Saturday 10-24-09
As I said yesterday, we are at American Great Loop Cruiser's Association rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama. The trees are beautiful with reds and golds. The water is like glass. There are probably 75+ boats here for this event and people come by land as well. I want to add a note and ran out of room on yesterdays blog. Our steering stopped working on the lower helm after we pulled anchor. Thanks goodness Captain Jeff has done this before with our Carver. He needed to steer the boat with the auto pilot. Now ladies, picture this...you are at the gates of a lock waiting for them to open, wind blowing at 25-30 mph, no steering and he says...I need to pee! NO WAY! Lets get real, he trusted me to take the helm?
We have met people from everywhere that are doing, has done or hopes to do the loop. There are boats from 26 ft to 55 ft, lots of cats on board, afew dogs and believe it or not, one looper has two dogs, two birds and a hermit crab on board. Today they are doing different seminars and tonight we have a deck crawl where you can board boats and see what neat things they have done.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday 10-23-09
High winds. We pulled the hook around 8:15 and hoped to make it to Joe Wheeler State Park by night fall. A little more rain but still had the winds. Today is suppose to have gust of 30 mph. We locked thru Wilson lock and boy are the doors hugh on this lock. We went thru with five other boats. One that decided to pass us when we were leaving the lock and one that walked away from the wheel when we got out of the lock and cut us off. Some of the boaters should not even be aloud on the water! The next lock was something else. Joe Wheeler lock, winds blowing up river at about 25mph and a lock master that didn't want to lock us thru. When we finally convinced him that we wanted thru it took him forever to empty the lock and he would not talk to us on the radio. The boats that had went thru just before us was suppose to of had trouble because of the winds. We got in the chamber, tied off and had no problems. We think the guy just didn't want to be bothered with us. We made it into the park and will be here for a while with many other loopers. We head home on Thursday for a week at work. We will catch you on the second leg of our trip. This leg will take us to Florida where we will lay up until the first of the year. By the way, you need to ask Jeff how to play "butt darts".
High winds. We pulled the hook around 8:15 and hoped to make it to Joe Wheeler State Park by night fall. A little more rain but still had the winds. Today is suppose to have gust of 30 mph. We locked thru Wilson lock and boy are the doors hugh on this lock. We went thru with five other boats. One that decided to pass us when we were leaving the lock and one that walked away from the wheel when we got out of the lock and cut us off. Some of the boaters should not even be aloud on the water! The next lock was something else. Joe Wheeler lock, winds blowing up river at about 25mph and a lock master that didn't want to lock us thru. When we finally convinced him that we wanted thru it took him forever to empty the lock and he would not talk to us on the radio. The boats that had went thru just before us was suppose to of had trouble because of the winds. We got in the chamber, tied off and had no problems. We think the guy just didn't want to be bothered with us. We made it into the park and will be here for a while with many other loopers. We head home on Thursday for a week at work. We will catch you on the second leg of our trip. This leg will take us to Florida where we will lay up until the first of the year. By the way, you need to ask Jeff how to play "butt darts".
Thursday 10-22-09
We left our wonderful marina around 7:55. I don't even think the chickens were up yet. We got to talking to another looper, Miss Ruby and decided to hook up with them for the night to get a few tips from them about this trip. "Miss Ruby" is a self made trawler form Delaware. Captains Wes and Jeanine Quigley.We stopped in a cove for the night around 2:15 in the afternoon. They shared a wealth of information of their travels. Around 10:30pm the winds kicked up and never let up. The rains started around 6:00 in the morning. Those of you who know me, know that being on a hook is not my favorite thing to do. Frizz and I were up all night while the boat was swinging around on the hook.
We left our wonderful marina around 7:55. I don't even think the chickens were up yet. We got to talking to another looper, Miss Ruby and decided to hook up with them for the night to get a few tips from them about this trip. "Miss Ruby" is a self made trawler form Delaware. Captains Wes and Jeanine Quigley.We stopped in a cove for the night around 2:15 in the afternoon. They shared a wealth of information of their travels. Around 10:30pm the winds kicked up and never let up. The rains started around 6:00 in the morning. Those of you who know me, know that being on a hook is not my favorite thing to do. Frizz and I were up all night while the boat was swinging around on the hook.
Wedneday 10-21-09
We left Perryville around 10:32. There was fog early in the morning. We got the bikes out and road to a restaurant half a mile down the road that wasn't open for breakfast. At least we got some exercise. The weather was beautiful with a few boaters sharing the waters with us an one jerk. The term "responsible for your own wake" doesn't mean much here. We stopped for the night around 4:15. You will not believe the place the Captain picked for the night. What was standing was called Saltillo Marina located in Tennessee. I'm not sure what was holding up the docks. The rust on the roof or the weeds growing around the docks. We stayed on the gas dock and the dock master and mistress met us with cigarettes a smoking. It was a place you had to see to believe could even exist. We walked into town and at at one of the two restaurants for supper. At least the price was right, $23.00 and all the electric we could use.
We left Perryville around 10:32. There was fog early in the morning. We got the bikes out and road to a restaurant half a mile down the road that wasn't open for breakfast. At least we got some exercise. The weather was beautiful with a few boaters sharing the waters with us an one jerk. The term "responsible for your own wake" doesn't mean much here. We stopped for the night around 4:15. You will not believe the place the Captain picked for the night. What was standing was called Saltillo Marina located in Tennessee. I'm not sure what was holding up the docks. The rust on the roof or the weeds growing around the docks. We stayed on the gas dock and the dock master and mistress met us with cigarettes a smoking. It was a place you had to see to believe could even exist. We walked into town and at at one of the two restaurants for supper. At least the price was right, $23.00 and all the electric we could use.
Monday 10-19-09
9:20 we leave GTB and head for Kentucky Lake. The waters are alittle rough due to some winds. Beautiful homes everywhere. At 6:00 we stopped and are on a hook for the night. Captain Jeff picked a beautiful spot for a sunset. Night has fallen and it is so quiet. We now have 528 miles behind us.
9:20 we leave GTB and head for Kentucky Lake. The waters are alittle rough due to some winds. Beautiful homes everywhere. At 6:00 we stopped and are on a hook for the night. Captain Jeff picked a beautiful spot for a sunset. Night has fallen and it is so quiet. We now have 528 miles behind us.
Sunday 10-18-09
Took a long walk with Laura around the grounds while Mike and Jeff moved our swim ladder(like we are going to use it really soon). Got to tour a condo. So nice! Frizz and I took a walk and watched the turtles.She was not impressed with them. We went store hoppin in Grand River and got a couple of pizza's made at the local IGA. Gotta say that they really good. We are getting everything ready to hit the waters again in the morning. I could easily stay here for a while longer. Thanks-you Mike & Laura for such a wonderful time. We really miss you two. We love you guys.
Took a long walk with Laura around the grounds while Mike and Jeff moved our swim ladder(like we are going to use it really soon). Got to tour a condo. So nice! Frizz and I took a walk and watched the turtles.She was not impressed with them. We went store hoppin in Grand River and got a couple of pizza's made at the local IGA. Gotta say that they really good. We are getting everything ready to hit the waters again in the morning. I could easily stay here for a while longer. Thanks-you Mike & Laura for such a wonderful time. We really miss you two. We love you guys.
Saturday 10-17-09
We have decided to stay at GTB until Monday and spend some time with Mike and Laura. Last night we went to Grand Rivers for supper at Patties. Wow! Great meal and you should have seen my pie. I know it stood 4 inches high. This is a really neat restaurant and a must to eat at if you are ever there. It is a town of 352 people and over 600 boat slips. Today we headed into Puducah and got a few supplies. We ate at the CommonWealth Yacht Club. RSYC, we have a long way to go to be like this place. Got the best tables in the house and another great meal. We got a tour of GTB. This is such a nice resort. The condos are beautiful, the marina is so clean and we understand why Mike and Laura wanted to move down there. Turtles everywhere. The sun did shine today..finally. If you want to go somewhere for a weekend, head on down the GTB.
We have decided to stay at GTB until Monday and spend some time with Mike and Laura. Last night we went to Grand Rivers for supper at Patties. Wow! Great meal and you should have seen my pie. I know it stood 4 inches high. This is a really neat restaurant and a must to eat at if you are ever there. It is a town of 352 people and over 600 boat slips. Today we headed into Puducah and got a few supplies. We ate at the CommonWealth Yacht Club. RSYC, we have a long way to go to be like this place. Got the best tables in the house and another great meal. We got a tour of GTB. This is such a nice resort. The condos are beautiful, the marina is so clean and we understand why Mike and Laura wanted to move down there. Turtles everywhere. The sun did shine today..finally. If you want to go somewhere for a weekend, head on down the GTB.
Friday 10-16-09
We left Golconada at 9:00 and locked thru Smithland Lock. We hung a right turn and headed up the Cumberland River. This is a beautiful river. There are eagles every where. We saw a bird in the water that we could not agree on what it was so they now have a "kentucky duck bird". I have decided that they need road signs on the rivers. It was a guess as to the enterence to the Cumberland but Captain Jeff made the right decision and made the turn at the right place. We locked thru the dam at Lake Barkley and pulled in to Green Turtle Bay at 4:30 with two very wonderful people waiting on the gas dock for us, Mike and Laura Lytle. It was so great to see them standing there but I still think they should have made arrangement for the sun to shine. We still love them! At the enterance to GTB, there is a beautiful house that we learned is only lived in 6 weeks of the year and the rest of the time the care taker lives there. Think we might apply for that job some day. What a beautiful house and the view has to be the best on the river.
We left Golconada at 9:00 and locked thru Smithland Lock. We hung a right turn and headed up the Cumberland River. This is a beautiful river. There are eagles every where. We saw a bird in the water that we could not agree on what it was so they now have a "kentucky duck bird". I have decided that they need road signs on the rivers. It was a guess as to the enterence to the Cumberland but Captain Jeff made the right decision and made the turn at the right place. We locked thru the dam at Lake Barkley and pulled in to Green Turtle Bay at 4:30 with two very wonderful people waiting on the gas dock for us, Mike and Laura Lytle. It was so great to see them standing there but I still think they should have made arrangement for the sun to shine. We still love them! At the enterance to GTB, there is a beautiful house that we learned is only lived in 6 weeks of the year and the rest of the time the care taker lives there. Think we might apply for that job some day. What a beautiful house and the view has to be the best on the river.
Thursday 10-15-09
We left Evansville at 10:35, locked thru JT Myers lock and arrived at Golconada Marina by 7:10. Finally, another boater was on the river. They were going the wrong way, up stream. It's still cold and wet and gray! Is the sun ever going to shine? There was fog this morning so we got a later start. So far, everyone is happy. Frizz is my shadow. She even goes to the bathroom when I go. Captain Jeff is reading his charts, following the computer, talking on the phone and taking a nap here and there. I do believe he is in his hay day. Today we traveled another 106 miles. We are getting there. We hope to be at Green Turtle Bay tomorrow night. We have not set on the hook yet. The nights have been to cold to be with out heat. We have even been running a small heater in the pilot house during the day just to stay warm.
We left Evansville at 10:35, locked thru JT Myers lock and arrived at Golconada Marina by 7:10. Finally, another boater was on the river. They were going the wrong way, up stream. It's still cold and wet and gray! Is the sun ever going to shine? There was fog this morning so we got a later start. So far, everyone is happy. Frizz is my shadow. She even goes to the bathroom when I go. Captain Jeff is reading his charts, following the computer, talking on the phone and taking a nap here and there. I do believe he is in his hay day. Today we traveled another 106 miles. We are getting there. We hope to be at Green Turtle Bay tomorrow night. We have not set on the hook yet. The nights have been to cold to be with out heat. We have even been running a small heater in the pilot house during the day just to stay warm.
Wednesday 10-14-09
We left Rocky Point at 9:45 am ( not sure what time zone) and locked thru Cannelton Lock and Newbury Lock. Arrived at Nu Plaza Yacht Club at 5:15 in Evansville. Filled with fuel and with $100.00 in fuel pruchase you get a free slip for the night. We have managed to burn approx 180 gal of diesel. Today was 78.4 more miles. It was wet, cold and lots of tow traffic.
Need to add a note about last Monday that most people that have ever traveled on the river with Jeff can relate to. We were cruising down river, I was setting there reading my book when I looked up to see Jeff walk out the door, around the front of the boat to the pilot house door on the otherside. With screwdriver in hand he starts to take the door off the track. Whos piloting the boat??? Captain Auto Pilot!
Needless to say, Frizz and I decided we felt more comfortable with either one of us behind the wheel. Gotta love him!!
We left Rocky Point at 9:45 am ( not sure what time zone) and locked thru Cannelton Lock and Newbury Lock. Arrived at Nu Plaza Yacht Club at 5:15 in Evansville. Filled with fuel and with $100.00 in fuel pruchase you get a free slip for the night. We have managed to burn approx 180 gal of diesel. Today was 78.4 more miles. It was wet, cold and lots of tow traffic.
Need to add a note about last Monday that most people that have ever traveled on the river with Jeff can relate to. We were cruising down river, I was setting there reading my book when I looked up to see Jeff walk out the door, around the front of the boat to the pilot house door on the otherside. With screwdriver in hand he starts to take the door off the track. Whos piloting the boat??? Captain Auto Pilot!
Needless to say, Frizz and I decided we felt more comfortable with either one of us behind the wheel. Gotta love him!!
Tuesday 10-13-09
We left Louisville at 7:51 am to lock thru MaAlpine lock. Took about 30 minutes from start to finish. The waters were smooth, it was cold and overcast. I thought that as we headed south, the sun might shine of at least be a little warmer. Sun..what does that feel like? Could use some tomorrow because it really gets cold out there in the locks. Of course, the first mate gets that job. Frizz, our cat, is traveling with us. She worried me going the the lock yesterday but today she just set there and watched us. She has a seat in the pilot house with us and stays there all day while we are traveling. Still waiting to see another boat on the waters besides tows. So far, nothing in sight. We arrived at Rocky Point Marina in Cannelton, IN at 5:23 pm.
Three days down and 228 miles down the river.
We left Louisville at 7:51 am to lock thru MaAlpine lock. Took about 30 minutes from start to finish. The waters were smooth, it was cold and overcast. I thought that as we headed south, the sun might shine of at least be a little warmer. Sun..what does that feel like? Could use some tomorrow because it really gets cold out there in the locks. Of course, the first mate gets that job. Frizz, our cat, is traveling with us. She worried me going the the lock yesterday but today she just set there and watched us. She has a seat in the pilot house with us and stays there all day while we are traveling. Still waiting to see another boat on the waters besides tows. So far, nothing in sight. We arrived at Rocky Point Marina in Cannelton, IN at 5:23 pm.
Three days down and 228 miles down the river.
Monday 10-12-09
After waiting for 6 hours, we finally got thru Markland Lock and Dam by 2:00 in the afternoon. They were taking boats and tows in the order of arrival. By the time we were locked thru, there was an eight hour wait for some. We really wanted to make it to Louisville by night fall so we needed to put the throttle down and make every minute count. Well, we make it to Tumbleweed dock in Louisville just as the sun was setting at 7:02. We met Bob and Terry Stanley for a wonderful dinner and settled in for a quite night. We were the only boat there and the price was right..free with electricity. Again it was a cool day with smooth waters.
After waiting for 6 hours, we finally got thru Markland Lock and Dam by 2:00 in the afternoon. They were taking boats and tows in the order of arrival. By the time we were locked thru, there was an eight hour wait for some. We really wanted to make it to Louisville by night fall so we needed to put the throttle down and make every minute count. Well, we make it to Tumbleweed dock in Louisville just as the sun was setting at 7:02. We met Bob and Terry Stanley for a wonderful dinner and settled in for a quite night. We were the only boat there and the price was right..free with electricity. Again it was a cool day with smooth waters.
sunday 10-11-09
Today friends and family gathered on B dock at Lighthouse Marina to wish us a safe voyage. Thanks to all of you for your support, prayers and love. We left our marina for our two year voyage at 11:26 a.m. We made it to Pier 99 by 2:53. Smooth waters, some trash, cool temps. We now have 39.3 miles under our belt. A few of the boaters left at Pier 99 invited us to share a fried chicken dinner with them. Thank-you Doug for loaning us your life raft. Heather stayed on board Saturday night and she let us know that her bunk was wet at the foot. So, while under way, I took a look. The bed was wet, the matress on the underside was wet, all of the sweatshirts and extra bedding I have on board that were in the storage area at the foot of the bed were wet. Captain Jeff needs to find out why but in the mean time, I had two loads of laundry at Pier 99 on the first day out plus bedding to get dry. What fun! Here's hoping we never need it. We will keep this space updated when we can and share pics with you when possible.
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