| by Fred Myers
March 20, 2007
Well, a new cruising season is once again upon us.
It's been nearly a year since I announced I would no longer be publishing the
CruiseGuides. I knew it wouldn't be a clean cut. And it hasn't been. Book orders
will continue to be filled until all copies of all three CruiseGuides have been
sold.
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In that regard, all copies of the "Tennessee River CruiseGuide" have
been sold. The only remaining copies are those that may still be available at
marinas that have sold them over the years.
Also, if you want a copy of either or both of the other two books, "The
Cumberland River CruiseGuide" and the "Tenn-Tom Nitty-Gritty CruiseGuide,"
I urge you to get them soon. The Tenn-Tom book, in particular, is likely to
be sold out by as early as late summer.
As for the updates on this website, I will continue to provide them at least
through the remainder of this year and perhaps into early 2008. That's because
I won't be keeping a close enough watch on marinas and river conditions to be
able to provide you with the latest accurate information.
But please feel free to contact me with your questions and I will do my best
to answer them. My home phone is still the same, 256-766-4802 and so is my email
address, writerfred@aol.com
As I have said before, we have no plans to sell "Liberty Belle,"
our American 34 tug. Joanie and I will continue to keep it at Grand Harbor Marina
on the upper end of the Tenn-Tom which is our home port. We also plan to continue
cruising the rivers we know so well. We just won't be doing quite as much of
it as we were.
Now, here's the really important news.
Last year, Bob Duthie introduced a CD-ROM, for both Macintosh and Windows computers,
that he and his wife Mavis produced as the result of their having completed
the great loop.
This is an impressive piece of work. The photography and narration beautifully
and accurately highlight what loopers are likely to expect as they make the
trip. I know of no other reference accomplishing that task as well as this one
does. In fact, Bob's business is that of producing professional educational
materials for commercial clients. So it's a natural fit.
More recently, Bob decided to produce a similar CD-ROM to show boaters what
to expect as they cruise the Tennessee River. As of this date, this latest project
is well underway.
I am collaborating with Bob in two important respects you need to know about.
First, much of the historical information in my "Tennessee River CruiseGuide"
will be included in the narration on the new CD-ROM.
Also, the entire CruiseGuide will be on it, although separate from the main
presentation. That way, boaters who don't have a copy of my book will be able
to access it there. The present update information also will be included.
I'm excited about this development because this CD-ROM will provide you with
an preview of the Tennessee. It will be available this summer. Go to www.greatloopcruising.com
to find out how to order.
In the meantime, the rivers are running pretty much as they always have.
You may have read the press accounts of the leakage problem at the bottom of
the dam that backs up Lake Cumberland. That lake is in Kentucky, is the main
impoundment on the Cumberland River and is about 70 miles upriver from where
the navigation channel ends at Celina, Tennessee.
The problem is an old one that has required minor fixes. But the situation
had grown more serious and to the point that the dam's structural integrity
was in question. So the Corps of Engineers has lowered Lake Cumberland by 40
feet. That not only greatly reduces but also most probably eliminates any danger
of the dam collapsing but also allows permanent repairs to be made. Far from
a quick fix, the work will require about five years.
None of this is likely to affect cruising on the Cumberland. So I encourage
you to follow through with any plans you might have made to cruise the river.
And if you haven't considered cruising the Cumberland, I urge you to. But please
plan to take the navigation channel to the end at Mile 381.0. That part of the
Cumberland above Nashville is a scenic stretch of water you won't soon forget.
As for marinas, there is the usual buying and selling and changes in management.
But I know of no marina listed in the CruiseGuides that has gone out of business
or any that have gone private by virtue of becoming part of a condo complex
such as is happening in many other parts of the country.
To the contrary, I continue to see marinas being improved and adding services.
And on the Cumberland, the big news is the opening of the new Harpeth Shoals
Marina, part of a much larger complex to be completed within the next one to
two years. It's location at Ashland City, Tennessee, is fairly close to Nashville.
That's a big plus. I predict you will be hearing much more about this new facility.
All the ingredients are falling into place to make it a premier stop for everyone
cruising the Cumberland.
So, here's wishing you all the best as you begin cruising. I extend to you
a special invitation to come to our part of the country. I am convinced these
waterways, the Tennessee in particular, offer some of if not the finest freshwater
cruising in America.
If you should come our way, we invite you to stop at Grand Harbor Marina. We
are proud of this place not only because that's where we keep "Liberty
Belle," but also because of what it is. So come and stay overnight or even
longer. Just about anyone on the dock can tell you where to find our slip and
if Joanie and I are there, we would be delighted to meet you.
Fred
Visit Fred's cruising guides home page.
Learn more about recent changes and updates to conditions on the Tennessee River, Cumberland River and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
Read Fred Myers' "On the River Front" Column
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