The Shoals.

We are slowly working our way downstream on the Tennessee River to the junction of the Tenn-Tom Waterway.  We stayed two nights at Goose Pond Marina near Scottsboro, AL.  Not much in Scottsboro, but a real nice marina with a restaurant.  We had dinner with fellow Loopers, Todd and Debbie, aboard Seaveyor.  Scott and KC from Jetstream and Byron and Cynthia from Bright Angel were already there.  We had dinner with Todd and Debbie at Green Turtle, so it was good catching up.  They had been to Nashville and are on the way to Chattanooga. 

The next night we spent on the free wall in Guntersville, AL.  Guntersville, while small, seems to be quite prosperous from all the large homes that abound.  We went to dinner at the Rock House, a nice restaurant there that had a blues musician from Muscle Shoals playing.  Muscle Shoals, next to Florence, AL, is a noted music town complete with recording studios.  Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Rod Stewart and Lynyrd Skynyrd all recorded there.  A good night!

We anchored out again last night, and the temperature dipped below freezing.  We did not run the generator, so no heat, but Alexis has bought an electric blanket which runs off the inverter that kept us toasty.  Getting out of bed in the AM was a shocker though.   She made me get up first and start the generator and heaters.  

Today we are at Florence, Al (right by Muscle Shoals) and will go to a swank dinner/music place tonight for my birthday.  Alexis really likes this day, as I catch up to her in age (she is four months older than me)!  The “Shoals” area in northwest Alabama is a two county area of about 200,000 people.    Most known for its music and as the home of Helen Keller.

The Fall colors are here in force, and are beautiful.  We should enter the Tenn-Tom tomorrow, and start our trek south.  Only 12 more locks to go till New Orleans! 

Guntersville's new police boat.  I had a tour, and these boats are designed to do a 360 degree roll and survive.  Quite impressive, albeit a bit overkill for the river.  

Poule D'eau (Coots for non Cajuns) are arriving in force.  

The restaurant we are going to tonight is the dome in the center.  It is one of those revolving things.  

Remember I blogged about the blobs appearing on the boat at night.  This one is on the radar dome, and I didn't wash it off.  It now is growing a snorkel.  It looks like a brain eating bug from Star Trek.  If we suddenly disappear, you know why!