Upper Tennessee Group cruise

T

thataway

Active member
Just to formalize the "tour". Lake Effect, Cat's Claw and Thataway caravanned to B & B Marina near Charleston TN. This was about 15. miles up stream from where we stopped last year on the Cumberland, Tennessee River Cruise. We overnighted in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel near Nashville on the way from Alton.

Mike & Kristi Mosier joined us today. Jonathon Arthur is down River and going to try and catch up with the group.

We cruised to the navigable head of Hiawassi River yesterday. We anchored overnight by Dayton TN. (Site of the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925. Today we transited Watts Bar Lock, and are all anchored in a cove just above the dam. It is running in the mid 90's--even at 7 PM the temp is 89*. We all gathered in a park, where there was shade under the trees and a nice breeze. We saw about a dozen bass boats launch, and have an club tournament, complete with "Start" all off on a plane starting at 6 PM.

We plan to get to Knoxville Tn in 10 to 12 days, and will probably explore the Clinch River as we go up stream, as well as other side tributaries.

The highlight of the day, is jumping into the 82* lake water and cooling off, after we have anchored.

If there is any other C Brat in the area, they are welcome to join us. We will be mostly anchoring out, with an occasional Marina thrown in.
 
There were too many pots in the fire for us to join you this year. Sounds like you have gathered a great adventure group, I look forward to following your trip.

So many great memories of last year
 
Everyone was ready for a marina, and the temp was in the mid 90's as it has been each day. Showers laundry and restaurant dinner were in order. The marina has about 30% sailboats...seems a bit unusual for this area. But deep water, and good breezes could make for nice sailing.

We spent the day looking at fantastic "river cabins"--some were in the 5,000 sq feet range, on up.
 
WOW, 90+*. When does it get down to 80 or below?

Some of us do not have air conditioning on our boats. Yikes. I'd be afraid my gel coat would melt and turn into a puddle.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Harvey it was 102 in the cockpit today, and 92 in the cabin. Highest temp is a bout 3 PM. Now at 8 PM it is 83 in the cabin and 84 on the cockpit.

Big news! Salty Jonathon Arthur and Rosia, on Salty, caught up with us just about an hour ago. They ran just over 100 miles and two locks from Chattanooga today--and jury jugged fuel, before running the last 5 miles to catch up with our group. What an awesome couple!"

The last couple of days we went up the Emory River to Hariman, an old coal mining town. There is a 70 foot dock and we had the two 25's rafted, one 22 in the middle and the other 22 at the end, with just cockpits overlapping the docks.

Last night we went up the Clinch River, to just below the dam, where the lock is only open by appointment. Since one boat was having fuel problems, we elected to find an anchorage for the night. We were just across from Oak Ridge, AEC project. Some of the structures on their Oak Ridge Land was in decay, but there were active projects on the area where we anchored. Things seemed to glow at night!

We are anchored in a cove near the Whitestone Inn--The inn appears to be well beyond our pay grade! They do have a dock and a courtesy phone, so a limo will pick you up at one of their slips!

Also one of our members decided to go for a swim--but no ladder. Several of us had to rescue him, and pull him into the dinghy. A ladder is on the must buy list for his boat.

I went for a voluntary swim--felt good, but as I have aged, I cannot swim as well as I used to, even though we have a pool at home and I swim about once a week in the summer.

Tomorrow we go thru Fort Loudon Locks,and will stay the the five star marina by the town. Time for laundry and re-supply. Then up the Little Tennessee River and Lake Telaco.
 
Sounds like you all are having a good time. WOW>>>> watch that swimming, mostly getting out of the water. With temps like above 90 I can sure see why you would want to be in the water. Fun to follow, and I am enjoying the slower pace. (I still like just 5 knots, -- no bow wave.)

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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We all had a good visit with Jonathon and Rosa on Salty yesterday, as they ran with us, and then went up the Little Tennessee River for the rest of the day, Lake Effect will be hauling out at Fort Loudon, TN today. Little Joe and Cat Claw went up the Little Tennessee today. Thataway is taking a day of rest at a marina. I got crutches which helped my injured leg. Today will be on the bunk, leg elevated. How I do will determine how much longer we will continue. Alternate is to pull out in the next day or so--or to go up the Little Tennessee, Telico, Rivers and perhaps a run to Knoxville--and then pull out in about 3 or 4 days....in any case it will be sorter than originally planed.

Even though we have come over 100 miles by water, it is only 50 miles on I 75 to our launch site,. (There were at least another 100 miles of side river trips>).

Sometimes I wonder if the odds are agains me at this age. 3 out of 4 of the last major trips involved a major injury--either before the start (crushed finger), on the way--bilateral hernias changing the trailer tire,), or slip and fall off the boat, on the first day....We love the C Dory 25, and it is now rigged for us, as the "ultimate" pocket cruiser.
 
I'm glad you guys are having a good tome .Sorry to hear about your injury DR Bob . I thought for sure we would be doing a river trip this year . It just wasn't in the cards We are still in Florida waiting for AC help. This will be the 3rd compressor that gets put in Hopefully the 3rd time will be the charm ? We missed the Mississippi gathering for c-brats .Anyway see you in March for our Hontoon gathering .
 
Bob,
Today the NWS says Pensacola broke the record high at 102 degrees (but it only felt like 104). So no need to rush away from your cooling rivers. We'll have a cold front coming, but without any snow or sleet.

You sound a bit frustrated about your last few medical misadventures, but they are trivial compared to what you guys have weathered in the past. Take some relaxation and ice-down time.

Best wishes to the Salty crew, as well as you and your entire fleet!

Safe and happy travels!
John
 
Cats Claw and Thataway have reached Knoxville, the terminus of our river trip. We will haul out sometime next week in Fort Loudon. After a full days rest, in the bunk--we did the Little Tennessee and Tellico to their navigable head. Today 40 miles up to Knoxville.

Extended family A big thanks to Pat Clow's son, Aarne Clow. Aarne lives near Fort Loudon where we have been tied up, and where there is a great ramp. He volunteered to take all of us skippers to B & B where we launched early this AM. Aarne works for MasterCraft. We went by the factory (Sea Ray is next door) on Tellico Lake) by boat.

At the Fort Loudon Marina, there was a courtesy car--keys are in it, keep it full of gas and use it. The manager searched thru her storage locker trying to find a walker for me to use one evening. (I am doing OK with crutches). Marie met another boater (42 foot Hatteras) who had seen our boats earlier on the trip, and since they had a car, and were going that way, offered to take us all to pick up our rigs. The fellow boater with a 45 foot power boat the next gangway down, came up as soon as we docked--commented on our C Dory (he has a friend who owns one)--we talked for a few minutes--and our paths may have crossed in the sailing world...he offered us his golf cart for the duration we were here.

There is the comradery not only at the gatherings, where we meet our friends we correspond with over the internet, but with the spin off cruises such as the one we took last year, and again this year on the River Systems--also many other gatherings have the same experience. But in heartland America, the spirt of boaters as friends and ones who help each other is still alive.

Thanks to all of the C Brat friends who make these boats so extra special!!!
 
Bob, what a neat trip ending summary. The boating community is truly special in that way. Sure hope your healing continues. I am really looking forward to making this same trip, in kind if not exact same locations, maybe a bit later in the season, looking for cooler temps and some fall colors, hopefully next fall.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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They tell us this is the hottest fall on record. We did not run the AC the last couple of days. Right now it is 85 and about as high as it will get in the Cabin.

Last Sept we had some cool to cold (relative) days in late Sept, plus severe flooding which basically closed parts of the Tennessee to Navigation...

Tomorrow there is a 10K swim/ relay (where the "pilot kayaks" switch places with the swimmers at 5 K starting at 8 AM in Knoxville TN. The water temp is in the 80* temp range. There is a different group for those who wear wet suits vs going a natural...
 
Bob,
thanks for your PM reference to Grace & Sons, they will put on our new rooftop Coleman 15KBtu unit on appointment next week, I'm to call Mon sept 23 .

We just don't tolerate 85 degrees at age 64... we don't know how you two do it (but we all are gratified that you do it so well).

Happy Boating!
John
 
Today was the last day on the River. Lew went part way to Ftl Loudon Marina, and we stayed in Knoxville. Dinner with our relatives was facilitated by our new friend with a Heritage 40 trawler....He loaned us his golf cart. After we brought it back, he came over to the boat, and presented us with a poster done by his father, the renown wildlife and hunting artist John Cowan. Like the song goes "on the River"...We got away early, before the swimmers were in the water. We ran alongside one of the safety boats about 6 miles down river where the swimmers get out....There were almost 200 cars already staged there. My guess is that there were busses in the early morning to take the participants back to the stern wheeler which was where they jumped into the water to start the swim.

As the day wore on, the river became more crowded--far more than Saturday, when University of Tennessee lost of University of Florida! I suspect that football is more Important than church, even in the Bible Belt. Not only was the river crowded, but there was a lot of debris in the water, a glare and light chop, so debris was not easy to see--we didn't hit any big logs...but a few smaller ones.

I got the auto pilot working on this trip--and it seems to work well at slow as well as high speeds. (RayMarine 1000). There were too many twists and turns to make a track worthwhile, but the right left and standby buttons served well.

The Volunteer Marina in Knoxville was a fun place, there are a lot of live-aboards, from a recent college graduate (about 26 Fe and an engineer), to some old geezers. Boats ranged from 20 foot runabouts to 100 foot houseboats...Marina management was lacking. The manager kept saying he would come by and collect the rent--never did. He had no idea what slips were vacant. But Marie was able to push an envelope with the payment thru the office door (which had been locked the entire time we were there.).

We are back at Fort Loudon Marina--wonderful place. Courtesy Car available, got a couple free days of dockage after paying for 3 days. Very friendly and helpful staff.

We are packing items tonight to put in the truck after we haul early in the AM--We are going to miss the Tennessee River. It does not have the wild life of St. John's, but is a beautiful place.

I'll get some photos up in a few days--if we get an album.
 
Bob, Thanks again for your perseverance and endurance. NO way I would want to be in 85 degrees with 80 for a water temp. Can't drink anything (soda pop) that hot. Think the cans might explode -- I keep them in the hold under the passenger seat foot panel.

I'm with John, need it cooler. Are you seeing any fall color in the trees yet? The days are getting noticeably shorter, and "Fall" starts in one more day on the calendar. Interesting info on the race. Tough swim in that warm of water.

Hope the retrieving the boat and the drive home agree with you as you continue to heal.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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Harvey, the water along the swim route was 79.5* as measured by my depth sounder transducer, at 5 knots. That is still in the upper thermocline. The water deeper will probably be a few degrees cooler. I have seen far more problems with cold temps, and the rapid transfer of heat in the water, than with warm water in swimmers.

Olympic pools are from 77 to 82* and Water polo pools are mandated to be 79* plus or minus one degree. There is a separate class for those who wear "Neoprene" wet suits. The swimmers were about 30 minutes from start, and we wanted to be well clear of the swimmers, so we cannot comment on what type of "rash guard" or even light wet suits were being worn.

There is no real fall change yet at this elevation. Jonathon and Rosa left Salty in Knoxville and took a car to the Smokies--hoping to see some fall color--I believe even there it is a bit early. There has been a drought even though the yearly rain fall is normal for this area, along with the heat wave, during the last 6 weeks. Thus there is some speculation that the fall colors in the Smokies may not be as spectacular as often.

Mid October to Early November is the best time for the Smokies and Tennessee River valley. We are considering bringing the RV back up here--although Marie wanted to leave the boat.
 
Thanks Bob, As you noted, the waters are warm. Much harder for long distance swimmers that cooler water although below 80 is better than above.

Also, Thanks for the info on the fall color. That would be one of my definite draws to the area for both boating and photography. You are right about the colors not being as brilliant due to the dryer climate conditions this year. The dryer the less color. Color has very little to do with temperature but much more to do with health of the trees, and decrease in daylight.

Have a safe trip home.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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