Florence Alabama

Florence on the Tennessee River

We carried on up the Tennessee into Alabama and the river gave us a calm and pleasant ride except for a very thick patch of fog when we had to put the radar on for about 30 mins until it thinned. We met 2 large cruisers emerging from it but fortunately they were travelling slowly. What we were concerned about were the little fishing boats that sped everywhere but we only encountered one and the fog had thinned by then. We tied up at the Florence marina and had dinner there with Liz & Bob. We took the marina courtesy car the next day & visited a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home (the only in Alabama) Built in 1939 for the Rosenbaums who were the only owners until 1999 when the City of Florence purchased it, restored it & opened it as a museum. It was very unique with a flat roof, narrow doorways & architect designed furniture.

That evening Liz & I organised docktails for about 22 loopers. We just bring chairs, snacks & a drink & find a convenient place to sit. Most of them are on their way to Joe Wheeler Park for the Loopers' Rendezvous starting 14^th October.

The next day, still at the marina, Colin scrubbed the boat & then 6 of us took the car once again to try & visit a few historic places but it was Sunday & everything except the house we saw yesterday was closed. So we looked at the outside of the house where Helen Keller was born & the outside of Alabama Music Hall of Fame. This evening Colin & I got to fire the marina canon. This is done every evening at 6.15, is very traditional (like lowering the flags at yacht clubs) and very LOUD. All boaters are warned when they arrive but of course by evening most have forgotten & get a helluva fright – some dogs need placating as well. Because it was fired twice this particular evening (with no warning)– even more people were surprised. We topped the day off with a fun game of cards called sevenses.