Tearing Down the B.B. Comer Bridge (built in 1929)
Tennessee River MM 444 Looking East
We crossed two lines today: the Alabama/Tennessee border and the time zone. Hello Tennessee and Eastern Daylight Time! Long gone are the bayous of coastal Alabama. The hills picture above are the beginnings of the Smokey Mountains. The farther east we go the bigger the hills get.
What Remains of the Old Hales Bar Lock and Dam
I took the above picture because I thought the old building looked interesting. The building's story however, is even more interesting. The powerhouse building, built by the Tennessee Electric Power Company (TEPCO) on Hales Bar, is all that remains of the eponymous lock and dam. When it was completed in 1913, the lock's 40' lift was the largest in the world. Before Hales Bar was built this section of river was particularly dangerous. Today, as we traversed the bends named Whirlpool and Suck, I'm happy to report there was no evidence of those once powerful phenomenon.
The Horseshoe Around Raccoon Mountain
As the crow flies we were only 1-1/2 miles away from our anchorage. However, it was 8-1/2 miles following the Tennessee River around Raccoon Mountain.
Today's Route
Made 78 miles to the good, upping our total to 1,978 miles. Nellie is securely anchored in 30' of tranquil water behind Williams Island. DBH
