Day 162: Knoxville Two

Knoxville's Graffiti is Very Nice...

Fancy Daisy in World's Fair Park

Bicki Bumming a Ride

Looking South on Gay St.

Old Town Flower Box

I'm sucker for marble and Knoxville quarries supplied it for many well known projects.  I remember reading in David Cannadine's, Mellon, An American Life, how particular Mellon was about the marble used in the National Gallery of Art.  Upon the building's completion in 1941 it was the largest marble structure in the World.  Now I know the rest of the story, the marble can from Knoxville.  So too did the stone used in the iconic lions in front of New York's Public Library.

Patience and Fortitude, New York Public Library (Photo: The-consortium/Flickr CC)

The Vol Navy (photo: 2pznappod)

Tailgating parties are taken to a whole new level when Tennessee has a home game--river level.  On game days the Vol Navy forms. 

Lonely Nellie

Only Nellie at the Vol Navy dock near Neyland Stadium in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee.  No miles today and holding at 2169 miles for the Journey.  DBH

Day 61: Knoxville Ho!

Fort Loudoun Lake the Hamptons of the Tennessee River (Zillow Photo)

We're worried.  The 50 miles from Fort Loudoun Dam to Knoxville is lined with beautiful homes and thousands of boats.  Thus far we've had every anchorage and the entire waterway to ourselves.  Yesterday we saw the season's first water-skier.  A bad omen for sure.  A quick check of the solitude barometer shows it in free fall.  A storm is coming.  A downpour of river revelers is predicted for Memorial Day.  We're worried.

21 MPH Winds, A Long Fetch, But Calm Seas--Ahh...

Knoxville Ho!

At MM647 we reach Knoxville, the eastern terminus of our cruise up the Tennessee River.

"Here [Knoxville] the river suddenly ceases its wild leaping down the mountains and, like a maiden about to be married, pauses to dream upon the alliance it is speedily to form with a mightier stream...  The hills sit here like dethroned kings, met for consultation: they would be very garrulous, surely, but the exquisite peace of the pastoral scene below them has stilled their life; they have forgotten the ancient anarchy which brought them forth; they dream and dream away..." Sidney Lanier, poet, describing a scene on the Tennessee River in 1860.

Above Nellie's Dock is the Atlanta to Louisville Railway Bridge (circa 1906)

University of Tennessee--Go Vols!

Knoxville, Site of the 1982 World's Fair


A Snail's Route for Our Snail's Pace

At the free dock in downtown Knoxville.  45 miles today and 2169 miles for the journey.  DBH

Day 160: Bucolic Settings

Rolling Hills full of hardwoods, Grassy Meadows, and Rocky Outcroppings

We're floating through the kind of bucolic settings favored by seventeenth-century Dutch masters.   Yes, it's that pretty.

An Acrophobic Osprey's Nest

At the northern terminus of Watts Bar Lake, and about one mile apart, are the Fort Loudoun and Tellico dams.  Here is where the Tennessee and Little Tennessee Rivers meet.

Up 74' in the Ft Loudoun Lock

The Infamous Tellico Dam of Snail Darter Fame

Little Tennessee River Anchorage

Tonight's anchorage, Jumping Cliff,  is named for the Bluff at the inlet's entrance.  As we approached the cliff there was a young woman summoning the courage to jump.  Already in the water, some 40' below, 3 friends egged her on.  The jumper didn't look happy nor, truth be told, inclined to jump.

Thirty miles along and 74' up today.  Nellie's now 812' above sea level and 2124 miles into her journey. 

Hmm, if Nellie were an airplane, at her current rate of climb, she'd have to circle the world four times to reach a 35,000' cruising altitude.  Good thing Nellie's not an airplane ;-)  DBH

Day 159: The San Juans of Tennessee

Nice to be in a Pilothouse on a Rainy Morning

Up 61 Feet at Watt's Bar Lock

The pattern becomes familiar: pass through a lock; enter a lake; upstream the river constricts; the current increases; arrive at the next lock.  The pattern is broken only by the increasing beauty of the upriver lakes. Watt's Bar Lake is no exception but differentiates itself by having many, many islands.  For a moment I thought we were in the San Juans and only by tasting the water could I be sure we weren't.

Up the Watt's Bar Section of the Tennessee

Garmin Charts with Much Better Depth Contours

In an earlier post I'd complained that Garmin's charts lacked the necessary depth information.  Fortunately someone wiser than me knew that the deficiency was easily corrected with a Garmin SD chip containing the data for the Inland Rivers and Lakes--thanks Terry!  Unfortunately I've now lost my 'bad charts' excuse for going aground--thanks Terry!

In the Little Paint Rock Creek anchorage, MM576.  67 miles today 2095 total.  DBH

Day 158: "You Gotta Go Upriver!"

TVA's Sequoyah Nuclear Plant on Chickamauga Lake

Just about everyone, at every port, has encouraged us to continue exploring upriver.  "It only gets better.", is the constant refrain.  But, when do we stop going upriver, when a local says, "You've arrived."?  It's the human condition to believe that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.   Perhaps "You gotta go upriver." is just the cruising corollary.  I take solace in the fact that when we do reach the headwaters of the Tennessee there won't be someone there encouraging us to continue upriver.  What I do fear is they'll say, "You think this was good, you gotta go up the [1800 mile long] Ohio River."

East on the Hiawassee River

There's a constant debate as to what cruising boat is best for the Great Loop.  Should it be fast, slow, big, small, etc.  In my opinion, the best boat for the Loop is one you know how to fix ;-)

All Alone in the Hiawassee Anchorage

At anchor near MM2.5 on the Hiawassee River (a tributary off the Tennessee River at MM500).  27 miles today and 2028 miles for the trip.  DBH

Day 156: Whoa, That's Fast

Chattanooga's Hunter Museum

We sailed right past downtown Chattanooga today.  We'll be visiting it on the way down river. Today's destination was the Chattanooga Yacht Club.

Eleanor and Terry Keith (and Lil' Toot 37VT74)

Last year the Keith's bought Lil' Toot, the next to last Lord Nelson Victory Tug built.  We had only corresponded via email so it was nice to finally meet face to face.  Truth be known, it was the Keith's that got us interested in Chattanooga as a cruising destination.  Heck, before our conversations I didn't even know you could cruise to Chattanooga.  As if to underscore the point that it is possible, Terry's done the trip between Mobile and Chattanooga an incredible 60 times! 

The boathouses of Chattanooga Yacht Club

Whoa, That's Fast WiFi

It used to be that having access to WiFi aboard a boat was rare. Now that most marinas provide it, the great differentiator is the speed of the service.  It's common to see download speeds of 1 Mbps and I'm thrilled when it's 3 Mbps.  Now that I've seen 43 Mbps here at the Chattanooga Yacht Club, I'm totally spoiled.  It's said that bringing a car along while cruising on a boat, ruins the cruise.  I'm concerned the same may be true of finding fast internet...

At the Chattanooga Yacht Club, Tennessee River MM477.5, on Lake Chicamauga.  A short but scenic 23 miles today; now at 2001 miles total.  DBH

Day 155: Into the Smokies

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