OUR CRUISE TO TENNESSEE

Sept. 21 - The Loopers are beginning to arrive at Goose Pond Colony Marina.  For those of you who aren't familiar with the term "Loopers," these are folks who have cruised up the eastern seaboard to NYC, up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal in northern New York, through the Erie and Oswego Canals to Lake Ontario, across Lake Ontario to Kingston, Ontario, up the Trent-Severn Canal to Georgian Bay, across it to the North Channel and into Lake Huron to Lake Michigan, down the west coast of Michigan, over to Chicago, down the Illinois River to the Mississippi, down the Mississippi to the Ohio, up the Ohio to the Tennessee River and up the Tennessee to the Tenn-Tom, down the Tenn-Tom to Mobile, across the Florida Panhandle and down the west coast of Florida.  They may have started at any point along that route, and when they complete the loop or "cross their wake," it's time for a celebration.  As many of you know, we completed the "Loop" in 2002, so it's fun to meet this year's participants during their stop at Goose Pond.  It's a good reason to have a get-together, and we certainly didn't want to miss a party! 



Dinner Party to Celebrate Completion of Loop
By Brenda and Ken (Tellico Lady) and Nancie and Bill (Wautauga)

 In addition, we were still experiencing temperatures in the mid-90's, which is just too hot to enjoy anchoring overnight.  Every day we expected the heat wave to break, but it lasted much longer than expected.

Sept. 24 - We finally left Goose Pond and headed up the river toward Tennessee.  It was a beautiful cruising day, and we enjoyed piloting from the flybridge.  Went through the Nickajack Lock and anchored at Little Cedar Mountain, a picturesque spot about 37 miles from Chattanooga.  The trees are beginning to show a little color.

Sept. 25 - It was a cloudy, overcast day with light rain off and on as we cruised through the gorgeous section of the river known as the "Grand Canyon of the Tennessee."  We passed by Chattanooga and continued upstream through Chickamauga Lock and on to Sale Creek, another familiar anchorage from our 2009 cruise.  It's finally cool enough to turn off the AC in the evening and open the boat up!  This is what we've been waiting for!

Lookout Mountain

Sept. 26 - We cruised another 52 miles upstream through Watts Bar Lock into beautiful Watts Bar Lake.  It was another cool, overcast day, but we enjoyed the beauty of nature along the way just the same.  East Martin Light was our anchorage for the evening, another favorite spot from last year's cruise.  Charlotte finally dropped a hook in the water and caught a catfish, which Bill fileted for an appetizer for dinner...it must have been the one and only as she didn't get another bite!

Sept. 27 - A rainy morning so we postponed departure until midday when we hauled our anchor and cruised another 39 miles to Blair Island.  The shoreline on Watts Bar Lake has rolling hills.   Before TVA flooded the area, it must have been mostly farm land as the land around the homes has been cleared of trees, and you see lots of grass around them.  We anchored behind Blair Island for the night and snuggled under a blanket for the first time...the heat wave is definitely over!!

Ft. Loudon Lock

Sept. 28 -  It was a cool 57 degrees this morning as we headed on to Ft. Loudoun Lock and the Little Tennessee River (Tellico Lake).  Ft. Loudoun lock raised us up another 72 feet to 813 feet; it is the last lock on the Tennessee River. 

We stayed at Ft. Loudon Marina, which was another great facility.  It was a great place to celebrate our anniversary.  Enjoyed visiting with Valt and Sandy Melbardis, who live aboard their Tollycraft  Amber Isle.  We met them in 2009 at several anchorages on the Tenn-Tom. 



 Little Palm Houseboat at Ft. Loudon Marina

Calhoun's at Ft. Loudon Marina

 Our anniversary dinner was at Calhoun's, the waterfront restaurant at Ft. Loudon Marina, a great place to celebrate this special occasion!

Sept. 29 -  We decided to spend another night at Ft. Loudon Marina so we could see a little more of the area and catch up on some boat and household chores.  The marina courtesy car was available so we got to see downtown Lenoir City, TN and do a little shopping.  We captured a few photos on our walk up to the overlook above Ft. Loudoun dam and the river.


Ft. Loudoun Dam and Lock



Highway Over Ft. Loudoun Dam and Lock

View from Ft. Loudoun Dam Overlook

Sept. 30 - Omega headed upstream on the Little Tennessee River (Tellico Lake).  You can only go about 31 miles to Chilhowee Dam.  We had expected the Smoky Mountains to be close to the lake, but they weren't.  Instead, all along the shoreline were hundreds of huge homes built too close to each other.  Evidently before TVA flooded the area when the dams were built, the area must have been farmland on rolling hills.  Most of the land had been cleared of trees, and homes were built at different elevations up the hills.  It was a disappointment to us.




Homes on Tellico Lake



Do you think this is big enough for the two of us?



Maybe this one would be better!!!



These three silos used to be on somebody's farm!!

This was the primary home of the Cherokee Indians from about 1730 to 1836, and their communities in the area were quite well-organized.  There were seven clans of Cherokees; the most important group, the Wolf clan, lived in the Overhill region near the Tellico river and below the Appalachian Mountains.  This area is now Tellico Lake and its surroundings.  What a terrible tragedy that they were uprooted from their homeland and marched all the way to Oklahoma in the infamous Trail of Tears!!!





Historic Fort Loudoun

 We passed historic Fort Loudoun, a rough frontier outpost built in 1756 by the British to protect the Cherokees.  Trade with the Cherokees was essential to the survival of the colonists.  Problems caused delays during construction of the fort.  Meanwhile the Cherokees were courted by the French, who incited them to attack some isolated settlements in Virginia and South Carolina.  The Indians then attacked Fort Loudoun, and the British surrendered - the first formal military surrender to Indians in North America.  When Montreal was captured by the British in 1760, the influence of the French ended.

After anchoring at mile 22.5 on the Little Tennessee River, we continued upstream in our tender to the dam.  Between there and the Chilowee Dam, we could see the mountains in the distance.




View of the Appalachian Mountains from Tellico Lake



This is what we came to see!  How beautiful and how blessed we are!










Along the way, we went ashore at Chota Memorial, which recognized the seven Cherokee Clans and the remains of their community center on the site.  A tombstone of Chief Oconastota was in front of the spot where the doorway was.  It felt like we were on very special ground!

Chota Memorial to the Seven Clans of Cherokees



Wolf Clan lived on Little Tennessee





Chief Oconastota - Note the feather in the foreground!



 




  OMEGA Anchored on Tellico Lake 







Sunrise at Toqua Creek on Tellico Lake



Oct. 1 - After capturing this spectacular sunrise from our anchorage, we realized that the wind was blowing like crazy.  Since we were out in the open and whitecaps were all around us, we decided to haul anchor and head back down the lake.

A quiet little cove called Dead Cow was our anchorage for the evening.  Our good friends, Jay and Nancy Watlington, wanted us to meet some of their good friends who live in the area.  We went ashore in our tender to meet Ray and Teresa Riggs for Happy Hour at the golf clubhouse close to their home.  Their grandson Cooper was staying with them.   Both Ray and Teresa had worked with Jay and Nancy at Oak Ridge Nuclear labs.  It was a pleasure to visit with them.

Ray and Teresa Riggs and Bill

Oct. 2 - After returning to Ft. Loudon Marina, we rented a car to take in some land cruising in the area.  We headed up TN Hwy 129 to "Slay the Dragon," which is considered America's #1 motorcycle and sports car road.  In an 11-mile section of mountain road, there are 318 curves and elevation changes from 877 feet to 1962 feet.   It was a beautiful Saturday, and there must have been more than 1,000 motorcycles of every size, shape, and description moving as fast as they could go in both directions.  There we were in the midst of them!  It was awesome!!

A Few of the Motorcyclists Cruising the Dragon

Overlooking Fontana Dam, NC

What a View!

We crossed over into North Carolina and stopped for lunch at Fontana Village.  Our return route was on the Cherohala Scenic Skyway which took us up as high as 5400 ft.  It was as clear as a bell, and the views from the overlooks were outstanding!

View from Cherohala Skyway, NC

What a Gorgeous Day in the Mountains!



Appalachian Mountains from Cherohala Skyway

 Oct. 3 - Off we went again in our rental car after attending Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Lenoir City.



St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church

 We headed toward Knoxville to poke around in a huge shopping area called Turkey Creek.  On our return trip, we drove up to Oak Ridge, TN to see the area where our friends (Jay and Nancy) worked at the Oak Ridge National Labs. 

In the evening we went to see Jay and Nancy's friends, Jerry and Lynne Williams, who lived near the marina.  Lynne's brother, Jim, was visiting them from St. Petersburg.  We enjoyed meeting them and getting acquainted.

Oct. 4-5 - The Captain announced that it was time for OMEGA to head downstream.  We have cruised 1722 miles since we left home on May 17.  What a wonderful time it has been to date!  As we headed toward Chattanooga, we enjoyed the beginnings of fall color along the way.

Fall Color at Our Anchorage at Dog Leg Slough

 Our next layover was at Island Cove Marina on the outskirts of Chattanooga.  Again we were on familiar ground as we spent a week there in 2009.  Thanks to Enterprise, we were able to get another rental car and enjoy the area once more.  If you haven't been to downtown Chattanooga to see the development of the waterfront, make plans to do so.  It is well worth your time.  We especially appreciated seeing the completion of the cascading waterfall which was being renovated in 2009.  There are a number of large designs mounted on the sidewall depicting the culture of the Cherokee Indians with an explanation mounted on the concrete steps opposite it.  They are most interesting. 



Tribute to the Cherokees on Chattanooga Waterfront



A Most Impressive Display

Our good friend, Father Jim Vick, met us for dinner downtown on Oct. 6.  Father Jim used to be a dentist on Summerland Key before he went to the seminary and became a priest.  He is the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Chattanooga.  It was a treat to see him and to enjoy his company again. 

On Oct. 7th we drove downtown again and got some exercise walking along the riverfront, across the picturesque walking bridge, and around the downtown area.  It was another beautiful day with temperatures in the mid-80's.

Walking Bridge Across Tennessee River

 

Aquarium on Chattanooga Waterfront

Oct. 8-9 -  Continuing our cruise downstream, we again passed through the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee.  This was one of the clearest days we have had traversing this section of the river.  While we have many pictures taken on previous passages, we couldn't resist taking some more to share with you since the weather was so perfectly beautiful.



OMEGA Headed Toward Lookout Mountain

Too Early for Peak Color, but Beautiful!

We arrived back at Goose Pond Colony Marina in Scottsboro, AL about midday on Oct. 9th.  It's amazing how it almost feels like home.  We'll be here until approximately Oct. 20th when we'll continue our cruise back to Summerland.