9/26/15 and 9/27/15

When we left Caney Creek the afternoon of 26th, we were hoping we could get back under the bridge again.......It rained all night and part of morning! This time we went between the highest pier and the bank. The water was deep enough, and we had a foot to spare on clearance.
On our 32 mile trip down to our anchorage in Lowe Branch (just outside of Watts Bar Dam), we registered 1000 miles!!!!!!!! We started on 8/12 from Nashville.
We set the anchor and grilled out onions and our last two Buckhead Filets! YUMMY!!!!!!!

9/23/15 thru 9/26/15

Left Knoxville this morning heading toward Ft. Loudoun Marina. It was about 44 miles back downstream. Kinda nice going with the current! While there, topped off tanks with their cheap fuel.
We arrived about 3:30, and I used their courtesy van to go to grocery in Lenoir City. Another boat pulled beside us;  (Jim n Carol) had just bought it and were taking it to their dock on Watts Bar. They plan to do the loop next year. It's so interesting meeting people who enjoy what you enjoy. And this may not be the case, but it seems to me that Ohio is losing a lot of their retirees! The majority of who we have met so far has been from that state..........
Went through Ft. Loudoun lock the next morning (9/24), traveling 26 miles down Watts Bar Lake and anchored in Wolf Creek.
The next morn (9/25), awoke to steady rain and traveled 15 miles down to Caney Creek Marina in Harriman, Tn.  Right before getting back into the creek, we came upon this bridge. a low bridge. Kinda had us concerned; but we made it under! With only inches to spare.............
The next day (9/26), our friend, Steve Kennedy (Roane Transportation) came by to visit.

9/20/15 thru 9/23/15

We left on Sunday morning heading toward Knoxville. We decided to stop at FLYC (Ft. Loudoun Yacht Club); to stay night and have dinner. This is a beautiful place; but found out they do not have a restaurant. Oh well; I made an omelet...........There is this awesome building, outside, covered but open, with fireplace and bar, that is perfect for watching games! The clubhouse is absolutely beautiful with great facilities. Met a couple (Andy n Robin) who told me to walk to Market Square when we get to Knoxville for shops and restaurants.
We left Monday morning and headed up the Tennessee River. Even went to the end (where the French Broad and Holston Rivers fork off the Tennessee. Turned around at that point and went back to Volunteer Landing to stay 2 nights. They have a greenway that runs along the riverbank, even back to Neyland Stadium. We walked down to Calhoun's for dinner the 1st night. The next day we walked downtown to Market Square and spent the afternoon in little shops and had lunch at Stock & Barrel. Had a burger with pimento cheese, caramelized onions, Benton bacon and fried green tomato....YUMMY!!!!!! BTW: we shared it...............don't even want to know how many calories were in half of it. LOL.  But afterall we did walk 2 miles. uphill. part of the way. had veggies only for dinner.................enough! That afternoon a SeaRay (Sunday Services), pulled in beside us. They are loopers too........Mike n Sharon; we will see them again at the rendezvous @ Joe Wheeler State Park in October.
Wednesday, 23rd, I walked back up to Gay St. to get me a coffee (Hazelnut Mocha); delish!!!! Then we pulled out, headed back down to Ft. Loudoun Marina to stay the night........more to follow!!!!!!

9/18 & 9/19 Tellico Marina

We pulled into Tellico Marina around noon. We were anchored out at Ft. Loudon state park, which was only about a mile away. They have good facilities at the marina, and I was behind on laundry; so................I went to check that out and Sonny began to make friends on the dock. Laundry took my whole afternoon, then we ate at their restaurant, Rick's Dockside Grill. It was good and they had live music. We sat out with our new friends (Tom n Marilyn and more friends) at their gathering spot on Friday night, and had a great time! The manager (Rodney) had invited us to stay the next day for their customer appreciation grill-out; so we did. That next morning Tom n Marilyn took us for a ride on their Cobalt run-a-bout, up the Tellico River. After the boat ride, we went to the cookout and had great food and a great time too! This was a great stop................

9/16 & 9/17

The ride up the lake was so nice........I've never seen so many gorgeous, huge homes on the lake, one after the other...........
We set the anchor at the farthest point we needed to go. Mike n Nancy weren't far behind. All was well until 2:00 am..............
The non-predicted wind started spinning the boat around, and finally at 2:30 Sonny got up out of bed (I did too, but abruptly got right back into it),  and stayed up the rest of the night. The anchor did slip about 60 ft, but we were still ok. The wind even woke me up, and it takes a lot to do that!
The next day (17th) we hung out where we were anchored until noon. We turned around making our way back .................. We stopped at the Ft. Loudon state park and anchored there for the night. It is absolutely gorgeous on this lake.......
Tomorrow we are going into Tellico Marina.
Eating out...........woo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!
Pics don't seem to be downloading; I'll do that later!
Sorry....................

9/14/15 & 9/15/15

After having breakfast at Whitestone, we headed upstream to Ft. Loudon lock and dam, then to spend the night at the marina. Ft. Loudon Marina had the cheapest fuel (diesel) we've purchased so far, $2.29/gal! We had budgeted between $4 and $5, soooooooo; that means we can buy more bottles of wine! Yay!!
lol............
The marina was very nice, good laundry room, restrooms, and a Calhoun's Restaurant on site.
They also had a courtesy van that Nancy & I used (9/15), to go into Lenoir City to re-stock the fridge. She & I are weird...........we like to grocery shop. Maybe that's because it's the only kind of shopping we have time for!
Oh yeah; Mike n Nancy caught up with us again here at the marina! woo-hoo...............
We left there late afternoon (9/15), for a short ride up Lake Tellico to our anchorage in Sinking Creek. This is a gorgeous lake with many, many huge beautiful homes. Looking forward to tomorrow and beyond, on up this lake to the foothills of the smokies!

9/13/15

We stayed in Martin Branch till the afternoon, then left for a new destination. I say it that way because it's a surprise! Sonny loves planning things and sometimes he'll throw in a little surprise for me. I actually think he likes hearing me guess and guess and guess..........he knows that I'll NEVER figure it out. I never have. Besides; I don't try too hard, it would spoil it!
So when we slow down for a tiny inlet; I'm wondering what this is...........
We pulled up along the wall, I jumped off, fell, picked myself up, then tied up the boat. I was told to be "gussied up" for dinner. All that really meant was to wash my hair, fix my face and wear nice clothes for a change. lol.............At 6:00 a golf cart came down the hill and picked us up. We were at the Whitestone Inn and Resort. It still took me a bit to figure out; but when I saw the chapel I remembered. We had attended a wedding there several years ago for the daughter of our good friends, Cindy and Bart Brown. This property is absolutely gorgeous!!! Dinner was great, great, great; a five course meal with Bourbon Ribeye as the entree. Yummy............ We decided to come back up to the farmhouse the next morning for the breakfast buffet and it was just wonderful! Plus; Paul Cowell (the innkeeper) interviewed us.......It seems most loopers don't come this far. So we were kinda celebs! They sure are missing out on a wonderful treat though........
He drove us back to the boat after dinner and we slept well.
My technological skills are very minimal; but I am gonna try to post, attach to, tag or whatever you call it to Facebook.

9/12/15 On to Martin Branch

Today is Saturday and Martin Branch is just 20 miles away. It was a great place to anchor but a little windy. We grilled out again; Halibut this time. We have one pkg of fish left from Sonny's last fishing trip to British Columbia. Salmon is my FAVE fish, but Halibut is running a close second. As much as we eat of these two fish............I think he needs to go back!!!!!!!
Anyhow; we love anchoring out, the quiet, moonlight, stars and oh so peaceful...............
I have some herbs, but they aren't doing so well.

9/9, 9/10, 9/11 & 9/12

These two days were our lazy days...........nothing major going on; but as you boaters (and everyone else) knows, those days FLY by. On Thursday night we went to Knox's ballgame. He is only 4 1/2, but he knows how to hold that bat and make contact!!! Go Knox..........
At Island Cove Marina, they do not have a courtesy car. BUT, 3 different guys offered their vehicle to us! That was so nice............
Sonny waxed the fly bridge and cleaned the mold from the cushions. He cannot be still...........
On Friday morning 9/11 we left around 9:00, heading for Watts Bar. We waited 1 1/2 hrs to go through the lock, which was not bad at all. We have been very fortunate in that respect. A mile past we anchored in a great cove, Lowe Branch. We had a thunderstorm while eating dinner (Ling Cod from British Columbia)on the bridge, so had to wait it out. I love, love to be on the boat during rains...........but during lightning; not so much.
Have I mentioned that my husband is THE dog whisperer? Most every morning he puts Marena in his lap, talks softly, and gives her a massage that any woman would die to have!!! I have pics to prove it. I should do a video..........hmmmmmm.
Anyhow; today we are being lazy again.  (Did I tell you that I'm really getting into this sitting thing?)
We are going about 20 miles today to another anchorage.

9/6/15 thru 9/9/15

We pulled into Island Cove Marina at 4:00. It is a good looking marina so far with a mexican restaurant on site (Amigos). John, Emily and Knox came over and we ate there.
On Labor Day they drove back here and we took the boat out; it was a nice day for a ride! After that, we went to their house for dinner.
On Tuesday we took care of some projects, mainly........Sonny replaced the switch on the washer/dryer that had been broken for a long time. Yay!!!!!! It is so much nicer to stay somewhat caught up!!
9/9/15................
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARENA!!!!!!!!!!!! Our little girl is 1 yr old today.............
She sure did change our life!
We took some pics coming through downtown Chattanooga, the Aquarium Boat.............AND John took a pic of us with the Aquarium in the background! We tried to get a good pic of he and Knox standing on the bank, but not sure if you can tell.......Knox was so cute waving at us!
     

9/5/15 On to Little Cedar Mtn Cove

Sonny's dads birthday.................Happy Birthday Mr. Briley!!! He would have been 98 today...........We are almost to Chattanooga (on Nickajack Lake) and the scenery is spectacular!!! Everyone says this is a beautiful area to travel; and they are right! We are anchored out (my fave, except for these dang bugs). We had to eat inside; but............that's not so bad. We used our new gas grill for the second time; pesto salmon with veggies in foil packets.........Yummy! It's on my pinterest page. Marena has laid around all day, I think the heat bothers her. We will be glad when it cools down for sure!! Watching the trains at the base of the mountains is a beautiful sight! Tomorrow we head to Chicamaugua Marina to spend a couple days with John, Emily and Knox.....(Sonny's son and family)! Can't wait.....

9/4/15 On to Goose Pond Marina

Goose Pond is close to Scottsboro, Al.  It was a very nice marina; dry storage, shop, restaurant, great laundry room, showers and bathrooms. While doing laundry we walked around the area and looked at boats too..... that is always fun. I enjoy checking out the names, some people are so creative! It was a beautiful area and we will stop there again as we make our way back toward the Tombigbee.