Back to Goose Pond, Scottsboro, AL

Days on cruise: 202

Distance traveled: 45.6 miles

Travel time:  5 hrs, 27 mins

Total trip odometer:  4,501 statute miles

Accompanied by Lynn and David, we’ve been re-tracing our steps down the Tennessee River following our off-the-Loop side trip up to Chattanooga.

As usual, lovely undeveloped shoreline alternated with residential and industrial development. The river alternates between narrow stretches that LOOK like a river, and wide stretches that look more like a lake, due to the dams.

We had VHF radio conversations with three Looper boats along the way, none of whom we’ve met, but all of whom hailed us when they heard our boat name on the radio. The nice folks on Harbor Reach had heard of us from mutual friends Jim and Sharon on Blue Angel, and they were headed upriver to Chattanooga. We hope to meet them later in the season.

Mid-day we turned off the river into Raccoon Creek, described as an attractive anchorage on our river chart. We dropped the hook near shore at the end of the marked channel and ate lunch on the sundeck while enjoying the tall hills and pretty rocks.

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One higher cliff had a rope swing dangling, but we weren’t tempted.

Lynn took another turn at the helm.

On arrival back at Goose Pond Marina in Scottsboro we met up again with Craig and Barbara on Blue Heron and invited them for cocktails on our boat. We won’t see them for several weeks after tonight.

Thursday Lynn and Cathryn used a marina courtesy car to drive to Huntsville and pick up a rental car for Bob and Cathryn. David washed the boat decks, and Bob puttered around doing other projects. Later in the afternoon Lynn, David and Cathryn drove to the “Unclaimed Baggage Center” nearby, an unusual business. They buy all of the never-claimed items and baggage from most of the airlines in the U.S., wash all clothes in the largest laundromat in the country, and sort and price everything for re-sale. It was sort of like shopping at Goodwill, though items aren’t necessarily old, some are very high-end, and include lots of electronics (cameras, iPods, iPads, headphones). We didn’t buy much, but it was sort of interesting poking around. Bob threatens to go tomorrow morning to check out the electronics.

With blue skies and warmer afternoon temps, we were able to eat our “last supper” together on the sundeck. Tomorrow we’ll take Lynn and David to the Huntsville Airport for their flight back to Seattle, and we’ll drive west to Houston to visit Cathryn’s parents, sisters and their families, where we’ll also be joined by our daughter and son-in-law Mackenzie and Matt flying in from Seattle.  So we probably won’t post again for a few days, until we return to the boat.