Tennessee River Cruise - Days 1 thru 4

Leaving Joe Wheeler SP Marina bright and early Mon. morning Oct. 19.

Our flotilla led by Jerry and Jenny on Sweetgrass from Charleston, SC. Followed by Bill and Carol on Tennessee Rover from Lynnville, TN

And last-My Brown Eyed Girls

Sweetgrass is a "go slow" trawler moving at 7-8 mph. So we only travel about 50 miles each day. At that speed you really get to enjoy the scenery and absorb all you are seeing. Plus-we get way good gas mileage!! We traveled 225 miles up the TN River from Rogersville AL to Lenoir City TN. Went through 5 locks. Passed under countless bridges (only 1 of which we had to call to have raised). Stayed at 6 different marinas and spent one night out at anchor. (It rained-we leaked-on my side of the bed) We keep binoculars handy all the time along with paper chartbooks and a TN River cruise guide both of which give us mile by mile info about everything we're going by in addition to all the info we need-channel markers, lock and dam info and phone numbers, marina info and phone numbers, depth readings,..... We also have a navigation app loaded on an I-pad which we are following constantly. Also have a depth finder and VHF radio which we use to communicate with the tows and tugs, bridges, locks, marinas and each other.

Day 1-went under a Southern Railway Bridge which we had to call on the radio to have lifted for us. Evidently no trains were coming as the bridge went right up for us! Passed under the I-65 bridge, a roadway many of us are intimately familiar with. Saw the ULA Rocket Ship at its dock which transports rocket boosters made in Decatur AL to launch facilities in FL and CA. Ended the day at Ditto Landing Marina having "docktails" with the crew on the dock followed by dinner on the boat.

Sweetgrass, My Brown Eyed Girls and Tennessee Rover at Ditto Landing, Huntsville AL.

Day 2-Left Ditto Landing and passed through Guntersville Lock and Dam. Our locking through procedure was a little rough around the edges, but we went in one side of the lock and came out the other-I call that a win!

The scenery gets better each day.

Spent the night at Goose Pond Colony.


Day 3
Saw this private ferry hauling farm equipment back and forth between island and bean field on shore. You can see the combine dust in the background.

Locking through the Nickajack Lock-flawless this time!

Spent the night at Hales Bar Marina just west of Chattanooga. Site of an old unused TVA hydroelectric plant. Freaky.

Docktails and pizza on the dock with some local boaters.

Day 4 -entered "The Gorge" an area where the river narrows and deepens. Beautiful!!

Our first view of Lookout Mountain

Spent the night on the riverfront downtown Chattanooga. Was a nice change of pace from the remoteness and solitude of the previous days.



To be continued....