C-Otter on the Cumberland River

Avidmagnum12 · Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 6:34 pm Post subject: C-Otter on the Cumberland River

Started our adventure on the Cumberland river today. We really don’t know how far we’re going to travel, certainly to Nashville. We launched this afternoon at Prizers Point Marina and only made it about 12 miles; nothing wrong with that! We also met some fellow loopers today and plan on getting together with them around Nashville. We have an invitation from a Harbor host from AGLCA to stay at their dock on old Hickory lake. Hope we can take advantage of that.
We recently signed up for a life time membership with the American Great Loop Cruising Association. They have Harbor hosts on most of the inland rivers, and the intracoastal waterway’s. Harbor hosts have helped us with marinas anchorages, and even groceries. Just one of the great benefits of AGLCA.

We were blessed to be able to borrow a Cumberland guidebook from Dan and Peggy on Lake Affect. We did cover part of the area before with Bill and Becky on Blue Days some years ago.
…... That was a fantastic trip.

thataway · Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2023 7:05 pm Post subject:

When on Old Hickory Lake, be sure and contact Byrdman. And or his brother.

It is a great trip. We particularly enjoy Nashville, Marie has several relatives who live there and we may drop by Nashville after the "meet in the middle" gathering.

Molly Brown · Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2023 6:19 am Post subject:

I saw you were moving at 5 mph yesterday....my favorite speed Very Happy

James

colbysmith · Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 1:04 pm Post subject:

If you'd like to take a break at a marina one night, the Commodore Yacht Club is off the channel and a nice stopover. It's a little ways past Ashland. Also, the Harpeth River is worth the side trip and you can find some nice anchorage spaces all the way to Pack Island. (You can go farther, but that was as far as I dared go.) I've only been a little ways past Nashville, but plan on going as far as we can after the gathering. Colby

Avidmagnum12 · Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 4:08 pm Post subject:

Anchorage last night on North Cross creek near MM 95.8. The entrance looks kind of scary but we had about 5’ of water below the boat at the entrance then it got even better. Saw NO boats other than kayaks. And a beautiful area for canoeing or kayaking. Also an easy place to get dogs to shore. Will stop here on the way back as long as water levels hold.

6mph average speed so far James ….I love it. Off to Harpeth river tomorrow then I have reservations at Commodore yacht club for Tuesday. Already made the call before Colby’s message. 😀

The weather has been great and have not needed AC at night while at anchor. The marina at Clarksville tonight is $1.25 per foot and with boat US $1.00 plus $5.00 for power I guess. Fuel was $5.30.9 a gallon and you save 10 cents a gallon with boat US.

Till next time…Tom

colbysmith · Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 10:23 pm Post subject:

The Clarksville marina is pretty nice. And there is a Dairy Queen within walking distance, right across the street! Mr. Green

Colby

Avidmagnum12 · Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 8:03 pm Post subject:

Colby=ice cream 😊

Left Clarksville this morning and proceeded slowly to the Cheatham Lock. The lock tender Mark told us to go as far upriver in the lock to the last bollard. Said we’d get a smoother lift and it was perfect. We called ahead from Clarksville and timed it so that we did not have to wait.

The river was closed till about 6:30 last night. A PWC ran into a barge killing two people. What a tragedy!

Anchored out on the Harpeth River. At least 6 boaters said it was a must stop and it is. Magnificent cliffs, great holding, lots of depth coming in. No other boats so far today.

Tom

colbysmith · Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 8:53 pm Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:24 pm Post subject:

Looking at the 2nd link Colby cited,

Avidmagnum12 · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2023 5:18 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your input on the jet ski tragedy.

We are anchoring in Skinny Dip bay on Old Hickory Lake for the night after leaving Commodore Yacht club. Had a great stay there and prices were reasonable. Good wifi and free ice and laundry. Planning on stopping again on the way back. The marina manager…Belita…is one of the most helpful people I’ve ever met.

Tomorrow night we are going to stay at a private dock that is owned be a gentleman that we met at the Yacht Club. Blessings everywhere.

Not sure how much farther we will proceed. Will check out fuel prices tomorrow and go from there. 😁

Tom

Avidmagnum12 · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 5:33 pm Post subject:

Watching out for tow boats. I love my AIS receiver here on the Cumberland River. As we were proceeding down river to an anchorage the chart plotter displayed an AIS target heading up around a bend in the river. We proceeded to work our way over to port to pass him on the two whistle. While doing so we noticed a dark colored pontoon boat in the middle of the channel. No heads visible! The tow pushing multiple barges was heading right for them. I gave 5 toots on the horn….nothing. 5 more and two heads popped up and they scrambled to get the boat started. Fortunately it started and they were able to get out of the way in time.

I’m not sure the captain of the tow even saw the pontoon as he was making the turn. The dark boat on the dark water could have made this difficult. Or his attention may have been elsewhere. The tow did not activate his whistle. I informed the tow afterwards that I did alert the pontoon and the captain thanked us.

This was only about 10 miles from where two people died in the jet ski incident with a tow about a week ago.

Be smart and be safe…Tom

thataway · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 8:58 pm Post subject:

Wow--you saved some lives today! There are some really dumb people out there. If the barge did not sound the 5 blasts, I would say he did not see them. I don't know what or how long the barges were, but often the tug cannot see well enough ahead. There would also be a blind spot on his radar (which most do run all of the time)l

As Marie opined; the pontoon boat should have set an anchor well off the river traffic lanes and probably had drifted off, with some wind or current. Probably not really aware of the traffic.

One of my friends is the Safety Officer for 8th CG District. (He has been posting regularly on THT about his project on unexplained drownings. Pontoon boats are one of the most accident prone, as well as PWC. The unexplained drowning rate is much higher from pontoon boats, from falling overboard. Many speculate the no training, no radio, and drinking are also to blame since they are high on the pontoon boats.

Gulfcoastjohn · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 9:54 pm Post subject:

We agree that a send/rec AIS transponder is the best money you can spend when cruising. It's the ONLY way you can hail a tow by name before you can see it's name on the tow, which is always WAY too late!

Good move, Tom! Although in our experience MOST recreational boaters have no idea that 5 honks mean DANGER, they generally understand that five honks might mean SOMETHING that they should pay attention to.

Safe Travels!

John

Avidmagnum12 · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2023 9:23 am Post subject:

John
The AIS receiver is the one we bought from you some years ago. Usually I do get the name of the vessel but not this time. Only showed a number by the location. I have Joyce write down the names in case we need to contact. Until we cleared the bend in the river I assumed it was a pleasure craft.

What would I do differently next time? Not much. If the two heads did not pop up at that moment I would have called the tow and asked them to give the pontoon boat a warning with their louder horn.

Things were happening quickly and at first I couldn’t believe my eyes.

We are anchored in the fog this morning on the Harpeth River waiting for sunshine to lock down to Clarksville. Mite be awhile as the AIS shows some tow boats doing the same thing on the Cumberland.

Tom

thataway · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2023 10:26 am Post subject:

We did see several smaller tugs, without tows on the Mississippi. For those who don't understand the lingo: "Tow" on our waterways, mean any barge and tug combination. On the rivers and ICW the "tows" are almost 100% being pushed. It is just how many barges. On the lowerMississippi (no locks below St. Louis) the maximum number is 42 barges southbound and 40+ northbound. The record number of barges was 72 northbound!

Out in the ocean, wide gulf etc 99,9% of barges are towed. One of the major issues is that the running lights of the barge is often not seen. So watch for two radar echos which are moving at the same speed, and fixed distance apart. You might say "no one would be so dumb to cut between a tug and tow." Not so, and in many situations the cable will be under the water in the middle of the tow line. The "towed" barge may be several hundreds of yards back. Again hailing the tug (AIS) is important to see what the tow is, how far back etc--and Never pass between a tug and tow.

If you install either a receiver or transceiver, be sure and put an official MMSI number--one issued by the FCC, not by Boat US, Tow Boat US etc. I recommend a Transceiver "B+" which has a number of better features than plain "B"

Back to C Otter's voyage, and my apology for interrupting. But I feel that since we are on safety issues, with AIS, and the dangers, it was a good place that people may read. Thanks! See you all in a couple of week. (I'll have my dirt dinghy along for the ride)