"The Great Loop" Adventure Aboard "Bama Belle"

Pre Departure "to-do" List! November 20, 2010

Finally, the biggest project on the "Bama Belle" is complete! Thanks, to a local fabricator Jerry Wigfield who spent many hours putting together a davit system! After a couple weeks of hard work, liquid sunshine, and a lot of tweeking, the system went out for a sea trial!  The beautiful calm waters of Mobile bay had to be stirred up! A good friend and his wife, Jeff and Pam Dimoff, took out the" Island Lady" to create some man made white caps! Jeff and Pam also took some great pictures! I would like them to know how much I appreciate all their help! Everything worked out perfectley! The inflatable dingy is now secure in its custom davit system. I can now scratch that off of the "to-do" list!

Next, came the installation of the second VHF radio with AIS features, along with the antenna. This could not have been done without the help of Mike Tiller. The "Bama Belle" is now fully equipped with two radios and two repeaters located on the fly bridge!  Mike will also be installing  a few more additions needed for "The Great Loop Adventure!"

CJ, my son, wired up the stereo on the fly bridge, also the antenna needed for the TV. Everyone knows that you must have good movies, and great tunes on any trip!

Several things have now been scratched off the list! There are still many more to go, which has delayed this journey down the "blue highway." Although everyday progress is being made, and the excitement is growing minute by minute!

"My First Boat"

Let me tell you how I became interested in boating.

I purchased my first boat at a garage sale for $2.00 in the summer of 1960, I was nine years old. That boat would fit in the back of my mom's station wagon. My mom would drop me off on Saturday mornings at Newport Bay so that I could enjoy a day of fishing. I didn't have a motor, so plan B came to mind. I had to get out the oars. I caught sea bass and rock bass. I enjoyed watching all the boats coming and going. I would row by John Wayne's huge yacht the "Wild Goose" and Gomer Pyle's yacht a converted PT Boat. Shirley Temple had a beautiful house on a point overlooking the bay. Life was good!!!! I was having fun on the water.

The Great Loop Adventure aboard the "Bama Belle"start date is around December 17, 2010