Planning to Sail South

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In hopes to extend the sailing season, Wayne and fellow sailor Rick will be trailering the Amber Lee II to Kentucky Lake and sailing/motoring south via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Tenntom until we reach salt water in Mobile Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. We hope to launch about October 12 at the Green Turtle Marina Green Turtle .

After we launch we plan to leave the boat in Kentucky and drive the truck and trailer the 500+ miles to Fairhope, Alabama on Mobile Bay. Rick's daughter, Christa, will be sailing/racing her boat in the Rhodes 19 Nationals Nationals at Fairhope on October 14-16. If we old grey hairs behave ourselves, Christa and her friend Peter, will drive us back to the Amber Lee II in Kentucky.

We hope to start our water journey around Oct 18th and finish at Mobile Bay around November 6th.

The first part of the trip will be on the Lakes formed by dams built by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1930s. This was part of Franklin Roosevelt's "Stimulus Package" during the Great Depression. The second part of the trip will be on rivers and canals that are part of another Federal program of the 1970s and 80s. The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway was funded by the Johnson, Nixon and Carter administrations as part of a "Southern Strategy" (SOUTHERN VOTES) at the cost of $2 billion. Wayne and Rick will be checking out how our tax dollars were spent in this part of the country and if the investment has payed off. (Not in votes, but in water transportation, recreation and economic development.)

We have promised Karen and Jane that we will stop at Mobile and not cross the Gulf of Mexico to points beyond. The Amber Lee II may stay in Mobile for the winter. I hear that sailing is great in March and April down there.

I will update the blog once we get on the road, or water. Please let me know if you don't want to get the e-mail about the updates.

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Comments

[Carie Wagner]

Happy Consultant
This sounds too cool! I hope you have a blast. You are guilty of making me think about retirement and committing to a timeline ( 8 - 9 years from now). Take care and enjoy. Can't wait to see the pictures.

[Harold G]

Travels
So the great adventure has begun. As you travel south and east, we are traveling north and west. Left Tomah about 2:30 this afternoon and are staying at the Rum River Motel again. Without any tire problems (so far). Will be waiting for the next blog. Have a good trip, we will check in on Karen in October.

[Bonnie]

God tur!
Sounds like another great trip thanks to various presidential administrations. Hope all of your logistics work smoothly. Looking forward to your updates along the way.

[Jane Barko]

Friends of Brad and Megan
John and I live in Gulf Shores, AL, and are friends of Megan and Brad. Actually Megan and Brad honeymooned in our condo after they were married. Ann Dahmen sent me your blog, and your trip sounds fascinating. Once you get to Mobile Bay, if you have the time, John and I would like to invite you over to Gulf Shores for perhaps dinner and a drink. Our land line in 251-948-2688. Safe sailing. Jane

[Geoose]

Enjoyed the warm air
Jane, We were in Fairhope last week and should be back there around November 6th. I don't know if we will have time to stop and meet you on this trip.Since I plan on leaving my boat in Fairhope I will be back in March. Maybe we can get together then. My cell phone No is 608-393-0941. Thanks for the invite, Wayne