The scenery is incredible. The leaves are starting to turn. These photos don't do it justice.
We met this really big ship moving south downriver, probably going to Florida for the winter. Kermit thinks it was at least 140 feet We could see a captain and helper in the bridge and 4 crew members working on something on the back deck. Must be nice!!
We are seeing very few people and very little signs of civilization as we travel on the Tennessee River. It looks and feels in most places probably the same way it felt 100 or 200 years ago when this was being settled. Aside from the channel markers that is. But otherwise, there are no or few marinas, shops, or other boats. Occasionally we see a bridge or overhead electrical lines. Sometimes a house in the hills. We see some bass boats (we call them waterbugs because they sit low in the water and really scoot).
While Kermit is driving, I write blogs or whatever I am working on for The Interview Doctor or read or talk on the phone. Then I give Kermit a break so he can take a nap. It is hard work running the boat. It is boring because the scenery, however nice, is mostly just river and trees. Not much to see. So the driver keeps busy fooling around with the gps and talking on the radio. Sometimes we listen to the XM radio but there is only so much Jimmy Buffet one can stand (hard to believe but true) and if you listen to music at a volume you can hear you can't hear the marine radio. So the driver pretty much sits around forcing himself to pay attention. It is hard work. Here is a taste of what we see.
These fisherman are managing traps. At least we think the little red dots in the water are fish traps.
This picture is not as clear as we wanted it to be but it reminds me of the story that happened that day. We anchored in this little cove off the Tennessee River on Thursday night, the third night of anchoring after leaving Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama. On Friday we arrived in Chattanooga. Well, Thursday night we arrived at our anchorage at a reasonable time, about 4:30 or so. It was still light. We lowered the dinghy and began our ritual.
First we set the anchor or tie up to one of the other boats that set an anchor. Then we lower the dinghy. Then we find the line, oar, and towels to put inside the dinghy. Kermit lowers the motor onto the back of the dinghy. He digs out the gas tank from under the chair on the back deck, attaches it to the motor and starts the engine. All systems go. Dig out Kermit and Rusty's life jackets and install on Kermit and Rusty, respectively. Ok, we are ready. Rusty is REALLY ready because it probably has been almost 12 hours since he went last and he has his legs crossed.
Into the dinghy. Not so fast. Put out the ramp across the swim platform into the dinghy so Rusty can gently walk into the little boat. He sits down, we unclasp the dinghy one clip at a time. NOW we are off. Kermit and Rusty take off for parts unknown.
On this particular evening, one side of the cove was all rock at the waterline. That won't work. The other side had a great sloped area with a break in the woods. Perfect!! Not so fast. A big house sits behind the tress and the landing is posted with a big Keep Out sign. So that won't work. I guess it will be a muddy, mucky, grass ridden ride around the corner into the woods. Kermit jumps out, pulls the dinghy close to shore. Rusty jumps out, does his business, wanders around a few minutes, then back in the boat, drive back to the big boat, and reverse the process. It can be done in as little as 15 minutes!! We have a system!!
Well, Saturday morning was a different story. We wanted to leave at 8am so that means we get up at 6:30am to our coffee alarm. We were just stirring when we heard the sound of dogs barking. It sounded very close - like just outside our boat! What the heck? Get scrambled up, threw on some clothes and went outside. There was a pack of beagles running around hunting something and evidently the noise indicates they treed something!! Never heard such a racket in all my life!! But the big problem was a pack of dogs running around right where Kermit took Rusty to do his business the night before! That is not good. It could be dangerous for Rusty who is not as strong as he used to be. So we scrambled and threw the dog into the dinghy, ran over the shore, dog did his business and was back on the boat in less than 8 minutes. A world record!! Safe and sound.
Larry and Kris Truthan said they were probably hounds being worked for hunting contests. Pretty interesting as long as it doesn't impact Rusty.
We approached Chattanooga just after noon. It was a short day. Kermit went down below to go to the bathroom and I was driving. We passed a tow with two barges, the only ones we had seen on three days. In the distance I saw a large boat approaching very fast in the opposite direction. It was a small jet tour boat going about 50 mph or so directly at Good Karma (we were the lead boat in our flotilla). I pulled way back on the throttle (hard to do considering we were traveling about 8mph) and waited to see what he would do, prepared to pull sharply to the left. The other boat stopped suddenly a few boat lengths away and continued past me at a slow speed. Kermit came upstairs and totally freaked out!! Turns out it was the Aquarium Explorer, a tour boat associated with the Chattanooga Aquarium. Kermit complained to the Aquarium folks when we arrived. He was told that captain does that all the time. He thinks it is great fun to show his passengers that he can stop from 50mph to 0 in two boat lengths!! Have you ever heard of such a thing? How dangerous!
This is the Aquarium Explorer tied up at the dock. We learned from the brochure that this tour takes passengers down the very river we just traversed. This part of the river is called the Tennessee River Gorge, or the Grand Canyon of Tennessee because of the beautiful rock formations and high cliffs in the area.
According to the Aquarium website, "The Tennessee River Gorge winds along 26 miles of the Tennessee River, and contains over 27,000 acres of land. Often referred to as “Tennessee’s Grand Canyon”, the Gorge is the fourth largest river canyon east of the Mississippi." It is quite beautiful, especially with the trees showing their fall colors.
We saw a Duck tour boat and knew we were in the big city. Country folk don't have a need for such silliness. But it looks like fun! We did it in Australia and had a great time. These are amphibious boats that tour the city on land then in the water.
Lots of recreational boaters like to stay at the docks in front of the Chattanooga Aquarium. Jim was told they were full up. So Kermit got on the phone and schmoozed the marina folks into letting us stay right on the front wall. Very nice!
Damage Alert: The impeller on the front head appears to be damaged. Or the toilet has a deep cough that it can't shake. One way or another, Kermit needs to get into the toilet and figure this out.
Anyway, we really, really needed a pump out. Desperately. So we arranged for a pump out and fill up at the marina like we normally would do. But no one came out and there was no one in sight. So we started the pump out and I called again to the marina office. They remotely turned on the gas pump and we filled up with 160 gallons of fuel. We still haven't seen anyone to pay our bill!! We haven't paid for the gas and we haven't paid for our dockage. I am not sure what is going on with this marina!!
We are docked right at the waterfront, at the foot of the big Aquarium. You couldn't ask for a more convenient dock, or prettier.
On Saturday night we went to Big River Restaurant down the street. Jim's brother and his family met us and we watched Florida lose to Georgia (Jim was disappointed) and Ohio State beat Penn State (Kermit was happy!)
Sunday we went to the Aquarium. The Aquarium and the grounds are works of art themselves.
We saw the 3-D IMAX on the Reef Cities (very good) and then the Aquarium itself - a real showplace. They have an ocean aquarium and a river aquarium in two separate buildings. This place rivals the best we have seen. We got a kick out of the big turtle in the salt water tank going crazy for broccoli (yes broccoli).
This is Katherine inside an exhibit!!
This is Deanna Shephard inside one. See the little fish near her head? It was great fun!! This aquarium is different in another way. It is vertical. You take an escalator up to the top of the building and walk down ramps winding around tanks and gardens until you arrive at the store on the first floor. It is a great use of space and allows for excellent light control. The butterfly gallery is at the top with natural light.
This is Deanna Shephard inside one. See the little fish near her head? It was great fun!! This aquarium is different in another way. It is vertical. You take an escalator up to the top of the building and walk down ramps winding around tanks and gardens until you arrive at the store on the first floor. It is a great use of space and allows for excellent light control. The butterfly gallery is at the top with natural light. 
The obligatory photo of a shark:
Great meals today at Blue Plate Diner. Kermit and I had such an amazing breakfast there that Dick and Deanna joined us for dinner there too. Fried chicken and grilled pork tenderloin to die for with hash browns, grilled green beans, and mac and cheese. I found a new favorite cocktail - a greyhound! Gin with grapefruit juice. Very refreshing. And it smells good too.
I am writing this on Sunday evening 10/28/12. This photo shows Good Karma tied to the side of the Chattanooga wharf. See that the dock deck comes up to the boat gunnel? There is another cement step about 18 inches below the main cement deck. See the lines tying us to the cleats on the cement deck?
After we retired for the evening, one of our friends knocked on the boat to tell us that we were angled in a funny way with the dock side lower than the river side. Turns out the dam is releasing 450,000 gallons of water an hour, causing the water levels to rise by about a foot and a half! We think they are anticipating storm surges as a result of SnoNoreasterCane Sandy. Unfortunately it is impacting us seriously. We didn't notice this since we are inside of the boat.
So Kermit has retied the lines twice and goes out every hour to measure how much the water has risen. If it goes up too high it will put the boat on a course to have two huge cleats chunked into the side of the boat. So we are on high alert. Kermit might not sleep tonight. I will report more tomorrow.
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