The Gathering (Sept 2014)

For 15 or better years there has been "A Gathering" of Glen-L boat builders. Most of those have taken place at Hale's Bar Marina on Lake Nickajack. I try to stop down there every other year or so.  

Headed toward the marina with all my gear.

This was taken by a fellow boater/builder as I was "motor sailing" to the marina from the boat ramp.

Here is a good shot of me with Little Bit at the dock. 

 I slept on Little Bit under a tarp at the marina that night. 

I actually took a short sail with "crew". This man had driven down from Minnesota IIRC with his 15 year old grandson who had built his own boat. The grandfather kept a larger sailboat on one of the big lakes up there. It was a frustrating outing, at least at first. The wind kicked up and took us quickly out from the dock into the shallows (there is a reason they call it Hale's Bar). We got caught in the weeds or whatever it is that grows on the bottom of the lake there. It was difficult getting out of it. Once we did, we had a decent sail. The little "Zip" in the foreground is being skippered by the fellow who snapped my picture posted above. 

If you'll  notice, you can see the growth just behind Little Bit. 

Here is a pic of Little Bit next to the grandson's boat. He's standing on the right.

Here are a couple of the very nice boats that show up at The Gathering. Real craftsmanship!!!!

Here's a shot of the interior of the yellow and white trawler. IIRC this boat is from St. Louis. 

Here's a link to more photos of this event. 

Youth Group from Deep Springs Baptist Church

Here are a few pictures of the Deep Springs Baptist Church teens on a sailing outing on Heaven Bound in 2005 shortly after I became pastor. This is up on Chickamauga Lake. We launched from Harrison Bay State Park ramp.

 

Here they are up on Watts Bar in 2007. We sailed over to a little island about a mile south of our lot and hung out for a while before returning for a bonfire.

Land Camping Harrison Bay (June 2015)

We did a family campout at Harrison Bay State Park in June of 2015. We took some watercraft along though we camped on the hard. 

Here we are packed and ready to go.

 Camp is set up. You can see the Little Bit and my kayak in the background. The inflatable is somewhere, back of the Trailblazer I guess.

We had a swell time. The next day we spent some water time.

Robin and Tara had a blast in the inflatable.

Misc

I've come across some photos scattered about my many files of pictures that I thought should be on this blog. No order here.

Here are two picture that I love. The first is of Tara carrying Luke. We are on Heaven Bound on Watts Bar Lake. We had a lot with a dock up there for 12 years. This picture had to be made just before Luke was born in May 2006. 

This second one is of Luke with me on Pixie in September 2010. We went up to Ocoee Lake for a little row. I took him over to my camping spot. 

Here's another of Luke in the kayak taken Aug 2017. He would have been 11. 

Here's a picture of Little Bit ready for her maiden voyage. Notice she is not named yet. 

Here is a heavily cropped image of that first sail. Shortly after I began sailing her, I switched to a push/pull tiller so that I could sit on the sole of the boat and keep my weight low.

I'm pretty sure this picture was taken at the conclusion of the maiden voyage. Precious!

Ocoee (April 2020)

One final entry to catch up on the Ocoee camping trips. This one happened to be in the spring. Still pretty chilly though. 

Though the weather was like the previous two trips, there was no color this time. 

 Gone were the pallet table and jumping platform.

This time I pitched my tent up the hill a little on an old overgrown road bed.

I took a couple nighttime shots. Notice my beard. I've never had a full beard but grew this one just before this trip in memory of my dad who passed away on Easter, April 12, 2009. 2020 will be the last time in my lifetime that Easter will fall on 4/12. Dad loved having a beard. 

I really enjoyed my time "exploring" on this trip. Here are several pics of the creek that runs down the mountain into the lake at the tip of this cove. 

I had some good reading material too. Besides my Bible which is on my phone, I took along an issue of Small Craft Adviser, a great magazine. 

Here is my tent and sleeping bag packed up and ready for the trip home. This was the first time to use this sleeping bag and it was pretty comfortable though it wasn't bitter cold. 

And here's another good pic of Little Bit. I love the way the light is hitting her in the photo. 

Can't wait to return!

Ocoee on Little Bit (Nov 2014)

 Just a quick post here to log my second Ocoee trip - this time on Little Bit which was completed in 2012. 

Again, the trip was in the fall with beautiful weather and color. Note that I'm still using the ancient stove. 

On this trip the interesting feature of the camp was the platform used by the younger set, no doubt for swinging by rope and dropping into the lake. OSHA would be pleased! 

Here is a nice shot of the cove or "finger" where the campsite it located.

And finally, here is a nice shot of Little Bit. 

I love this excursion!