One More Season in the Books

Well, I am summering in Dog River at the Grand Mariner Marina. My adventure this season started at Goose Pond on the Tennessee River. I left there on 11/ 01/2013 and headed south. This adventure covered 2036 miles of every kind of weather, endurance challenge, mechanical and electric problem that I could take.

You know you’re alive when your out of the sight of land and having a little panic attack at every vibration or noise waiting for your boat to stop in 5 foot seas. I will be here for awhile to do maintenance and repairs. I will also head up north to see some friends and visit my sister.

During this trip I had 45 mph winds, 9 degree temps, 5 foot waves , a fried computer, a ripped wet suit,a ripped dinghy, three dead batteries, overheating engine, 2 inches of ice on the boat, and as I got into Mobile Bay an alternator that crapped out at the sight of land. I’ve got a barnacle covered rudder and a pilot house carpet that looks like a food fight arena. Blah Blah Blah! So forth and so on.

So there is plenty of stuff to bring this old tub up to non seat of my pants condition for my next sojourn. I am thinking New Orleans.

For the next months I am going to write about getting ready on the cheap.

Here’s a few final photos and videos

Fort Morgan

Invasion of the paddle boards

Dr  Brad standing by on 16

 

Headwaters Then Heading South

I have not posted for awhile I have been oh so not busy and have no excuses. I mentioned last post that I did make it to the Tennessee River headwaters and here they are.

This is the center between the Holston River to port and the French Broad River on starboard.

The French Broad River

The Holston River

Headwaters from about a quarter mile. I am at mile 652. I have traveled every one of them by water.

This is Knoxville as I head back down river.

I spent the night here downtown

And the next day I am off and heading to Goose Pond

Just a blue moon

A pretty picture from Jones Creek

All day everyday

Well I am back at goose pond. I am rich with $46 in my pocket.

I had two scares during the trip. I stopped on 8/23 just above Watts Bar dam. my anchor got rapped around a limb that had been weighted and dropped for fish attraction. The line was seriously wound up. I had to go in the water and spend 15 minutes diving and untangling to get free. This was the first time on the whole trip all 4000 miles of it I have been hung up like that. The second scare was rain on the river.  I was just out of Ft. Loudon in a narrow channel when it started raining to beat the band. It was raining so hard I could not see more than 10 feet in front of the boat. This went on for 20 minutes. I couldn’t stop I couldn’t see what was coming. I didn’t know if I was in the channel or not. What did I do?

I went on the radio with a securite , securite announcing my speed and river mile and slowed to about 4mph- just enough to handle the current and steerage. I steered by plot charter kinda like instrument only flying. my only big fear was hitting a log. I had seen quite a few big ones usually about 4 or 5 a day. I puckered up and and made it. That’s why we have life jackets ( which I wear all the time) and insurance. I also could have hit the horn for 5 short bursts every 30 seconds which is a warning signal. Honestly I forgot that one.

As usual I get back and spend too long not contacting friends. I will do better. I guess. If I have to.

Gotta love it.

Dr Brad Standing by on 16.

Leaks and Peanuts

I noticed I haven’t posted since the 2nd of June. It has been a pretty good month. No money left but I am going to spring myself from Goose Pond on the 7th of July to continue up the Tennessee River. This is a great marina and I will be back for a spell on my return.

I have been chasing a leak on my port side in the head. I have messed with this for one year and had pretty much given up until stupid me decided to check the obvious. Maybe it was something as simple as worn out window sealant and the water was wicking to another spot on the roof.  With my pre-dementia I had forgotten I had a similar problem on the port side. Well, my rational that this one was different , fell like a drunk at a two for one happy hour.

Port now resealed and dry as a bone.

We also remember the original reason for the Goose Pond stop was the charger. Well after selling a small child to band of gypsies I spent the dough and here it is:

Working like a charm and the batteries are good to go for a while longer.

Who doesn’t like a good boiled peanut. Not all boiled peanuts are the same. A judge in Mississippi told me how to make good peanuts. I am not talking the mushy overcooked salty nightmares from the gas station crock pot. I am talking Dr Brad’s Spanish peanuts lightly salted with a little snap and not over cooked.

Let me know if you want the recipe. This will force me to write it down.

 

I also took ten days to visit my sister in Ohio, we hit three movies and ate some good comfort food, all things hard to find on the river. I had a chance to visit my aunt all in all a great little trip. I also had the opportunity to continue my love hate relationship with Greyhound. The trip up took 25 hours a mere 10 hours over schedule. The trip back was great. Reminds me of my boat.

Well:

Standing by on scan- all emergency and recreational channels. Write me if you still have the strength