Cruise up to the Hiawassee River

Last week we spent about 5-6 days on the boat...so nice to get away!  We intended to cruise up to Lake Tellico but took a more leisurely route and just did about a 30 mile one way trip up the TN River to a great anchorage on the Hiawassee River.  Some pictures.....

Cleaning the boat at the dock prior to departing...great to finally have some good weather instead of the cold rainy spring we had!

 

We stopped by Shady Grove Harbor about 10 miles up the river from Island Cove to take advantage of the "low price" diesel they had....never thought I'd be excited to pay "only" $3.80 per gallon!  Considering that other marinas in the area are around $4.40 a gallon though this was a good deal.  So we took on about 160 gallons to nearly top off our tanks for this season's cruising.

My wife Tarne and our daughter Sarah at the helm as we cruise up towards the Hiawassee...beautiful day and love my girls!

Sarah had lots of solo time at the helm as we sat in the settee behind her as she cruised us up river.

 

One of the joys of your children growing up is that they can drive the boat (with our watchful eye!) while my wife and I relax together in the pilothouse settee and enjoy the day together.

Even Daisy, The Reluctant Boat Dog, was having fun.

Our anchorage on the Hiawassee could not have been prettier.  It had a narrow entrance with water only about 10'-12' deep but it opened up to be a wonderful wooded cove with more birds than you could imagine.  It was like anchoring in a bird sanctuary.  Truly, truly beautiful!

 View of the boat from the back end of the cove....

 Tarne kayaking around the cove in the evening light...so peaceful!!

 Sunset off the transom as we grilled out and watched birds from blue herons to 2 peregrine falcons that had a nest in a tree at the back of the anchorage.

 Usually the kid sleep in their separate staterooms but one night they had fun sleeping in the bunk beds together reading.  You can also see the hamsters that travel with us sitting on the writing desk.  :)

Sunrise dawned calm and beautiful with the water still as glass and bird song everywhere.

 This picture reminded me of when the kids were younger so much.  They used to paddle around together with Sarah sitting in the back of the kayak way back when we used to be on Lake Lanier which seems ages ago these days.  They had fun singing songs and kayaking around together.

 And I could not resist kayaking around myself to the back ends of the cove and exploring the wooded shoreline. 

 All in all, a great, great 5 days on the boat.  The kids had fun swimming in the Island Cove Marina pool, fishing on the docks, cruising the river, and just hanging out together as a family.  Unfortunately on our way back to the marina we hit something submerged in the water.  We never did see what it was but felt it and heard it when it happened.  We immediately noticed the vibration afterwards.  So....this morning the boat has been hauled out and the yard has determined we have a bent shaft and bent props.  FUN!  Calls to the insurance company have been made, surveyor coming tomorrow to asses the damage for them, and hopefully new props and shaft installed by end of tomorrow so we can get back on the boat and do some more cruising around the river ASAP.  Thankfully no major damage at all.  Other than the shaft and prop repair the boat is running great.  We had the injector, timing, and valves all done and the smoking issue we had with them is gone and she runs smooth as could be.  We also added a new remote control spotlight and a new hot water heater to the boat this season which we have enjoyed.   Even more fun....we replaced the worn out gypsy on the anchor windlass and ordered and installed 175' of all new anchor chain.  A new bimini and mooring cover for the flybridge is on order as well.  Stay tuned!