SCOTTSBORO, AL TO GUNTERSVILLE, AL

Tuesday, September 30th, 2014

Day 57
Miles Traveled: 19 
Total Miles Traveled: 1449



  Since we didn't have far to cruise this day, we slept in a little, until 7:30am.  It was a very hazy morning, but cleared off by noon and was a beautiful day. 

Leaving Goose Pond Marina

  We arrived at our destination for the day, Guntersville, AL, just before lunch.  Had leftover crab cake and shrimp and grits from "The Docks" restaurant at Goose Pond Colony Marina - very tasty.  

  After lunch we walked almost 1.5 miles to the Guntersville Museum.  Why did we walk this far for a little museum?  We enjoy walking and seeing the towns that we visit and walking is our chance to get some exercise.  And, often, you find one or two interesting things along the way.  This is part of the fun of the journey we are taking. 

  The Guntersville Museum is housed in an old military armory.  The building was built just prior to World War II for Company E, 167th Infantry Division and was constructed using local rough limestone.  It has displays/exhibits about Guntersville history.  We learned that Will Rogers, the famous humorist, was the great grandson of John Gunter, the city's namesake.

Guntersville Museum (in old military armory building)

  

  Our favorite exhibit was " Miss Guntersville Lake".  No, this wasn't about a beauty pageant; it was about a 12 foot aluminum fishing boat and its captain.  Since Sept of 1967, Bill Harris, aboard "Miss Guntersville Lake", has traveled 55,000 miles (over twice the circumference of the earth) on the Tennessee, Cumberland, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers.  Mr. Harris became known as "Mississippi Bill" and many of his trips are chronicled on the boat.

Miss Guntersville Lake

inside boat - journeys chronicled

  We will only be traveling a fraction of those miles on our Great Loop Adventure.  

  

BURNS ISLAND, TN TO SCOTTSBORO, AL

Saturday, September 27th to Monday, September 29th, 2014

Day 54-56
Miles Traveled on Saturday: 42 
Total Miles Traveled: 1430


  Saturday we left Burns Island at daybreak with some fog in the mountains due to the cool morning air.  We had another peaceful night at this anchorage. 

Fog in the mountains

  After locking through Nickajack Dam we arrived at Goose Pond Colony Marina.  This is also a resort with golf course, pool, restaurant, cabins, lodge, and walking trails.  The marina has a large travel lift for hauling out boats in need of service or repairs and also a courtesy van. 

  Saturday evening we had dinner at the resort restaurant called "The Docks".  Crab Cakes and Shrimp and Grits (house speciality) with a spectacular view.  The food was as good as the view. 

View from our table at "The Docks"

  Sunday was laundry and clean the boat day.  We did take a break from chores and walked along the walking trail to the golf course, lodge, cabins, and along the waterway.  

View of Lake Guntersville

  While doing laundry we met a fellow boater, Sara, who is a live-aboard with her husband, Ed, at this marina during the summer.  We joined them later in the evening for drinks and appetizers and, of course, life stories.  A really nice couple who live in Ft. Myers, FL during rest of the year.  Coincidently, we plan on spending this winter in Ft. Myers, FL.


  Monday we went to town - Scottsboro, AL - and shopped at WalMart and the Unclaimed Baggage Center.  Unclaimed Baggage was created in 1970.  This store buys the unclaimed luggage and contents from the airlines and resells the items.  This store is a cross between a flea market and the old Odd Lots stores.  If interested in more history about this store go to: http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/about/
There are not many tourist attractions here in Scottsboro, AL.  The best one is Goose Pond Colony Resort and Marina.  http://goosepond.org/   

  Monday evening Sara and Ed took us for a sunset cruise on their 19 ft. Sea Ray runabout.  We had another enjoyable evening with this couple.       

CHATTANOOGA, TN TO BURNS ISLAND, TN

Thursday, September 25th to Friday, September 26th, 2014

Day 52-53
Miles Traveled: 44
Total Miles Traveled: 1388



  Thursday we walked over to the North Shore using the Walnut Street pedestrian bridge which is listed as being one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world with a length of 0.45 miles.  The North Shore has several eateries and boutique shops.  It also has two nice parks - Renaissance Park and Coolidge Park.  Coolidge Park would be a nice place for a family with young children to spend the day.  It has a large green lawn for running, interactive water fountains for splashing, and a restored 1894 Dentzel carousel for riding. 

Carousel at Coolidge Park

  The fun for families continues in downtown Chattanooga with the Tennessee Aquarium, which has both fresh water (River Journey) and salt water (Ocean Journey) aquariums.  We did not go through the aquarium since we had seen it on a previous trip to Chattanooga.  But, for those who have never been, it is a must see.  To learn more go to:  http://www.tnaqua.org/

View of the Tennessee Aquarium buildings and cannon water feature on river front

  Thursday late afternoon and evening were spent visiting with Dan's cousin Ellen, her husband, Ed, and daughter.  They took us back to their beautiful home and grilled us some delicious steaks with all the fixins'.  We had a wonderful time and it was a great way to end our stay in Chattanooga, TN.
For information about visiting Chattanooga, TN go to:
http://www.chattanoogafun.com/


  Friday we cast off the lines and started cruising back down the Tennessee River.  Chattanooga, TN was the farthest we would go on the Tennessee River, at least on this trip.  We again were amazed by the beautiful scenery.  Here is just some off the beauty that we saw.  Notice the panoramic picture - Angie finally figured out how to take a panoramic picture.  

Beautiful scenery

And more beautiful scenery

First panoramic shot

 Friday afternoon we dropped anchor behind Burns Island, TN.  This is the same anchorage that we used going upriver.  It was such a quiet and peaceful anchorage that we decided to stay again.  There is a fair amount of current at this anchorage, so not good for taking a swim, but the peacefulness is well worth the stay, and, the current keeps the boat from swinging around too much.  


 

CHATTANOOGA, TN - DAY 2

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

Day 51
Miles Traveled: 0
Total Miles Traveled: 1344



  No visit to Chattanooga would be complete without visiting Lookout Mountain and The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel.  
  We hopped on the city bus #15 which took us to the depot for the Incline Railway.  This was our first experience using a city bus and the bus driver, Norma, was extremely friendly and helpful.  She had been working for the city bus company, CARTA (Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority), for almost 30 years and had the most seniority of any of the drivers.  She got us safely to our destination and advised how to take the bus back to downtown.  We hope that all of our city bus experiences go this well.  They can be a great way to see the sites and not spend a lot of money getting there - as long as you can figure out how to read the bus maps (which often are difficult to interpret).

  "The Incline" started in November of 1895 (actually the second railway built up to Lookout Mountain) and is the steepest passenger railway in the world.  At its steepest point the grade is 72.7%.  

View going down the incline

  While at the top of Lookout Mountain there are several places to see - Ruby Falls, Rock Garden, and Point Park.  We choose to walk to Point Park, a National Military Park.  This is where "The Battle Above the Clouds" took place.  The views from this park were spectacular, and, much better than the views from "The Incline" Depot Observation Deck.  We got to see part of the Tennessee River that we had just cruised a couple days prior.  The area viewed is known as Moccasin Bend. 

View of TN River from Point Park on Lookout Mountain - Chattanooga is on the right 

  Prior to walking the park we saw the three-dimensional electronic battle map presentation about the Battles for Chattanooga.  It was very informative and gave a visual representation of what occurred and how the Union gained control of this area.
http://www.battlesforchattanooga.com/

  Also at this park is the New York Peace Memorial.  This monument honors BOTH the Union and Confederate forces and is one of the few that honors both in the same monument. 

New York Peace Memorial

  Our second stop was the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel.  You can actually book a room and stay in one of the Victorian Train Cars.  There were beautiful gardens out back and the lobby had an ornate dome ceiling.  Dan enjoyed most of all his ride on the train. 

Dan's train ride at Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel

To book a room or learn about its history go to:  http://www.choochoo.com/index.php


  Hungry from all our walking, we stopped at The General Store and picked up a couple of Chattanooga's famous Moon Pies.  They were just as good as when they started back in 1917.  To read about the Moon Pie history click on: http://moonpie.com/about#1

Moon Pie - YUM !!!

BURNS ISLAND, TN TO CHATTANOOGA, TN

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

Day 50
Miles Traveled: 44
Total Miles Traveled: 1344



  It was another cool day with winds out of the north, but, the sun was warm.  Fall is definetly starting.  
  We went through Nickajack Lock which is the newest lock on the Tennessee River.  Construction was completed in 1967, and, it replaced the old Hales Bar Lock and Dam.  Hales Bar Lock and Dam was built as a hydroelectric power plant in the early 1900's.  At that time, it was the second largest hydroelectric generating plant. Niagra Falls was first.  Due to serious problems of water leaking through rock strata under the dam and the high cost of repairing this problem, the TVA chose to remove the Hales Bar dam and replace it with one that was also more functional for modern navigation needs. 

What remains of Hales Bar hydroelectric plant

  This section of the Tennessee River, called Nickajack Lake, has mountains and cliffs as its backdrop.  In fact, it is known as "The Grand Canyon of the Tennessee River".  Although it is not as enormous and awe inspiring as the actual Grand Canyon, it still was very beautiful. 

Start of The Grand Canyon of the Tennessee

Cliff of the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee

  Two famous mountains, Signal Mountain and Lookout Mountain, were part of the "grand canyon" experience.  Lookout Mountain was where the Cival War "Battle Above the Clouds" took place. 

Signal Mountain

Lookout Mountain 

  We docked at "The Bluff Docks" operated by Marine Max in downtown Chattanooga, TN.  Since we had been on the boat for the past three days, we decided to stretch our legs and take a walk around town.  We came upon three interesting buildings on this walk - Dome Building (had a fancy dome on the top), Flatiron Building (shaped in a triangle), and The First Methodist Church Steeple (the rest of the church had been torn down). 

The Dome Building

The Flatiron Building

The First Methodist Church steeple

   We ended our stroll with dinner at The Blue Water Grille.  Great seafood, but the "piece de resistance" was Dolly's Triple Chocolate Cake, made with Angie's favorite food - anything with chocolate.  After this desert, we will definitely have to do a lot more walking.    


   

GOAT ISLAND, AL TO BURNS ISLAND, TN

Monday, September 22nd, 2014

Day 49
Miles Traveled: 68
Total Miles Traveled: 1300


  We started our morning with a beautiful sunrise at Goat Island, AL.  We don't seem to tire of seeing these sunrises. 

Sunrise at Goat Island, AL

  Shortly after passing Goat Island, midway up the cliff, is a carving for Gen. Andrew Jackson.  It reads:  "Gen. Andrew Jackson 1813-1914, ALA. D.A.R.  It is over a cave where supplies were stored for General Jackson while he was enroute to the Creek Indian War.  The cave is underwater, but, the carving remains. 

Carving in cliff - Gen. Andrew Jackson

  

  We cruised almost all of the Guntersville Lake in one day.  Two common themes on this lake were nice boat houses and invasive aquatic plants.  Unfortunately, hydrilla and water milfoil are widespread on this lake and have caused many of the embayments good for anchoring to become useless.  The plants get in the water intakes for the engines and can cause them to overheat.

Boat houses on Guntersville Lake

Island of hydrilla and water milfoil

  Just before reaching our anchorage spot for the day, Burns Island, we got a good view of the part of the Cumberland Plateau mountain range.  Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga, TN, is part of this mountain range.

Cumberland Plateau mountain range

  
  It was a cool day after the day prior being very hot.  What a difference a day makes!  We wore sweat shirts and long pants all day and had a North wind on the helm that kept us cool all day,but as you can tell from the pictures, it was a beautiful blue sky day with vistas that we never tire of.

  

GOLDFIELD BRANCH EMBAYMENT IN AL TO GOAT ISLAND, AL

Sunday, September 21st, 2014

Day 48
Miles Traveled: 67
Total Miles Traveled: 1232




  We passed by one of the Tennessee Valley Authority's nuclear power plants called Browns Ferry.  In 1974, when it first started operating, it was the world's largest nuclear generating plant.  The stack, part of its cooling system, stands 660 feet high.  Atop this structure is a tassel shaped device.  Its purpose is to offer lightening protection for the instruments that monitor stack emissions.  Dan thinks it is used to communicate with aliens - he sure does have an imagination.  What do you think? 

Browns Ferry nuclear plant stack

Atop the stack

  We encountered our first lift bridge.  As we approached, a train was just going across the bridge.  Once the train was through, the bridge tender lifted the center span so that we could pass beneath.

Train crossing the bridge - not enough room for us below

Bridge lifted - now there's room

  We saw some beautiful scenery as well.  The landscape changed throughout the day, from a large body of water with hills to a narrow channel with flat land and no homes or industry on either side to rolling hills and higher bluffs.  One of the highest bluffs we've seen so far is Painted Bluff which is 350 feet high with yellow and brown rock. 

Beautiful hills

Painted Bluff

  We found a nice anchorage behind Goat Island just downriver from Guntersville Dam.  The island got its name because a farmer kept a herd of goats before the Civil War. We, however, did not see any goats. Dan's convinced the aliens got them all.

FLORENCE, AL TO GOLDFIELD BRANCH EMBAYMENT IN AL

Saturday, September 20th, 2014

Day 47
Miles Traveled: 29
Total Miles Traveled: 1165



  It was an exciting day.  We locked through the largest single lift lock we will go through on this journey - Wilson Lock.  We were lifted 94 feet to enter Wilson Lake on the TN River.  The history of Wilson lock is interesting.  The treacherous "muscle shoals" area on the Tennessee River was submerged with the completion of Wilson Dam in 1925 making the TN River much easier to navigate.  The Corps of Engineers were directed to construct Wilson Dam to supply electricity for the manufacture of explosives in World War I.  In 1933, the Wilson project was turned over to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and, it was the first of nine Lock and Dams built by the TVA.  At its peak, the project involved more than 18,000 workers.  An average of 111 rail-car loads of equipment and materials  arrived daily and more than 800 bricklayers worked at one time under a single roof.  Currently, it is the highest single lift lock east of the Rocky Mountains and sixth for the entire United States.  

Downstream side of Wilson Lock and Dam

Entering downstream side of Wilson Lock

  The water inside the lock almost appears to be boiling as the water is allowed to enter the chamber.  

Inside Wilson Lock while locking up

  One other interesting feature of this lock is that the upstream doors/gates don't swing open as they do on the Ohio, they go down into the water and you cruise over.

Wilson Lock upstream gate which lowers into the water

Wilson Lock gate lowering into the water

  


  Wilson Lake is the smallest but deepest lake on the Tennessee River.  It is only 15 miles to the next dam, Wheeler Lock and Dam.  Upon exiting Wheeler Dam there was a lot of turbulence in the water as we entered Wheeler Lake. 

Exiting Wheeler Lock - turbulent water

  We cruised a short distance to our anchorage at Goldfield Branch embayment (which doesn't seem to be near anything according to Google Maps).  It was a scenic and protected anchorage. 

View of Wilson Lake from our anchorage

FLORENCE, AL - A SECOND DAY

Friday, September 19th, 2014

Day 46
Miles Traveled: 0
Total Miles Traveled: 1136


  One if by land, Two if by sea:  We actually started with the "sea" and viewed the LST 325 (that we toured in Evansville, IN) make its way back home from a tour to Chattanooga, TN.  It passed right by the harbor where we were docked.  Seeing this ship underway was an incredible site.  The crew had "Anchors Away" music playing and fired some blanks from the ships guns.  There were many people that came to the landing to see the ship pass by.
For a review about the LST and our tour of this ship go to:  http://seahorseontheloop.blogspot.com/2014/08/evansville-in-visit.html

LST 325 coming down the channel

LST 325

LST 325 cruising away

  By land, we visited The Rosenbaum House which was built by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  This home is the only Wright designed structure in the state of Alabama and has been called one of the purest examples of his Usonian design.  Usonian is a term usually referring to a group of about 60 middle-income family homes designed by Wright starting in 1936.  The homes were typically small, single-story dwellings without a garage or much storage.  This particular home was built in 1939-1940.  Like many of the homes he built, he furnished this home with furniture he designed.  Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum owned this home for 60 years before the City of Florence gained possession and undertook its restoration.

Dan holding up the carport of The Rosenbaum House

Living Room with Wright-style furniture

  Our evening ended with a dinner at the River Bottom Grill and music by 2 of the artists from The Local Saints (the band we heard about our first day here -  check out The Local Saints first CD at: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thelocalsaints1).  Great food and great music - a great way to end our time here in "The Shoals".   
  Our stay at Florence, AL and at Florence Harbor Marina was very enjoyable and full of more interesting things and wonderful people than we expected. 

FLORENCE, AL - SEEING "THE SHOALS"

Thursday, September 18th, 2014

Day 45
Miles Traveled: 0
Total Miles Traveled: 1136


  Early on, this area of the Tennessee River was shallow with treacherous rapids making it virtually impossible to navigate.  Muscles were also found in abundance among the river rocks.  Thus came the name, Muscle Shoals.  "The Shoals" now consists of four cities - Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, Sheffield, and Florence.


  It was a day of "birth places":

  In Muscle Shoals, AL and Sheffield, AL we saw the birthplace of the Muscle Shoals Sound and "The Swampers".  We saw 3614 Jackson Highway music studio in Sheffield and FAME Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals.  From the outside the buildings are not much to look at, but the music that has come from these two studios is amazing.  From Percy Sledge and Clarence Carter to Tim McGraw and LeeAnn Rimes.   For some history about Muscle Shoals Music go to: http://www.msmusicfoundation.org/history/  and for FAME history go to: http://www.msmusicfoundation.org/history/



  In Tuscumbia, AL we saw the birthplace of Helen Keller called Ivy Green. It was built in 1820 by her grandparents.  Helen Keller, known as "America's First Lady of Courage", became blind and deaf at age 19 months after a severe illness.  She learned to read, write, and speak with the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who is known as "The Miracle Worker".  Helen dedicated her life to improving the conditions of the blind and deaf around the world and lectured in more than 25 countries.  In 2009, Alabama replaced it's statue in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol with one honoring Helen Keller.  It was the first statue in Statuary Hall of a child, the first of a female, and the first of a disabled individual.  For more about Ivy Green - http://www.helenkellerbirthplace.org/  

Ivy Green - Helen Keller Home

Helen Keller statue that was in Statuary Hall

In Florence, we saw the birthplace of W.C. Handy known as the "Father of the Blues".  There we saw the actual piano on which he composed his hit "Saint Louis Blues".

W.C. Handy piano used to compose "Saint Louis Blues"

  We continued to find sites to see in "The Shoals" area.  
For more tourist information about the area go to: http://www.visitshoalsal.com/

  There was a beautiful park, Spring Park, in Tuscumbia, AL.  It is the location of the world's largest man-made natural stone waterfall, Cold Water Falls.  At 80 feet wide and 48 feet tall, 4,320,000 gallons of water pass over the falls per day. 

Cold Water Falls

  Nearby was a carving of an indian in a large tree. 

Indian carved in a tree

  


  Pope's Tavern, one of the oldest structures in downtown Florence, used to be a tavern and an inn.  It later served as a hospital for both Confederate and Union soldiers, and, after that a private home to the Lambeth family.  It is now a museum full of local history and artifacts.

Tavern room at Pope's Tavern museum

  The day was completed by listening to a band play during dinner at a local restaurant, FloBama.