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Magazine – Print and Digital. Southern ways. Sunshine days. Water is the canvas on which we Southerners paint our lives. With compelling stories and exceptional photography we reflect and introduce people, rivers, towns, lakes, and coastlines...homes, food, history and events from life in the South. On the water.
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Shopping Marketplace What’s for sale on the water?
The things you need for your life on the water…with reader recommendations.
Ladies on the Water Seminars and classes – publisher Christy Martin talks boating.
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River Trivia Photo Contests Watch newsletters and the magazine for new contests.
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winter 2013 Contributors Shelly Adams was raised on Guntersville Lake and lives with
Southern ways. Sunshine days. Water is the canvas on which we Southerners paint our lives. Life on the Water is a magazine media that explores and introduces with a blend of people, lakes, rivers, towns, food, history and culture. It’s life in the South…on the water. publishers | Billy and Christy Martin info@lifeonthewater.com editor | Kim Broyles kim@lifeonthewater.com
her husband near Guntersville State Park in their creek-side cabin. She never gets too far from the water. Shelly is a nurse as well as a freelance travel and food journalist.
Nichole Alred owns Alred Photography in Guntersville, Alabama. She specializes in outdoor portraits. She has ample opportunity to shoot the changing scenery of the Tennessee River and Lake Guntersville. Guntersville Marina is the other family business; her father-in-law is the owner and her husband the manager. Before moving to Guntersville Nichole served six years in the U.S. Army, including two in Iraq. alredphotography.com
sales & | Sherry Proctor marketing 256-777-4108 sherry@lifeonthewater.com
Dean Graber was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, and his family canoed the Harpeth, Buffalo, and Hiwassee rivers in his dad’s battered aluminum Grumman. Working for the former Nashville Banner from 1987-1990 he authored a series exploring changes in Tennessee River towns between Pickwick and Kentucky Lakes. He recently returned to Tennessee after 18 years in Texas and to the Southern rivers that he loves.
business | Mary Catherine Lee operations marycatherine@lifeonthewater.com
Tim Haston has made Jackson County Alabama home for
designer | Cindy Young
art@lifeonthewater.com
subscriptions | lifeonthewater.com/256-882-1972
marycatherine@lifeonthewater.com
consultant | Fred Myers special thanks to:
Parker Towing and George H. Anderson, Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau and Taryn Sammons
distribution
To become a distribution point call 256-882-1972 or contact marycatherine@lifeonthewater.com
most of his life. He lives in Scottsboro with his wife, Shannon, and two daughters, Wimberly and Windsor. He enjoys the simple wonders of nature, the seasonal beauty of North Alabama and the Southern spirit of the people of the area. He is motivated by the many blessings God has given him through friends and family and loves to share his thoughts through writing.
Ann Rezabek is a writer living in Huntsville, Alabama with her daughter and two calico cats. She grew up in nearby Scottsboro, Alabama. “I jumped at the chance to visit the Tennessee Fitness Spa. Any assignment that includes the word ‘spa’ gets an automatic ‘YES’ from me!”
contact information
Daymarker Enterprises, LLC P.O. Box 12171 • Huntsville, Al 35815 3313 South Memorial Parkway, Suite 108 Huntsville, AL 35801 256-882-1972 877-274-0767 – toll free 256-882-7809 – fax info@lifeonthewater.com friend lifeonthewater follow lifeonthewater search lifeonthewater.com find lifeonthewater look for lifeonthewater All rights reserved. All advertisements and documents provided by LIFE ON THE WATER Magazine and Website and DAYMARKER ENTERPRISES, LLC (publisher) are solely owned and used by LIFE ON THE WATER Magazine and Website and DAYMARKER ENTERPRISES, LLC. Publisher may use any advertisement published in the Publication for its own promotion purposes in any media. Publisher shall remain sole owner of all art, designer and photographic work produced. Reproductions or use without written permission in any manner is strictly prohibited. The information in this magazine in not intended to replace authorized maps or information from official charts, maps, guides or educational sources. ©2012
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On the cover Mardi Gras. It’s a colorful, loud, over-thetop Southern tradition. Come join the party!
Sharing the beach
13 20 28 38
A Beautiful Beginning The Tennessee Fitness Spa
Departments 7 | Contests Annual photo contest
Beads & Beaches
12 | Above Board Products you’ll want
Escape to the Mississippi Gulf Coast
46 | Food Comfort Food
Giving Back Seven Southern Heroes
Moving Mountains Life for a towboat crew
53 | In the Current New TVA fees bring higher costs for boaters
In Every Issue 6 | Take Me to the River 8 | Voices 9 | Reflections 34 | Map Resort Spas 52 | Ship’s Store 54 | Marketplace What’s For Sale on the water? 61 | Resource Directory 62 | Living Water River men
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take me to the river
Editor Kim Broyles cozies up to the 2012 Biloxi Mardi Gras King, Mark Mavar.
Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2013* 1. Become more physically fit
2. Improve financial condition 3. Improve health 4. Lose weight 5. R ead more Become more educated 6. Improve work habits/career situation 7. Travel more 8. Improve family relationships 9. Do more volunteer work 10. Change overall attitude: be more positive *FC Organizational Products LLC
F
For a list maker and planner like me, the new year is invigorating. It brings the chance to reflect on the past months and check off some items from the list of life’s to-dos with a satisfying “ah.” I readily admit that I take more than just a little pleasure in the physical act of checking something off a list. If it was a particularly onerous task I have been known to scratch through it with heavy, black ink and enough pressure to leave lines in the three or four pages beneath. That small act of aggression makes me feel I have somehow paid back that task for the trouble it put me through. The to-do list items that always bring me the most grief, though, are the ones I was not able to check off before I turn the calendar page over to a new year. I am very good at taking care of my responsibilities…to my family, my job and my volunteer commitments. That always leaves the ones centered on me at the bottom of the list. Those are the ones that are prone to get transferred from one year’s list to the next. Good intentions and a lack of time equal discouragement. But that’s what makes a new year so exhilarating. It’s life’s do-over. Everyone gets to start fresh, with a blank canvas and 12 months to paint your new and improved life. I hope you find some inspiration in this issue of Life on the Water as you think about what you hope 2013 might hold for you. I know I did. Probably the most common resolution come January 1 involves losing weight and becoming more fit and healthy. If that one made your list too check out our feature on the Tennessee Fitness Spa and a few of the inspiring people who have found a path to better health at this gem (and gym) in our own backyard. Another popular resolution is to find ways to match whatever you have been blessed with – time, money, talents or ideas – with an unmet need. I was inspired by the giving and talented people we found throughout the South who have coupled a love of the water with a cause they are passionate about. A personal resolution for me in 2012 was to seek out more adventure. To say yes to more things outside my fairly narrow comfort zone. Maybe that was what I had in mind as I planned the features for this issue, because each of them required the writer to step into something unfamiliar. Writer Dean Graber and photographer Nichole Alred bravely spent four days on a tow-boat traveling the Black Warrior River to bring our readers a taste of what these river men go through to help keep the economy of the South moving. Read for yourself what Ann Rezabek felt before making the journey to the Tennessee Fitness Spa for four days of exercising, dieting and motivation. And me, well I spent four days on the Mississippi Gulf Coast exploring the bounty of that beautiful place and participating in Mardi Gras. OK, maybe that wasn’t really outside of my comfort zone. But it was an adventure! All of us at Life on the Water hope 2013 brings you good health, adventures on the water, and blessings to share. Happy New Year.
Kim editor
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voices ABOUT OUR FALL ISSUE
“I just wanted to send you a quick email to tell you that I really enjoyed the article Progress at a Price. Being the old person that I am, I have heard this story before (about the areas that were flooded), but I really enjoyed reading this! It’s like we need to be reminded every once in a while. Also, I found it interesting that case workers were assigned to document what happened to the displaced families and that some went undocumented. I told my husband that it reminded me a little of all the people leaving New Orleans. Of course, different story, but I’ve often wondered if anyone knows or documented where those who fled New Orleans post-Katrina ended up.” Brenda Parker - Madison, Alabama “I did not know we had sturgeon in the Tennessee River. That is amazing to me. Good story in your last magazine. I learned something new!” Marsha Butler - Paris, Tennessee “Hey, we tried the Apple Cobbler on a stick recipe and it works. Very good.” Jonathan Wilkes, age 9 - on the dock at Island Cove Marina, Harrison, Tennessee
BUT WAIT. THERE’S MORE!
Not all the interesting stories we come across make it into the magazine. Look on our website and in our electronic newsletters for more articles, anecdotes and photos. A reader tweeted on the website story about Ditto Landing floating their old gas dock down the Tennessee River to a marina on the Tenn-Tom Waterway. “I passed that building floating down the Tenn Tom Waterway. I thought it was from flooding or something. Glad to know it’s at Midway Marina.” Sean Henson - Burnsville, Mississippi
What’s on your mind? editor@lifeonthewater.com
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JUST WONDERING
“Very odd - just saw three big, pretty, white pelicans on the lake in front of our house. I’ve never seen them before. Is this odd?” Sharon Spurlin – Athens, Alabama At Life on the Water we take pride in being a resource for our readers. We may not always know the answer, but often times we know someone who does. For the answer to this question we consulted Dwight Cooley, project manager at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in North Alabama. “Historically, white pelicans moved through the Tennessee River Valley in fall on their way from large nesting colonies along the Great Lakes and in the prairie potholes to the Gulf Coast where they winter in large numbers. In the spring they move back through to those nesting grounds. Until recently, probably the last 25 years or so, most of those fall birds moved through the area pretty quickly. However, relatively large numbers have been lingering into and, in some cases, through winter in places like Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Elk River, various sites along the Tennessee River and below Wheeler and Wilson photo: Sharon Spurlin Dams. Most wildlife biologists think that they are wintering further north because of the gradual warming trends documented over the past 25 years. Little data to support that theory, but it makes sense to me. Warmer temperatures mean shallow water areas, which they prefer, remain open throughout the winter and forage species, such as shad, concentrate in those areas. So, the simple answer is open water and food remain available and accessible for longer periods, and the pelicans take advantage of the situation.”
The Winter The time most met with dread. The shortened days and long bitter nights That grant such bleakness throughout the earth. How our hatred blinds us to the splendor you offer. Then God reminds us in moments – Every season has a beauty all its own. - reflections by Tim Haston winter 2013 | lifeonthewater.com |
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life o nthewater . c o m NEWS SPECIAL REPORT: Taxing Times at TVA Writer Yvonne Betowt gives a factual report on why TVA is charging marinas on their managed waterways up to four percent of gross sales.
WATERBLOGGED Complete the sentence. New year, new __________________.
IN THE CURRENT Fourteen cozy ideas for Valentine’s Day ON THE WATER. And Flo Rivers must-haves for Mardi Gras - fish bobbers - ring buoy - boat hook read her story coming in January
RESOURCES A complete list with links and phone numbers. Subscribe before FEBRUARY 28TH and get our BONUS 2013 Resource & Savings Guide. Over 100 pages of “Did You Know?” on Southern waters and PROMO CODES for Life on the Water readers. CALENDAR Comprehensive list of BOAT, RV, OUTDOOR and HOME SHOWS through March. Great inside fun.
Stephanie Potts - Illustrator
Where the river holds your heart...
SAVANNAH • PICKWICK • SHILOH Plan your Storybook wedding in Hardin County Call 1-800-552-3866 or visit TourHardinCounty.org
www.FineLight.org
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above board
A few of our favorite things!
proclaim your passion If you are a lake girl and proud of it, don’t be shy. Proclaim your passion with a fun hoodie. This classic cut, front zip sweatshirt has pockets and roomy side gussets. The 80/20 cotton blend guarantees it is soft and comfortable. $65.00 Other colors and styles available at All About Her in Guntersville, Alabama. To order call 256-582-2555 or visit allaboutherfashions.com.
stop the swat The Pass Christian Soap Company’s Fresh Lemongrass collection is infused with natural lemongrass essential oils. The liquid hand soap and lotion not only leave skin smelling clean and fresh, but they also pull double-duty by removing unpleasant odors from your hands like fish, onions and more. Plus, it is also known as a NATURAL INSECT REPELLENT! That’s a lot of performance per pump! $12 hand soap and $18 hand lotion can be ordered at passsoap.com or 888-702-5490.
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it’s just a jar away A pecan pie you can be proud of is just a jar away. Open, add fresh eggs and butter and bake in your favorite pie shell. Makes a perfect pecan pie every time. How easy is that! One jar makes one deep dish pie or two small pecan pies. Available from SanSaba River Pecan Company for $12.95. 800-621-8121 or visit greatpecans.com.
“This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change.� -Taylor Swift
A Beautiful Beginning The Tennessee Fitness Spa
by Ann Rezabek
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The trip ultimately reaffirmed and strengthened my beliefs that the human spirit is a mighty force, extraordinary changes are quite possible, and it’s easier with a little help from friends.
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ater spilled over the limestone ridge, turning a wooden water wheel carrying soothing dripdrops into a stream. A cool breeze snuck around the corner. My eyes closed as I breathed deeply. Being captivated by nature’s beauty is rare for me, and I wanted to relish the moment. Quiet, curving roads had led me here…to the Tennessee Fitness Spa. People from all over the world come here for any number of reasons -- to lose weight, get healthy, exercise, eat right, quit smoking, relax, rejuvenate or simply center themselves. Positive changes and new beginnings are perhaps easier here, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the world and busy lives.
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ore than 20 years ago Joe Shaw was destined for a fresh start of his own after retirement. He happened upon this place while visiting his nearby hometown of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Abandoned and overgrown, the property’s unique beauty and potential were nonetheless evident to him. Joe’s entrepreneurial and adventurous spirit had served him well in the Alaskan real estate market and the Florida restaurant business; it could certainly do the same here. 14 | lifeonthewater.com | winter 2013
Joe and his wife Nancy decided to buy the stunning 100-acre piece of land in Waynesboro, Tennessee and transform it into a fitness spa much like ones he enjoyed frequenting. Within a year, the property was cleared and cleaned, buildings were spruced up, and rustic chalets were built. What was once a recreational trout fishing camp, then a tourist resort, and then a country music concert venue, officially became the Tennessee Fitness Spa (TFS) in 1991. Able to accommodate 58 guests today, the family owned and operated spa is welcoming. Rachel Miller, the general manager and daughter of Joe and Nancy, says the spa strives to be affordable and accessible. Rooms are basic, clean and comfortable…not luxurious. Wayne County’s lower cost of living helps keep spa costs down, while pampering services like massages and manicures are offered as extras rather than being included in standard rates. These factors combine to provide a good value for the investment in your health.
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he spa is definitely fitness-oriented with plenty of exercise equipment, hiking trails and a racquetball court. Classes like free-weight aerobics, Tabata and aqua abs are offered in the aerobics gym and the enclosed, heated pool. Nutrition, self-defense and other educational
and motivational classes, plus fun activities like bingo and occasional special events are also options for spa guests. The hot tub, sauna and sun deck are popular spots for relaxing during the typical week-long stay. But the property’s natural beauty constantly yet quietly vies for my attention. The incredibly clean and clear FortyEight Creek gurgles and tumbles near the rustic chalets and cozy dining hall and porch. And the only known doublespan natural bridge formation in the world is found here. It’s magnificent! A nearby freshwater spring weathered the limestone for millions of years to give us this wonder. While the spa offers much in the way of natural beauty, facilities, classes and activities, I found its greatest asset to be the gracious, caring staff. They provide a non-threatening, non-judgmental and safe environment where guests can feel comfortable and encouraged to take those first steps toward a healthier lifestyle. Each staff member was genuinely open, friendly and helpful…ready to meet guests on their current fitness level while providing them with the knowledge, tools and encouragement to move forward.
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any of the staff have been here a long time by today’s standards yet remain passionate about their work. For 13 years Head Chef Belinda Jones has joyfully served up her passion for good nutrition. Guests enjoy three tasty, limited-calorie meals daily, with vegan and vegetarian options available. The salad and fruit bar can supplement your meals and healthy snacks are yours for the taking in a small refrigerator found in the dining room’s comfortable lobby. Just for the record, my favorite dish was the Very Berry Raspberry Parfait; it was beautiful to look at and even better to eat! Fitness Director Kimi Kelley, a bundle of energy at the spa for 11 years, constantly inspires guests to reach for better health whether you’re chatting with her in the dining room or working hard in a class. Even though I was nervous before the new-to-me aqua aerobics and Resist-A-Ball classes, I had fun and was challenged. Kimi and all the instructors offer suggestions during classes and morning walks to accommodate guests of all fitness levels. My favorite walk, though, was Dean Ware’s historical tour of the Natural Bridge. Nobody here seems to know more about nature and local history than Dean, who graciously
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Guests feel comfortable and are encouraged to take those first steps toward a healthier lifestyle. shares his knowledge. He’s also in charge of grounds beautification, a task he usually performs while whistling beautiful melodies. Friends come here together, as well as husbands and wives, mothers and daughters, aunts and nieces. Plenty of individuals visit, too. All have a story to tell. Rachel Cooke was serving in Afghanistan as a U.S. diplomat when she discovered TFS online. She was searching for a place to decompress and lose weight once she’d completed her assignment overseas. TFS was ultimately a better value than a similar spa in Spain. She spent two weeks at TFS in 2011 and was back for a return visit when I met her. Lucinda Gibson of Sandy Springs, Georgia first came to TFS in 1997. She has come back almost every year since then. During the two years she missed her spa trip, cancer took away her appetite and contributed to her significant weight loss. Now cancer free, she continues to visit TFS for a yearly rejuvenation. The catalyst for Katie Swift came during her 40th birthday party in Edinburgh, Scotland. A surprise photo album
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couldn’t lie. She said the hardest part was “seeing what you had done to yourself.” Deciding it was time to invest in her health, Katie found TFS online. Soon after, it became her home for 12 weeks. The beginning was the hardest; then physical and emotional successes started rolling in weekly. Now, 56 pounds lighter, Katie says she is ready to continue living a healthy life.
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he stories continue..... Marianne Hutchison from Brevard, North Carolina has come here twice a year for five years; she calls the visits her “six-month tone-ups.” Linda Brunton has travelled here 10 times from Nashville, Tennessee since her first visit in 2008; each time, she takes a dip in Forty-Eight Creek with anyone who is game. (Most guests are more likely to fish than swim in the creek’s cool waters.) Let’s get back to Katie. I was fortunate to be at TFS when she received her Block of Fame before heading back to Scotland. You earn a block by losing 50 pounds, 50 inches or
25% body fat. She epitomizes what this spa is all about – people making healthy, positive changes. Katie’s new block and 27 others along a pretty path testify to the power of the human will and the success to be embraced at the Tennessee Fitness Spa. In opening myself to this new experience, I was apprehensive. Those uncertainties dissolved as I realized all the guests were on the same journey regardless of the unique lives and motivations that led us here. Ours was a strong common bond. The trip ultimately reaffirmed and strengthened my beliefs that the human spirit is a mighty force, extraordinary changes are quite possible, and it’s easier with a little help from friends. Feeling inspired and hopeful, I packed up the car. Quiet, curving roads led me home. Visit tfspa.com for information. Lucinda Gibson and Teena Fuller with their blocks on the Walk of Fame.
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escape
Beads & Beaches Good Times Roll on the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Kim Broyles There’s a stretch of beach at the very top of the Gulf of Mexico, tucked behind barrier islands and wedged in between Alabama and Louisiana, that’s full of surprises. Yes the Gulf views are beautiful… it’s the beach! But turn 180 degrees, face land, and surprisingly the views are just as beautiful. What you won’t see are high rising condo buildings, resembling so many sunflowers planted three deep along the beach, each trying to peek around the next for a slice of sunshine. Instead, from this beach facing inland you view see old and historic SOUTHERN homes with a lot of character. This stretch of beach is Biloxi, Mississippi, and it’s not your average beach town. In fact, it’s a study in contradictions. It’s where the Old South meets progress. Where tranquility mingles with the “ding, ding, ding” of a thousand slot machines. The Southern drawls are as thick as the Spanish moss on the live oaks when natives greet the busloads of people from all over who come to Biloxi for….well, for all it has to offer. It might be the casinos that bring in many of the tourists, but you can bet they leave feeling as if they got more from the trip than they expected.
The South’s Biggest Party
If they come at just the right time, what they will get is Mardi Gras. No place throws a party better than the South. It’s a fact, and any true Southerner will tell you so. It’s also a fact that the number one Southern party - the biggest, liveliest and most talked about - is Mardi Gras. Celebrated each winter along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama, Mardi Gras is the carnival season between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday when participants literally eat, drink and act merry before repenting and beginning the season of fasting and sacrifice leading up to Easter Sunday. In 2013, Biloxi and towns all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast such as Pass Christian, Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis will celebrate Mardi Gras with a month of parades and parties culminating on Fat Tuesday, February 12. I found the region awash in purple, green and gold. Street lights, store windows, automobiles and porch railings were all festooned with bunting, beads and doubloons. You needn’t worry a lazy neighbor will leave their Christmas decorations up too long. Nearly as soon as the last wrapping and ribbon hits the trash, the red and green is replaced by the trappings of Mardi Gras. All except for the tree. It gets double duty as the candy canes and strings of popcorn come off and the feathers, ribbon and beads go on. No doubt artificial trees are big business along the coast. No live tree could withstand so many months of merry-making.
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escape
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escape This is not New Orleans
Mardi Gras. If the words conjure up images of over indulgence and downright debauchery, you might be thinking of the celebration immortalized (or immoral-ized depending on your point of view) in New Orleans. I found the Biloxi event to be more of a family-friendly affair. Gazing down the parade route I saw a father with his child perched on his shoulders, arms stretched high and begging for beads. Senior citizens in lawn chairs were seated right on the edge of the route, placed up front out of respect. Teenagers were sprawled across the hoods of pickup trucks. One special corner along the parade route was the reserved territory of local adults with disabilities.
Cast of Characters
It reminded me of another big southern party tradition – the football tailgate. As with a big football game, people began arriving hours early – long before the parade started to roll. They jockeyed for prime real estate to set up grills and lawn chairs and to position coolers. Corners are a favored location because the floats must slow down there to make the turn. Souvenir carts were concentrated along the route, and merrymakers took advantage of their wares. From giant glasses displaying the year, to feather boas, stuffed animals, crazy hats and of course, beads, I saw it all on one cart or another. Some people arrived in plain clothes and then added to their costume as they mingled among the carts. Others showed up in full Mardi Gras attire. Scanning the crowd, I spotted more than a few pirates, wigs in every shade of gaudy imaginable, bodies painted purple or green, and some get-ups I can’t put a label to. I wondered if the entire crowd had been shopping in Elton John’s closet. Once I was properly attired I went in search of royalty. Each year King d’Iberville and Queen Ixolib, along with their royal court of dukes, maids and pages, reign over the Biloxi festivities. They hold court on their respective floats before the parade starts, wearing their elaborate and coordinated costumes, posing for photos and talking with parade goers. I shamelessly flashed my press pass for a chance to talk with them and cozy up for a group photograph.
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It’s All About the Beads
Especially prized are the beads from one of the royal floats. The Mardi Gras King, Queen and court have custom beads or other trinkets made representing the theme of that year’s celebration. To catch something from a royal is a BIG DEAL! Following the royal floats were about 100 others, many twostories, sponsored by businesses, families and local Mardi Gras Krewes. Most of them were laden with thousands of strands of beads or other trinkets. Outfitting one float with enough beads to last the entire route can cost tens of thousands of dollars. By the time the parade started moving, people were 10deep along the entire length of the route. After catching a few strands of beads, some were content to watch the revelers on the floats pass by, listen to the loud, blaring music of one float fade quickly into the loud, blaring music of the next float. But most parade watchers used a creative range of tactics to get beads. The common baby grabber was popular. Put a beadless child with pleading eyes and outstretched arms right up front. That heart-tugging tactic was hard for me to resist, until I saw more than one child drop the beads they just snatched out of the hand of the little old lady beside them into a paper grocery sack filled half-way up with more beads. Then I knew I had been played. There were signs, too. “I’m a vet.” or “My dad’s 87 and loves beads.” or “I’m from Indiana.” Some tried to engage me in a game by offering targets I could aim for as I threw strand after strand of beads. The tactics differed, but the message was the same. “Throw me some beads.” It was hard to tell who was having the best time, the watchers or the float-riders, because riding on a float is an exhilarating experience. It’s enough to make your head swell big enough to fill one of those crazy hats so many were wearing. People were calling out to me… begging me for 25cent beads. This must be how true royalty or celebrity A-listers feel all the time. It was a rush!
Experience It
Mardi Gras! They whole thing is one loud, gaudy, colorful cacophony of high-energy fun. It’s not really about who can grab, beg and snatch the most beads. It’s about the experience.
escape
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escape Mississippi Gulf Coast Getting There New Orleans Atlanta Memphis Huntsville Chattanooga Paducah
1.5 hours 6 hours 6 hours 6.5 hours 7.5 hours 9.5 hours
Mardi Gras Plus... the Dice - With 12 casinos in Biloxi ✔Throw and Bay St. Louis, there is plenty of action…gaming,
Biloxi Lighthouse
slots, restaurants, golf, spas, clubs, pools and first-class entertainment. These casinos have everything you need to make your vacation complete. - The Mississippi Gulf Coast is awash in ✔Remember history. From Beauvoir (the last home of Jefferson Davis) to the Hurricane Katrina Memorial, the rich heritage and cultural diversity of the area is preserved and promoted. - There is no shortage of things to do after dark. ✔Boogie Many of the casinos, bars and restaurants offer live music. The larger venues regularly feature big-name acts. - about art, space, pottery, science, shrimping and ✔Learn much more at one of the Gulf Coast’s many museums. NASA’s newest attraction, the Infinity Science Center, is on the west end of the coast at Stennis Space Center. - at any number of festivals throughout the ✔Celebrate year, like Cruisin’ the Coast in October, or Art in the Pass in April. - fresh seafood at award-winning restaurants like Mary ✔Eat Mahoney’s and the Blow Fly Inn. Or Biloxi’s Half Shell Oyster House will serve you oysters five different ways or on a po-boy. But don’t leave without trying The Shed’s famous bar-b-cue and sauces, or beignets covered in powdered sugar from McElroy’s Harbor House, or a sizzling steak from Lookout Steak House. There won’t be enough days in the week to try out all the culinary gems along the coast of Mississippi.
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Beauvoir
escape photos: Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau
On The Water FISH - for speckled trout, redfish, cobia, drum, flounder, shark, mackerel and more aboard one of 50 charter boats EXPLORE • Experience the cypress swamps and marshes of the Pascagoula and Wolf Rivers. Power and paddle tours available, or bring your own kayak or canoe. • Discover diversity of sea life pulled up in the nets of the Sailfish on the Biloxi Shrimping Trip. • Take a dolphin cruise. BEACH - Relax to the sound of lapping waves along the Biloxi beach, the longest man-made beach in the WORLD! Or take a cruise out to Ship Island for a picnic and some real wave action. VACATION - With nearly 13,000 hotel rooms, plus home rentals, B & Bs and camping, there is no shortage of options. MARINAS Biloxi Small Craft Harbor, (228) 436-4062 Gulfport - Leisure Services, (228) 868-5881 Long Beach Harbor, (228) 863-4795 Ocean Springs Harbor, (228) 872-5754 Pass Christian Harbor, (228) 452-5128 Point Cadet Marina, Biloxi, (228) 436-9312
photo: My South Coast Home by Ken Murphy
For More Info gulfcoast.org
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Heading to the water usually means time to relax, visit with friends and family and maybe kick up your heels just a bit. But for many waterlovers it’s not only about kicking’ back, it’s also about giving back. Meet a few Southern heroes who are using their passion for the water to make life better on a local, regional or even international level.
7 Southern Heroes
Giving Back
“ People on the river are happy to give.” Proud Mary by John Fogerty
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Nashville to Africa – The GRAMMY® -winning contemporary Christian band, Jars of Clay, founded Blood:Water Mission after funding a late-stage AIDS hospice in Africa and discovering the link between living with HIV/AIDS and the need for clean water. Blood:Water Mission, based in Nashville, Tennessee, raises awareness through grass-roots efforts like water walks. Participants in a water walk gain a better understanding for the daily struggle many Africans face to get water by walking a mile or so to fill up a five-gallon jug, then walking back with the full jug. Blood:Water Mission has raised millions of dollars to provided more than 700,000 people in 1,100 communities in Africa with wells and clean water. For more information, or to get involved, visit bloodwatermission.com.
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2
Alabama Gulf Coast – Mike Reynolds saw someone watching over a sea turtle nest in his home of Gulf Shores, Alabama and got interested. He nurtured that interest into an organization of 350 volunteers that patrol 47 miles of beach along the Alabama Gulf Coast from Dauphin Island to the Flora Bama. This south-facing stretch of white beach is perfect loggerhead sea turtle nesting habitat. Every morning, from the first of May until the end of August, dedicated volunteers working with Share the Beach patrol. They are looking for the unique tracks the mother turtle leaves on her slow crawl back to the sea after depositing her eggs. Volunteers mark nests and protect them with predator screen, flagging tape and stakes. Volunteers are also on hand when the baby turtles hatch in about 65 days, making sure they all make it to the water. alabamaseaturtles.com
3
Dale Hollow Lake, Kentucky – On a 34acre island in the middle of Dale Hollow Lake, across from Dale Hollow State Park, sits Trooper Island. This summer camp for disadvantaged 10 to 12 years olds is run by the Kentucky State Police. Troopers volunteer their time to work at each of the week-long sessions. The thrills start with a boat ride across the lake to the camp. “For a lot, it’s their first time on a boat,” said Sgt. Craig Sutton, camp director. Each summer, 500 kids enjoy a week of swimming, fishing, canoeing and all the fun that is summer camp. Trooper Island is supported entirely by donations. kentuckystatepolice.org
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Giving Back 7 Southern Heroes
4
Lake Martin, Alabama – Dick Bronson retired to Lake Martin in Alabama after serving as a Colonel in the U.S. Army. He had no background in environmental issues and certainly didn’t consider himself an environmentalist. But he is a man of action. He grew concerned about industrial waste that was polluting his beautiful backyard, and he took action. He formed Lake Martin Lake Watch and successfully put a stop to the pollution. That was 20 years ago, but his dedicated passion continues. With only a handful of volunteers, he and his wife Mary Ann still do water quality testing every month and work to increase public awareness about water quality issues. Three years ago they expanded into the local Alexander City, Alabama school system, where they work with fifth and sixth graders year-round studying water and environmental issues. Their slogan is “No Child Left Inside.” Dick said, “It just evolved. You come to a crossroads and you do something and you look back and wonder ‘well how did that happen.’” To volunteer to test water quality on a stream, creek or river near you visit alabamawaterwatch.org.
5
Friars Point, Mississippi – Jay Platt’s distinguished 15-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps came to an abrupt end from cancer and its complications. Instead of looking at his situation as the end of the road, he chose to make the most of the unplanned change in course. He became an adventure athlete, using his experiences and remarkable accomplishments to motivate and empower others. Jay proved true his moniker of “Mr. Unstoppable” when he swam handcuffed, shackled and blind-folded across the Mississippi River. He did it to prove he could, but also to raise money and awareness for injured service personnel returning home. His swim has been made into a documentary film. livingunstoppable.com
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6
Decatur, Alabama – Riverwalk Yacht Club in Decatur, Alabama wanted to do something to support the Morgan County Volunteer Rescue Squad. After all, it is boaters and fishermen and people who enjoy the water that keep the Rescue Squad busy. The members of this small group put their heads together and came up with Harbor Day Car and Boat Show. They try to involve other community agencies in the event, like the local humane society, which provides and sells food at the event. Last year’s event raised about $2,000 for the Rescue Squad. riverwalkyc.org
7
Tennessee River – The first Tennessee River 600 event was organized as an adventure for a group of acquaintances who were all personal watercraft (PWC) enthusiasts. But word spread, and about 80 riders showed up to make the eight-day trip up 600 miles of the Tennessee River. Dennis Beckley participated in that first event and even helped the organizer. He recognized it as an idea with potential, and agreed to run the next one as a volunteer. That was 15 years ago. Dennis has taken what he learned from that first event (like it’s better to travel downstream than upstream) and applied it. The group now travels from Knoxville, Tennessee to Paris Landing State Park near Clarksville, Tennessee. He also transformed the event into a fundraiser for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Children’s Miracle Network. To date, this event has raised nearly $200,000 offering PWC lovers a chance at grand adventure and life-long friendships. tennesseeriver600.com
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Water...
it relaxes, heals, restores. Pairing a resort spa with the natural beauty and calming qualities of water makes sense. If you want to pair your own “ooh” with some “aah,” check out one of these resort spas on Southern waters, and relax your body, mind and spirit.
1 Edgewater Resort Taylorsville, KY
5 Grand Harbor Resort Counce, TN
2 Green Turtle Bay Resort & Marina Grand Rivers, KY
6 Tennessee Fitness Spa Waynesboro, TN
3 Mountain Harbor Inn Dandridge, TN
7 Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa Florence, AL
edgewatertaylorsvillelake.com
greenturtlebay.com
mountainharborinn.com
gograndharbor.com
tfspa.com
marriottshoalsbrochure.com
4 Blackberry Farm Walland, TN blackberryfarm.com
34 | lifeonthewater.com | winter 2013
8 Lake Lanier Islands Resort Buford, GA
11 Grand Biloxi Casino Hotel & Spa Biloxi, MS
9G rand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa Point Clear, AL
12 IP Casino Resort & Spa Biloxi, MS
lakelanierislands.com
marriott.com
10 Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Biloxi, MS beaurivage.com
grandcasionbiloxi.com
ipbiloxi.com
13 Palace Casino Resort Biloxi, MS palacecasinoresort.com
Resort Spas Southern Ways. Sunshine Days. 1
2
3 4
5
6 7 8
10 11
12 13
9
Deep South River Map is copyrighted, and property of DayMarker Enterprises, LLC. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without written permission. Map is not to be used for navigational purposes, general vicinity only
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Moving
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M o u n ta i n s By Dean Graber Photos by Nichole Alred
The rivers’ towboats and their crews stand as a constant icon of American hard work, muscle and sweat that keep our economy moving in the South. They impact our energy costs, the food on our kitchen tables and the comparably lower fuel prices we see at our gas pumps. These working boats are manned by real people with real families and real dreams. Meet the men who literally move mountains for a living.
winter 2013 | lifeonthewater.com | 39
“Where else would I get an office like this?” asks Pilot R o b e r t Fr e i l . “ I ’ m r e a l ly p u s h i n g a s m a l l c i t y.”
In the wheelhouse of the towboat Thelma Parker II, Robert Freil steers eight barges of coal from the mines of western Alabama through the locks, rocks and curves of the Black Warrior River and the Tombigbee River to Mobile Bay. Freil is a pilot for Parker Towing, a family-owned business and one of the South’s oldest towing companies. Working far from the public’s view, crews from Parker Towing – one of dozens of barge lines on the U.S. inland waterways – push mountains of coal, gravel and other commodities down the Black Warrior, Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers and the Tennessee –Tombigbee Waterway to Mobile, Alabama. From the Gulf of Mexico, the coal is exported to South America, Europe and Asia. Parker Towing crews work 20 days straight and have 10 days off. They face swift currents in high water, hull-scraping sandbars in low water, bridges, fog, storms, and fishermen and pleasure boaters who flirt dangerously in their path. Living in small private quarters, they endure cabin fever and the loneliness of working far from their families while in the constant company of six other coworkers.
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TOnh e River a Thursday afternoon in late September, when the oaks and hickories lining the Black Warrior are starting to turn yellow, Freil welcomes a photographer and reporter from Life on the Water aboard the Thelma Parker II. The boat is docked behind Parker Towing’s headquarters, across the river from downtown Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Five minutes downstream from Parker Towing’s dock, Freil throttles the Thelma Parker II (named for the wife of company founder Tim Parker) under Tuscaloosa’s Lurleen Wallace Bridge. Ahead, eight barges loaded with a total of 12.5 tons of coal – a shipment worth almost $2.2 million – are tethered to the riverbank. The deckhands muscle wire cables, ratchets and winches to couple the barges for the trip. Ninety minutes later, Freil (who on this trip is relieving the ship’s regular captain, Curtis Taylor) eases the 600-foot tow snugly into Oliver lock as if parking an SUV at the Piggly Wiggly. In 30 minutes, he exits the lock. “You’re getting ready to go through the Gator’s Mouth,” Freil says, gesturing toward the series of river bends that lie a few miles downstream from Oliver Lock and Dam. The Thelma Parker II maneuvers around the teeth of the Gator’s Mouth named for landmarks, barriers and tragedies like Five Mile, Steele’s Bluff, Wagon Wheel, Shark’s Ferry and North Star Wreck.
(left to right): deckhands Spencer Guthrie and Jacob Stone, engineer Robert “Rocky Rockwell”, pilot Randal “Yoda” Handley
The Gator’s Mouth, Freil says, “will bite you in the ass and run you aground” if you don’t dominate its currents, turns and narrow channels. Freil mans the throttles, rudders, radar and spotlights until midnight. “If you don’t learn something new every day out here, it’s time to get off,” Freil says. He calls the Black Warrior a “ditch,” compared with the wider Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi rivers. On a map, the Black Warrior River meanders down Alabama’s western spine like a blue thread hidden by dozens of two-lane highways. By car, the 60-mile drive from Tuscaloosa to Demopolis (the next major town downstream) takes about an hour. But the same trip down the Black Warrior is 123 river miles and takes at least 24 hours. Freil, 41 and an Alabama native now living in Lawrenceville, Georgia, has piloted the Black Warrior more than 100 times in three years with Parker Towing. The river’s constant learning curve presents a mix of perils and pleasures. Tonight’s trip downstream barely reaches 5 mph as fog hangs over the Black Warrior.
T h e Pa s s i o n
“This is what I love about my job,” Freil says, gesturing around him. “The night sky.” “There’s a place up on the Tennessee River where there are few houses and no light pollution, and it’s like driving a truck through the desert at night. You can see forever. You can see the colors, the nebulas – the gas clouds. When it’s dark enough on the river, you can see the craters on the moon. Most people never get to see that, especially not city folks.”
Going through a lock is a tight fit with less than three feet of clearance on either side.
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READ MORE ABOUT photographer Nichole Alred and journalist Dean Graber and their experience aboard the Thelma Parker II. lifeonthewater.com
T h e Cr e w
Freil has taken a few trips with Parker Towing up the Tennessee River. He wouldn’t want to run the Tennessee regularly, but he enjoys variety. If Parker were to land a contract hauling barges to Alaska, he’d volunteer. But he would return to the Black Warrior, which takes “an art” to navigate. “I want to run everywhere,” he says. “I’d like to be able to tell somebody, ‘Name a river. I’ll tell you if I’ve been on it or not.’ “ Freil, pilot Randal “Yoda” Handley, and five other crewmen run a tight ship, performing precise roles on six-hour shifts. Freil works the “front watch” (6 a.m. to noon, and 6 p.m. to midnight) with Bobby Rogers, Jr., the chief engineer, and Wesley Hall on the deck. Handley, engineer Robert “Rocky” Rockwell and deckhand Jacob Stone work the “back watch” from noon to 6 p.m. and midnight to 6 a.m. Spencer Guthrie mans the deck from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., spanning both watches. On the lower decks, engineers Rogers, 24, of Foley, Alabama, and Rockwell, 45, of Theodore, Alabama (who double as the cooks) maintain the engines, steering and navigation systems, and keep the crew fed. Deckhands Hall, 34, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Stone, 22, of Cottondale, Alabama and Guthrie 20, of Decatur, Alabama keep the barges tightly lashed together as a single unit. They guide the “tow” through the locks that lift and lower it among river levels.
Annual Salaries for Towboat Crews Deckhand - $30 - $35k Engineer - $60 - $65k Pilots and Captains $120 - $150k
TAt h e Life 5:30 a.m., Freil climbs the wheelhouse stairs to relieve Handley, who has stayed alert since midnight by listening to rock music and chatting on the radio with other pilots. Rod Stewart sings “Wake up Maggie.” Handley briefs Freil on their position and descends the steep wheelhouse stairs, down another narrow staircase to his room for a shower and a nap.
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Some pilots choose their profession because river water runs through their veins. Freil’s path to the Black Warrior was mapped in the Arizona desert 12 years ago when he sped a truckload of frozen pizzas past a trooper’s radar gun and got his license suspended. Freil found work as a deckhand for a towing service on the Black Warrior, earned his pilot’s license in three years, and in December 2009 he joined Parker Towing. Below deck, at 6 a.m., members of the two shifts cross briefly in the galley. Rockwell has made eggs, sausage, grits and biscuits for the crews going on and off duty. The weatherwoman from a Birmingham TV station smiles down from the large screen TV and announces another 90-degree day. One crew member insists that she has winked at him yet again this morning. Women are so rare on a towboat that the presence of a Life on the Water female photographer is the topic of radio conversation up and down the river. Rockwell, the son of a pilot in Mobile Bay, first visited a towboat at six months old and has spent most of his career on the water. He has experienced the rewards of towboat life, and its hardest knocks. While working for another company nine years ago, Rockwell lost a dear friend and coworker who fell off a towboat late at night. His body was found days later. A couple of years ago, winds from a tornado nearly sucked Rockwell from a towboat when he opened the door from the mess hall. Crewmates grabbed his legs, saving him. But back injuries left him out of work for five months. Today is Rockwell’s seventh wedding anniversary. “It’s sad not to be able to wake up and give my wife a kiss and tell her I love her,” he says, as he heads to his quarters to phone her before sleeping until he returns to duty at noon.
By mid-morning, the Thelma Parker II smells like Marlboros, Pine Sol and cinnamon rolls cooling on the galley stove. High noon marks a change of shifts and one of the day’s happiest hours. Rogers fries catfish and shrimp for lunch on Friday, grills ribeye steaks on Saturday, and fries chicken on Sunday. At night, crew members share their own creations in a galley the size of a small church kitchen. Hall bakes jalapeno poppers stuffed with cream cheese. Handley grants a request for his specialty and fries Double Stuf Oreos and Nutter Butter cookies. For towboat crews who can’t share beers after work, entertainment takes the simplest forms. A text from home (“Somebody loves me!”). An alligator or coyote spotted from deck. A perfectly pitched water balloon that smacks the rear of the greenest deckhand when he reaches for his mop and a bottle of Clorox.
T h e Tr a d e o f f Handley, 29, of Sumiton, Alabama, marked his 10th year with Parker Towing on November 5. On a fifth-grade field trip to Moundville Archeological Park, he first glimpsed towboats – Parker’s vessels, he recalls –traveling down the Black Warrior. “On some deep-seated level, that was the start,” he says,” His brother-in-law and cousin worked on towboats. Finally he followed their lead. He lists the pay, benefits, and time off as his reasons for staying on the water. The job was easier before his son was born. “He’s two years old, and I’ve seen him maybe 240 or 300 days out of his life. I definitely don’t want my kid to be away from home for that long. I would prefer him to go to college, but if he wants to come out here it’s not a bad job. It’s just
that you’re gone a lot, and you miss a lot of stuff.” “I admire the people who helped train me, and I appreciate what they did for me,” Handley says. “I wasn’t the easiest learner. I had to work at it, and I still have to work at it.”
The end o f t h e d ay “Come on, Thelma. Let’s do it one more time.” Handley is beginning the trip upstream with eight empty barges. The crew has tied off the eight loads of coal outside Jackson, Alabama, for transport to Mobile by another towboat. The Thelma Parker II and her crew once again start the slow journey back upstream.
Time vs. Tonnage In the 4 days Life on the Water spent on their towboat, the crew travelled through 4 Alabama counties. In that same time Freil and Handley could have copiloted a pickup truck from Tuscaloosa to Anchorage, Alaska, passing through 9 U.S. states plus 4 Canadian provinces and territories. They could have napped at the airport for 6 hours, and then flown nonstop to Honolulu on Alaska Airlines. But their carry-on baggage - a 25-pound backpack of coal - would account for a mere one-millionth of the 25-millionpound load they push down the river.
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Co m fo rt Foo d by Shelly Anne Adams
You’re watching a chick flick
when the star of th e show gets her
heart broken. In th e next scene
her girlfriends in evitably find her
curled up on the co uch in her dark
apartment. She’s wearing an old
pair of sweat pant s and eating ice
cream with an over sized spoon,
straight out of the container.
46 | lifeonthewater.com | winter 2013
S
food
Sometimes we all need that ice cream, or our own version of comfort food. It’s something you can’t pass up if it’s on the menu. You NEED it when you’re sick. Or sometimes you get a craving that will not go away until the perfect bite of that perfect food hits your palate. And yes, it is the cureall for a broken heart. Geography plays a role in defining the dishes that reach comfort-food status. Meatloaf, fried chicken, grandma’s sweet potato pie or a piping-hot bowl of chicken n’ dumplings reign as the leading comfort foods in the south. Did I mention mac n’ cheese?
The Golden Isles of Georgia Brunswick Stew 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup chopped onions 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 1 1/2 pounds ground or shredded pork 1 1/2 pounds ground or shredded beef 1 (3 pound) whole cooked chicken, deboned and shredded 3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped 1 cup ketchup 1/2 cup hickory flavored barbeque sauce salt and pepper to taste hot sauce to taste (optional) 3 (14.75 ounce) cans cream style corn Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, and sauté the onions, green pepper and celery until soft. Mix in the pork and beef and cook until evenly browned. Do not drain. Transfer the pork and beef mixture to a large stock pot over low heat. Stir in the shredded chicken, undrained tomatoes, ketchup and barbeque sauce. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Cook 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until thickened. Stir the cream style corn into the stew mixture. Con tinue cooking 1 hour, or to desired consistency.
When you visit the waterways and river towns of this great nation be sure to check out the local cuisine and its flavor of comfort. On the islands off the coast of Georgia, Brunswick stew would top the list. In New Orleans, comfort food junkies thrive on jambalaya and beignets. The chilly rainy days of San Francisco demand clam chowder in a fresh sourdough bowl. And the northeast coast’s idea of comfort food might be Boston cream pie or something fresh out of the oven, packed full of Maine blueberries. It’s nostalgic. It’s near to your heart. It’s comfort food!
Fisherman’s Wharf Clam Chowder
My Nana’s Cinnamon Pudding
2 T butter 1 onion, chopped 3-4 slices chopped bacon 2 stalks celery, chopped finely 1 shredded potato 1 T dried or fresh thyme 1-2 tsp hot sauce Salt, pepper to taste 2 T all purpose flour 1 pint half n half 2 cups chicken broth 2 cans clams, undrained
(This recipe is a personal favorite. No one eats this dish without getting the recipe) 1 3/4 cups brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups cold water 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 cups sifted self-rising flour 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup milk 1 cup halved or chopped pecans
In skillet sauté onion, celery, bacon and thyme in butter until the bacon is done and the onion is soft. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Add flour. Cook a couple of minutes. Add cream, stock, potato and clams. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer until thickened and the vegetables are tender. Stir and adjust seasonings to taste. Remove the thyme sprigs from the soup (if you used fresh). Serve with sour dough croutons or in a bread bowl.
Combine brown sugar, cold water and 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Pour into 9-13 casserole dish. Set aside. Sift flour, sugar and cinnamon. Mix melted butter with milk and add to flour mixture. Whisk well. Drizzle over brown sugar syrup. Sprinkle with 1 cup pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Best served warm. (Ice cream on the side works too.)
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Resources on Lake Guntersville
Ken Williams sells Lake Guntersville. See our listings on page 59. It’s a perfect time to live life on the water.
50 | lifeonthewater.com | winter 2013
winter 2013 | lifeonthewater.com | 51
Let’s hang. $12.95
Ship’s Store Services you’ll need on the water
Buy yours now at
lifeonthewater.com
Woods, Waters, Wildlife. Wayne County, Tennessee Looking for your next home, business or vacation? Located in the southwest corner of Middle Tennessee, along the Tennessee River and the Natchez Trace Parkway, Wayne County, Tennessee is the perfect destination to work, live and play! Visit us online at waynecountychamber.org for land, home, business and vacation opportunities or call for a free information packet at 931-722-3575.
Boat transport by water Capt. Billy Martin 256-426-6529 – Master of Towing Vessel Western Rivers – USCG Master 500 Ton Western Rivers – Master 100 Ton Near Coastal 52 | lifeonthewater.com | winter 2013
– River and waterway experience includes Tennessee, Cumberland, Tombigbee, Gulf Coast, South Florida, East Coast, Ohio, Illinois, Great Lakes.
Special News Report
The Tennessee Valley Authority began imposing fees on some marinas beginning in 2013. Just the private ones, not the public marinas. And the fees of four percent of gross sales will be passed on to the boater. Reporter Yvonne Betowt reveals TVA’s reasons behind this initiative and interviews marina owners for their opinions. FULL STORY at lifeonthewater.com/news Sign up for IN THE CURRENT Our e-newsletters give you updated news, events, contests, navigation alerts, featured for sale on the water and more. Twice monthly. Free. No, we don’t sell your information. lifeonthewater.com winter 2013 | lifeonthewater.com | 53
Marketplace
F o r Sa l e o n t h e Wat e r
Boats
54 | lifeonthewater.com | winter 2013
marketplace
winter 2013 | lifeonthewater.com | 55
marketplace
Boats
Boat Insurance
2004 Sea Ray 39’ Aft Cabin MY Lake Guntersville $279,900 PENSION PLAN is a two-owner powered by twin Cummins DIESEL 465 hp, cruising at 24-30 mph. Auto oil change, washer/dryer, new chart plotter in 2010, new salon AC in 2011, hard top with canvas enclosures, satellite TV, convection/microwave oven. Larry 256-509-8682. youtube.com/yachtsouth
2001 Sea Ray 420 Pickwick Lake $229,000 Aft cabin diesel. Just 309 hours twin Volvo 74P diesel inboards, EMILISA is a one owner, freshwater motoryacht. Well maintained, kept on the freshwaters of the Tennessee River under covered since new. By appointment only 731-689-3700.
2000 Sea Ray 560 Sedan Bridge DIESEL on PICKWICK LAKE $359,500 Twin Catepillar 3406 DIESELS 1035 hrs, 3 staterooms, 2 baths, Subzero fridge & freezer, bow thruster, hydraulic swim platform, TV satellite, BOSE surround sound system, amazing navigation electronics. Recent survey at $475,000 and in excellent condition. Appointment only 731-926-0130.
1996 Jefferson 56’ Marquessa LAKE GUNTERSVILLE $259,900 Extended deckhouse with (4) staterooms and a four (4) head layout. Twin GM Detroit Diesels 6V92-TA 550hp, 20 kw Westerbeke generator, extensive electronics and amenities, ship’s log and full maintenance records available. NEW BOTTOM PAINT October 2011. Appointment only 256-509-8682.
2009 Voyager 56’ DIESEL Motoryacht, CHATTANOOGA, $925,000 Powered by D-12 EVC Volvos (675 PHP), has 23KW Generator; Hardtop with Enclosures and Bridge Air; Grill with Refrigerator & Icemaker on Bridge; Hydraulic Swim Platform; Bow & Stern Thrusters; Custom Raymarine Electronics Package with E-120 GPS/Plotter/Radar with Engine Room and Cockpit Camera Interface; Custom Bose Sound System; Washer/Dryer. Mechanical Systems and Power Train covered under Extended Protection Plan. Appointment only 423-622-1978
2007 Regal 2860 Express Cruiser PICKWICK LAKE $89,900 VERY low hours, just 240, on Twin-4.3L. MPI BRIII. Boat was dry stacked on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin during the long winter months. She was just buffed and waxed and is in excellent condition. Appointment only 731-610-7169.
56 | lifeonthewater.com | winter 2013
Boat insurance has changed over the last few years. Listen to LIFE ON THE WATER’S MARINE INSURANCE PODCAST with Jon Horton of Jack Martin & Associates. (Please see ad on back cover) Visit lifeonthewater.com RESOURCES page, or scan your smartphone here.
DON’T BUY NEWBUY SMART ! 2005 Marquis 65 Pilothouse, $1,599,000
2005 Marquis 59, $999,000
2008 Car ver 56 Voyager Pilothouse, $829,000
1991 Sea Ray 500 Sedan Bridge, $129,900 2000 Sumerset 90x18 Houseboat, $220,000
2003 Monticello 70x16, $249,900
Largest selection of pre-owned , late model, freshwater Carvers, Marquis & and more on Pickwick Lake! ! CAPTAIN’S CHOICE OFFERS: Certified Pre-Owned Yachts Buyer/Seller Services From 1st Time Buyers to Experienced Yachtsmen
2006 Silverton 38 Sport Bridge, $179,900
2001 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer, $139,900
2004 Car ver 360 Sport Sedan, $149,900
Yacht Delivery Services The Best Financing & Insurance Options Consulting Services Over 30 Media Resources Used to Sell Your Boat
1997 Car ver 355 Motor Yacht, $114,000
1999 Carver 456 Motor Yacht, $159,900
2003 Monterey 302 Cruiser, $59,900
Over 30 Years of Combined Experience in the Yacht Industry
marketplace
Somewhere in the Back of your Mind....is a Place Like This ◆
L ittle F eather R anch
◆
Boaters! TN River a short 10 minute drive to Dayton Marina/ launching ramps
- Spectacular 33 acre Ranch overlooking Sequatchie Valley and the Cumberland Plateau - 1300’ of gently sloping Brow/Bluff line for hiking or building (Unrestricted!!) - 3BR/3BA, 3000 sq. ft. built 2009, w/rich details like stone, exotic granite, hardwoods - Four (4) spring fed ponds - rock waterfall and fountains - 35 min. to Chattanooga, TN. - Nashville, Knoxville, Gatlinburg 1 1/2 hr drive For full details and photos galore go to: www.facebook.com/littlefeatherranch $1,200,000 - Offers Welcomed. Contact owner 423-447-8948 or littlefeatherranch@gmail.com
26 Laura Lane, Pickwick Lake - $90,000
Vacation Options
Resort community - 2BR, 2BA. Vaulted ceilings accent the spaciousness of open kitchen, dining w/bay window & living w/fireplace, exposed dormer windows, ceiling fans, recessed lighting & tile flooring. Both BRs, w/French doors leading to screened porch, Berber carpet and walk-in closets. Melissa 770.540.9682
COTTAGES Joe Wheeler State Park & Resort VACATION or GETAWAY RENTAL, ten (10) lakeside cottages, 2 & 3 BR, linens and kitchen needs furnished, satellite TVs, DVD players, Central H & A, fireplace. Golf course, boat slips, restaurant, walking trails, swimming pool, fishing, shopping in Rogersville, or just relaxing! alapark.com/JoeWheeler to view cottages, 256-247-5461 for reservations.
Goose Pond Colony Scottsboro on Tennessee River Take a break from the water and stay in one of our relaxing cottages or lodge rooms. Both are located on the water and are accessible from our full service marina. 800-268-2884 Visit goosepond.org.
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ADVERTISE WITH US! Classifieds as low as $150 per year.
877-274-0767 Green Turtle Bay Marina and Resort GRAND RIVERS, KENTUCKY Stay 3 NIGHTS FOR THE PRICE OF 2 December 31, 2012 through March 31, 2013! Experience a year ‘round Water Way of Life. 800-498-0428
Prizer Point Cabins, Forts & Treehouses on BARKLEY & KENTUCKY LAKES
From 3 bedroom cabins and duplexes, to forts with covered decks and treehouses that sleep 4, Prizer Point is your destination for creating the best family memories ever! Seasonal rates…call 800-548-2048
marketplace 215 Clairvaux, Scottsboro, AL
1906 Roseberry Drive, Scottsboro, AL
Custom Built Main Channel Waterfront home in beautiful St. Christopher Point, featuring 121+/-’shoreline 4br/3 full baths,3730+/-sqft, Hardwood floors, granite counters, all stainless appliances, screen porch, 1 slip open/covered boathouse with deck area. $969,500
843 Monte Sano Drive, Scottsboro, AL Main channel waterfront home featuring .82+/acres, 100+/- ft. dockable shoreline, deep water, 3800+/- sf, 4BR/3.5BA, granite countertops, all new appliances, hardwood, security system, 2nd kit area, living, dining, family, game rm, glamour bath & more. Bank owned. $539,500
1188 Snug Harbor Rd, Grant, AL
SOLD
Main Channel Waterfront home featuring 135 ft. shoreline, excellent water depth, stone seawall, 2 slip bh w/hoists, plus jet ski slip/lift, 700sf decking, & sec sys. Home offers 3200+/- sf., 4BR/2.5BA, lakeside great rm w/cathedral ceiling, Thermopane window wall w/great view, fireplace and built-ins, dining rm w/view, lakeside rec & family rm w/wet bar, kitchen w/granite countertops & bkfast bar, hdwood floors, new metal roof, lake fed irrig & more. $799,500
Custom Built fully furnished Main Channel Waterfront Home on Prestigious Buck Island professionally landscaped 4.6+/- acres featuring 310+/-ft manicured shoreline w/stone seawall,2slip boathouse, 5,969+/-SQFT,5BR/7BA, private tennis court. MUST SEE! $2,699,500
4 BR/5.5 Bath Main Channel Waterfront Home on 1.74 acre level lot. Home offers 171+/-ft of shoreline, 2 slip open boat house, rock seawall, in ground salt water pool, professional gourmet kitchen, hardwood, slate flooring, 3 fireplaces, 3 car garage. $879,500
1720 Buck Island Drive, Guntersville, AL
5BR/4.5BA waterfront home , 2 slip boat house electric hoists, 4 roll-up doors, good water, 3904+/- sf, foyer, great w/2 sided fp, breakfast/hearth w/fp, kit w/island, pantry, granite, new KitAid appliances, mini-kit w/wet bar, laundry, hardwood, lake fed irrig, hardy plank & stacked stone ext, mult Trex decking, flag stone drive, patio & walks. $699,500
655 Signal Point Rd, Guntersville, AL
Main channel waterfront estate featuring 1.52+/- level acres, 490+/- ft. shoreline, 2 slip boathouse, stacked stone seawall, lakeside walk, 7000+/- sf, 5BR/8.5BA, 3 car garage, 3 bay “carriage house,” custom green house, outdoor BBQ deck, back-up generator & more. $2,199,500
871 Signal Point Road, Guntersville, AL
New main channel waterfront home featuring, level lot, 2855+/- sf, 4BR/4BA, great rm, dining rm, open kit, hearth rm, study, breakfast rm, hardwood, 2 fp’s, lakeside cvd deck, security system, lake fed irrigation & more. $699,500
2660 Buck Island Drive, Guntersville, AL
SOLD
2356 Buck Island Drive, Guntersville, AL
244 Browns Creek Road, Guntersville, AL
1885 White Elephant Rd, Grant AL
SOLD
Custom built main channel waterfront home featuring 209+/- ft shoreline, 2 slip boat house, good water, 3435+/ sf, 3BR/3BA, foyer, great, dining, office, family, grmet kit, breakfast, master w/fp, glamour bath, hardwood, central vac, security, intercom, irrigation & more. $799,500
Beautifully remodeled premier main channel waterfront estate featuring 6.95+/- acres, point lot w/1060+/- ft. on the water w/seawall, 2 slip boathouse, excellent water, 5841+/- sf, 4BR/ 6BA, gourmet kit, new master suite & bath, new whole property professional landscaping, keyless gated entry & much more. $2,995,000
Main Channel Waterfront Home offers 4br/3.5ba, eat in kitchen, hardwood floors, 9ft ceilings, master suite w/ laundry room & sun room w/ fire place and view of lake, 2slip boathouse w/ 2 electric hoist and gazebo, good water and seawall. $649,500
2008 Signal Point Lane, Guntersville, AL Main channel waterfront home featuring 160+/- ft. shoreline, custom 2 slip boathouse, excellent water & view, 4700+/- sf, 4BR/4.5BA, great rm, dining rm, sunroom, breakfast rm, game rm, his/her master bath, screened veranda, intercom, lake fed irrigation, lakeside decking & more. $1,199,500
THE KEN WILLIAMS SALES TEAM LAKE GUNTERSVILLE REAL ESTATE • YOUR LAKEFRONT SPECIALISTS 237 Gunter Ave., Guntersville, AL 35976 • Cell: 256-302-1510 Email: Ken@DiscoverOurLake.com Visit Our Website at: DiscoverOurLake.com
It’s a perfect time to Live Life on the Water...
marketplace
Commercial Property
Clubs and Organizations
Riverwalk Yacht Club Join Decatur, Alabama’s RIVERWALK YACHT CLUB Dedicated to boating and seamanship, RIVERWALK YACHT CLUB is a private organization that provides its members an exchange for knowledge, safety, environmental conservation, waterway improvements and lots of social activities. Riverwalkyc.org for membership info or call 256-351-0433 to attend the next event.
Great Loop Information & Inspiration Get information and inspiration by joining AGLCA today! Visit greatloop.org and become a part of the largest organization exclusively dedicated to those cruising, dreaming of or planning to navigate America’s Great Loop. Browse the products in the SHIP’S STORE at greatloop.org! 877-GR8-LOOP, ext. 5070.
North Alabama Boaters Association Join the North Alabama Boaters Association, a non-profit organization based at Huntsville, Alabama’s Ditto Landing Marina (Tennessee River MM 334) dedicated to promoting fellowship, education, community outreach and environmental integrity among boaters and water-lovers in North Alabama. Contact Karen MacLeod, secretary@naboat.org or visit naboat.org.
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Tennessee Marina Association Kentucky Marina Association
Providing strong communication in the marine industry in Kentucky and Tennessee, KMA and TMA work with federal and state organizations on behalf of their membership to promote the benefits and economic impact of recreational boating on our communities. For a list of member marinas, affiliated companies or membership information, kentucky-marinas.com and tennesseemarina.com. Director, Michele Edwards 270-388-2532.
Wheeler Yacht Club, Rogersville, Alabama Join the Wheeler Yacht Club (WYC), a non-profit organization based in Rogersville, Alabama’s Joe Wheeler State Park. We are a community of boaters dedicated to promoting fellowship, education, community outreach and environmental integrity among boaters and water-lovers in North Alabama. Contact us at 356-476-3205 or check us out on Facebook or www.wheeleryachtclub.com
TENNESSEE TOMBIGBEE WATERWAY 234 miles of business and industry opportunity, connecting the heartland to the Gulf Coast. 40,000 acres of lake and recreation abundance. The largest civil engineering project of our time. Find out more about the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway at tenntom.org, or call for brochure 1-800-457-9739.
When will we know the BEST SMALL TOWN on the water in the South?
COMING FALL 2013 Charter and Rental Services
Boat Rental - Joe Wheeler State Park Marina Enjoy the Tennessee River on a 24-ft pontoon. Call for half-day and full-day rates. Plus fuel fill-up upon return. Max 12 people, life vests-all safety equipment provided. 48-hour cancellation required. Also offer fishing boat and paddle boat rental. Some rules & restrictions apply. 256-247-6971 8am-5pm.
Florence, Alabama Rent a boat at Florence Harbor For half day or full day, explore beautiful Pickwick Lake! Call for availability and rates. 256-768-1299
Hassle-Free Houseboat Rental at Prizer Point Resort-Cumberland River
Accommodates up to 12 people, best views of Lakes Barkley and Kentucky on the Cumberland River. Rates seasonal. Sunday – Wednesday special, get an extra night FREE! Reservations 800-548-2048.
RESOURCE marketplace DIRECTORY Thank you for doing business with the companies that support life on the water. Trusted Resource Page # Aberdeen,Mississippi 52 Alred Marina 50 Alred Photography 49 America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association 52 Angler Marine 36 Aqua Services 49 Cafe 336 48 Captain’s Choice Yacht Brokers 57 Clarksville Marina 44 Chalakee Cabins 48 Clifton Marina 36 Decatur-Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau 37 Diesel Don 52 Ditto Landing Marina 51 Erwin Marine 26 Florence Harbor 26 GDS Services 56 Green Turtle Bay Resort 18 Goose Pond Colony 27 Guntersville Marina 49 Hard Dock Cafe 19 Hardin County Tennessee Tourism 11 Jack Martin & Associates,Inc. 64 Joe Wheeler State Park & Resort 10 J’s Landing 32 Ken Williams Lake Guntersville Real Estate 59 KudzuCraft Skin Boats 8 Liquid Grafix 53 Life on the Water Network 3 Marine Sales of Pickwick 63 MARKETPLACE 54-60 BOATS 54-56 CHARTER & RENTAL SERVICES 60 CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS 60 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY 60 WATERFRONT PROPERTY 58 Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau 48 Merco Marine 19 Mountain View Marina 19 Norman’s Marina Service 44 Norman’s Marine Service 51 Pickwick Yacht Brokers 36 Prizer Point Resort 2 Rockhouse Eatery 48 SHIP’S STORE 52 Aqua Lantern 52 Diesel Don 52 Honor Marine 52 Performance Propeller 53 River City Marine 52 South Realty 60 Southern Marine Towing & Salvage 51 Swann’s Marina 37 T.J.’s Boat Repair 44 The Docks Restaurant 37 Trouble Free Docks & Boat Lifts 33 True Course Captain’s School 32 Wayne County, Tennessee 52 Watauga Lakeshore Resort & Marina 44 YachtSouth 45
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living water
River men by Christy Martin, publisher
This photo mesmerized me. It was taken by photographer Nichole Alred for our feature Moving Mountains. She absolutely captured the soul of this young man. I see his rugged side. That he works hard. But I also see his calm nature…the pride in his work…his passion for the Black Warrior River. As a society, we seem to worship celebrities or entertainers, models or actors. Why? I’m proud they can sing or act or look nice in a bathing suit, but why is their contribution revered so much more than this man’s? Maybe it’s sheer media coverage. Maybe it’s boredom with our own lives that makes us so interested in someone else’s. But why not this man? He is the soul of America. Look closer at his face. He is proud to be on the Thelma Parker II cruising his beloved Black Warrior River. He will be away from his family for twenty days. He’ll go home, sit down at a kitchen table and get his bills paid. Then, he’ll do it all again when the ten days at home is done. He is a hero in his own right. Not looking for fame, just a good paycheck and an honest day’s work. My attraction to river men is no secret, since I’m married to one. It dates back to sixth grade when Edith Smith introduced me to Mark Twain. His writing spoke right to my heart because my passion is the river too. Like Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn, I was a tomboy searching for a makeshift raft to go exploring the river. At least until suppertime. I see this spirit in the river man’s face. I hope you feel this spirit and catch the fever to escape every time you read Life on the Water.
“…the only real, independent and genuine gentlemen in the world go quietly up and down the Mississippi river, asking no homage of any one, seeking no popularity, no notoriety, and not caring a damn whether school keeps or not.” Mark Twain - Letter to Will Bowen, August 25, 1866
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Bobby Rogers Jr., chief engineer on the Thelma Parker II.
PRST STD US Postage PAID Huntsville, AL Permit 336
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