Friday, August 25, 2006
Pre-Loop Chattanooga Cruise
Sunday, August 13, 2006: After several earlier attempts, we finally left Alred Marina (Tennessee River mile
marker 357.5) on Lake Guntersville, AL, for our shakedown cruise to Chattanooga. Though still in the low 90’s, the weather was much cooler than the weeks before. Bob and I believed it was high time to get some cruising under our belts. The trip takes about 8 1/2 hours each way, with the river winding though some gorgeous countryside. At times it looked very much like we were in the Smoky Mountains. We had the river all to ourselves much of the time.Using Fred Meyer's Cruising Guide to the Tennessee River as our guide, we anchored that first night in a lovely sheltered cove (mile marker 426.8), just past Nickajack Lock and Dam at the base of Little Cedar Mountain. We intended to grill pork chops on our new boat grill. Unfortunately, one of the nuts that should have held the propane bottle on didn't work, so we cooked very boring pork chops in an electric skillet. They were definitely bland, and it made us realize that we've got to come up with better "boat recipes" that are easy and good. It was a joy, however, to wake up the next morning and relish the quiet, the river, the woods, the birds, and those rolling hills.
Monday, August 14, 2006: As we passed Hales Bar Marina in Tennessee, we heard a familiar voice hailing our boat on the radio. It was Power Squadron friends Harold and Elizabeth DeHart, who live on a houseboat there. They quickly scrambled to join us on the water, snapping several photos of us in transit. A few hours of winding river and spectacular scenery later, we pulled into MarineMax Marina in downtown Chattanooga. There we met fun cousins Janet and Bob Upchurch. We spent the rest of the day going to the Hunter Museum, taking a short run up the river, and sipping wine before dinner. We ate at a wonderful restaurant on the bluff in the art district, stopping for ice cream on the way back to the marina. The Upchurches spent the night on Second Wind with us, our first overnight guests. It worked out fine (would have been better if the marina had showers, though.)
Tuesday, August 15, 2006: The weather looked iffy, so Bob and I stayed put in Chattanooga after saying goodbye to the Upchurches. We took a leisurely tour of the Tennessee Aquarium, and though the heat was potent, we had a relaxing afternoon, with dinner at a restaurant within walking distance.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006: Getting up early to make the trip back in one day, we were pleased to see that the sky was overcast but not threatening, and the temperature was cooler. The water was calm, so we cast off, retracing our route home. Since we had already experienced the navigation issues, it was an easy, pleasant trip. Again we enjoyed the scenery. Bob drove most of the way back, while Liz saw it as a good chance to read and nap. We arrived back at Alred late in the afternoon, tired but delighted that our shakedown cruise in Second Wind was a complete success.
