Please read and enjoy our Ship’s Log on the antics of G-Whiz’s maiden voyage you won’t be disappointed.
We had a great trip from beginning to end, and look forward to planning another long trip next year, maybe continue down the Tennessee River to the Ohio River to Louisville, KY for the annual Houseboat Show. That’s a long time from now, so we will just have to take short trips with our friends and family (hint – hint). As my Mom and Dad can now attest G-Whiz Adventures are very enjoyable and extremely relaxing.
This is our first boat and when we started the trip both of us were very nervous and totally unprepared for what it takes to handle 60 feet of unruly floating aluminum, steel, fiberglass and wood. I can proudly claim, after 500 miles, 8 Locks and over a dozen different Marinas, Mary Kay and I are now officially “Professional Houseboat Operators”.
Day 1 - Mar 8, 2006
7 a.m. Leaving Tellico Harbor Marina, Vonore, TN. The sunrise was just great! We are so excited to be on our way...finally. We got to our first lock at Fort Loudon at 9:10 a.m. we radioed ahead and they didn't open till 10, so we just floated around a bit. The water was as smooth as glass. Then at 10, the lockmaster came over the radio and said tie off and get comfortable, he would lock us thru in 4 hours. There was an asphalt barge coming thru and they take precedence over us, so we had to wait. By now the water is white capping and so rough. Our new motto is, "If you are in a hurry on a houseboat, you shouldn't be on the water". Our first experience in the lock was definitely an experience! Finally, at 1:25 we get to go thru. We finally get the boat situated with the help of the lockmaster. The wind was horrible. The lock, dropped us 72ft. WOW! We took pictures of everything. We stopped for the night at 5:30 at Federal Dolphin mooring, mile 578. We are headed for mile marker 113.
Day 2 – Mar 9, 2006
Up and at um at 6a.m. What a sunrise! Wind is blowing quite a bit. We found a short cut, that saved us about 5 miles. This is great, considering we are only going about 8 miles an hour. We made it to our 2nd lock at Watts Bar. Everything going great, we are getting good at the locks. The wind worked in our favor. Gary and I get to spend lots of time together, just talking and laughing. He told me he had a dream that we went out and test drove a Saab. What an odd dream. The wind has now picked up and a storm is brewing. The boat started to act a bit sluggish and the motors were dying. I would drive awhile, then Gary would go back and work on the engines. Finally after several hours of this, we made it to Sale Creek Marina, in Soddy Daisy, TN. which is where we decided to end our day. By now the clouds are really getting heavy and very, very windy. The owner of the marina offered to run us into town to get any parts we needed. So we head up the hill to get in his car and what do you think he was driving? A Saab. What are the odds? I told him he was our Good Samaritan. That night a storm came thru with heavy rains.
Day 3 – Mar 9, 2006
We left Sale Creek Marina at 9a.m. Gary topped off the gas tanks and off we go. Sun is shining and looks like a great day! Got down the river about 10 miles and engine trouble started up again. It slowed us down to 5 miles an hour, but we are still able to travel on. We will stop at noon at Island Cove Marina in Harrison, TN. for repairs. Had the carburetor rebuilt on one of the engines. Thought that would help, maybe so, but we think we have some trash in our fuel. We will stay the night here. We met a man from Odessa who graduated from Permian in 78. He had seen our names on the front of our boat. "Gary and Mary Kay Odessa, Texas" They invited us down to visit that evening. All made us feel so welcome. We had a great time!
Day 4 – Mar 11, 2006
We left out of Island Cove Marina at 6:30a.m. We came up to our 3rd lock at Chickamauga Dam at 7:45. Winds were perfect, very smooth waters. We are pros now, going thru the locks. Passed thru Chattanooga, TN. came up on a couple of rowing teams. The girls were from Baylor College. More engine trouble. It's 1 p.m. We will stop at Nickajack Marina, just outside of Chattanooga. We met some nice boaties, (what they call people who live on boats) and spent time with them.
Day 5 – Mar 12, 2006
7 a.m. Ready to untie, wind picking up. Gary had engines started, I went to untie the back ropes, boat starting to move away from dock, went forward to untie from front, wind blowing boat away even more, tried to toss rope on front of boat, and rope caught my wrist, In I go! Now remember, no one is outside except us. Gary is yelling "Are you ok" and I am trying to swim back to the dock. I grab a cleat on the dock to hold on to while Gary is securing the boat, a man comes over to see if he can get me out of the water. I am too cold and wet to pull myself out. He goes for help. Gary gets the boat secure and comes and yanks me out of the water. I'm glad adrenaline kicked in cuz I was cold. We found out later, the water temp this time of year is about 40. Brrrrr! I am fine. Gary said if he hadn't been so scared, he wishes he had taken a picture. I laugh now about it. It was funny. We’re making memories! We have seen beautiful trees, birds, spectacular sunrises and sunsets. We passed Nuclear Power Plants. We are getting tired and stressed and want to stop and remember what has been good about our travels. We are just over half way there. We have another 4 days to go. We will stop for a week in Scottsboro, AL. Gary will go to work for a week and then we will start back on the river on Mar. 22 and Gary's mom and dad will join us. Can't wait. I'll keep you informed on the last leg of our trip.
Mar 13 thru 21, 2006
Mary Kay stayed at Goose Pond Marina while I went to Mt. Pleasant, TN to work. If everything goes well, this will be our last week staying apart. Next time I go to work it will be from our boat and we can get rid of our little 20’ travel trailer. Mary Kay woke up pretty bruised and sore, after some good rest she should be ok. Goose Pond Marina was very busy with fishing boats coming and going all day. She spends her days walking the wonderful paths though out the park, meeting new people (a couple from England traveling on their boat through the USA), and getting re-supplied for the next leg of the voyage. A couple days prior to our departure Mary Kay came to Mt. Pleasant so we could move our cars around again.
Tuesday the 21st we put Mary Kay’s car at our new marina, Cuba Landing, we also pulled the travel trailer, and picked up my Mom (Jill) and Dad (Gary Sr.) and their dog Shep at Cuba Landing. We all jumped in the truck and drove to Goose Pond. Had a great dinner at the Marina Restaurant and prepared the boat for an early departure.
Day 6 - Mar 22, 2006
We left Goose Pond Marina, Scottsboro , AL at 6:30 a.m. Gary Sr. and Jill taking turns at Skipper duties, both having fun and doing pretty good. Note, Jill is a better driver, just don’t tell Gary Sr. as he has been a Professional Truck Driver most of his adult life, and will get upset if I tell anyone, his wife can drive something, anything, better than he can. So let’s keep this our secret, OK? As far as pets go, Shep, my Mom and Dads dog is having a great time on the boat. He walks down one side (Port) of the boat around the back (Stern) and up the other side (Starboard) and back to the front (Bow). Around and around he goes. Our cats pretty much ignore this stupid canine, except for the occasional hiss and bark they get along as good as mortal enemies can. Showed parents how pro’s do the locks and slip through Guntersville Lock with zero effort. We stopped for the night at Ditto Landing Marina, Huntsville, AL . It is going to be cold all week, below 30, so we are planning to stop at marinas every night. This is going to slow us down, because we may have to stop based on marina location versus sunset.
Day 7 - Mar 23, 2006
Leave Ditto Landing at 6:30 a.m. We like leaving early and stop when the sun is still up so we can enjoy a peaceful dinner and relax, meet new people, and experience our destination. Getting Mom and Dad to understand this is working for now, but they obviously would like a little more sleep. Oh well, after two cups of coffee they are smiling and having fun, I hope we don’t run out of coffee!!! The boat is still having engine trouble even after having water separator filters installed and the fuel lines cleaned out. I am getting used to operating the boat with the problem and even though it slows us down a bit, we keep on going and we will keep trying to figure it out. We have spent a good deal of time and money getting the boat prepared for the trip, and have come to a very true fact, “No boat is ever really totally ready”. Plan for everything and something else will go wrong. I love it…and wouldn’t want it any other way. Had to call the Southern Railroad Bridge at Decatur , AL . The bridge height is 9 ft and we need at least 15 ft to get under, so they have to raise it, watched a train go across while we waited. Stopped for the night at the Joe Wheeler State Park Marina in Rogersville, Al.
Day 8 - Mar 24, 2006
Left the State Park at 6:10 a.m. Have to go through two locks today. Wheeler Lock first thing in the morning, again Mary Kay and I make this locking stuff look easy. Floated down river through Wilson Lake, the smallest of the Tennessee River and get to Wilson Lock. We have been looking forward to this lock, it is the largest single drop lock in the world at 93 feet. Disappointment sets in. The Main Lock is being serviced, so we have to use the Auxiliary Lock. But cool news, it is the oldest Tennessee River Lock built in 1933. We still have to drop the 93 feet but it is a double drop. Enter the lock, after we go down 50ish feet, they open the doors and we go into another lock and they drop us down the remainder. The double drop plus a lot of barge traffic getting through makes for a short trip day, and we stop for the night at the Florence Marina in Florence , AL . My Dad and I decide to change the water filter separators and check out the engines, very windy, and not paying attention, the extremely heavy engine door falls on the back of my ankle. Because children maybe reading this, I won’t write the words that came out of my mouth. Suffice it to say it hurt like hell, Mary Kay and Mom fixed me up and the limp will go away by morning. I was lucky, that door had the possibility to do serious damage, I will be more careful from now on, at least I didn’t fall in the water, that would have been really dumb…..Can’t imagine anyone falling in the cold water, can you?
Day 9 - Mar 25, 2006
Slept in real late didn’t leave till 7 a.m. The winds got very strong and the boat does not like it, pulled into J. P. Coleman State Park somewhere in Mississippi and tied off to a couple trees, had lunch and take a couple hour break. After the winds calm down a bit we make it to Pickwick State Park Marina. Called the Park Restaurant and they had a van come pick us up for dinner, after a great dinner and piano player, with a view of the sun setting on the dam/lock we will pass though in the morning, they drive us back to the boat.
Day 10 - Mar 26, 2006
Before leaving the marina I call the Lock Master, to check traffic, she informs me a barge will be finishing with in the hour, so we get an even later start 7:30 a.m. Pass through our last lock of our trip, Pickwick Lock was the largest at 1000 x 110 our little boat seemed to get lost in the huge canyon. One more time Mary Kay and I thank the first Lock Master we meet weeks ago at Ft Loudon Lock, who patiently taught us how to successfully lock, had he not taken the time with us that morning we would not be the pro’s we have become. Stopped for the last time of the trip at the Clifton Marina, Clifton, TN. Met some real nice people, we will see them again, as we are now on our home lake, (Kentucky Lake) and this marina is a day trip away.
Day 11 - Mar 27, 2006
Leave at 6:30 a.m. Because the trip has been slowed down, my parents are behind schedule to return to Arizona, and will get in their car as soon as we arrive in Cuba Landing. They had a blast, and can’t stop thanking us for the chance to travel with us, the pleasure has been ours, the reason we live this way is to share it with those we love. (Another hint for the rest of you) Passed a barge going up river, he says pass on “two whistles” ??? I ask him what that means, and he explains “two whistles” means Starboard – Starboard passing, so I say I guess “one whistle” means Port – Port, he responds, correct. Captain Gary and “BEST” Mate Mary Kay just keep learning.
12:45 p.m. we are home, pulling into Cuba Landing Marina, we realize our over year long dream of living on our boat and working close enough to be home everyday has finally come true. Thankfully this is on the computer or you would see dried tear drops on the corners of this letter.
The trip had its trials and great rewards, and after all Mary Kay and I had to learn and go through you would think we would be worn out, not even, after a couple days break we were ready to go again. If you can do all that Mary Kay and I have done in such a short time and still love each other, I think you could easily say we can do anything. Were ready.
Stay tune, or better yet, come be apart of the next G-Whiz Adventure……………..
Love Captain Gary and 1st Mate Mary Kay aboard the good ship, G-Whiz.