2007-11 Cruising Tennessee River in Alabama
Ahoy All,
Departing Scottsboro, AL, we continued on down the Tennessee River. We anchored for the night in a little cove about 4 miles above Guntersville Dam. Our plan was to lock through the dam first thing in the morning since we had a 60-mile run planned for the day. After dinner we were enjoying the peace and quiet when a fishing boat pulled into the cove. The guy started fishing. A short time later he started his boat and drove it over next to us. He had caught a 20-pound blue catfish and wanted to know if we wanted it for dinner--if not he was going to release it. We advised that we had just finished dinner but thanked him anyway.
We got up bright and early the next morning, and just as we were pulling the anchor we saw a tow boat with six barges pass at the mouth of our little cove. Yup, he was heading down river and locking through the dam. We spent the next two hours waiting for him before we could lock through--so much for an early start.
Finally we locked through into Wheeler Lake and then the wind picked up. It was 15 to 20 knots generally on our nose. Our little boat handled the two-foot chop without a problem. However, it was tiring and when you are only cruising at about 6 knots it didn't help our overall progress. We passed many interesting sites along the river, such as the Redstone Arsenal and the Marshall Space Flight Center near Huntsville, AL. This is where America's space program started.
Our next encounter was a lift span railroad bridge. This bridge is on the same site as the Memphis & Charleston Railroad Bridge burned by the Union Army on April 27, 1862, to stop a Confederate advance. Well, it stopped our advance also!! It was in the down position with a vertical clearance of 9.8 feet. We wouldn't fit under it!! Dave radioed the bridge tender to see if we could get it raised. He said "Sure, but let me check with control." He then advised that control told him he would have to wait until two trains that were behind schedule crossed the bridge before he could raise it. So we plowed around in the waves waiting. Finally, the first train started crossing the bridge. Barb gave up counting the train cars at 110. Not long after the second train crossed the bridge raised. Another hour travel time was lost. Such is life on the river!!
We laid over for the night at a marina in Athens, AL. Two lines of thunderstorms were forecast to pass through during the evening hours. We tied the boat down good and she weathered the storms with flying colors. Shortly after we departed the next day a cold front went through and the wind started picking up. When the waves got to three feet and started white capping we decided the heck with this. We pulled into Joe Wheeler State Park marina to wait out the wind. We weren't alone, as there were other cruisers doing the same thing. It is a lovely marina in a beautiful setting with a great restaurant.
The next day there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the wind was calm. We continued on down river locking through Wheeler Dam into Wilson Lake and then locking through Wilson Dam. You drop 93 feet in Wilson Lock. Once the world's highest single lift lock, it now ranks sixth in the U.S. behind five higher locks on the Columbia River and Snake River in the Pacific Northwest. Our next stop was the Florence Harbor Marina in Florence, AL--hence the picture of the week. We spent the next four days there visiting with our friends Mike and Marie. They were wonderful hosts.
Departing Scottsboro, AL, we continued on down the Tennessee River. We anchored for the night in a little cove about 4 miles above Guntersville Dam. Our plan was to lock through the dam first thing in the morning since we had a 60-mile run planned for the day. After dinner we were enjoying the peace and quiet when a fishing boat pulled into the cove. The guy started fishing. A short time later he started his boat and drove it over next to us. He had caught a 20-pound blue catfish and wanted to know if we wanted it for dinner--if not he was going to release it. We advised that we had just finished dinner but thanked him anyway.
We got up bright and early the next morning, and just as we were pulling the anchor we saw a tow boat with six barges pass at the mouth of our little cove. Yup, he was heading down river and locking through the dam. We spent the next two hours waiting for him before we could lock through--so much for an early start.
Finally we locked through into Wheeler Lake and then the wind picked up. It was 15 to 20 knots generally on our nose. Our little boat handled the two-foot chop without a problem. However, it was tiring and when you are only cruising at about 6 knots it didn't help our overall progress. We passed many interesting sites along the river, such as the Redstone Arsenal and the Marshall Space Flight Center near Huntsville, AL. This is where America's space program started.
Our next encounter was a lift span railroad bridge. This bridge is on the same site as the Memphis & Charleston Railroad Bridge burned by the Union Army on April 27, 1862, to stop a Confederate advance. Well, it stopped our advance also!! It was in the down position with a vertical clearance of 9.8 feet. We wouldn't fit under it!! Dave radioed the bridge tender to see if we could get it raised. He said "Sure, but let me check with control." He then advised that control told him he would have to wait until two trains that were behind schedule crossed the bridge before he could raise it. So we plowed around in the waves waiting. Finally, the first train started crossing the bridge. Barb gave up counting the train cars at 110. Not long after the second train crossed the bridge raised. Another hour travel time was lost. Such is life on the river!!
We laid over for the night at a marina in Athens, AL. Two lines of thunderstorms were forecast to pass through during the evening hours. We tied the boat down good and she weathered the storms with flying colors. Shortly after we departed the next day a cold front went through and the wind started picking up. When the waves got to three feet and started white capping we decided the heck with this. We pulled into Joe Wheeler State Park marina to wait out the wind. We weren't alone, as there were other cruisers doing the same thing. It is a lovely marina in a beautiful setting with a great restaurant.
The next day there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the wind was calm. We continued on down river locking through Wheeler Dam into Wilson Lake and then locking through Wilson Dam. You drop 93 feet in Wilson Lock. Once the world's highest single lift lock, it now ranks sixth in the U.S. behind five higher locks on the Columbia River and Snake River in the Pacific Northwest. Our next stop was the Florence Harbor Marina in Florence, AL--hence the picture of the week. We spent the next four days there visiting with our friends Mike and Marie. They were wonderful hosts.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns