Tuesday 10/17/17 Travel Day 14
First light seems to be getting a little later each day so to get off the dock early is getting harder. We did make it off the dock at 8:20 and the wind had died down over night. One of our fellow Trawler Form Members was anchored near by in Harrison Bay so I gave him a shout as I motored by on my way to the main channel. In our conversation I learn that The Watts Bar Lock only has one floating bitt or bollard on the right side as you enter from down stream and a boat our size would not be able to use it. Because we carry our tide ride stairs to port and it had received some damage the day before I doubled up with big ball fenders to protect it an hope for the best. We arrived at the lock and the chamber was waiting so we motored in. Both my wife/first mate/admiral and my self were a little nervous after yesterday but all went well and we were soon up and on our way. As we motored up river on Checkamonga Lake I again marveled at the beauty and then I realized this was the same as every other lake on the Tennessee River. As you enter the lakes from the dam and head up river the lakes are wider, deeper, more islands and just beautiful. The farther up river you go the scenery changes and eventually you feel like you are in a river or canal and not the lake you started out in. Are destination tonight in Terrace View Marina. I have stoping there off and on for the past ten years and have gone through three owners. I was looking forward to meeting the new owner because I have been hearing great things about him and what he is doing with the place. But before I could get there I had to go past two more TVA nuclear power plants. One at Soddy Daisy and another at Watts Bar. We definitely have enough power in Tennessee to light your light. We arrived at the marina about three o’clock and fueled up and headed to one of the nicest transient dock I have been at over the last two weeks. The views of the lake and scenery were just what was needed to end the day. Mark knows he has a lot to do to bring this marina back but he and his family are committed to making this a destination. Tomorrow will end this journey and we will have traveled about eight hundred miles. Ten lock with one still to go. The boat has performed way beyond my expectations and I look forward to many more day and weeks of cruising. Tomorrow we have seventy miles to go so we are hoping to be off the dock at seven.[/QUOT
We were on the Bluff Dock downtown Chat Sunday through Tuesday, Sorry we missed you. Soggy Dollar