July 7, 1984, began as an average day for boaters on the Tennessee River, but by the end of that day, and for decades to come, the SCItanic would become a boat discussed by people across the U.S.

The SCItanic, a triple-decked paddlewheel boat owned by SCI Systems - a large Huntsville electronics company, was taking employees and their families on a river excursion that morning. Fifteen people and three crew members were on the boat that left from Ditto Landing.

As Mother Nature would have it, strong thunderstorms began to rapidly develop across the Tennessee Valley.