culture, language development, and some information on the resettlement.
Around 1776 an Indian woman named Wurteh, of a family that was of high rank in the Nation, gave birth to a son whose father was a white trader named Nathanial Gist. In the Cherokee tradition the lineage passes through the Mother’s clan however the boy was given the name of George Gist. It was not uncommon for Cherokee men of that era to be given a white name and an Indian name; this baby was also called Sequoyah. Abandoned by his father shortly after birth he was raised by his prosperous Mother and developed skills in managing her dairy and horse herds. As a young man he fought for the United States in the War of 1812. During his adult life he often made a living as a silversmith.
Sequoyah was intrigued by the “talking leaves” of the whites and thought that there were advantages in being able to retain thoughts on paper. Shortly after the end of the War of 1812 he was married and around this time he set about creating a writing system for the Cherokee language. Not being a learned man he was overwhelmed and frustrated with the complexity of the work. At some point his wife and neighbors (apparently feeling that his efforts may make them look foolish) destroyed his books and papers representing several years work. Sequoyah persevered and in 1821 he completed the Cherokee syllabary; within a year thousands of Cherokees became literate. In 1827 the tribe purchased a printing press and in February of 1828 the first Cherokee language newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, was printed. This newspaper was printed weekly until the press was confiscated by the State of Georgia in 1834 because of anti-removal editorials.
In 1847, three years after Sequoyah’s death, the Austrian Stephen Endlich conferred the name Sequoyah on the majestic California redwoods. In an ironic touch the State of Georgia erected a memorial to him in 1927 it is located in Calhoun, not far from the print shop that produced tens of thousand of pages of literature in Cherokee before Georgia confiscated the press. In 1917 the State of Oklahoma placed a statue of Sequoyah in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Quite a memorial to a man who believed in the power of the written word!
By the 1820’s the Cherokee had created a form of government that sounds eerily familiar. They elected a principal chief as well as a deputy chief and established a two house legislature as well as judicial districts; each district had a judge and a sheriff. They also had established a supreme court, and a constitutional government.
You may recall that in 1838 the Cherokee Nation was removed from their homeland in Tennessee and resettled in Oklahoma with the forced march now know as the “Trail of Tears”. Not knowing much about this resettlement we were interested when we found out that the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum was right across the Little Tennessee River from our marina near Vonore, TN. Our visit there provided a fascinating look at Cherokee culture, language development, and some information on the resettlement.
Around 1776 an Indian woman named Wurteh, of a family that was of high rank in the Nation, gave birth to a son whose father was a white trader named Nathanial Gist. In the Cherokee tradition the lineage passes through the Mother’s clan however the boy was given the name of George Gist. It was not uncommon for Cherokee men of that era to be given a white name and an Indian name; this baby was also called Sequoyah. Abandoned by his father shortly after birth he was raised by his prosperous Mother and developed skills in managing her dairy and horse herds. As a young man he fought for the United States in the War of 1812. During his adult life he often made a living as a silversmith.
Sequoyah was intrigued by the “talking leaves” of the whites and thought that there were advantages in being able to retain thoughts on paper. Shortly after the end of the War of 1812 he was married and around this time he set about creating a writing system for the Cherokee language. Not being a learned man he was overwhelmed and frustrated with the complexity of the work. At some point his wife and neighbors (apparently feeling that his efforts may make them look foolish) destroyed his books and papers representing several years work. Sequoyah persevered and in 1821 he completed the Cherokee syllabary; within a year thousands of Cherokees became literate. In 1827 the tribe purchased a printing press and in February of 1828 the first Cherokee language newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, was printed. This newspaper was printed weekly until the press was confiscated by the State of Georgia in 1834 because of anti-removal editorials.
In 1847, three years after Sequoyah’s death, the Austrian Stephen Endlich conferred the name Sequoyah on the majestic California redwoods. In an ironic touch the State of Georgia erected a memorial to him in 1927 it is located in Calhoun, not far from the print shop that produced tens of thousand of pages of literature in Cherokee before Georgia confiscated the press. In 1917 the State of Oklahoma placed a statue of Sequoyah in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Quite a memorial to a man who believed in the power of the written word!
More Pictures of Lauren & Anna
Okay, in the interests of accuracy I must confess that we didn't "just return" from vacation, in fact we have been back for nearly three weeks now. Yes I understand that at least part of the purpose of a blog is to keep others up to date on what is happening with us but I am just not always willing to take the time to get my thoughts organized enough to share them - or my pictures!.
In my defense I am also a bit slow because we had company aboard a few days after we arrived home and then I have had very slow connections via our air card. It takes a fairly quick connection to post photos and so I had a good excuse for procrastinating.
The past week has been rainy and we have mostly hunkered down, first in anchorages and then in a marina with no wi-fi and now, finally, in a marina just above Chattanooga where I have the double benefit of the air card being fast and a fast wi-fi connection. As we hope to leave here tomorrow I am taking advantage of this windfall of fast connections to send a few more pictures of Lauren and Anna that we took on our recent trip.
In my defense I am also a bit slow because we had company aboard a few days after we arrived home and then I have had very slow connections via our air card. It takes a fairly quick connection to post photos and so I had a good excuse for procrastinating.
The past week has been rainy and we have mostly hunkered down, first in anchorages and then in a marina with no wi-fi and now, finally, in a marina just above Chattanooga where I have the double benefit of the air card being fast and a fast wi-fi connection. As we hope to leave here tomorrow I am taking advantage of this windfall of fast connections to send a few more pictures of Lauren and Anna that we took on our recent trip.
Is she cute or what?
Making a point to Daddy
Sharing a moment with Grandpa
I love this shot in spite of the fact that Lauren has a red "mustache" from a Popsicle
Magnificent Cathedrals
A couple of years ago when we were in the Chesapeake, my goodness I can hardly believe it was that long ago. Anyway while we were in Baltimore and Washington we visited two beautiful Cathedrals . In Baltimore the Basilica of the Assumption was the first Cathedral that the Catholic Church built in America. It is a spectacular structure, light and airy and welcoming. Built in the neo-classical design favored by Thomas Jefferson it is, today, considered one of the finest examples of neoclassical architecture in the world and has been declared a National Historic Landmark.
No trip to Washington would be complete without a stop at the National Cathedral which many of us have seen on television. Built in the Gothic style it is dark and awe inspiring. It is a much newer structure than the Basilica; one of the stained glass windows even has a rock from the moon embedded.
Both are architecturally significant, both are beautiful, no doubt about it they are two spectacular houses of worship. I am not a particularly well-traveled person, and I have never seen many of the beautiful churches that are built around the world. In spite of the foregoing disclaimer I hereby submit my nomination for the most magnificent cathedral of them all -
Most people know that I am not particularly religious but I find this tiny little chapel to be an awe inspiring and peaceful place. Perhaps not a cathedral in the strict definition of the word but certainly a special place for reflection and worship set in the great Cathedral of Nature.
No trip to Washington would be complete without a stop at the National Cathedral which many of us have seen on television. Built in the Gothic style it is dark and awe inspiring. It is a much newer structure than the Basilica; one of the stained glass windows even has a rock from the moon embedded.
Both are architecturally significant, both are beautiful, no doubt about it they are two spectacular houses of worship. I am not a particularly well-traveled person, and I have never seen many of the beautiful churches that are built around the world. In spite of the foregoing disclaimer I hereby submit my nomination for the most magnificent cathedral of them all -
The Chapel of the Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park.
This humble little chapel was built in 1925 on land donated by a local resident. The architecture, as you can see, is unremarkable, the materials simply wood that was no doubt felled and hewn near the site. A few wooden pews and a plain wooden alter complete the interior adornment, nothing lavish; until you sit in the pews and look up to the altar. Then the full majesty of God’s creation spreads out before you.
Most people know that I am not particularly religious but I find this tiny little chapel to be an awe inspiring and peaceful place. Perhaps not a cathedral in the strict definition of the word but certainly a special place for reflection and worship set in the great Cathedral of Nature.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
From the Mountains.....
....well, to the mountains again. We have just returned from vacation, that is if you can call driving 5,000 and some miles a vacation. We started at the Western side of the Smokey Mountains (some of the oldest mountains in the country), drove across the plains, crossed the Continental Divide in Wyoming and the Teton Range of the Rockies (the youngest & most rugged in the continental US) near Jackson, WY, and then skirted the Southern edge of the Saw Tooth Mountains across Southeastern Idaho to Boise.
The beautiful Great Smokey Mountains
The beautiful Great Smokey MountainsI know I’ve said it before but at the risk of being redundant (which, you may have noticed, doesn’t really bother me), WOW, what a beautiful Country we live in! The last time we made this drive it was winter and we did it for the convenience of having a car during our extended stay in Boise, this time we chose to drive because we wanted to ”play tourist” in Wyoming. Several times we have traveled across I80 and found ourselves wishing we had the time to stop and visit so this trip we did.
It is no secret that I hate cold, so why is it I seem to keep having these “polar fleece moments” in August. I mean if it is ever going to be warm wouldn’t you think that mid-August would be the time? Apparently not because on August 16th we awoke to hear that overnight low in Laramie was 34°, setting a new record low for the date. How lucky were we to experience that moment, especially with sandals being the only footwear we brought along and a cotton hoodie and Capri pants the warmest attire in our bags; heck, Larry didn’t even have capris, only shorts. We detoured off of the Interstate (I80) and took the scenic loop across Hwy 130 over Medicine Bow Mountain west of Laramie; it was simply beautiful, it was also cold. When we left our hotel in Laramie (elev. 7165 ft) it had warmed up to 40°, our route took us up to an elevation of 10,847 ft and when we pulled into the scenic pullout there was fresh SNOW clinging to the North side of the posts in the parking lot and slush along the gravel path the lead to the viewing station, the wind was blowing about 20 mph. The view was spectacular but I wimped out after about 3 minutes and scurried back to the warm car (thank heavens for Mother Sun). I hoped the pictures I snapped would help me remember but I worried that I was shaking too much for the picture to be clear – you can be the judge. 
We left the Interstate again just West of Rock Springs, WY and took scenic Highways 189 & 191 North to Jackson, sometimes erroneously referred to as “Jackson Hole”. Along the way we saw beautiful scenery and also this great spot along a little stream where Jim Bridger carved his name (or had it carved) back in 1844 when he was just a plain old trapper & guide and not the now famous Jim Bridger of Western lore. Since the days of the fur trappers the region has been known as a “hole” because topographically it is a hole or a valley that is surrounded by mountains. The hole afforded the best weather available to the trappers during the winter (given the limited options offered by the region and the fact that they were traveling on foot or at best on horseback) and so they wintered there and often held rendezvous in the region.
In the town of Jackson we stopped to buy sandwiches & then went north a few more miles into Grand Teton National Park because it is simply spectacular and I never tire of looking at the scenery there, but also to purchase our Ten Dollar “Senior Pass” good at all National Parks and sites that charge admission. I guess that means we are officially old farts! Mission accomplished we went a few miles to a pull off area and ate our sandwiches while we sat on the tailgate of the truck in the shadow of Grand Teton mountain.
We left the Interstate again just West of Rock Springs, WY and took scenic Highways 189 & 191 North to Jackson, sometimes erroneously referred to as “Jackson Hole”. Along the way we saw beautiful scenery and also this great spot along a little stream where Jim Bridger carved his name (or had it carved) back in 1844 when he was just a plain old trapper & guide and not the now famous Jim Bridger of Western lore. Since the days of the fur trappers the region has been known as a “hole” because topographically it is a hole or a valley that is surrounded by mountains. The hole afforded the best weather available to the trappers during the winter (given the limited options offered by the region and the fact that they were traveling on foot or at best on horseback) and so they wintered there and often held rendezvous in the region.
In the town of Jackson we stopped to buy sandwiches & then went north a few more miles into Grand Teton National Park because it is simply spectacular and I never tire of looking at the scenery there, but also to purchase our Ten Dollar “Senior Pass” good at all National Parks and sites that charge admission. I guess that means we are officially old farts! Mission accomplished we went a few miles to a pull off area and ate our sandwiches while we sat on the tailgate of the truck in the shadow of Grand Teton mountain.
From Jackson we followed another scenic route into Idaho Falls and then hit the Interstate to Boise and a visit with our girls; not to minimize Dennis & Mary but we have been visiting them for years so our trips now do seem to focus on getting to know little Anna (who is now nearly 8 months) and spending time making memories with Lauren (soon to be 5).
Of course we did time this visit so that we could celebrate Dennis’ birthday with him.
Of course we did time this visit so that we could celebrate Dennis’ birthday with him.
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Tale of the Snail Darter
Oh my goodness I think we have arrived at one of, if not the, the most beautiful places we have visited so far. I know I have rambled on about the Tennessee but now we are up in the final 50 or so miles of the river and decided to take a side trip up the Little Tennessee River to the Tellico River also known as Tellico Lake. To borrow a term from the texting folks OMG it is spectacular here in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Every turn is a new “oooh or aaah”, sort of like when you are watching fireworks. The water is clear and, generally, deep which gives it gorgeous blue-green color.
Don’t think that all this beauty has caused me to abandon the pursuit of a history lesson, for the valley of the Little Tennessee is rich in history and I’m going to share some of its most recent story. The story of the construction of Tellico Lake covers a period of nearly 40 years, from before World War II until 1980.
Back in the late 1930’s the TVA built Fort Loudon Dam about 50 miles below Knoxville for the purposes of flood control and hydro-electric generation. Today we take electricity for granted and it is easy to forget how important the power generation was back then but remember that there were many rural areas that still did not have electricity on the eve of WWII. For balance it is also good to keep in mind that the TVA was, and still is a governmental type bureaucracy and was eager to build themselves an empire. Anyway shortly after Ft. Loudon Dam was completed the TVA proposed to create more storage space for flood control while at the same time providing more water for electric power generation. They could do this by constructing a dam on the Little Tennessee just above its mouth (which was about a mile below the Ft. Loudon Dam) and cutting a canal to connect the reservoir formed by that dam with the reservoir above the Ft. Loudon Dam. This project was referred to as the Ft. Loudon Extension and in 1942 was projected to cost $10.7 million. Funds were appropriated in June of 1942 but within a few months the TVA was told that the project must be postponed because of WWII.
It was 1963 before a new and improved (read “larger”) version of the project was revived, this time with a new name; the Tellico Project. The world was quite different in 1963 than it had been in the 40’s and as you might expect there was a great deal of controversy surrounding the Tellico Project. Proponents focused on the economic benefits, jobs, and growth potential. Opponents sited the loss of a free flowing river, loss of agricultural lands and the historic value of the land to the Cherokee Indian Culture (even though the Cherokee had been forced from this land in the 1800’s and relocated to Oklahoma). Congress ultimately appropriated $41 million dollars and construction on the project began in 1967.
In 1969 Congress enacted the National Environmental Policy Act. In 1971 the TVA was ordered to stop work on the project because the environmental impact studies required by the 1969 legislation were apparently more rigorous than those that had been completed when the project was approved and they were accused of proceeding with inadequate studies. It was 1973 before the courts ruled that the statements on file were acceptable and the project could continue.
OK friends it is time to get those neurons firing; check those cranial files for the term “snail darter”. Does it sort of ring a bell, but you just can’t place it? Yeah me too, but now I have the scoop. Sometime in 1971 or 72 a tiny little fish called a snail darter was found in an area of the Little Tennessee River that would be impounded by the Tellico Project. In 1973 environmentalists opposed to the project petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the snail darter as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In 1975 when the Tellico Project was nearly 75% completed the snail darter was listed as endangered. Construction continued while the matter was argued in the courts, but in 1977 when the project (now $136.9 million) was 90 percent completed the TVA was prohibited from any further construction that might destroy or modify the snail darter’s habitat. A 1978 Supreme Court ruling upheld the endangered status for the fish but Congress passed an exemption to the Endangered Species Act in order to allow construction to proceed.
The dam was closed on November 29, 1979. Meanwhile small populations of the controversial snail darter were found throughout the U.S. and in four widely scattered areas of East Tennessee besides the valley of the Little Tennessee. Today the snail darter in no longer on the endangered species list.
Was the battle to build the dam and construct Tellico Lake worth it? We have been told that most locals today admit that they are better off economically, however some still resent being essentially forced from their land, sometimes land homesteaded by their grandparents and great grandparents. I can attest that the scenery and the water are some of the prettiest of anyplace we have traveled to, the water is clear and deep so it attracts boaters who freely spend money. Of course it would still be pretty in the natural state, that is as a shallow and rocky river, but the economic benefits may not be the same. The economy appears to be thriving as we still are seeing new residential construction in the developments that line one side of the first 20 miles of so of the lake. Today the area attracts retirees who come for the mild climate and the beautiful water. A lot of land is still open for public use such as camping and boat launching and other day use, this land is supposed to remain available for public use. There is almost no industry on this lake, the town of Vonore has built an industrial park but thus far they have found it difficult to entice sustainable industry to their community. The future of industry appears to be more uncertain than the future of residential use and in a way I'm not sorry about this because the impact of industry on the beauty and the water quality is not usually a good thing.
The spectacular scenery with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background, much as it must have always looked.
The photo below shows the impact of the residential development that brings economic benefits to the region.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
A New Product Review
This is not my usual kind of musing but I thought I would share some info on a great new product I have discovered for the galley, that would be a kitchen for most of you. To be totally honest I am not sure it is a "new" product but it is new to me and I am so glad I tried it. Those clever people that make aluminum foil with a non-stick side (which I don't use but a friend swears by) are also producing a product called Reynold's Slow Cooker Liners. They remind me of the roasting bags that are sold for turkey except that these fit into the "crock" part of the cooker and contain all the "messy" stuff. I love using a crock pot and having dinner ready without much last minute effort on my part; however I hate having to deal with the messy leavings in the bottom after I have roasted meat. The liner solves that problem nicely I can slow cook the pulled pork/chicken, lift the meat out to cool, when the pot has cooled just lift out the liner and neatly dispose of it in the trash can. No need to worry about clogging a drain or finding a container to hold the greasy liquid. The cost seems reasonable to me, I think it was about $2.49 for a package of 4 bags and that was at a small town grocery store so you may find them even cheaper.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
View From The Bridge of Miss Lauren Grace
I'm sure you haven't noticed but we love the Tennessee River. We are often asked "what was your favorite out of all the places you have visited"? That is a difficult question to answer because we have different favorites for different reasons, but for shear beauty or for ease of cruising the Tennessee is definitely a favorite. Clean, deep water, little current, no tide, no salt and beautiful scenery, what's not to love. Well, OK, maybe we don't love the little spiders that attach themselves to every little corner and line when we are at a dock.
The entire 650 miles of this river from Paducah to Knoxville is pretty, but it is above when you approach the southern end of the Cumberland Plateau near Guntersville lock that the Tennessee really begins to strut her stuff. The mountains begin to rise here and it just gets better as you go along.
I thought you might enjoy a chance to ride along and see the things we see in a typical day, starting with some of the beautiful scenery.
This is Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga.
This is Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga.
This is Painted Bluff in Nickajack Lake.
There are neat rock formations like this "bridge" where the rock below has caved in, or has it broken out?!
And "interesting" things like bat caves. I just wonder who the fence is protecting, the boaters or the bats?
The bats I suppose because this is a sanctuary for the endangered gray bat.
There are more signs than you might imagine. The one above is on I24 near Chattanooga we have driven past it so many times on trips to South Carolina & Florida; it was a kick to see it from the water!
There are more signs than you might imagine. The one above is on I24 near Chattanooga we have driven past it so many times on trips to South Carolina & Florida; it was a kick to see it from the water!
This one is a combination of advertising and instruction.
This one below provides important information. This info is noted on our charts as well but the potential for harm is great so the in your face reminder is a good thing.
This one below provides important information. This info is noted on our charts as well but the potential for harm is great so the in your face reminder is a good thing.
We see birds of all kinds but I gotta' tell you that it is tough to get good photos of birds with a point 'n shoot. I am usually moving and not close enough for my little 6x zoom to do the job.
I did get reasonably close to this momma Osprey and her chicks last summer.
This Blue Heron was fishing from a little Cypress tree when I snapped this shot but I couldn't capture his beautiful markings.
We see all kinds of bridges, this railroad lift bridge is not exceptional but the scenery sure is spectacular.
The bridge below is on the Little Tennessee (or Tellico Lake) and is notable for the Smokey Mountains in the background
In Chickamauga, Watts Bar, & Tellico Lakes (named for the dams which control the river and provide electricity) we saw silos in the water. They were not destroyed when the lakes were created. As you can see many of these lakes boast significant residential development.
Then there are the navigation aids which keep us in the channel and away from those silos! Here a string of red buoys and a day mark leads us around a turn in the river.
Just one of the many lock & dams that we travel through. This shot is on the low side of Ft. Louden Dam, the last dam on the Tennessee River. At the far left of the frame is the hydro-electric power plant; then you see the actual dam, the gates are closed; at the far right is the lock chamber with the gates open. The little orange pennant is on our bow as we head toward the lock.
On the upper end of the Tennessee there are mountains everywhere. This is Signal Mountain at Chattanooga.
Here you see the Decatur, Alabama waterfront. It is a very industrial area with many grain mills.
Here you see the Decatur, Alabama waterfront. It is a very industrial area with many grain mills.
There are industrial areas all along the river because of the opportunity for easy and inexpensive transportation. Here a barge is being filled at a big facility that seems to be in the middle of nowhere.
We pass cool city views like the art museum at Chattanooga that perches on the top of the bluff as thought it is about to take flight. Actually this is three different structures all joined together during the recent construction of the modern building on the point of the bluff. I think the architecture is part of the art here.
And also pastoral country scenes like these cows grazing on a sunny hillside.
There are power plants all up and down most rivers. The TVA provided electric to much of this section of the country in the 1900's and so you will see hydro-electric plants, steam plants, and nuclear facilities. Along with the gorgeous scenery we see the stacks of the Kingston Steam Plant where the big fly ash spill occurred last winter. Some how the picture of the Kingston Plant didn't make it to the upload!
I am fascinated with the shape of the cooling towers at most of the nuclear facilities. These are at the huge Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant.
Where they generate power they need a way to carry it to the users so we see high-tension power lines crossing the river. Some, but not all, actually have a tower in the water like you see below. The concrete pylons are there to prevent (we hope) the tower from being hit by boats or barges.
Of course we see BOATS! All kinds of boats. The beautiful stern wheeler the "Delta Queen" has just been permanently moored on the Chattanooga waterfront where she is slated to become a luxury hotel and restaurant. Chattanooga is a city that really makes the most of their riverfront.
This jon boat has a diver down in the water. We know this because of the red flag which has a white band running diagonally across it that is not visible in the photo.
This strange workboat on a powered barge is one of the more unusual vessels we have seen.
Always there are towboats and barges. Just this Spring Larry began keeping a list of the names of towboats we see, since April 20, 2009 he has recorded over 139 different towboats and many of them we have seen more than once.
I like the little pontoon boat because of the big flag they are flying!
At the end of the day we enjoy quiet moments observing the wildlife and watching the sunset in peaceful anchorages. This spot is on Tellico Lake and the water really is that beautiful color.
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