Welcome to The Old Albatross !

This site is dedicated to waterfalls, mountains, an old aviators memories, with lots of poetic liberties, some just plain made up, and interesting places to visit.

All photos on this site are free, but if you so choose, a donation to SHRINER'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS will be appreciated by kids with less to laugh about than this OLD ALBATROSS.

If you wonder what the OLD ALBATROSS thing is about it goes like this: Grumman Aircraft made the HU-16E amphibious aircraft and called it an Albatross. After it was worn out by other branches of service it became the U.S. Coast Guard's primary aircraft. It quickly became known as a GOAT to its crews.

Since retiring from the Coast Guard I have turned into an OLD GOAT to many who know me. Now you start to see where this is going, This OLD GOAT spent many hours as a crew member in the OLD ALBATROSS. (RADIOMAN AND NAVIGATOR) just in case we flew out of sight of the coast we were guarding.

I now reside in the mountains of Tennessee in a place where no Cutter can cruise nor OLD ALBATROSS land. Still l have a crew, mostly older than dirt and to heavy to leave the ground so, we hike to waterfalls and I accompany my Skipper, when she allows it, to places I visited but did not see.

Have fun and may your landings be more graceful than an OLD ALBATROSS.

Our purpose:

I created this site to share not only photographs of the astounding places I have been, but also the logistics of their location, along with details of how arduous a journey it may be for the various skill levels required. Also included will be anecdotes of my adventures, some funny, some serious, but hopefully enjoyable enough to inspire your desire to get out and see some of the wondrous beauty this world has to offer.

In Memoriam

This website is being continued as a tribute and memorial to its creator Dave Aldridge. He was a friend to all that met him, a beloved father, husband, and overall one of the best humans I have met during my time on this earth. He loved all aspects of Nature but, his main passion was for waterfalls. I am fortunate and blessed to have known him and to have shared many countless hours crawling through laurels to reach so many exotic locations which he wanted so much to share with everyone here. Although Dave is no longer with us in the flesh, his spirit will live forever with us in our memories and it is my intention to keep this website running for as long as I am alive and able to do so, in order to honor him, his family, and friends.

Dave had a wonderful and unique sense of humor like no one else I have ever met. He would not want us to grieve but, rather to live, love, laugh, and eat good Barbeque ! His wish was for us all to: 'leave this world in a little better condition than we found it in". He did just that. I hope everyone who visits here will enjoy his collection of photographs and humor and appreciate the man and all the work that went into making this site. Oh, and please donate what you can to the Shriner`s Organization for the needy kids that Dave cared so much for and worked so hard to support. Thanks ! Sincerely, Randy 'RAT' Tarpley (webmaster)

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Welcome to The Old Albatross !

Our purpose:

In Memoriam