The AGLCA Rendezvous in Joe Wheeler State Park, Rogersville AL

The American Great Loop Cruisers Associations is run by a great group of mostly volunteers who put a lot of energy and enthusiasm into supporting boaters who want to travel the circle route around the Eastern waterways. This is the fall rendezvous. The spring event is held in May at Norfolk. Both events are carefully timed to provide needed respite and information to boaters at a particular point in this trip.

There were 54 boats tied up for the rendezvous. The boats in our little group were divided among three docks. SeaQuell and One September are on the right side of the T-dock. Jim's Joy is to the left towards the middle (not in the picture), Sareanna was on a dock by the swimming pool and we were across the bay almost. You can see from these photos that Wheeler Lake is very pretty.

This one, Annie, has a calliope installed. They play the calliope when boats pass them (they move slowly) or when leaving a lock.

 This is the cat from MV Karma enjoying the afternoon outside of the boat.

 

 

 

Right now most boaters are traveling south but the insurance companies won’t let us be in the Gulf of Mexico until after 11/1 so most folk are not in a hurry to enter the Tennessee-Tombigbee Canal for the journey to Mobile until mid-October. So at this rendezvous we attend information sessions where experienced boaters give us extensive details about the trip between Joe Wheeler and Norfolk VA. At Norfolk, experienced boaters will provide info about the trip between Norfolk and Joe Wheeler.

In a way it is like attending Uncle Charlie’s vacation slide show. They show charts, tips about the best marinas and anchorages, along with vacation pictures from the presenters many trips to the area. It is actually very interesting. Much better than Uncle Charlie’s vacation slides because we can use the info immediately.

You forget how hard it is to pay attention in meetings all day. It was excrutiating. Our butts hurt. Kermit needed to stand up for a portion of every meeting because he was uncomfortable. It is an odd comment for us to make considering we sit for entire days while traveling in the boat. Nevertheless.

 Some of the presenters were very good. I was taking notes about how to give presentations that are entertaining and informative at the same time. Funny slides help! This slide tells you everything you need to know about Florida but were afraid to ask!
 

Marinas and boating suppliers and brokers have exhibits and contests and sell stuff that everyone needs. One marina was giving away free orange colored buckets. Kermit kept giving it back! We have too much stuff, he said. Oh, well… We didn’t win anything of value. I guess we were just not in the right place at the right time.

Every possible moment from Sunday evening to Wednesday evening was completely booked. Run here, run there, and be at this spot or that. We met lots of loopers. There were 54 boats docked at the marina. Another 150 people attended by car, most planning to take the trip in the future.

We took a side trip to Rogersville, AL. I bought some pulled pork for the freezer and we walked around the town. Not much there. This is the main street.

These are some residents hanging out on the main street.

The food was terrible. Hard to believe that the fried buffet we attended with Jim and Karen Sigmon on Saturday night was the highlight but it kept getting worse. At one lunch I just went back to the boat and had a salad. Who was I fooling? I was hungry and the food was crap. My sister Martha says it is just southern cooking. I can believe that I guess. The funniest meal had to be the boiled ham served with two casseroles – squash casserole and sweet potato casserole with more sugar, nuts, and coconut than sweet potatoes. Ugh.

The staff was nice though. Everyone was so pleasant and helpful. We received a bunch of boxes – more books from Sherry (thank you!!), dog food and flea protection for Rusty, and our mail from Danny (thank you!!)

A funny thing happened with the mail. My ballot came but Kermit’s did not. He was quite upset, as I would have been had the situation been reversed. He has the Stark County Elections Board on speed dial to track down the ballot. They claim to have found it yesterday and are putting it in the mail. We should have it in time for the election.

In attendance was a family from Brazil. They left from Brazil traveling up through the Caribbean about 5 years ago, just the husband and wife. They were married about 15 years and never had children. Shortly after leaving, she became pregnant!! He claims it was from the rocking boat. Who knows!! Now they have little Beatrix who is 4 years old and just learned about the American custom of Halloween. She has been wearing her costume for weeks now. So the AGLCA asked everyone who wanted to show Beatrix a little Halloween spirit with some trick or treating. I didn’t have any candy so I made cookies in the shape of mice!! Aren’t they adorable? And tasty too. Once you get over the “yuck” factor. 

We opened our boat for the Looper Crawl on Wednesday, which meant we spent another 3 hours cleaning the boat so people wouldn’t think we are little piggies. About 10 couples came over to look so we spent about an hour meeting people, mostly folks who are looking at boats to buy for their looping adventure. This is Michael on One September showing his wonderful Viking 50 Princess Series. It sure is a beautiful boat!

Tuesday evening was a “Rogersville Crawl”. The local Chamber of Commerce invited the whole group for shopping adventure in the town plus an evening of music, cigars, and s’mores around the fire. We didn’t go shopping. Not much there. But we did go to the evening event with a great band, the Kerry Garner Band, calling themselves the KGB. They played all sorts of music from 50s to southern rock to country to a little gospel.

Kermit smoked a cigar and I made s’mores. I had one myself but discovered that several in our little group never had one so I showed about 3 people how to make s’mores. They were happy. I was happy. A good time was had by all!! This is Jim Pankey burning his first marshmallow.

Kermit being hospitable at the cigar section.

I guess these parties bring all sorts of folks. This fellow in the white shirt, Paul Parkire (sp) is a local fellow who spontaneously jumps up to clog dance. He walks tentatively like an old man but when he starts clogging he turns into a new person! Kermit swears he saw a YouTube video on this fellow but I couldn't find it. He also passed out photocopies of pencil drawings he made. I am not sure why but he did. It seemed like the nice thing to do just to take it!!

 

The rendezvous ended on Wednesday evening 10/24/12 with a big banquet with passable food - roast chicken and mashed potatoes (I think they were instant).  We learned a new term: banquet rafting invented by Darryl Knob to describe the way the group put together 3 or 4 tables so all our new friends could sit together.  We were a rowdy bunch!

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Some people are hanging around a few more days. Some, people like Joe and Edie Rubin and Laura and Ross are heading straight down the Tenn-Tom to get to Mobile quickly. Both couples are meeting family in Tampa by a certain date so they have to get going.

Michael and Judy are flying to Virginia Beach for a yacht club ball on the weekend. We are all watching the weather closely because their week at home coincides with the snoeastercaine hitting the East coast starting on Friday 10/26 through at least the middle of next week. Should be an exciting time to be in the Mid-Atlantic. We hope they are safe. I hope the tent covering the yacht club ball is strong!

We are traveling with Jim’s Joy, Sareanna, and a few other boats (Water Music and Endeavor) to Chattanueaga TN. It will take us 3 days to get there and 3 days to get back. We will visit for 2 or 3 days – there is plenty to see and do. We will travel upriver on the Tennessee River to Chattanooga so will return downriver passing Joe Wheeler meeting Judy and Michael in Florence or Joe Wheeler next weekend. We plan to start the trip down the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway by about 11/3 with the goal of being in Mobile by Thanksgiving.