Upper Tennessee River, October 2024

Avidmagnum12":z7mslp5r said:
Hi Colby. C-Otter and Lake Effect launched a couple days ago from Harrison Bay marina. Great spot and staff. The ramp is very nice but there is no dock right next to it but there is one close by. We parked in the overflow lot. There is a water spigot by the fuel dock. Heading up towards Knoxville. Weather is great Warm enough for swimming and cool at night. Have a great time.
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Thanks Tom! Hate those ramps without docks right next to them, but they are doable. I'll have Rosanne with me this time, which makes it easier for me. But for anyone coming solo, you can see who else is there and ask for help. (Unless you can monkey it over the bow. :mrgreen: ) You guys may be gone before we get there, but if not, looking forward to seeing you if it works out. Colby
 
Hey Guys...
I just spoke with Ranger Matthew at the park. He said that he will be parking us in their gated lot (locked at night and closer to the watchman). I will be emailing him my truck/trailer info along with projected dates.

Since I will likely be single handing, I won't be able to move the rig from my initial planned launch at Guntersville so I will be parking at Harris St Park and rallying with y'all on your way up sometime around Oct 10th. It's only a day's drive for me, so I will be checking on your progress back towards Chattanooga to arrive before you pass by on the way to Knoxville. We have a wedding to attend on Oct 26th, so the 23rd return will just work. I know a schedule is the worst thing to bring on a boat, but we must at least begin with a plan. I did mention to Ranger Vawter about joining the group later than the first wave. He was so reassuring about the safety of our rigs and very interested in C-Dorys.

I am going to try to send you my phone # again so we will have another way to communicate. I'm not familiar with NEBO yet but did set my VHF with my MMSI # 338433149 and still could use some practice.

Looking forward to Fall coolness and learning from the masters.
Best
Dale
 
Hey Dale,
Sounds good. Regarding schedule, I do have an obligation now to get back home for on the 28th, so I'm pretty sure I'll have to be back to the park by the afternoon of the 25th. Which is still a few extra days from planned. Sounds like it might be worth a side trip down the Little Tennessee River, but flexibility is the key. I still plan to head to Guntersville first, before we turn around and head to Knoxville. I don't know how much I'll be posting of the trip here, but I will open up a blog on the Findpenquins site, and provide that link here when I do. And probably post nightly as long as I have decent cell service with enough bandwidth for data hotspot. I'll also check with Bill if it's ok to post his inreach link, as that would be the most accurate position source of where we are. Colby
 
Dale,
If it would out better for you, Ditto Landing Marina west of Gville Lock has a good ramp with side docks and free rig parking with roving security (get a parking pass from the office). $1/ft transient slips. We'll be launching there.
John
 
I am watching the hurricane and it's effect on the Upper Tennessee River. We will be leaving home here on Sunday, as we're stopping a couple days in Clarksville, TN to visit an uncle. Then plan to travel on to Harrison Bay SP on Wed, October 2nd. Any hurricane rain should have passed through Chattanooga by then, and hopefully any raise in the River should be receding. I'll also be talking with the ranger at Harrison Bay on Monday or Tuesday to get more information. I did read the last couple pages of Jim's (Pounder) and other's review of their issues when they did the Tennessee / Cumberland cruise a few years ago and another Hurricane remnants passed through flooding stuff. The Upper Tennessee does go through some canyons, and high waters mean some high currents. Right now my plans are to still proceed as posted earlier. However, if the water levels / currents are up and it's not prudent to launch yet, any delays over a few days I'll most likely start by going upstream towards Knoxville and the headwaters. This is the section I most want to see and with my need to be back home by October 28th, it would make the most sense to proceed upriver first. Also, if there is any flooding, it would most likely be proceeding down stream as well. Perhaps anyone reading this that lives along the Upper Tennessee can keep up posted in real time. Colby
 
Colby, there is a TVA lake level app that you can use to monitor levels and discharge volume for each reservoir. We see more debris in the water during these events. I was on Guntersville and Wheeler this past weekend and the levels are 3-4ft below full pool. The dams have been spilling more this week in preparation.
 
tbone85":39rxn8bs said:
Colby, there is a TVA lake level app that you can use to monitor levels and discharge volume for each reservoir. We see more debris in the water during these events. I was on Guntersville and Wheeler this past weekend and the levels are 3-4ft below full pool. The dams have been spilling more this week in preparation.
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Thanks. I do have the app. And I would expect more debris in the water from the upcoming storms. Another good reason for running slow. I forget that there are some canyons along the way where current will be a factor even without the rains, more dependent upon dam operation. I would assume part of that 3-4' is just normal lowering to winter pool? Colby
 
I was one of the boats where we sat out the high river at Chattanooga, Tn. It was not only current--and very significant debris, along with muddy water, but also the docks were were at were floating (fortunately), but the one entrance to the land was way under water. There was another entrance, where we had to go through a homeless camp--no problems there. Also the lock was closed for repair---but during extreme high water events the locks will often be closed.

This storm is far and beyond the "normal". I would monitor the conditions carefully. John brought "Cat of mine" to my house because NAS Pensacola Base and Marina was closed several days ago. I'll talk with him before they leave. His latest plan was to do the Tom Bigbee Waterway, rather than the upper Tennessee. I would err on the side of caution, and think watch very carefully. There is another weather system which is combining with Helene as it moves North.

Good luck if you proceede.

Bob
 
We’re all packed up and ready to go, but decided to wait however many days it takes until it’s clear what impact the flooding has on the rivers, now under an official NWS Flood Watch. Also, when it’s muddy and full of trees it’s not very scenic and not very safe compared to normal conditions. Besides, service techs found a leak in the transfer case seal at the trucks’ annual maintenance…3 weeks wait time. I gotta find another dealer and maybe another cruise.

The marina fueling systems we saw at Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Steinhatchee and Cedar Key didn’t look to us like they would survive a six foot flood event. Sure hope they’re not knocked offline by Helene for too long with so many loopers headed this way.

Safe travels!
John
 
I spoke with one of the rangers today at Harrison Bay, and I think he said things were kind of low right now. But they were expecting the river to rise over the next few days. Chattanooga shows rain in the forecast today, tomorrow and Sunday. Knoxville is also showing rain. Both places chance of rain was between 50-70% for the weekend. I will be talking to the rangers again on October 1st, and then probably the morning of the 2nd, before I head out from Clarksville TN. If all is good, I'll go with my earlier plans. If not so good, I'll decide then what's next. So if you are joining in on the trip, please check here Tuesday evening to get an update. Thanks. Colby
 
All flood gates are open at a Guntersville dam this morning. That doesn’t happen often! TVA reports on their Facebook page that Fort Loudon lock may be closed this week while flow levels there are high.
 
Thanks. Bill launched this morning at Harrison Bay SP and said all looked ok. I suspect there probably is more water coming down from the mouth and it is being controlled. It’ll be interesting to see what Bill sees in the next few days.

The Rangers have asked that we each check in at the office before launching. They are having us park in an overflow or rec lot.
 
Glad to see caution being exercised over scheduling.
The locals have not seen this level of flooding historically.
The debris in the water is impressive.
Boat upgrades completed and I’m standing by for updates.
Best
Dale
 
I’m not able to open up this article, but the headline was 21 hrs ago.
TVA says Tennessee River will not flood as dams spill after Helene

Sounds like we will be good. We should definitely know by the 2nd. Colby
 
We have relatives in Knoxville. They say that this is the hardest/longest rain they have ever seen. The "not flooding" may be "relative". When the lake is at spillway level, it may be what we would describe as "flooding" ref using shore facilities, yet not getting into structures.
 
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/loc ... 443230007/

Looks like water is being released at a rate to prevent incoming water from flooding the Tennessee. Lots of debris though. Good reason to go slow. I am still planning to be at H.B. state park Wednesday late afternoon.
Helene's official top wind speed in Savannah Ga was I believe 76 mph. I am feeling lucky in that I was without power for only 40 hours. I was without power for a week after Hurricane Mathew and I was expecting this would be similar due to the quantity of outages across the state.
-Jeff-
 
Lots of information to digest. Bill is upriver from the state park now and said he saw 1mph current in a few places, but nothing worse. He's also on a wider part of the river. We still have two days to launch, and everyone will have to make their own decision about what they are comfortable with before launching. I'll continue to monitor information available, and share what I know tomorrow evening. Any local information is welcome as well. Colby
 
Mother Nature is always the Boss. If this leg turns out as not meant to be,
We still have: the time and boat preps, the great fall season, and the desire.
I personally haven’t traveled any leg of the Tennessee… open to alternate routes if this one’s too hairy but I will follow the leader wherever y’all decide…
 
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