Starting down the Tenn-Tom Waterway

Instead of following the Mississippi River down to New Orleans and then crossing the gulf to Florida, we will be following the Tenn-Tom (Tennessee Tombigbee) Waterway to Mobile, AL and then cross the gulf.  This route is most often chosen by AGLCA loopers due to the swift currents and lack of facilities on the Mississippi River. The map below shows the routes and various side trips, but the Tenn-Tom Waterway which this blog refers to is highlighted in purple.

The Tenn-Tom Waterway is a 234 mile stretch of water, which connects the Tennessee River at Pickwick Lake with the Tombigbee River at Demopolis, AL.  From there, we follow the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway, a 217 mile stretch, to Mobile, AL. We will experience a series of locks and dams, lakes, rivers, and man-made channels.  The total drop for this last segment of the trip to the gulf is 341 ft. with 10 locks and a distance of 453 miles.

Congress authorized the waterway in 1946 with both Presidents Johnson and Nixon supporting the funding.  Construction began in 1972, and it became the biggest civil works project ever undertaken by the US Corps of Engineers.  In 1977, President Carter attempted to stop construction which resulted in effective public outcry. Completed in 1985 at the cost of over $2 billion, more earth (150 million cubic yards of rock) was moved than was moved in the construction of the Panama Canal.  The benefits of this project were jobs, electricity, and a water route south from the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico.

Thursday, November 21
Wednesday night we docked Dream Chaser at Grand Harbor Marina.

Mary was up at 5:00 am, before sunrise, prepping the vegetable soup, baking apple crisp, finishing laundry, and organizing the galley.  Although we have a generator on Dream Chaser, we make every effort to use shore power whenever possible.  Steve took a quick trip into Savannah to Lowes for project supplies.  He plans to turn the lower helm chair into a slider in order to sit closer to the navigational equipment.  With so much cold weather, we find ourselves navigating from the lower helm more often.  After another phone call to KVH regarding an ongoing TV reception problem (since August) and some messing with the receiver, we secured the cabin and untied the lines.

At 10:30 am, we said good-bye to Grand Harbor, pulled out of the marina, and pointed Dream Chaser down river on the Tenn-Tom Waterway.  We have started a new leg of the journey and within a few miles, we entered into the state of Mississippi.  Along the first six miles of the waterway, we enjoyed the beauty of the area with tree lined shores, areas of pretty homes, inviting camp sites, and numerous birds.  Pictured below is the barge we had just passed on a wide point in the waterway.  You want to stay out of their way!

With partly cloudy skies, temps in the high 50’s, and a brisk wind, we viewed the world around us from the upper helm.  Fresh apple crisp and hot steaming coffee hit the spot.

There are three sections of the waterway.
The first section of the Tenn-Tom is called the “Divide Cut” from Pickwick Lake to Yellow Creek (M443.7) The waterway was cut through land here to a depth of up to 175 ft. for nearly 25 miles, and it opens into the headwaters of Bay Springs Lake. The beginning of the waterway is pictured below:  a fairly straight channel, lined along the sides with rip-rap rock, and a variety of trees scattered along the banks.



The picture below shows one of many man-made, cement stream entrances to the channel designed to reduce soil erosion.

We are thrilled with our new electronics!  When we are underway, we use our on-board Garmin Navigational System, Active Captain and numerous apps on the I-Pad, and keep our marine radios on.

The picture above shows the lower helm navigational screen in split screen.  On the left is a close up of the navigational channel for a quarter of a mile.  You can see the boat shape following the navigational line and the shore lines.  On the right, is a picture of the next five miles which shows any oncoming vessels, bridges, or potential problems.  On the far right edge of the screen, there is a list which shows our MPH, water depth, GPS heading, estimated distance to auto pilot destination, and arrival time to auto pilot destination.  At night, the screen is set at 20 ft to check our movement while anchored. The screen is set to 30 miles for weather radar, etc.  It is quite amazing!  There is so much more information and various screens that can be chosen, but these are the screens we normally use.

Our AIS (Automatic Identification System) in our Garmin Navigation System informed us that the pleasure craft motoring ahead of us was called Trust Me.  AIS tells us the type of vessel including the name, speed, direction it is traveling, approximate dimensions, distance away, exact position, and a few other things we haven’t figured out yet.  We use AIS often, especially when meeting or passing barges.  When using the marine radio, we address the captains of the towboats by name, and AIS gives us quick information, unlike binoculars where the information is limited.  (Binoculars are used frequently for reading signs and clarifying channels markers.) The most recent information via other boaters is called “Active Captain”.  This is an app we have on our I-Pad which gives up to date information on anchorages, marinas, obstacles in the river, and some local attractions laid out in map mode.  Quite amazing!  We use it in conjunction with our other electronics. 
After lunch of homemade vegetable soup and chicken salad pitas, Steve set the autopilot to 11 miles down river and took a nap.  Yes, Mary was at the helm but didn’t need to do anything but observe the process and watch the river for obstacles.

With the sunshine reflecting off the lake, the Tenn-Tom channel flared out as Dream Chaser entered Bay Springs Lake.   What a pretty area!  If the day had been warmer, we may have had the opportunity to see alligators which start appearing at about this point in the waterway.  No Alligators today, but we did enjoy the beautiful tree-lined shores while we sipped on tea and indulged in a slice of a Tiramisu roll.

After five hours of motoring, we found an anchorage with Trust Me, a 49’ De Fever, at East Cotton Springs in the southern part of Bay Springs Lake.  Mike and Jan are the owners of this beautiful De Fever, from Missouri, and are on their way to Florida.  We love Dream Chaser, but we fantasized about what it would be like to have seven extra feet of boat length! (But, we know it is too big a boat for doing the loop.)

Our first attempt to set the anchor wasn’t effective, but the second drop worked like a charm.  Steve had figured in the wind direction which was blowing briskly from the south.  It was predicted to die down later in the evening and change to the southwest.  This was a perfect spot for the night!

With our anchor alarm set and darkness wrapping around Dream Chaser, we settled in with only the splattering of the rain outside.  After dining on grilled rib eye steak, sweet potatoes, and tiramisu dessert, we watched a movie, read a little, and called it a night.  As our navigational lights shone above us, we snuggled under our down comforter for a wonderful night’s rest.

Friday, November 22
Rain kept a constant rhythm during the night and continued throughout the morning.  After a quick breakfast of eggs, we pulled the anchor at about 8 am and followed Mike and Jan on Trust Me, down the waterway to the Whitten Lock and Dam. This was our first lock on the Tenn-Tom with the greatest drop of 84 ft.  All the following locks have an average drop of 30 ft. Montgomery Lock followed about six miles later and then the Rankin Lock.  Due to the rainy day, Mary made good use of her rain suit as she set the fenders and tied off in the locks.  Steve navigated from the lower helm due to the rain and cool temps.

Below is an interesting view from the bow of Dream Chaser looking over the lock wall to the channel below.  A SLOW barge is in the middle of the channel below.

Steaming hot coffee (with a new peppermint mocha creamer) and pumpkin bread were a welcomed mid-morning reward.

Today, our progress along the waterway has been slowed due to THAT slow tow and barge ahead of us going southbound at only 6 miles mph.  The channel is too narrow for passing and tows get priority at the locks.  Darn!
Hot, homemade vegetable soup and crackers were on the menu for lunch.  A nice treat on such a cloudy, gloomy day.  It was a quick trip through the Rankin Lock, Fulton Lock, and Wilkins Lock, but slow moving on the channel due to the THAT barge again.

Amory Lock was directly in front of us, but with darkness falling soon, the decision was made that there wasn't time to lock through Amory Lock, yet today.  Seeking anchorage, Dream Chaser was first to motor off to the east into a bay area.  Buoys marked the side channel, but the water depth dropped to six feet in places, so we moved slowly.  Dream Chaser finally positioned itself in the small bay, and dropped anchor.  Trust Me followed part way into the channel, but due to their deeper draft and not wanting to chance getting stuck, dropped anchor in the side channel before they entered the bay.  In the fall, darkness comes early, and boater's midnight is 9 pm.
It had been a long day, so with navigational lights on and dinner completed, we called it a night.

We wish you all a very Blessed Thanksgiving!  We give thanks to God for family, friends, and the many blessings we have received!

Back on Dream Chaser, Back tracking to Pickwick Lake.

 The map shows our journey from Chattanooga to Pickwick Lake.


Saturday, November 16, 2013
Steve and I are back on Dream Chaser following the Tennessee River back to Pickwick Lake. Tomorrow morning, we will begin back tracking- locking through Chicamauga Lock, Nickajack Lock, Guntersville Lock, Wheeler Lock, and Wilson Lock.   From Pickwick Lake,  we will head down the Tenn-Tom Waterway.
We have had a wonderful time in the Chattanooga area and are sad to leave, but Florida is calling.  Dream Chaser has been very happy at Shady Grove Landing Marina. We are grateful for our neighboring boat friend, Len, who watched the boat and assisted us with so many things.  To Len and his little dog, Captain:  You have shown us true Southern Hospitality-Thank You!

Sunday, November 17th
Our day began with cloudy, misty skies and temperatures in the low 60's.   Our usual morning routine of prepping before departure went smoothly and everything appeared shipshape.
At 9:15 am and with Len's help, we dropped the dock lines and bid farewell to Shady Grove Marina.
Back in the upper helm, we settle in with mugs of hot coffee and slices of pumpkin cheesecake loaf bread. Dream Chaser headed into a brisk wind and motored down river into the small waves.
As the morning progressed, the fog moved in and out with patches of fog so thick that the captain used radar to make our way.  Although motoring through fog is fascinating, it is spooky when huge cement barge tie-offs along the sides of the river loom at us through the fog.  The mist is almost mystical, but we are very relieved when it finally clears.
Our dockage for the night is at Shell Mound Recreational site, a RV park with a lovely picnic area.
We have the dock all to ourselves and this amazing view!

Monday, November 18th
We woke up to a brilliant sun bringing the trees alive with rich fall colors.
We dropped the boat lines at 7:03 am and arrived at the Nickajack Lock and Dam ten minutes later.
Without a waiting period, the lock master sounded the horn and gave us the green light to enter the lock chamber.

 

 

Mary tied the line to the floating bollard.

We waited as we were lowered to the river level beyond the lock wall.

At 8:30 am, we motored into Alabama.

We passed under the Interstate 24 bridge which has the longest bridge span on the Tennessee River.

 

As we passed by this scene, we observed the sunken boat in front of a large, beautiful house and wondered what the story was behind it.  I've become a true boat lover and this scene makes me sad.

The sunshine was so wonderful and the leaves were lit up like a patchwork quilt.

 

Steve double checked the route.

 

                                     Mary was eager to get to the next dockage- It's that-a-way!

At 3:35 pm, we arrived at Alred Marina in Guntersville, AL (east of the Guntersville Lock and Dam), filled Dream Chaser with diesel, and slipped into our dock space. It feels like home since we were docked here only a few weeks before on our way to Chattanooga, TN.
After securing Dream Chaser, we jumped in the courtesy car and drove to town for provisions and to check out some downtown shops.  When we returned to the boat, Steve took a stroll on the docks and struck up a conversation with a fellow Minnesotan, Greg, from Pequot Lakes who winters here on his boat at the marina. Greg happens to be a boat repair guy with his expertise in fiberglass repair.   Yeah!  Dream Chaser is needing some minor fiberglass work, and Greg volunteered to answer any of Steve's questions.  Our list of things that need to be done on the boat is getting shorter.
You would be surprised to know that there are large numbers of people who live on their boats year round.  The residences are of all sizes and types-from buildings on barges to houseboats and  cruisers.  We heard people this morning walking on the docks from there boats on their way to work.
Tonight's dinner consisted of grilled rib eye,  sweet potatoes, and sauteed zucchini followed by a Hallmark movie and Monday Night Football!  Doesn't get any better than this. :)

Tuesday, November 19
After a restful night, we are up at 6:33 am and enjoying the sun lighting up our back deck.  Temps are at 37 with a promised high of 57,  so we have turned on the heat and are happy to see the sun!
Before leaving for a lock, we always call the lock master for lock information. After calling the Guntersville Lock, we still had no idea as to the wait time at the lock.  The lock master merely said first come first serve.  He must not have had his morning coffee because the southern hospitality was definitely missing!  Every lock master we have conversed with on our journey, so far,  has been helpful and informative-until now.
Steve did his routine check of fluid levels and then proceeded to clean the four water intakes for engine, generator and heating/ AC -due to milfoil in the river. All looked good!
At 7:07 am, we tossed off the lines and climbed to the upper helm.  With the sun peaking over the tree tops and birds flocking overhead, we motored out of the harbor with steaming cups of coffee  (with a splash of peppermint mocha creamer!) and apple cinnamon oatmeal (my boat-meal crock pot recipe) in front of us.
The winds increased and blew through the upper helm, so we added a few more layers of clothing.  The peak for the fall colors is past, but we still see deep golds, copper browns, and touches of yellow here and there. The picture below shows our view from the upper helm.

                              This picture below shows our view from the lower helm.

Below, this is our view from the salon (sitting area) in Dream Chaser.  We enjoy these large windows
for viewing all around the boat.

 On our arrival at the Guntersville Lock at 8:10 am, immediately, we saw barges in the lock-locking up river.  DARN! Steve called the lock master several times when we reached the arrival point in front of the locks, but no answer.  So, we drifted around upstream from the lock for two hours.  We used the time to finish projects, watch  a Rick Steves travel show in Paris on TV, and enjoy coffee and scones.  Finally, when the barges cleared the lock, we received an OK to enter. The lock master knew there would be a wait due to the barge traffic, but apparently chose not to tell us when we called earlier.  We could have had a leisure breakfast and taken a nice walk before leaving the marina, if we had known about the wait time.  Also, with two hours less for motoring today, we hope we can still get to Wheeler State Park to dock before dark!
Our lunch of home made chicken and rice soup with crackers tasted really good on this cold fall day.

We were motoring across Wheeler Lake when night fell and the sunset was amazing!

The sunset started by painting the brown trees along the shore a brilliant orange.

These pictures were taken in an area on the river between Decatur and Florence, AL.

We made it to Joe Wheeler State Park Marina about 6:15 pm with heavy darkness wrapped around us.  We had not planned on arriving in darkness, but due to our hold up at the Guntersville Lock and how quickly darkness falls at this time of year,  we were now dependent on electronics.  We were grateful for radar and the ability of the Garmin to retrace our path to Joe Wheeler State Park Resort.  Dream Chaser motored for an hour feeling her way through the darkness.  We were eager to see the lights of the Joe Wheeler Resort just east of the Wheeler Lock and Dam.  Mary was challenged with setting the fenders for dockage in the dark.  Steve was driving from the lower helm and as we arrived at the resort, edged into the boat slip without difficulty.  Only after the dock lines were secured, did we realize that the power from our slip was being used by a neighboring large yacht.  Darn!  So, we moved Dream Chaser out and over several slips, secured her, and found available power.  Yeah!  We are cold and tired, but happy to be docked.
After we registered in the lodge office, we enjoyed a delicious warm catfish dinner at the resort lodge.
With services at the marinas at a minimum due to the cold weather, we need to get to Florida!

Wednesday, November 20
Our morning began with temps in the 40's, a sunny sky, hot coffee, and steaming oatmeal.
At 7:45 am, we dropped the lines and pulled out of Joe Wheeler State Park Marina.
It was a beautiful day for locking through both Joe Wheeler and Wilson Lock and Dams and, we had minimal entry wait times.  Time to just tie up and relax!

Lunch of BBQ ribs and salad was in the upper helm with temps in the low 60's.  It was about a month ago that we were motoring the opposite direction towards Chattanooga, so much of our view is familiar.  As we motored along today, we saw several groupings of pelicans-hundreds of pelicans!

We were docked at Grand Harbor Marina by 4 pm.  After securing the lines, Steve worked on boat "stuff" and Mary took the courtesy car into Savannah, TN and purchased things on "the list".   Grand Harbor Marina, unlike many of the marinas, still has water and pump-outs available, so we will be sure to take advantage of those services before we head down the Tenn-Tom Waterway.
We had a late dinner at the Broken Spoke Restaurant in Counce, TN and were treated to an evening of music (Blues, Country, and Folk) by recording artists Lisa Lambert and Reba Russell. 

On our return to Dream Chaser, we popped in a load of laundry, watched a bit of local news, and called it a night under the full moon.

FYI...
We took on a second captain prior to Thanksgiving.  He seems nervous- I think he's running from something!

Taking a break and a trip home!

Thursday, October 31
Still in the Chattanooga Tennessee area...

We woke to a cool, cloudy morning in Chattanooga, TN.  We pulled the dock lines and moved Dream Chaser from her dockage at the bluff wall to a location up river.  Our three hour trip took us through Chicamauga Lock and Dam which is 129 feet high and is the second highest dam on the Tennessee River.  This is a concrete, gravity-type hydroelectric dam. The name Chicamauga comes from a break off group of a Cherokee tribe which lived along Chicamauga Creek just north of the dam site.



 Dream Chaser motored a half mile up Soddy Creek to Shady Grove Harbor Marina in Soddy-Daisy, TN. This is a beautiful area with clean water and wooded rolling hills full of fall color.  We met the very friendly marina owner and extremely helpful neighboring boaters.

                                Shady Grove Harbor Marina in Soddy-Daisy

Hooking up to electricity at the dock is not always an easy procedure if you're on the outside of the dock.  At this dock, our electric cords had to go under the dock to keep the walkway clear, but we did it!

We had a laid back afternoon with lunch at a Chinese Restaurant, naps, a walk, errands to Home Depot and Goodwill (for a few good books), and then our discovery of a yummy bakery.  This was the place to experience freshly baked, delicious Moon Pies! A traditional Moon Pie consists of round graham cracker cookies about 4” in diameter with a marshmallow filling in the center and dipped in a chocolate (or other flavored) coating.  The bakery moon pies consisted of two delicious round chocolate cakes, with a creamy white layered filling, and crowned on top with rich chocolate icing. Yum!  Now, all we needed with our pies was some RC Cola, also cuisine of the American South!

Dinnertime found us at Home Folks Buffet, a full buffet with all home-made dishes, Southern hospitality, and small town charm.  Wow, these southern folks sure know how how to cook and bake!

Friday, November 1
Headed home...while our new “friend” kept an eye on Dream Chaser.

Our clock alarm went off at 4:45 am and 30 minutes later, we are in the car headed to the Chattanooga Airport.  After nine days of adventures, we hugged Scott and Sandy good-bye, and hopped a plane home via Atlanta.

Our side trip to Chattanoga: Huntsville to Chattanooga

Saturday, October 26

After a restful night at Ditto Landing Marina, near Huntsville, AL, we awoke to frost on the sides of the boat and fog rising around us into the air from the warmer lake water.   It's Saturday morning and nearby some fishing boats were already being launched for a day on the river.  The fishermen were warmly dressed as it was a cold morning, around 30 degrees.  This was our third day of adventures with Scott and Sandy on the boat.  As we ate our breakfast of sunny side up eggs, bacon, iced blueberry scones, and coffee or tea, we discussed the schedule for the day.

Notorious, the yacht I mentioned in the previous blog post, was still moored at her dock, sitting like a lonely lady at the far end of the marina.  Originally christened the Sereno in 1953 and then later the Exuberance,  she is an old wooden boat with quite a history.  Charlton Heston supposedly lived on her during the filming of "Planet of the Apes".  The owner plans to restore the vessel to its prior glory. The historic lady is said to have a pure marble dining room table and other interesting furnishings. One of the mechanics involved in the restoration said that he though it would be easier to rebuild the Empire State Building that to restore this boat.  We had to agree that she looked pretty rough when we gazed upon her this morning as the sun lit up her sides.

At 9:15 am, we pulled the dock lines and motored out of the marina heading into Wheeler Lake.   As we motored along, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery with the fall colors increasing, bluffs appearing, and thick forests lining the shore.

At MM 344.8,  Painted Bluff rose over 350 ft high at the end of Merrill Mtn. This bluff of yellow and brown rock is one of highest bluffs in the area, and as we passed, we noticed a woman repelling quickly down the face of the bluff.  Unfortunately, she was moving so quickly that none of us could get a picture.

In another four miles, we arrived at Guntersville Dam which is 94 ft high and 3,979 ft long.  Today, I had help with the fenders, and Scott is learning the art of locking through.
As we left Guntersville Dam, we entered Guntersville Lake which is the second largest lake in Tennessee.  It is a hydroelectric dam built in the 1930's by the Tennessee Valley Authority as part of the New Deal project.  Prior to the dam's construction, the water was too low for navigation and the area was devastated by periodic flooding  This dam construction prompted the largest archaeological project in Alabama's history.  Cherokee Indian sites were excavated resulting in human remains and artifacts being collected prior to the formation of the lake.  With extra hands, locking through was a snap!  We are often "watched" as we lock through!

As we left Guntersville Dam, we entered Guntersville Lake which is the second largest lake in Tennessee.  Our first response is that it looks like a park! The view is memorable with forested hills and bluffs rising 600 ft above the lake.  We really enjoyed the rock walls and cliffs, scattered low islands, birds, and the eagles.  High end bass boats with 200hp motors (or better) flew by us.  The fishermen were warmly dressed in neoprene like gear for warmth on this cold morning.
The Bat Cave is at MM 350.1 just above the waterline and provides a sanctuary for the gray bat.  The wire fencing in the picture indicated the location of the cave.

As we motor up the Tennessee River, we enjoyed our lunch of chicken salad on pitas with potato chips and coffee.  We stayed in the navigation channel as hydrilla and water milfoil are thick and give false depth readings.

Our choice for overnight dockage was Alred Marina in Guntersville, LA.  Our good friend, Jeff, we met in Paducah had mentioned that it would be a good choice, and that the area is very pretty.  This marina has great shower and laundry facilities.  We use our washer/dryer on the boat quite often, but it's nice to get large loads done all at one time.
Guntersville, formerly known as Gunter's Ferry and Gunter's Landing, was founded by Will Roger's great-grandfather.  It has always been an important river town, playing a main role during the Civil War.  Called the "chicken feed capital of the South", Guntersville's main industry is grain and animal feed processing.
We motored to slip #13, tied the lines, and checked out the marina.  The courtesy car was available, so a trip to the Cathedral Caverns in Cathedral Caverns State Park was on the schedule.  These caverns provided cave settings for the Disney Studios film "Tom and Huck".

When dinnertime arrived, we set out to find a unique restaurant in Guntersville which turned out to be the
Stone House Eatery, a Southern gourmet restaurant.  We ordered the mahi-mahi special.  Everything was fresh, homemade, and delicious!


After returning to Dream Chaser at the quiet marina, we watched the third game of the World Series.  It was a great night to snuggle up under our warm quilts.







Sunday, October  27  

We woke up under the covered dock in the snug Alred Marina on the edge of Guntersville, AL.  After grabbing bananas for breakfast, we headed for the 8:15 am service at First Baptist Church in Guntersville.  Inspiring sermon, great music, friendly folk!

After a quick trip to the Piggly Wiggly (only 2 left in MN) for provisions, we headed back to the boat.  Mary popped a Boston Pork Butt (popular down here) in the crockpot to cook for the day.  Lunch was rotisserie lemon pepper chicken, a green salad, and Hawaiian rolls.

Under a slightly gray, cloud-filled sky, we dropped the lines and motored out of Alred Marina about 12:30 pm.  On our starboard side, the thick woods are quilted with fall colors covering the rolling hills and homes are scattered along the way.  Off our port side, there is a combination of small islands and shallows with hydrilla and watermilfoil in abundance providing great habitat for fish and waterfowl.

As we motored farther up river, we met several looper boats returning from their Chattanooga side trip. Fishing boats have continued to zoom by us on their way to their favorite fishing spots.

For our anchorage tonight, we chose the popular spot, Jones Creek,  at MM 388.  We entered the 3/4 mile channel slowly as the depth was 8-12 feet.  Part way through, Dream Chaser bumped something underwater, and our captain figured that it was a deadhead (sunken log).
We anchored in the mile wide, tree lined bay and were all alone except for a few distant fishing boats and a deserted Boy Scout camp.  Steve and Scott scouted out the area in the dinghy while Mary prepared the BBQ pork dinner.

 Monday, October 28

The morning began cloud covered with fog hanging in the low lying areas.  Jones Creek provided a quiet and restful night even though it was not a protected bay.  The wind switched directions throughout the night, so the Garmin showed that we had slowly rotated in circles.
At 7:05 am, Steve started the motors, and ten minutes later, Mary pulled the anchor and sprayed off the mud layer.  We were eager to get an early start on our trip to the canyon.  Dream Chaser made her way through the channel, quietly passing by fishing boats patiently waiting for the fish to bite.

This morning, the first thing on the list was coffee!  Mary has been using her new french press which takes little space and makes great coffee.  A breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup and bacon followed which was delivered to the upper helm for the captain and the first mate.

Off the starboard side, we saw Sand Mountain, a 50 mile long and 15 mile wide sandstone plateau.  This area has been inhabited for at least 9,000 years and has been visited by the Cherokee, Hernando de Soto, and Civil War troops.

The landscape becomes flatter about MM 399 where we see the 1,001 foot stack of the TVA’s Widow Creek Power Plant looming into the sky. It is one of the tallest in this valley.














The railway bridge at MM 414.4 is a lift span bridge, but we will have no problem clearing.  About two miles later, we enter Tennessee again.
At MM 418.5, we passed under the South Pittsburg highway bridge, a suspended arch bridge.
Two miles later, we entered a rift valley over 125 miles long and known as the “Hang Gliding Capital of the East”.  We motored through a light fog or a light rain all morning.

Nickajack Dam, at MM 424.7, is the newest hydroelectric dam on river at 81 ft high and 3,767 wide.  This dam brought us up 39 feet and is a little different in that the lock is almost in the middle of the dam whereas the other locks are to one side or the other.
As we left the Nickajack Lock, we entered into Nickajack Lake which is 46 miles long and water depths up to 130 feet.
About MM 430, we pass the deserted Hales Bar Hydroelectric Plant. Completed in 1913, it was the world’s second largest hydroelectric generating plant- Niagara being larger. It was replaced by Nickajack Dam because of its limited size for locking and water leakage due to its limestone foundation.
At MM431.2 we passed Nickajack Resort and Marina, which was formerly known as Hales Bar Marina.  This marina is tricky to navigate with shallow depths, underwater obstructions, and a blind corner.
              

Channel markers are not only used for marking the channel!














 After passing the marina, we began the 32 mile stretch of the river to Chattanooga known as the  “Grand Canyon of the Tennessee”.  Here the scenic Tennessee River twisted and turned through the mountains with depths up to 176 ft.   Prior to the building of the dams, the water was treacherous with rapids, sucks, and eddies.  As a result, there are places along the river called, The Skillet, Blowing Springs, The Pot, and Suck Shoals.  At Daymark 445.8, the river is known as “the pan” due to unpredictable currents and boiling like movements of the water.

This area is part of the Prentice Cooper State Forest and Wildlife Management area, rich with more than 300 kinds of trees and 900 varieties of wildflowers.  Ahead of us was a mountain slope of kudzu, a vine-like plant brought to the US in 1895 from China and Japan, which has aggressive growth.  It was chosen for its heavy root system which was great for soil erosion.
Our anchorage for the night was behind Williams Island which is an open anchorage, but the weather cooperated with us, and it worked out fine.  This quiet island was the site of an Indian village, possibly named after a resident pioneer, and was a temporary refuge for a Union spy who escaped from the confederates.  History is all around us!
Rummikub was the activity of the evening followed by a very peaceful night.

Tuesday, October 29

On day six with our company aboard, we slept in until 8:45 am and had a light breakfast.  We pulled anchor from the sandy river bottom and motored towards Chattanooga.
We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and spotted Lookout Mountain looming 2,000 ft above the river.  This mountain extends 100 miles into Georgia and Alabama. It is known for the last battle of the American Revolution and, also, for one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, the  “Battle Above the Clouds”.

Our dockage for the next two days was at the bluff dock in Chattanooga on the riverfront between Walnut Street Bridge and Market Street Bridge. We tied lines, plugged in the power, and paid for dockage at the marina.  Within the hour, this young guy paddled by the boat just after we docked.  Our dockage was near the Passage, a cascading river or waterfall which runs down steps from Front Street to a pool near the river.  It is an art memorial to the Trail of Tears, the time when the Native Americans living in the area were forced out of their homes.
Chattanooga, originally named Ross’s Landing, was a booming commercial waterfront where huge amounts of cotton, corn, and lumber were moved between the river and the railroad.  Ross’s Landing was, also, a strategic rail center during the Civil War which Union forces tried repeatedly to capture through shelling and attacks.  On September 9, 1863, Union forces finally took the city when the confederate forces deciphered an upcoming Union plan of attack and evacuated the city.  During the Civil War much of Chattanooga was destroyed and fires and floods followed over the years.

Today, we took the river walk up from the Riverfront Parkway to the metropolitan diner, Blue Plate, for a salad lunch.  Exploring the area, we enjoyed the historic spots, fountains, waterfalls, works of art, and walkways.  The afternoon consisted of watching the interesting film, “Rocky Mountain Express” at the I-Max, a walk through the River Gallery Sculpture Garden, and a walk through Historic Chattanooga.  Mary visited the Tennessee Aquarium (the roof has six magnificent glass peaks) which emphasized following the waterways of Tennessee as they empty into the Gulf.  The expanded exhibit called Ocean Journey featured creatures of the sea.  Mary had the thrill of petting a Bonnethead Shark, a Cownose Ray, a Bignose Unicorn Fish, an Atlantic Stingray, a Yellow Tang, and a Horseshoe Crab.  Other highlights were the penguin, seahorse, and jellyfish exhibits.












 In the early evening, our group walked across the Walnut Street (pedestrian) Bridge past the Coolidge Riverside Park and the colorful carousel to Terra Nostra, a  great tapas and wine restaurant.
There is a huge rowing competition the first weekend in November, and some teams were practicing.

 Sandy on top of bridge in Riverplace plaza.









Wednesday, October 30

Our sunny morning began with plans to visit new venues which we missed in October 2012.  In the process of getting information on the local bus schedule, we met Chuck at the Riverplace information booth, and he volunteered to give the four of us a  ride to the incline railway.

So, our first stop was riding the incline railway up “America’s Most Amazing Mile” to the top of Lookout Mountain for a panoramic view of Chattanooga and the area.  Since 1895, people have been riding this railway, one of the steepest in the world.  We walked to Point Park which contained memorials to the Civil War soldiers, provided great views, and commemorated the “Battle Above the Clouds”. This Civil War battle took place on the mountain sides enveloped in the clouds.

Our second stop was at Rock City, a massive rock formations high atop Lookout Mountain.  As we walked winding our way through massive rock formations, we viewed seven states from Lover’s Leap (a jutting overlook), walked through a magical fairyland cavern, and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors.

We finished the afternoon at Ruby Falls by walking deep below Lookout Mountain for a caving experience
 observing stalactites, stalagmites, and a 145 foot waterfall.

 At Ruby Falls, we met Sam and Lynnea who offered us a ride back to town.  Short one seat in the vehicle, Lynnea hopped in the back demanding that spot with a big smile!

For dinner, the six of us stopped at Southern Star Restaurant in Chattanooga and happened run into Chuck our information man who gave us a ride earlier in the day. The eight of us had a wonderful dinner with great conversation.  We love making new friends!  They are so interesting!
After dinner, we walked to the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo, the Cincinnati-to-Chattanooga train, at the historic railroad depot now a hotel.  The magnificent building made it easy to get a glimpse back in time to understand the prominence of the railroads and glory of its time.

The electric bus took us back to the Tennessee Aquarium near where we were docked and we readied Dream Chaser for an evening cruise with our new friends.

Sam and Lynnea, our friends from Ruby Falls and dinner, joined us on our night cruise on the Tennessee River through Chattanooga.  The city lights on the river were fantastic, and we enjoyed getting to know our new friends from Asheville, NC.