Rough start for sailing

Friday night - 9:30 ET. On board the Delta Queen. Getting to the boat turned out to be an exercise in screwed-up communication. Judy picked us up at 1, and drove directly to the waterfront and, LO & BEHOLD, there was no Delta Queen to be found! What the HELL? John went off looking, and in the meantime I found some folks in the parking lot who were also looking for the DQ (yes, I know that's usually the Dairy Queen, but, get used to it!) They called the 1-800 # for the cruise line, and they were told the boat wasn't there. Well, yes - we can see that. They should drive 20 miles west on I-24 to the Haletown Exit, and board the boat there. While we were trying to figure that out, somebody else found out that there were buses waiting at the airport to take people to the boat.

Back into the car we get, with the ever-patient Judy still driving. Now we were in the lead of a caravan with the other folks (also from Southern CA) in their rental car, heading to the airport. Sure enough, when we got there, two cross-country-size buses were waiting in front of the terminal. We thanked Judy profusely and send her on her way, then get on the bus. When the bus leaft about 15 minutes later, there were about a dozen people on board. The bus swung by the ChooChoo and picked up another passenger, and then headed west on I-24. We got to the Haletown exit and the bus kept going, then another exit, then another. We were hoping it was headed for South Pittsburg, because we'd be sure we'd been hijacked otherwise. Sure enough, the bus headed for South Pittsburg, and the DQ was parked almost under the South Pittsburg bridge.

We got on - relieved just to see that the boat really did exist. Ann & Al got the upgrade to the "A" cabin, but when we tried to get their "C", there was somebody else ahead of us in the "upgrade line". Of course, those folks took the cabin, and we moved our stuff into the "F". We kept hoping somebody else wouldn't show up, but that was not to be the case.

We played some bridge, and had a very nice dinner. The weather is still miserably hot - definitely didn't want to sit out on deck. On the bow deck, there are two porch swings, which would be wonderful under other circumstances. There are large rocking chairs all around on all decks.

We asked one of the officers why the boat didn't dock in Chattanooga. He said it was because of the festival being held on the waterfront - like they didn't know that months and months ago. And that the passengers were supposed to be notified that they were to be picked up at the airport. Obviously somebody screwed up, because no one was notified - and we made our reservations two days ago! Folks were understandably pissed off, and none more so than the crew.

Saturday, 11 August 2007
Well, I've found out there is WiFi in one place on board, so I'll get in occasionally. When the boat left last night, it kept heading upstream. Most went on to bed, but I stayed up for a bit. I asked where we were going, and was told that we were going to Chattanooga (!!!!) to refuel. Doesn't make a great deal of sense, but we go where the boat goes. I went on to bed.

We must've spent the night somewhere in the Chattanooga area, because when we got up, we were just passing Baylor School and Macllelan Island (Chattanoogans will know where that is). We were pleased that we were going to be able to sail through the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee in the daytime. And it was lovely. It was breezy and comfortable (in the shade) all morning. We didn't get back to our starting point at South Pittsburg until nearly lunchtime. Again, I don't have to figure these things out - just enjoy the ride.

No photo today - I hope to have one from the river tomorrow.