Second Wind on the Great Loop and Beyond

Wednesday – Sunday, November 25 – 29
Thanksgiving in Tallahassee with Scott and Anne involved everything that makes life good –- enjoying easy, fun time with our kids and eating a banquet of fine food. It was delightful to visit with their good friends too. Anne spent hours hauling us around town to run boat errands, and Scott spent a day with Bob working on boat repairs. We also managed to get in a little bit of Christmas shopping and were finally able to look at lots of Anne’s paintings. We picked out our favorite of her works, and we can’t wait to install this exuberant collage of colorful paintings. Now this Thanksgiving visit can be added to the list of memorable happy holidays with our family. We just wish Susan/Keith, Jim/Martha, and Allison and Mackenzie could have joined us too.

The upcoming Gulf crossing remained ever on our minds, and finally the day came when Scott and Anne brought us back to Second Wind in Carabelle, Flordia, where we were soon to depart. I’ll have to say that Bob and I were both pretty apprehensive. Scott and Anne hung out with us for several hours, just to give us moral support. We never cruise at night, and we were about to head out across the Gulf of Mexico as the sun was going down! What were we thinking!

Our plan was to rendezvous with two Looper boats, Doug and Kathy on Nonchalance, and Bill and Jane on Loose Stones. We had met them only through email, but they were willing to let us tag along, even though they were leaving from Apalachicola and we were departing Carabelle. Bob figured out a point where our routes could intersect around sundown, and we cast off our lines at 3:20 p.m. on Saturday the 28th. Sure enough, just as the sun set, we spotted two black dots on the horizon. (you can barely see them as tiny dots in the sunset photo.) And were we ever glad to be in the company of two other boats as we cruised in the dark all night long. Seeing the lights on their boats was comforting to say the least – and we had someone to talk with as we struggled to stay awake.

Dark, boring, cold, and interminable best describes “The Crossing” experience. Somehow I never imagined how dark it would be, nor did I realize that reading would be out of the question. Any light at all ruined our night vision, and we HAD to be able to read the chart plotter and radar. Because it was cold, we drove from the cabin pilot station instead of the flybridge. We thought turning on the XM radio would provide some entertainment, but we couldn’t really hear it over the roar of the engines. Because our buddy boats had super powerful radars, they could spot other boats miles before we could see them. A “sighting” was something to look for and discuss, so we welcomed them. Bob and I each napped off and on, drank hot chocolate, and snacked all night long. We felt quite lucky that the seas were fairly calm most of the way. As we got closer to land, we had about an hour where the waves kicked up a bit. While that one hour was bumpy, we realize how lucky we were that the weather was kind to us.

By 10 a.m. on Sunday the 29th, we were safely tied up at the Clearwater Municipal Marina, thankful that we had safely completed this milestone. We checked in, washed off the first layer of salt, and crashed the rest of the afternoon. Later that evening we finally met our “Crossing Buddies” face-to-face. Just as we expected, Doug & Kathy and Bill & Jane were delightful. We hope our wakes cross again.

(We are still having problems connecting to the Internet.)

Monday to Wednesday, November 23 - 25th
The minute we spotted Scipio Creek Marina in Apalachicola, my mouth started watering for oysters on the half-shell. After a quick walk around this charming town along Florida's "Forgotten Coast," we went straight to Papa Joe's for several dozen. Yummmmmm! Bob and I wanted to stay longer, but we needed to head over to The Moorings Marina in Carrabelle, our "parking spot" until after Thanksgiving. The two-hour ride across Apalachee Bay seemed pretty uneventful until we spotted two large birds that seemed to have white tails from a distance. Sure enough, they were bald eagles out on the open water! We have only seen eagles along rivers, so we were tickled.

Soon after we were tied up in our slip (those #$@#! pilings again), Scott and Anne appeared to whisk us away for several days of Thanksgiving celebration at their home in Tallahassee. On Tuesday night we had a delicious dinner and great fun with their friends Christine and John. Now we are awaiting the main event -- Thanksgiving is always happy when we are with family and friends.

Friday - Sunday, November 20-22, 2009.






Another blue sky day graced us as we cruised through the narrow ICW cut and entered huge Choctawhatchee Bay. Because the wind was fairly calm, the long, zig-zag route across the bay was pretty comfortable. Our arrival at Bay Point Marina in Panama City Beach wasn’t exactly my best moment. Since most of my docking experience is on the rivers where floating docks are the norm, I’m used to catching a cleat, then tying the boat up. I seem to have forgotten how tricky it can be to pull into a dock defined by wood pilings. In addition, each slip is different. In this one, we needed to back the boat in. I fumbled with the lines and couldn’t figure out which line should go where and when. Bob couldn’t see what I was doing, so he couldn’t help either. Aaarggghh! Oh well, we made it without mishap.

Because the weather was turning, we decided to stay at Bay Springs for a couple of days. This place carries wonderful memories for our family. The Marriott Resort here was the site of Susan and Keith's wedding three years ago. A few days later, Second Wind was delivered to this marina by our wonderful broker Billy Martin. We've used the time well -- to relax, clean up the inside of the boat, and of course visit with some Looper friends on Sea Sea and RoyEL. Visits on their BIG boats reminds us just how compact Second Wind actually is. But that's ok, she continues to serve us very well. We're getting ever closer to a decision about when to cross the Gulf. It will be after Thanksgiving for sure. As soon as a good weather window presents itself, we'll be off for this overnight adventure on open water.

Thursday, November 19, 2009.
After a week in Huntsville taking care of “home stuff,” we are back on the boat. While we were gone, we had Second Wind washed, waxed, and buffed, and she looks very perky. It took an extraordinary amount of time to put the boat back together after all the preparations for Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ida, so we didn’t leave The Wharf Marina until nearly noon. It felt mighty good to be back on the water.

Cruising in salt water is quite a bit different from cruising on the rivers. Instead of contending with current, we have tides and big, wide bays with many routes to choose from and navigate. This is where having a chart plotter with auto-pilot comes in handy. By plotting our course in advance, we don’t have to make as many on-the-spot decisions when trying to choose from the multiple buoys/routes available . Today’s route was pretty straightforward, but sometimes it can be quite confusing.

Even though the sky is blue, the temperatures are cool, so fleece feels good. How strange it feels to be passing those fabulous sugar-white dunes of Perdido Key and Pensacola, Florida, wearing fleece jackets instead of shorts and bathing suits. Today we saw a lighthouse, a few dolphins (who refused to pose for a picture), and some cormorants perched on lighted buoys. They posed for a short spell, but by the time I took a photo, they were just sitting there.

After we passed Pensacola Bay, we entered “The Narrows.” As we cruise east along the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway, the mainland is to our left, and 49-mile long Santa Rosa Island is to our right. It is fun knowing that ocean is just past the sand dunes we see. The Air Force has a strong presence here, and we were intrigued by the tall radar measurement tower.

Tonight we hare tied up to the free town dock at Fort Walton Beach. We’ve had a long day, so hummus, cheese, crackers and apples served as our dinner. Accompanied by some wine, it hit the spot. Not enough wifi signal to post pictures again! Darn!

Monday - Wednesday, November 9-11. We have had lousy Internet access for the past few days, so I haven't been able to post. Thanks for the calls and messages. We are fine.

Bob and I spent Monday completing boat preparations for Ida, which seemed unsure whether to return to full-fledged hurricane status or just remain a big blow. Rain, rain, and more rain, accompanied by lots of wind pretty well described the weather all day. We secured all the cushions and anything that could move, added lines, positioned fenders, and went back and forth about whether to stay on the boat or accept the Conrads' kind offer to return to their house during the storm. Because it looked as if Ida was weakening, we finally decided to stay where we were.

We never lost power, and we slept like babes as Ida finally came ashore on Dauphin Island, then headed east towards us. Our only crisis was a shrieking alarm that came on just as we were going to bed. As it turns out, the batteries in the carbon monoxide detector were dying, and the shrieking was to let us know that it was time to change them. That REALLY got our attention since the worst of the storm was imminent, and we had nowhere to go. Fortunately, Bob changed the batteries, and the confounded detector quit alarming us.

Tuesday brought more rain and wind, but we were able to get out of the boat and explore this amazing marina complex, which consists of condominiums and lots of specialty shops and restaurants. The Levines and their company joined us. I can't say that I've ever been to a marina that has a large ferris wheel! But the Wharf has been an excellent place to take shelter in a big storm. As the storm got closer, the marina filled with huge sports fishing boats and large cruising boats -- all here for the same reason -- shelter in a storm. The staff was very professional, supplying lines and fenders to boats that needed them. They were even planning to walk the docks when the eye of the storm passed through.

Today (Wednesday) we picked up our rental car, which just happened to be located in Foley, Alabama, where a huge shopping outlet resides. After retail therapy for me and a visit to West Marine for Bob, we are back on the boat, preparing for our 6-day trip home to Huntsville. When we come back, we hope to move quickly down the rest of Florida's Panhandle.

Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8.
On Saturday the skies were blue and the winds fairly light but building as we left the Levines at Mobile Bay to spend a day or two with Looper friends Tom and Patsy Conrad in beautiful Russell Bayou just before Pensacola, FL. The Conrad’s house is lovely, their dock secure, and their hospitality superb. Tom is the “Weather Guru” for Loopers for the waterway stretch that begins in Mobile, runs along the Panhandle, and continues across the Gulf or around Florida’s Big Bend. Loopers depend on his “Weather Musings,” which he sends out every morning during the late fall and winter. Even as we enjoyed Patsy’s delicious dinner, our conversation kept returning to the weather, specifically Ida, a volatile minor hurricane which was supposed to reduce intensity and become a tropical storm, turning east before it reached this part of the Gulf.

Unfortunately the weather update at 9 p.m. Saturday evening got our attention. In spite of all the factors against Ida affecting us too badly, conditions have changed. We needed to prepare for a pretty big blow. So this morning (Sunday), we headed back to The Wharf, a huge marina/resort complex in the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area. The wind has picked up, and Ida is currently a Category 2 hurricane in the lower Gulf. Fortunately our slip is well protected and has floating docks. That’s a big plus if Ida continues her status as a hurricane by the time she arrives in the northern Gulf. We are now under a hurricane watch, but we are hunkered down and feel pretty secure. The forecasters still aren’t sure how the storm will progress, but they assure us that we will likely see rains of 6-8 inches, lots of wind (gusts to 85 mph?), and heavy thunderstorms. This is more excitement than we expected, but we’ve experienced plenty of big storms in the past and did just fine. Oh, and I'm happy to say that the Levines are also here at The Wharf with us, as well as some other Loopers. We’ll update the blog as we can. For the record, our current Lat/Lon is 30 17.6 N / 87 37.88 W.

Friday, November 6, 2009.
Today was a lay day -- bought groceries, washed clothes, refueled, pumped out, had some routine maintenance work done on the boat. We rewarded ourselves by going out to dinner at a little seafood place called Market By the Sea. The fried shrimp and gumbo were excellent.

On the first Friday of each month in the Fairhope, merchants put on an Art Walk. Shops and art galleries stay open until 9 p.m., many offering wine and refreshments. A number of musicians entertained us as we walked the streets with another Looper couple, Nancy and Ross on Oddysea. Fairhope is a truly delightful place; I'd like to come back for a visit, especially on First Friday. Tomorrow we're heading east to stay at Tom and Patsy's harbor near Pensacola. Lots of uncertainty still exists about the storm Ida that is currently wreaking havoc near Nicaragua. Ida has stopped many Loopers from heading on down the Tenn Tom to the Gulf. We will be looking for a safe haven just in case the storm picks up, but it's too soon to tell whether it will be a significant event around here or not.

Thursday, November 5.
We are back in big water! We left our idyllic Three Rivers anchorage at 7 a.m. for the final stretch of the lower Tenn-Tom Waterway. Passing under the "Dolly Parton Bridge" and the 14-Mile Railway Bridge, the terrain looked different again -- flatter, sandy soil banks with patches of coastal foliage. As usual, we were in awe as we passed under the suspension bridge leading into busy Mobile Harbor. Ranked 8th in the U.S. for exports, the Port of Mobile passes 40 million tons of cargo each year. Huge ships, working cranes, and tows lined both sides of the harbor, dwarfing little Second Wind and Sandpiper aw we passed through.

Mobile Bay was only a little choppy this time, so our passage across to Eastern Shore Marina in Fairhope, Alabama, was relatively easy. How different it seems to tie the boat up to pilings instead of the floating docks we're used to on the Tennessee River and Tenn-Tom Waterway. Late this afternoon, Sarah and Doug Kennedy, "sort of" cousins from Fairhope, drove over to the boat and took us for drinks at the fabulous new Fairhope Yacht Club. Sunset from the porch was lovely, and we really enjoyed our short visit with them. Afterwards, the Levines joined us for a delicious dinner at Tamara's Downtown.

We're glad to be off the river, but now we have something else to keep an eye on. It is possible that a minor hurricane may come into the Gulf early next week. We will keep our eyes peeled. We're staying here another day just to visit the neat shops and galleries -- and enjoy the many seafood restaurants.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009.
First let me say that we did a record run today of 150 miles! The day began with another 6 a.m. start. We were through the Demopolis Lock by 7 a.m., with one eye-opening occurrence. While we were waiting for all the other boats to tie up, I saw the lockmaster peering intently down the bollard chamber right across from us. A bollard is essentially an empty metal cylinder, 3 feet in diameter, which floats up and down a chamber within the lock wall as the water is filled or released. At the top of a bollard is a metal stob that boaters use to tie their lines to. This way they can be lifted or dropped securely along the lock wall. Well, I heard the lockmaster mutter “We have a critter here,” and he proceeded to bang on the bollard chamber. I yelled across the lock, “What kind of critter?” His answer: “A water moccasin. Guess he wanted to stay out of the cold water.” He continued, “I’ve told people that it’s not a good idea to tie off too cozy against the bollards.” About that time another boat, God Speed, pulled up and tied off. They never even knew about the “companion” they missed. Now I’m paranoid, of course.

This morning we started down the lower end of the Waterway, which is where the Black Warrior River joins the Tombigbee. The water is still at least 10-15 feet higher than normal, and the current is giving us a three to four mph boost. This stretch is full of hairpins curves, which is why we still have so many miles to go before we reach Mobile. We encountered a number of tows, so the Waterway is clearly being used commercially. The weather today has been excellent, and we made such good time that we bypassed a good anchorage and the infamous Bobby’s Fish Camp, passed through Coffeeville Lock (our last lock until spring), and anchored 64 miles north of Mobile in an area called Three Rivers, which was recommended by another Looper on the boat Royale. In addition to Sandpiper, Second Wind, and Royale, three other Loopers and three Canadian sailboats are all anchored here. We’ll have to remember this location. It is a great anchorage. Grilled chicken, potato salad, stewed apples, a bottle of wine, and some freshly cooked chocolate chip cookies on Sandpiper was an excellent way to end this long day!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009.
Bob Levine knocked on our boat at 5:15 a.m. with the news, “The lockmaster says if we can be there in 15 minutes, he will lock us through before the commercial traffic.” Boaters are clearly crazy people, but being in that category too, Bob and I threw on some clothes and were out on deck in record time. It was still pretty dark, the moon was almost full, and mist was rising off the water. Many blobs of foam (industrial pollution?) were floating everywhere as well as large clumps of ubiquitous aquatic weeds as we made our way to Tom Bevill Lock. Four other Looper boats were behind us – all wanting to get a head start. By 10 a.m. we had cruised 40 miles and had passed through both Bevill and Heflin Locks.

The Tenn-Tom is mostly mile after mile of waterway surrounded by trees brush, and some clay banks with an occasional bridge to change the scenery. Today we passed something fairly unique: stretches of tall chalky cliffs. One section is actually named the White Cliffs of Epes. Of course I got some pictures, which will be posted eventually. Just before we arrived in Demopolis for the night, we passed the mouth of the Black Warrior River. We are just a little over halfway down the Waterway. Thank goodness we have Fred Meyers guide book, The Tenn-Tom Nitty Gritty Cruise Book to give us navigation tips and information about what we are seeing. After a dinner with Loopers at the Demopolis marina grill, we headed back to the boat. Tomorrow will be another early departure. No more marinas are available until we get to Mobile.

Monday, November 2, 2009. Columbus, Mississippi to Pirates Cove Marina
While we were still in the civilized city of Columbus, Ann and I spent the morning at the grocery store while the Bobs cleaned filters and worked on the boats. Our only lock today was Stennis, and we left before noon for our short run to Pirate’s Cove Marina, located somewhere in rural Alabama. As we left Columbus, we saw a big flock of white pelicans. Wish my camera had been handy.

The Tenn-Tom has changed character; the terrain now looks more like a regular river than a cut. The current is trucking along because of all the recent rains. Although we are definitely in the boonies, we saw a bit of development. Every once in a while a few houses graced the waterfront, especially where a highway crosses the waterway. I wonder how long it will be before major waterfront development begins along the Waterway.

We spent the night at Pirate’s Cove Marina, a small facility that actually had a courtesy van. This marina is located somewhere near Aliceville, Alabama, I think. The Levines and Staggs went on a short outing to see the Tom Bevill Visitor Center, a beautiful mansion/museum that was designed by combining the best features of many southern mansions. Although the museum itself was closed today, we walked down to see the historic 108-foot snagboat, the Montgomery. (I thought Ann was saying, “Let’s go down to the snack boat,” so I was pretty excited about the prospect of getting an ice cream sandwich. Darn!) Anyway, this huge boat was used by the Corps of Engineers to clear southern waterways of trees and large debris. The Montgomery was moved here in 2003 for protection and minor restoration, but it is no longer in service. Pictures later.

November 1, 2009
We FINALLY have a good Internet connection. Pictures will come later.
The Fulton Lockmaster (the lock just a few miles past Midway Marina, wherever that is located)called bright and early to say that he would be ready for southbound boats within the hour. Since I was still in bed, that meant some fast moving for so early in the morning. Dew was heavy, so we had to wipe down the flybridge seats and all the Isenglass just to be able to see as we drove. Running a few mintues late, we tried to cast off, but the boat didn't move. All of the "greens" held us hostage until Bob gave a quick blast with the engines forward and back to clear the props. Fish may love the aquatic weeds, but boaters don't! This action was repeated several times until we got to deeper water. By 10 a.m. we had gone through Fulton and Wilkins locks and were entering our third one, Amory. Somehow along the way we grabbed granola bars for breakfast and finished dressing.

The terrain has changed now. It is flatter, and the fall foliage is not quite so far advanced. We see lots of cyprus trees and very little development. The waterway probably looks very much like it did when it first opened in 1985. We are still cruising with a flotilla of south-bound boats. Many of us have stopped for the night at the Columbus Marina, where the WiFi actually works! Tonight we'll join the Levines, the Suttons, and a sailor named Pete for dinner at the marina restaurant, which is open for boaters only (being Sunday). The dockmaster "T" indicated that they are happy this time of year when all the Loopers and snowbirds are coming through. I'm sure marinas have really felt the economy too, and having so many transient boaters stopping for overnight dockage and fuel certainly helps.

I doubt that we will have much Internet access for the the next few days. I'll catch up again whenever we do. Pictures won't be posted until we go home for a short visit mid-November.

Friday, October 31, 2009.
Yesterday's heavy rain continued through the night, but by 7 a.m. the skies were clearing, and by 8 a.m. we were heading down the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in the company of the Levines on Sandpiper and the Suttons on Double SS. Because so many boaters were leaving the Rendezvous, along with the snowbirds from Canada, Lake Michigan, and parts south, the waterway that takes us all to the Gulf and sunny Florida is a lot more crowded than usual. We locked through three locks -- Whitten, Montgomery, and Rankin -- with a passel of big boats. The weather has turned colder, so fleece was in order, but we were happy to see blue sky again in the afternoon.

We all spent our first night on the Tenn-Tom at Midway Marina. To get to our dock, Bob and I had to drive through what looked like a huge bowl of turnip greens! These aquatic weeds are different from the millfoil that we are used to, but just as obnoxious. The weeds were quickly forgotten when we were all invited to a Halloween Party, given by the marina for all boaters. The locals all had on costumes, and everybody brought a dish. BOOOOOOOOO! It was fun. Because we were pretty exhausted from a long day on the water, our evening ended early.

Thursday, October 29 – Friday 30th, 2009.
Soon after we finally cast off from Joe Wheeler Marina, the sky opened up and the rain started. Because of our late departure, we were in the third group of Loopers to lock through Wheeler and Wilson locks. Somewhere along the way we realized that our radar wasn’t working and the steady drip, drip on our heads reminded us that we should have refreshed the waterproofing on our Bimini before we started. Pretty soon we were thoroughly damp and a little chilly, but as we’ve said before, “Just being on the water makes everything OK.” By 4:15 p.m., we were safely tied up at Aqua Harbor Marina with our Looper friends the Levines and Woody and Ellen Sutton. (Woody and Ellen had also been in on the “Susan surprise,” joining her for dinner before the award.) Aqua is located at the head of the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Thursday night we all piled into the courtesy van and celebrated with a fabulous dinner at Jimmy T’s Restaurant/Bar.

A lousy weather forecast of high winds and rain kept us safely tied up on Friday. I slept soundly until 9:45 a.m. Guess I was tired. Bob has dismantled the toasted radar and has sent it back for repairs. We really do need it before we get to the Gulf! Our fingers are crossed that they can fix it quickly. We’ve lost our “boating eyes.” Thank goodness we can follow the Levines on Sandpiper. Thursday night the Levines invited us and the Suttons over to their boat for a "snacky" supper. We all brought something to eat, sipped some wine, and planned future trips -- all while the rain poured bucketfuls. A day in the rain with Looper friends is a pretty good day! It's good to be cruising again.

October 25 - October 28, 2009
Our 2009-2010 Keys journey and adventure really begins at the Fall Rendezvous for Great Loopers at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, Alabama. We have attended this event each fall since 2004, the first time a Rendezvous was held at Wheeler Lodge. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reunite with some of our favorite friends, glean information from the experts, and experience the excitement of current Loopers. Because the event is held so close to home, Bob and I have always volunteered our help to be sure the 200-plus attendees have a good time. This year was no exception. The Rendezvous, which had been fully booked with a long waiting list, was a great success. By the last evening we were exhausted and looking forward to getting to bed early, with plans of heading out at first light the next morning for the initial leg of our Keys adventure. My goodness, how a single moment can alter your plans.

A highlight of the banquet on the last night of every Rendezvous is the naming of the “Skipper Bob Award” recipient. Skipper Bob was a giant among the cruising community for his practical, accurate guidebooks that carry boaters safely around the Great Loop. He was also a kind, generous, colorful man who was willing to help boaters any time of day or night. His philosophy was that you weren't always able to return the favors of those who had helped you, but you could pass the kindness forward. In other words, “make it better for the next guy.” Skipper Bob died in 2007, and the entire boating community has felt his loss. Sooooo as usual, there were to be two Skipper Bob awards announced at this Rendezvous, one for Summer and one for Fall.

Our dear friends Bob and Ann Levine, who had initiated this award, announced that Fern Hopper, who “runs the might Mississippi River” and has guided thousands of boaters safely through the treacherous areas of “her” river was the recipient of the Summer Skipper Bob award. What an excellent choice – no one is more deserving. Everybody in the room stood and cheered! Then Bob Levine said that a special guest would present the Fall Skipper Bob award. We looked expectantly back at the door and saw a tall, attractive, young woman making her way through the crowd. Then we saw her face. It was Susan Stagg Cooper, of all people.

I don’t remember much after that. Bob and I were floored, honored, thrilled, and totally surprised. I’m not sure why we should be honored for following our boating passion, loving our Looper friends, and helping with the Rendezvous, but I can tell you that it is one of the highest honors either of us can imagine. The fact that the Levines had contacted both Scott and Susan to see if they could be there for the event was over the top. Scott tried hard to come, even tried to use SKYPE to make a virtual appearance, but there was simply no way. That technology wasn’t available, and he couldn’t make the long drive from Tallahassee. If both Scott and the Cowhigs had been able to show up as they had hoped, I wouldn’t be writing this. I would still be in the hospital from shock. But what a thrill that Susan could be there! She spent the night on the boat with us; I was too excited to sleep much. The next morning she headed back to Atlanta, while we cast off – a few hours later than planned – to start the long trek down to the Gulf and the Florida Keys. We are still humbled and shocked, and genuinely grateful. Thank you, thank you, Bob and Ann Levine for your generous spirit and friendship. We also are grateful to Elaine Reib, Skipper Bob’s wife, who supports this award in his honor.

September 4 - 14, 2009. I'm writing this after the fact, but I didn't want to skip our relaxing, fun, beautiful cruise up the Tennessee River with Bob and Ann Levine on Sandpiper. Having planned the trip months in advance, it was hard to believe that we actually made it happen. Both couples had been scurrying around all summer, and it was finally our time to chill on the River. When we started out, we didn't know how far we would actually get before we had to turn around and come home for other commitments.

As we cruised along, Bob and I again marveled at the rolling green hills, the colorful cliffs, and the views of the Smokey Mountains from a waterway perspective. As many times as we have driven to Chattanooga in a car, going by boat is an entirely different experience. And what a joy to be with Bob and Ann Levine again. We ate fine food, sipped fine wine, and did a lot of laughing and reminiscing about our adventures on the Great Loop. But mainly we just took it easy and enjoyed every second of the beautiful scenery along the river in the company of good friends.

Surprise of surprises, we made it all the way to Fort Louden, Tennessee, which is just outside of Knoxville. We were thrilled to find Ron and Eva Stob at the marina, ready to catch our lines. They are especially dear to our hearts for being the inspiration for our Great Loop adventure. Ron and Eva wrote the book that opened up this new world. They invited us all to dinner at their lovely house on a beautiful cove just off the Little Tennessee River. Heaven must include a place just like this. After a lively, delicious dinner, the Stobs entertained us with music -- Ron on the guitar and Eva on an assortment of dulcimers. What a night!

The trip was full of surprises. Little did we realize that Fort Louden marina is just outside of Knoxville. We hadn't bothered to look it up on a map because we didn't think we would make it that far. When I called cousins Janet and Bob Upchurch to tell them we were somewhere in Tennessee, they said, "You are only 20 minutes from our house!" So the next night was another perfectly delightful event in the company of people we love dearly. Dinner at the Upchurches' house was fun and absolutely delicious, and Janet and Bob got to meet the Levines. We also got to meet the Levines granddaughter Rachel, who is a sophomore at UT. Loopers really do feel like family.

We left Bob and Ann at Fort Lounden to head back toward Huntsville, and we had yet another surprise. At Shady Grove Marina in Tennessee, we ran into Harold and Elizabeth DeHart, who now live there but whom we knew from the Huntsville Power Squadron. We hadn't seen them in quite a while, and we didn't really know where they had moved.

The weather was great most of the time, but as we got closer to Guntersville, dark clouds were gathering. We stopped at Alred's Marina, and Russ loaned us the courtesy car so we could drive home to make a meeting the next day. After the trip was over, Bob and I asked ourselves again, "Why don't we do this more often!" It was a wonderful fall interlude! We are happy to be back on the boat again. I'll post pictures later.