Sunday June 3, 2012 - Last day of our trip

Post for Sunday June 3, 2012.

We woke this morning to cool temperatures (although not as cool as Saturday morning), and looked at the weather forcast. Our original plan was to head out this morning for Goose Pond Colony Marina, about 52 miles downstream near Scottsboro, AL, but the forcast for thunderstorms on Monday made me question that plan. After the ordeal we went through in the storm on Mobile Bay in March, I wasn't ready to tackle any more "scattered" thunderstorms! I made the decision to explore the area close to Hales Bar, and to be at the boat ramp at Nickajack Dam where our truck and trailer were, by lunchtime.

I had been wanting to give Abby some lessons on docking the boat, and the free time we had this morning was the perfect opportunity. After we all got dressed and had a bite for breakfast, Glenda took the camera and walked past the floating cabins to the end of that dock. I motored to an adjacent dock that was empty, and showed Abby and Dakota how to approach the dock slowly at about a 30 degree angle, then just before the bow hits the dock, put the engine in reverse and turn the wheel all the way to starboard, pulling the stern around and the boat parallel to the dock.

Abby tried it first, and performed like a salty old sea captain, putting the boat parallel with the dock and about a foot away - in a near perfect position for the first mate to step onto the dock and tie up! Dakota was a little nervous, but also did a great job, needing very little assistance from me. She put the little tug right up to the dock, making the fenders lightly kiss the dock bumper. Then Abby took another turn and made another near perfect docking. I couldn't help but think of how many times I had found myself either too far from the dock for Glenda to step out, or rammed the dock because I misjudged my speed or the wind. The girls showed me up with their perfect 3 for 3 score.

Abby docked the boat like she'd been doing it all her life!!

After the docking lesson we headed upstream (with Abby at the wheel) and were blessed with another sighting of the eagle pair that we'd already seen twice on this trip. After taking a few pictures, we headed downstream for Nickajack Dam, where we found our truck and trailer safe and sound where we parked it. We pulled out the Knot-So-Fast and ended another great trip.

One of the eagles we saw on three different days!

I am posting this a week after our trip ended and apologize for the delay, which can be blamed on a combination of factors. First, the internet connection at Hales Bar Marina was down for some reason, and we could not post from there. When we arrived home Sunday night, we were greeted by 3 more grandchildren, who stayed with us through Monday (that was a total of 5). Then early Tuesday morning we went to Gulf Shores with 4 grandchildren and a dog, in two seperate vehicles! During the circus that resulted from trying get all the kids, suitcases, food and such in the car and truck, I left my packed up computer and camera sitting in the floor of my office. Without the computer, of course, I had no way to make the final posts to the blog. Thankfully we did not forget any of the kids, and they had a great time shrimping, boat riding, visiting the zoo and going to the beach.

Saturday June 2, 2012, Chattanooga to Hales Bar Marina

Saturday June 2, 2012, Chattanooga to Hales Bar Marina

Last night was peaceful and COOL! We didn’t bring any warm bedding and didn’t expect temps in the 50’s, but we made it through OK. I think I’d rather be too cold than too hot to sleep. After several request for the granddaughters to wake up, I finally pulled the cover off them and folded it up. That seemed to wake them ;).

Once everyone got going, we walked up town to Panera Bread for breakfast, where I was unfaithful to my diet. I’m sure someone has reported their cinnamon rolls to the White House staff, and it won’t be long before they are declared illegal.

The girls were given their choice of one activity before they left Chattanooga, and they decided they wanted to ride the carousel at the park across the river. So we walked back up the 180 or so steps from the dock to the pedestrian bridge, then across the river to the carousel, where they enjoyed a 3 minute ride for $1. When we got back to our side of the river it was time for lunch so we got a quick bite to eat at the food court in front of the aquarium.

Abby and Dakota checked every animal before picking the one to ride on.

We left Chattanooga about 12:30, and turned downstream, passing kayakers, paddle-boarders, fishers, a tug and barge, amphibious “Duck”, the Southern Bell cruise boat, and numerous other pleasure craft. Chattanooga’s riverfront is a busy place on a cool, sunny Saturday morning!!

Saturday morning the riverfront was full of boaters, kayakers, and stand-up paddle boarders.

Just below downtown, where the interstate runs along the bend in the river, we turned into Chattanooga Creek and passed under the highway. It looked like a great place to explore with a canoe or kayak, but it quickly got too narrow for me to feel comfortable. Also the warning signs stating it was unsafe to swim or eat fish from the creek concerned me, so we turned around and got back on our route.

The rest of the trip back through the Gorge was great. There was a cool breeze – so cool that I actually closed the front windows – and the water was full of other boaters enjoying the great weather. We got grins and waves from almost everyone we passed. When we got close to the spot where we’d seen the eagles on Wednesday, we slowed and scanned the mountainside with binoculars, and spotted one of them flying.  As he got closer to the water, I noticed two other birds flying close behind him. These others did not have the adult eagle’s white head and tail, and I wondered if they were young eagles learning to fly (?). Maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can tell us if that behavior and the time of year would make my guess reasonable. Unfortunately they never got close enough for us to get a really good look at them.

Statue of Native American. We couldn't read the plaque in front of it.

The girls were running low on energy before we got to Hales Bar Marina.

We checked in at Hales Bar and got gas (7.02 gallons), which computed to 13.51 mpg. Everyone showered and we washed clothes, dumped the porta-pottie and took care of other housekeeping chores. We also ran into Ken, who we'd met last year when we rented a slip next to him and his wife Doris. Last year, the temperature was almost unbearable, and Ken and Doris loaned us a fan and extension cord so we could sleep. It was great to see Ken again. Everyone at Hales Bar was very helpful.

The girls started watching a movie in the v-berth, but quickly fell asleep. We were all pretty tired from the last 3 days of activity.



Friday June 1, 2012 - Chickamauga Back to Chattanooga

Friday  June 1 – Chickamauga Back to Chattanooga

(Pics to be added later)

It rained during the night, but we didn’t get an storms, and it was peaceful at the Chickamauga Marina fuel dock, so we slept pretty good. I woke up before the ladies, and took all our dirty clothes to the laundry room to wash, and took Daisy for her morning walk.

A check of the radar showed that we would probably have more light rain, and we did until about 11:30 this morning, so we took the time to relax a little. When the rain stopped we thanked Melanie for letting us stay and use their facilities, and Abby gave her an autographed copy of her book.

After a short stop at the TVA park dock for the girls to feed the ducks, we headed out for the lock. I called by radio and the lockmaster said he’d be ready to lock us downstream in 10 minutes, and just as we arrived the green light flashed and the lock’s horn sounded. We were lowered the 50’ in just a few minutes, and during the lock through the last of the clouds passed and the sun came out. We exited to sunny skies ahead of us, and a noticeably cooler wind.

With no set schedule, the girls talked me into stopping at the Riverwalk park at Chickamauga River again. Before tying up to the park’s dock, we travelled up the Chickamauga River for about a mile and half. The riverbank looked remote and made you feel you were in the middle of nowhere, but the occasional sound of machinery and glimpses of a chemical plant and Coca-Cola plant over the treetops let us know were still close to “civilization”.  All along the bank there were dozens and dozens of animal den holes, some at the water level and some a foot or so higher. I’m not sure what type of animals built those, but I suspect they were otter and/or beaver dens. Abby and Dakota caught a glimpse of a brown animal they described as looking like a small otter as he slipped into the water.

We arrived at the Chattanooga Docks about 4:00 and found the Bluff Dock empty again. A couple of other boats arrived before dark though, so we weren’t completely alone. We spent the evening watching the herons, ducks and a mink scurrying along the rock bank. The weather was cool – about 75 degrees and sunny – a near perfect day!

Thursday May 31, 2012 - Chattanooga to Chickamauga Marina

We spent most of today in Chattanooga. We walked the downtown area and made stops at the Moon Pie Store and the Visitors Center, and ate some great BBQ at Sticky Fingers restaurant. The weather was overcast and a little humid, but pleasant. About 3:00 pm we pulled away from the dock and headed upstream toward Chickamauga Lock and Dam, but took a short break at Chickamauga River and the park there that is part of the Riverwalk Park system. This is a great, paved walking/biking trail that leads from downtown Chattanooga to Chickamauga Dam, and has several parks along the way. We turned into Chickamauga River, which looked more like a creek, and passed under the trail's bridge. There was a small floating dock there and we tied up and let the girls explore the park. The only glitch was that dogs aren't allowed, so Daisy had to stay in the boat.

Abby and Dakota could spend all day feeding the ducklings - they named the runt "Jimmy"

The Knot-So-Fast looks a little bit like a toy next to the Delta Queen.

From there we continued upstream, and when we were about a mile from the Dam I radioed the lock-keeper and asked to lock through upstream. He told me that he would empty the chamber and be ready for us in about 10 minutes. We arrived at the gate and within a couple of minutes the gates opened and he blew the hornp, signalling us to enter the lock. Once we were secured to the bollard, it only took about 25 minutes to rise th 50' from Nickajack Lake to Chickamauga Lake. The lock-keeper wished us well from the lock wall as we exited and turned to starboard toward Chickamauga Marina. The clouds were decreasing now and the sun was beginning to heat up.

Entering Chickamauga Lock which will take us up 50'.

We checked in with Melany at the marina, and since our boat was so small and we didn't need a power hookup, she offered to let us stay on the back side of the fuel dock - for free! Then she gave us a key to the bath-house and laundry room. Talk about Southern hospitality!!

A Dragonboat team at Chickamauga Marina.

It was getting hot by then, so we took the boat about 200 yards over to a public pier at the TVA park that is directly across the inlet from the marina. Glenda and the girls walked over the hill to the swimming area and cooled off in the water. I took care of the porta-potty (not fun) and then joined them for a few minutes before heading back to the boat, and making sandwiches for supper. Glenda and the girls finished eating while I talked with a couple of guys who wanted to know about the boat. One gentleman named George talked about wanting to do the Great Loop in a pontoon boat. He bought a book from Abby before he left.

From the pedestrian bridge. Can you spot the Knot-So-Fast? (No it's not a toy boat)

We then took a ride for an hour or so until the sun got a little lower, and then tied up at the fuel dock for the night.

Glenda Say:

We had a leisurely morning in Chattanooga this morning.  We went up the street a few blocks and of course we had to make a stop at the Moon-pie store.  My favorite is banana so we got a box of a dozen.  We decided to eat at Sticky Fingers BBQ for lunch before we loaded up to head off to Chickamauga Marina.  The trip through the lock was uneventful, thank goodness.  We took the girls down to the “beach” area and let them play in the water for a little bit.  Of course Tom loved answering questions about the boat and Abby sold one of her books as we sat at the public dock.  We waited till close to dark before we went up to shower and get ready for bed.  It really is relaxing not to have an agenda, no reason to be in a hurry.  I have really enjoyed watching Abby and Dakota enjoy each other. 

A favorite spot for the girls!

Dakota says:

Last night me and Abby slept on the bench.  It was comfortable but Abby kept kicking me.  Papa fixed hot chocolate for us for breakfast.  Then we sat on the dock and fed 6 baby ducks, one was a runt.  Later we all went across the bridge to the park where there are giant stone animals that usually spray water but today water was only coming out of the fountain.  I was disappointed because I wanted to see the animals squirting but it was lots of fun anyway.  As we crossed the bridge we could see our boat down on the dock it looked really little.  On our way to Chickamauga, Papa took us on an adventure when he saw a creek.  We were able to stop and play at a park.  My favorite area was the butterfly area.  We were able to spin like we were spinning a cocoon.  At Chickamauga we played in the water and I beat Abby in a swimming race. 

Abby says:

This morning we woke up to Daisy’s barking.  We were supposed to be able to sleep in but Daisy was loud.  Papa fixed us hot chocolate this morning it was really good.  When Papa stepped out with his granola bar he saw a mother duck and her 6 babies.  We grabbed a tortilla and fed them it was fun.  The little babies were so cute to feed.  We walked across the bridge to the park that has water spouts, it was fun to play.  After that we came back across the bridge and went to the Moon-pie store where they sell moon-pies and souvenirs .  We waited until we finished eating before we went back to get what we wanted.  We wanted BBQ at Sugars but it was closed so G.G. went back and asked the lady in the moon pies store where another BBQ restaurant was.  She told us about a place called Sticky Fingers, right across the street.  After lunch we left the dock at Chattanooga and headed to Chickamauga Marina.  On the way we stopped at a small park and played for a little bit.  At Chickamauga there were ducks everywhere!!!!  There was a little area for swimming, we put on our lifejackets and walked over.  We played there for a little bit and me and Dakota tried to share the towel.  We ended up compromising and wrapped it around the two of us.  We fed the ducks while Papa was talking to a guy about the boat and I sold a book to him!  After that we got ready to take a shower and ready for bed. 

Chattanooga Trip with Abby and Dakota, May 2012

Wed., May 30th, 2012 - Nickajack Dam to Chattanooga.

We left home this morning about 5:15 am and trailered the boat to the TVA boat ramp at Nickajack Lock & Dam on the Tennessee River, about 40 river miles west of Chattanooga. Grand-daughters Abby and Dakota, ages 10 & 9, are accompanying Glenda and I, along with Daisy the dog, on this trip.

Launching at Nickajack Dam Boat Ramp

Glenda backed the boat in the water while I took the wheel and Abby, Dakota and Daisy watched from the pier. With the boat in the water and the engine warming up, the girls and Daisy made one last bathroom break before boarding the boat and heading toward Chattanooga. This section of the Tennessee River winds between Lookout, Raccoon, and Signal Mountains, and is commonly referred to as “the Gorge” or the “Grand Canyon of the East.”

Dakota handled the boat like a pro!

Five miles upstream from the launch we passed Hales Bar Marina, the site of the annual Glen-L builders “Gathering”, where boat builders from all over the country (and as far away as Canada) meet each year. Just past the marina, the river makes a sharp turn to the right and you enter the gorge, with mountains on the left, right and straight ahead. About midway through this turn, Glenda spotted a bald eagle as he landed in a tree about a half mile away where a small creek flows into the river. I turned the boat to get a closer look. About halfway to the tree I saw through the binoculars that there were actually two eagles sitting side by side. We all took turns with the two pair of binoculars on board, and when we were about 200 yards from them, one flew off. A few seconds later the other one followed, and they flew downstream and over the treetops out of sight. This sighting was special for Dakota, since it was the first eagles she’d ever seen in the wild!

Is it fog or clouds on the mountain tops?

The rest of the day we saw lots of fish, osprey (many on the nest with chicks), herons, ducks, geese, etc. We averaged a little under  6 mph for the day, and arrived at the Chattanooga Marine-Max marina about 5:30 pm ET and checked in. Since my last visit here, they have added a combination lock gate at the Bluff Dock to increase the security for boaters. After tying up the boat, we walked up past the aquarium to the Blue Plate restaurant where I had some of the best pork tenderloin I’ve ever eaten.

The rest of the night was uneventful. The fact that we were the only boat on Bluff dock, coupled with the new gates, left us feeling a little isolated, but safe. We all showered off under the solar shower and slept pretty well.

The whole crew, at Chattanooga !

Glenda Says:
I've worried that my observations may become repetitive, but I think I just need a better vocabulary to do justice to all God's wonders!  It was just after nine before we got the boat into the water.   Within moments I was stunned by the greatness of it all.  From a distance I could see the path the river takes as it meanders its way through the mountains.  The tops of the mountains were crowned with puffy white clounds slowly moving across.  For just a moment from my perspective it looked as if the mountains were moving and the clouds were sitting still.  The girls were in the V-berth playing with little plastic toys.  The thought came to me to admonish them to enjoy the beautiful scene before them.  But then I thought of all the time  and energy I have wasted worrying about the "plastic" stuff missing so much of the "abundant life" we are promised.  Oh the lessons to be learned on a tugboat trip! 

I did get the girls to pay attention long enough to see a pair of bald eages flying across the sky and into the trees at the side of the river.  After our arrival into Chattanooga, we at an early supper at the Blue Plate.  Then the girls put on their swim suits and I let them play on the water steps near the aquaium. 

Dakota says:
Today we started our first day at the Nicajack Dam.  Me and Abby were so excited we were off to Chattanooga!  We saw a bunch of herons.  G.G. was the first to spot the eagles.  To be honest it is the first eagle I have ever seen in person.  It was very cool.  G.G. told me that eagles mate for life.  Papa let me drive the boat under the first bridge we came to.  Abby kept telling me about the neat stairs that had water running down them so after we got to Chattanooga G.G. took us to playon them.  The boat was under a big bridge and when we yelled it made a great echo.  I liked playing in the water.  We also saw 3 big dead fish!


Abby says:
Theis morning we stared at Nicajack Dam.  I have been on the trip before and it was so fun I thought it would be even more fun with my cousin Dakota.  I've told her about th steps with water running down and the animal water spouts across the bridge.  This morning G.G. spote dthe first bald eagles of the trip.  SHe had told us that who ever spoted the4 first eagle got a dollar.  G.G> gets to keep her dollar.  Papa spoted the 2nd eagle (the first ones mate).  He claimed he gets a dollar too.  After that me and Dakota mostly played with our DS until we got to Chattanooga.  Onced we got there and settled in, tied up and paid for our stay we went to the Blue Plate for dinner.  It was recommended by my moms best friend Candi.  It was delicious!  Especially the moon pie cheese cake.  After we played on the water steps, we took a solar shower and got ready for bed.l 

Swamp Tour - Friday 3-30-2012 - Caught in the Storm!

Hoping to beat the wind, we all woke before daylight and pulled anchor. This would be our last day on the boat, and even though it had not been a perfect trip, we all agreed that the time had passed by too quickly and none of us were ready for it to end. The boat’s trip meter read an even 150 miles so far.

The water was smooth and the wind was calm as I nosed up to the Five Rivers dock to let Glenda and Abby off to walk Daisy. I put on a pot of water to make coffee for Glenda and hot chocolate for Abby, and we headed out of Sardine Pass onto the Blakely River. We idled along until the sun started showing itself and the coffee was ready, then we revved up to about 5 mph as we went under the Mobile Causeway and entered the North end of Mobile Bay at 6:50 am.

The weather service was calling for scattered thunderstorms all day, but a check of the weather radar on Glenda’s phone only showed light rain throughout the bay. Even though the weather looked calm, I made the decision that everyone would wear a lifejacket until we got to Gulf Shores. That would turn out to be a good decision. As we started down the Eastern Shore, staying about a mile offshore, the wind and waves slowly increased.

About  9:00 am the Weather Service issued  a report of a severe thunderstorm with hail, 45 knot winds and heavy seas near the West end of Dauphin Island, tracking East at 10 mph.  I figured that we had about 3 hours before the storm would affect us, but by 9:20 the waves had increased in size and frequency to the point that I made the decision to seek shelter.  We were just South of Point Clear, and the GPS showed a small creek directly to our Southeast, so I turned and took the waves at as much of an angle as I was comfortable with. The creek was very narrow, but luckily it was bulk-headed as it ran between two houses, and we were able to tie to the bulk-head and get out of the wind. Unfortunately, between the two houses, we could not get the weather radar on our cell phones. The house on the bank we tied to appeared occupied, but we didn’t see anyone there. The other house was still under construction.

We stayed for about 30 minutes and decided to try it again. We untied and headed back into the bay, but it only took about 10 minutes to realize this was a mistake.  I turned the boat around and headed back to the creek. This time, as I entered the creek I blew the horn, and we went past the bulkhead and tied up at the resident’s boathouse. Abby and I then walked up to the house to let them know why we were there. The young lady who answered the door could not have been nicer, offering us dry towels, sodas, and allowing us to come in and look at the weather radar on her computer. Abby autographed a copy of her book and gave it to the lady for her 4 year old daughter.  Based on the radar and our limited view of the bay, we left at about 10:55 am and headed toward Gulf Shores once again. I hadn’t heard an update on the Dauphin Island storm, but figured we were well north of its path. Glenda phoned Jay and Liz and told them to meet us at the Weeks Bay Bridge. We were not going to try to get all the way to Gulf Shores.

About 11:15 I overheard two tug boat captains on the radio discussing the storm. They were on the Mobile ship channel, about seven or eight miles west of us. One of the captains said that the winds were at 45 and he could not see the front of his barge for the rain. About 30 seconds later, we were hit by a wall of wind and waves that seemed to come from nowhere. I estimated that the winds were about 30-35 knots and the waves were over 6 feet, and it happened so fast I didn’t have time to think!  Luckily there was very little rain in the front edge of the storm, as I worked to keep the bow headed into the waves and wind. My fear was that if the boat turned sideways, the wind would catch the tall cabin and flip us. I fought the waves for about five minutes (it seemed like an hour), as I tried to make headway toward the shore to one of the long piers that are in front of almost every house on the Eastern Shore. I finally realized that I wasn’t making any progress, and the waves were getting even bigger.

I’d never had the Knot-So-Fast in a heavy following sea before and it was really scary to think about testing it in 7’ waves and 35 knot winds, but I really didn’t have much of choice at that point. I thought about the low freeboard at the stern and the flat surface of the transom, combined with the two small scuppers for drainage in the cockpit. I was sure that if we got struck directly from the rear by a big wave, it would; a) toss the boat sideways and allow the wind to roll us, b) fill the cockpit with water and swamp us, or c) both.

  I glanced at the VHF radio button that sends an automated distress signal and made a mental note of exactly where it was on the radio. As the boat went up on the crest of each wave the prop came out of the water and the engine raced. When it hit the bottom of the trough each new wave pounded over the top of the boat. I could see out of the windscreen for only a split second between waves before the next one covered us again. If I’d had time to think about it, I would have worried about my epoxy joints and all the places I decided to save by using a few less of those expensive silicon bronze screws. Even with less than perfect joints, the boat held together, and actually felt very solid!

Finally I saw that the distance to the next wave seemed a little longer than the others, and as we crested I listened for the prop to bite again and turned hard to port. The boat turned on a dime and I pushed the throttle forward and straightened up the boat as the next wave approached. I braced for what I thought would be a major impact at the stern, but the impact never came! The wave slowly slid under us as the stern floated high on it – no splash, no jerking of the boat! I was then able to angle toward the shore and target a gap between two piers about a half mile away.  The ride now was not smooth, but it was much less scary than before. The boat handled predictably in the following sea as we turned and went between the two piers. My relief was short-lived though, as I noticed that the pier to the south had no decking – just bare pilings, and the pier to the north of us was of a strange design with a single row of central pilings and supports that spanned from the edges of the pier down at a 45 degree angle to the water. There was no way we could tie safely to either pier.

I turned back and went north again, looking for a suitable pier to tie to. A few houses up I saw a lady on her front porch waving to us. The pier in front of her house had a covered enclosure and the north side of the pier looked like it was low enough for an emergency docking. We made it to the pier and tied two lines as fast as we could. Glenda got onto the pier and tried to keep the boat from pounding against the pilings while I adjusted the fenders. The homeowner came out and verified the wave height by telling us that the Knot-So-Fast was going completely out of sight between waves!  That would put them at a minimum of about 7’.

Once we secured the boat, we called Jay, who was now at Weeks Bay, and gave him the address where we were. He arrived a short time later and Liz drove Glenda and Abby back to our house at Ft. Morgan to retrieve the trailer. Jay and I took the boat 7 miles back up the bay to the Fairhope City boat ramp, arriving there at 1:15, and waited for Glenda to bring the trailer. I didn’t completely relax until the boat was tied down on the trailer and we were back on the road to Ft. Morgan.

Safe at Fairhope's city boat ramp, waiting on Glenda and the trailer.

Since our ordeal, I’ve done a lot of thinking about what happened. I feel very fortunate that we came through it, and very stupid for putting us in that position.  Glenda and Abby did not seem to be affected by the incident, and they both claim they never got scared! I offered them an old quote I heard a long time ago. I don’t know who said it but it is very true:

 “If you manage to stay calm and keep your head when all those around you are losing theirs, you obviously do not fully comprehend the circumstances!”

 From Glenda:

 Off we headed bright and early Friday morning - ok well not bright but early.    The plan:  beat the storms that were coming from the west.  The wind warnings were over and now we just had to worry about squalls lines.  I still think we would have been fine.  But Tom was doing the piloting and it appeared to be stressing him to say the least.  For the 1^st almost 2 hours we just battled bouts of heavy rain.  We were listening carefully to warnings of a thunderstorm headed east from Dauphin Island.   The wind dramatically increased within just moments causing waves to rise up and over the bow of our brave little boat J Of course Tom was doing just fine but he seem to think just any moment now a massive wave was going to turn of over.  We took shelter first in a little canal between two houses.  It appeared to have passed.  I still think it had, but the water was still terribly rough and if we had continued we would have had about 3 more hours of rough travel and I don’t think our captain was up to it.  He made the call and God had everything in place for us:  A lady watching us through her binoculars that provided her hospitality, a strong pier, and a friend willing to come to pick us up.  Tom trembled at the thought of putting Abby, myself and Daisy in danger.  I ask if he really believed God would let us die before it was our time?  Well maybe not but I suppose we could have gotten really wet. 

This was a wonderful trip and I can’t wait for our next adventure!

From Abby:

Today is Friday. We had to get up really early 'cause there were storms coming off of Dauphin Island. After we got started, GG was going to cook her a cup of coffee and she cooked me some hot chocolate as well. We had to come across the bay, and the bay was really rough! So we got a little bit far and there was a little “slip-in” that went between one house and another, and we honked the horn to let the people know we had to stay there because of the storm. We stayed there a little while, then we got back out of the slip, but it was still too rough so we went back in the slip. This time we went up to the house to see if it was OK if we stayed there. The lady said it was fine, and she showed us a radar of the storm. 

A little bit later we decided to go back out again, and pretty much the whole time I was playing my DS [video game].  This time we had to stop again because the water was rough. There was a lady watching us through binoculars and she said “I would see you go up and then I would not see you, then I would see you, then I would not see you!”  We pulled up to her dock and the boat was banging up against it. She had a little dog name “Bell”. We had to get out of the storm so we called GG and Papa’s friends Jay and Liz, to come pick us up there. We gave them the address. Me and GG rode in Liz’s car back to the beach house and Mr. Jay wanted to ride the boat with Papa to get it out of the water.  Daisy went with them, not us, and Daisy ended up throwing up on the boat! Papa said it was because she probably missed us, being out there without me and GG.  Then we went to the beach house and that was it!

This trip was FUN!  I’m sad the trip ended, but I’m also glad the trip ended. It’s funny how that is. The trip was fun overall!

Swamp Tour - Thursday 3-22-2012 - Waiting out the wind, Abby's book carried in the Cypress Gift Shop!

There was a small craft wind advisory in effect until this afternoon, so we made the decision to stay put at Five Rivers and try to get across the bay on Friday.

The Five Rivers dock provided a safe harbor for the day, sheltered from the 30 knot winds on Mobile Bay.

Abby was content to walk the nature trails and visit the museum and nature center, taking a break from all-day boating. We took a walk to the Cypress Gift Shop, which is about ½ mile from the dock, where I bought a great book about the history of the Delta area called “Gone to the Swamp”.  The gift shop manager, JoAnn Hocutt, told me that she was interested in seeing Abby’s book and possibly carrying it for sale in the shop.  This was exciting for Abby (and me), and we promised to bring JoAnn a copy later in the day.

We walked across the street to Maeher State Park, where we explained to the ranger that we were stuck due to the weather and needed a place to get a shower and wash clothes. We were offered the use of showers and the laundry, just by paying the daily entry fee of $1.00 each! With the rain threatening just to our West, we walked back to the boat and got all our dirty laundry and shower supplies and headed back to Maeher Park. We stopped by the gift shop again and Abby left a copy of her book. When we were all showered and our laundry was in the dryer, Glenda and Abby headed back to Five Rivers while I waited on the clothes to dry.

It was sprinkling rain when Abby and I walked back to the gift shop for a souvenir that she wanted. As soon as we walked in JoAnn said “I need 20 copies of Abby’s book”, and went on to explain that the copy Abby left earlier had been sitting on the counter next to the cash register, and several people had picked it up as they were checking out, asking if it was for sale!! Needless to say, Abby and I were delighted to hear that, and I promised to send her 20 copies as soon as we returned home.

Jay Gordon, our former Small Group Pastor, called to say that he and his wife Liz were going to be coming through the area on Friday and would stop by our house in Gulf Shores.

As the rain subsided, we decided that another meal at the Oyster House sounded good, so we motored up the Blakeley and back down the Apalache once more. When we finished eating and started toward the boat, the owner of the Oyster House was standing near our boat. He said he’d been wondering who owned it, and asked lots of questions about it. The news that the Oyster House was Abby’s favorite restaurant and that she had mentioned it in her book brought a big smile to his face. As we were about to cast off he reappeared and asked Abby if she wanted an Oyster House t-shirt, and he let her pick one out and gave it to her!  We should have given him a copy of the book, but it didn’t cross my mind until we were gone. I’ll try to remember to do that next time we are close. The round trip was 10 miles, which was the only mileage we put on the boat today. (I think we walked almost that much too, though.)

Just before dark we untied from the Five Rivers dock and anchored out again in Sardine pass. We made plans to get an early start across the bay the next morning and try to get as far as possible before the winds picked up. The weather forecast was calling for scattered thunderstorms, which we hoped we would be able to dodge as we headed back to Gulf Shores.

From Glenda:

Ok were back at 5 Rivers and I really do like the place but I’m feeling a little tense about the weather situation.  I’m uncertain about when we are going to be able to get back across the bay.  But I know Tom knows better than I do about what he thinks he and the boat can do so I guess we will sit here for the day.  It was hard to tell if we were going to get caught in the rain or not but we took the chance and walked from the boat to the gift shop.  I suggested we cross the street to Meaher State Park and see if we could take a shower.  You know I’m not one to appreciate the solar shower like Tom does.  The park ranger was very nice.  We showered and washed clothes all morning.  Abby and I hurried back across the street before the clothes were dry because it looked like it was going to storm.  It only ended with another small sprinkle.  I worried I was going to gain weight on this trip, but with all this walking I think I’ll be fine even with “Buddy Bars” for breakfast J  The employees at the facility have been wonderful.  Full of useful and fun information that Abby and I both have enjoyed.  You know you don’t have to look really hard to see God everywhere, you just have be expecting him!

From Abby:

Today is Thursday and we woke up and watched the ospreys. We went back to Five Rivers and a little later we gave the lady at Five Rivers Gift Shop a copy of my book, and I signed it for her. She was going to read through it and see if she was going to sell it. We came back later to get a key chain that I liked and to see if the lady wanted copies of my book. And she said that two people have already asked if it was for sale, and so she ordered 20 copies of my book!! She also gave me the key chain free!

Abby in front of the Cypress Gift Shop at Five Rivers.

Today we also needed a shower, so we went across the street to a place called Maeher Park. The man there, instead of making us pay $30 for a camping spot, he only made us pay $1 for each of us. Since he helped us out, we gave him a copy of my book too. We took a shower, washed our clothes, -- took care of that stuff.

For lunch today we got to go to my favorite restaurant, The Oyster House. We met the owner. He had been walking through the restaurant, trying to decide who owned the little red tugboat, and he just kept walking by us. Obviously we didn’t look like we owned a little red tugboat! He just asked us if our food was good. He didn’t ask us if we owned a little red tugboat. Finally he found out it was us, and GG and Papa told him this was my favorite restaurant, so he bought me a t-shirt from The Oyster House!  And ………. that’s it.