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Rollercoaster of Emotion

Let’s do pictures first;

Waiting to get pulled out

Somebody is having fun

Aqua Dog on the water drive thru. Check out the fully loaded dog.

A good reason to always be looking up. This is close to a Jacob’s Ladder formation

A good reason to just look

Country Western center of the universe

Well, I was feeling groovy out of Clarksville until I determined that my propeller  shaft was bent when the bolts came off of the Transmission. I have spent a week on the hard at Rottering Marine waiting to get back in the water. the marina owner who did the original work says he will pay. Also found out the propeller was loose from the last service.

Folks here are great and even though accommodations are “boatyard” meaning porta potti and no shower other folks and the employees have gotten me to the store and I have met some great fellow boaters.

Bradley standing by on 16

As The Transmission Turns

Well all was well until about 8:30 am this morning. Had a great trip from Harpeth River to Clarksville. Spent the night last night and started the old tub up and pushed away from the dock. No forward or reverse gears. Luckily I was close enough to throw my lock-thru hula hoop over a cleat and keep from drifting off into the bay.

Well after looking in the engine room I see the shaft and transmission had come unbolted. Four bolts had come all the way off the connection. Yesterday all was well. I did feel The boat came in to the dock a little quickly and didn’t take reverse to a full stop but I just figured bad boating skills. In fact this dockage was the second here because I wanted an outside dock  with 30 amp service.

Well the boys from Pebble Isle just left. They reattached the tranny and shaft and  Putting it in gear here at the dock it is fine. Nobody can figure out what happen other than vibration at idle. I never felt any wobble or loss of power any where on the river. Thank God this didn’t happen on the river in a narrow channel with a strong current and a tow boat coming at me.

Well Here are some pictures from the last few days.

Rainy day out of Rock Harbor

Bluff about 200 yards from my anchorage at Harpeth River

Storm on the way at Skinny Dip

Five minutes later look at the water blowing up under 30 mph winds

Getting hammered constant 30 mph wind

But you always get the beautiful sunset. You can see the lights of Old Hickory Lock and Dam.

Eye level from the deck looking up the Harpeth River at 7:00 am

7:30 am

Sight of repairs

Clarksville Marina and embayment

Well tomorrow I will head to Dover Island and then the next day back on Lake Barkley.

I will make it. I feel groovy real groovy

Doc Brad Standing by on 16.

Last word

One very good guy and good old soul I was lucky enough to know for a number of years has passed. He is another friend I will think of from time to time for the rest of my time. He will never be truly gone from my life.

300 Miles Walking on Water

Well My GPS trip meter says that I have gone 308 miles since leaving Pebble Isle. I am on Bledsoe Creek at mile marker 248.5 LDB of the Cumberland River. I stayed in Nashville waiting for the rain that never came and on Labor Day instead of pay for dockage that was busting the budget I shoved off.

9/3 was a long 44 mile day against the current and “walking on water “ at 4-5 mph. When I hit the lock at Hickory dam it decided to rain, fog and turn into an instrument only ride. I had the coordinates for an anchorage called Skinny Dip within 2 miles of the dam and here we go. Between GPS, compass and satellite pictures I hit it on the button. I had come from Harpeth Creek the only anchorage between Nashville and the dam a long day at the wheel. Believe me 8 hours at the helm of a small boat with barge traffic, current , paranoia about the engine – there is no place to stop- this old doc was ready for a toddy.

Here are some pictures

What were those clouds

Honey Suckle growing like weeds

Free cool stuff

on and on you gotta love it.

The big weakness is that bunches of people have been down this river forever over and over. I get sucked in like a good chip and dip and want to keep going to the next bend the next turn the next … don’t want to stop. This is addictive.

Not sure where I’ll be tomorrow night but it it will be on the water.

This is a cumulus cloud being blown apart by upper level dry winds. It is technically a cumulus fractus with a stratus base but I like Toucan cloud the best

Write me if you still have the strength

Doc Brad Standing by on 16.