Cruisin’ with Barefootin’

Our best boating buddies, Clint & Leigh aboard
Barefootin'

In early July we finally arrived at Goose Pond Colony Marina in Scottsboro AL, which was to become our base of operation for the summer.  We chose this marina because our best cruising friends from 8 years ago (Clint & Leigh) keep their boat here.  We planned to finally put all our talk into action, to cruise together as far as we can, up the TN River into the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.  We all had heard how gorgeous the scenery was up there, and were determined to find out for ourselves.

At our anchorage at Little Cedar Mountain, the
morning fog ls lifting above the water

When we first arrived at Goose Pond, the marina office told us about another boater on the next dock, who claimed that he knew us & was looking to say “Hi” to us.  The only people we knew at this marina were Clint & Leigh, so we had no idea who this person was.  When we finally met up with the other boater, and asked each other a lot of questions, I finally realized that we had met this boat here at Goose Pond way back in 2009 on our first trip through this area!  In fact, this friend took photos of our boat departing Goose Pond, and I used his photo when I printed our boat cards.  This was the second time within a month that our past boating experience has come back to us!

Downtown Chattanooga waterfront, departing for dinner

We departed with Barefootin’ for our two-week cruise up the Tennessee River, with beautiful weather making the trip even more enjoyable.  The first couple days, we cruised through familiar waters, since both of us used to keep our boats at a marina near Chattanooga.  The farther north we went, the mo’ betta the river & mountain scenery became.  We were travelling through lands formerly belonging to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, and we took the time to learn about their history and how President Andy Jackson had them forced out of their land and “re-settled” in the Oklahoma “Indian Territory”.  Another dark chapter in American history.

Departing Chattanooga at sunrise

We're the little boat ahead of Barefootin'.
Let's see.....red, right, return

Approaching one of he locks, the size of the gates
can be intimidating

Once we locked through the last lock on the TN River, we decided to turn southwest to head up the Little Tennessee River, rather than continuing up to Knoxville.  The scenery and the multitude of quiet little coves in which to anchor, did not disappoint us.  Additionally, the couple marinas that we stayed in were super cheap, so we took advantage of this.  This entire area reminded Sue & me of our travels through the 1000 Islands area of the St Lawrence River, which we visited in 2015. 

Inside the lock chamber, it seems that we're inside
the bowels of the earth

As we exit the lock, the scenery is just plain beautiful

Passing one of the larger tows on the TN River.
Guess we'll let him have right-of-way

Photo Op at the end of the Little Tennessee River
at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains

Quiet anchorage in the morning mist

Our transportation to get the dog ashore
when at anchor

Flooded farm silos in Lake Tellico.  This was all farm land
before the TVA built the dam & flooded the area.
Creates a nice hazard to navigation

View from our dock at Goose Pond Marina.  Just don't
get much mo' betta.

All in all, we had a very enjoyable time with some of our best friends.  I get a kick out of how two dissimilar boats are able to cruise together, which we originally did together back in 2011.  We are a slow boat (a “crawler” as Clint says), while Barefootin’ likes to get up on plane & run.  So each morning, Clint & Leigh help us get underway before enjoying another cup of coffee, walking the dog, and finally untying their lines, only to pass us mid-way and beating us to the marina for the night.  Then they are there to catch our lines, help us fuel up & tell us where everything is.  For Fruition, it’s just like having our own portable concierge service!

While we were on the TN River, the hurricanes kept coming
into the Gulf of Mexico
(click to enlarge)

Once we finished our cruise together, we were back in Scottsboro only two days before Sue & I came within a second of both being killed in a car wreck, when another driver ran through a stop light & hit us at 55 mph.

Just 'cause you have a green light at the intersection,
that don't mean you're safe to proceed!