Day on the Cruise: 178
From: Marine Max Dock, Downtown Chattanooga, TN
To: Goose Pond Marina, Scottsboro, AL
Statute Miles: 86.1 SM
Time: 8.7 Hrs
Cumulative Miles: 4,549.9 SM
On Board: Susan, Chuck, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut
Tonight we are back at the Goose Pond Marina in Scottsboro, AL. This is where we stayed Monday night a week ago on our way to Chattanooga. It is a very windy and rainy Halloween night here!
Our backtracking on the Tennessee River from Chattanooga to the Tenn -Tom Waterway began before sunrise this morning when we left the downtown dock heading South to Goose Pond. The key to our early departure was that there was no fog! Yea! It was heavily overcast, however, and this cloud cover would bring rain before mid morning. It was just a yucky day. Not particularly cold, but damp, gray, and not the best cruising day that we have experienced.
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| Ghosting Along the Chattanooga Waterfront Before Sunrise on Halloween Morn. These are the Aquarium Buildings |
On this Halloween day, we were treated to a palette of Halloween colors on the mountains that make up the Tennessee River Gorge. Unlike last week when we traveled this route in late summer foliage, the trees have been transformed into beautiful yellows, golds, reds, and oranges. Not particularly brilliant colors yet, but the Halloween touch is definitely here. It is just gorgeous today, even if the weather is yucky.
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| We Love This Boathouse Scene Along the River |
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| A Massive Rock Formation with Halloween Coors |
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| Looking Back at Our Wake in the Tennessee River Gorge |
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| Rounding a Bend in the River as We Look Back at the Gorge |
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| A Cornucopia of Fall Colors in the Tennessee River Gorge |
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| Happy Halloween! |
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| A Big Rock Along the Serene River |
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| Of Course no trip to Chattanooga would be complete without a "See Rock City" Barn |
The current going downstream has really helped our speed. Since we could leave early this morning, we decided to run the 80 some odd miles down to Scottsboro, AL to pick up some time rather than staying at Hales Bar Marina, which we did not like on the way up. We averaged almost 10 miles an hour today, which is fast for this boat. We hit Nickajack Lock with no waiting and it only took us about 15 minutes to Lock down. Now, that is what I am talking about!
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| In Nickajack Lock as We Wait for the Water to Start Draining Out and Lowering Us Down |
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| Leaving Nickajack Lock Under Threatening Skies |
Just before we got to Nickajack Lock, the wind picked up from the South - Southwest. When the River widened below Bridgeport, AL, we began to get 25 mph sustained winds on our bow, with gusts to 35 mph. Needless to say, this made the River rather rough, and we experienced "seas" in the Tennessee River of 1-2'! Nothing like the ICW or the Great Lakes, however, as "Blue Moon" handled these waves with just a slightly bumpy ride.
We also had rain this morning and then again this afternoon. Not a whole lot of fun to run the boat in these conditions. When we arrived at Goose Pond Marina about 3:30, the wind made it a challenge to dock. We refueled and pumped out, and since there was only one other transient boat here besides ourselves, they gave us a slip that we entered going into the wind, which helped with our maneuvering.
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| Arrival at Goose Pond marina in Scottsboro, AL |
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| A Stormy Night at Goose Pond |
The high winds wreaked havoc with our port side Isinglass Curtains that had the zipper damage when we tried to put them back up after the Erie Canal. The wind today blew one panel completely out. Susan had to do an emergency repair while underway, but we could not get this panel zipped and we wound up taking it down completely. She stabilized the other damaged panel with velcro, and it held. I added some more velcro to it when we got docked at Goose Pond. Hopefully it will hold, but we still have a gaping hole on the port side of the fly bridge where we had to take down the damaged panel.
There is a good restaurant here at Goose Pond that we missed last week when it was closed. We debated about going over and eating there tonight, but it is pouring rain with gale force winds, and very dark. Not a night to be out, so we opted to stay on board, keep dry, and enjoy the rocking and rolling, which isn't really that bad.
We are trying to catch up with our friends on "Sun Gypsy". They are only 20 miles down river, so we may be able to get together with them tomorrow night. We will try to make Joe Wheeler Marina or Decatur tomorrow, depending upon weather and delays at Guntersville Lock.
We heard from our friends on "Reunion" and "Always Five O'Clock" with whom we traveled down the Great Rivers, and they are already at Fairhope, AL, down on Mobile Bay. Wow, they are making good time, as they have completed the Tenn-Tom.
Tomorrow will be another long day. Hope the wind subsides!
Thanks for Reading!
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