21 OCTOBER 2021, JOHN WHEELER STATE PARK, ROGERSVILLE, AL
We are now attending a 4-day annual “Rendezous” of the America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association (AGLCA), which has been an important resource for us since first pondering this adventure a year ago. It is through the AGLCA that we found our amazing boat broker (and therefore our boat), our surveyor, our training captain, our boat insurance, our boat mechanics and endless online forums and printed publications that have helped us learn about, plan for and travel on this amazing adventure.
We are at beautiful and peaceful John Wheeler State Park surrounded by scenery similar to what we’ve found all along the Tennessee River—green, lush, and well-preserved, with an abundance of birds. (There’s a flock of about 30 white pelicans making their home across the marina from us here.) As we think back on this segment of our Great Loop Adventure and review the pictures we took, we realized we could see far more homes along this river than anywhere else. We were intrigued with the variety of sizes and styles. Here’s what we mean…
P.S. Our next adventure takes us from the Tennessee River 448 miles south down the Tennessee-Tom Bigbee Waterway (called the Tenn-Tom) to Mobile, Alabama and the Gulf of Mexico Coast. We’ll be dancing between the Alabama-Mississippi border most of the way. There are 12 locks on this segment and a mixture of marinas and anchorages that take us through some deep and beautiful wilderness. We understand there is little if any cell or internet coverage, so we won’t be posting again until after November 16. In the meantime, we’ll be thinking of you and taking in the beauty to pass along to you later. Blessings always!
Cruising with Gary & Annie 
Hi guys. We met at Beaver Island this summer at the beginning of your adventure. Hope all is well. I was wondering where you got your step ladder that I see in the pics. We have a similar boat and are looking for a better portable ladder. Thanks… Larry & Steph on our 40 Tolly “Island Time”… You can shoot me an email if that works..
LikeLike
Hi Larry! Apologies for taking so long to get back to you. I’m just now checking out all our blog comments after being home for 6 weeks (Central Coast of California) and getting back in the swing of cruising, which we are thoroughly continuing to enjoy.
Our step ladder came with the boat and works really well since we have an aft cabin and our walkways/side decks are usually about
5-6′ above the dock. The ladder is called a “Little Giant” and is about 4′ tall. It works really well because it has a large handle at the back of it that comes up another foot or so. I just took photos of it which I’ll email you soon.
Meanwhile, we’ve become good friends with Loopers Tim and Tricia King who have a 2nd home on Beaver Island. We hope to spend some time with them this coming summer after we finish the loop (will cross our wake at Mackinac Island!!!). Do you know them? Their boat is Tricia Anne and we’ve been “loop-frogging” with them ever since Peoria, IL.
Hope you are doing well. Thanks for your patience!!!
Annie (and Gary)
LikeLike