Great Loop: Sailed off to Look for America.....

Today is the big day.  We set off on our 6000 mile journey.  Our initial destination will be Chattanooga Tennessee.  The Great Loop Conference is complete.  We topped off our knowledge banks with all sorts of information on rivers, intra-coastal waterways, weather, charts, marinas, anchorages, etc.  Now it is time to put all that knowledge to practical use.  So about 9am, we will throw off the dock lines and let the adventure begin!

Here's a picture of the Mariners following our visit to the fuel dock.  All tanks are either full or empty and we are ready to sail off and look for America!  We felt like kids anticipating Christmas morning as we waited for this day.  Now it is here!  Time to cast off the lines and commence our journey.

Here's a photo of all the attendees at the Great Loop Fall Rendezvous.  58 boats were in attendance as well as "Planners", people who attended in anticipation of doing the Loop in the future.  We meet a lot of great people and look forward to seeing them along the Loop.  As of this morning, people and boats have scattered in various directions.  All pursuing their own dreams.

Beth and Ellen.

Ellen is also from our home town.  She and her husband are also starting the Loop.

The gang enjoying evening "docktails"

Good Bye Joe Wheeler State Park!

First thing we saw as we exited the cove where we had launched the boat and attended the conference were two tows, headed opposite directions.  This is what the inland water system is all about.  This is how bulk products are moved to market.  There is a who etiquette to be learned about communicating with the skippers of the tows so you can safely, and jointly use the waterways.  It begins with not calling them a "tug" - they are Tow Boats!  When you make a radio call to arrange a pass, their reply, in a casual drawl, is "Pass on the 1" or  "Pass on the 2".  1 is port to port, 2 is starboard to starboard and coincides with the number of times you sound your horn to communicate your passing intentions.  The tows get priority in the locks.  Knowing this, you can call Lock Masters and ask for an estimate of when you can pass through the lock.  Armed with this estimate you can plan your day.

Bridges are another opportunity to interact with commerce while on the river.  Here you see the Southern Railroad Bridge across the Tennessee River in Decatur.  You can see it is raised to allow boats to pass.  A large freight train has just passed.  The boat in front of us had waited 30-45 minutes for the bridge to lift.  We sailed through on his coat tails!  According to the bridge tender, he must check with the dispatcher to insure no trains are close which may need the use of the bridge.  If all is clear, up goes the bridge!

Check out the cool suspended walkway, across which the bridge tender accesses his control station.