Days 150-152

Alred's Marina Guntersville AL - Goose Pond Colony Marina AL

Start 7:00 AM
End 10:00 AM
Underway 3:00 Hours
Distance 19 miles
Total Miles on Trip 2938
Av Speed 6.6 knots
Locks 0
Weather Sunny , 56 Degrees, Wind 3 Knts SE

The big day for Nick & Ginger (Ginger Gale) is here. Eleven Months and close to 6000 miles and they crossed their wake (are returning to their home port. (Crossing Your Wake signifies that you have completed The Great Loop.) We left early with Karen & Mark (Kay Dee) so we could be on the dock when Nick & Ginger arrived at noon. The dock master arranged for Nick to dock on the transient dock with us rather than in his slip. Between family, friends and fellow loopers there were around 40 people to greet them when they arrived. After a champagne toast we all went out for lunch.

We used Nicks car for the next two days to explore Scottsboro and the surrounding area. Ginger being the great tour guide told us several places to visit.

We started our touring by going to the Unclaimed Baggage Outlet. Yes it is as weird and cool as it sounds. What I did not understand was there was 10 times more clothing for women then there were for men, and most of the men's clothing was winter jackets. It was still a fun experience.

Our next stop was Raccoon Mountain Hydroelectric Facility. At the Raccoon Mountain water is pumped up from the Nickajack Reservoir to the Raccoon Mountain Reservoir when the demand for electric is low. When the electric demand is high, Water is released from the mountain top reservoir to drive the generators. Unfortunately the visitor center was still closed because of covid. The shame of it was the fact you could not even drive up to the parking lot where the best views of the valley below are. With the rest of the park open that did not make any sense

On our last day in Goose Pond we visited Desoto State Park. Desoto State Park was the home to the first hydroelectric dam in Alabama. It was a private power company owned by A.A. Miller and provide power to Fort Payne in 1921. Electricity was only available from dark until midnight.

After visiting the park Nick & Ginger hosted a delicious BBQ chicken dinner, and then we played Domino's all night long. Nick & Ginger live on the bluff overlooking Guntersville Lake. The view from their yard is incredible.

In addition to all of our touring, I found time to change my fuel filters and starboard waterpump impeller.

Our next stop is Shelmond a free dock right above the Nickajack Dam.