Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 20 (4/30/21)

It’s the little things that keep you going

Start: River Mile: 286

Finish: River Mile: 264

Day Total: 22

Trip Total: 389

We got on the water at 7:15 am. Maybe it’s the idea that we had a long windy day ahead of us. Maybe it’s that I was concerned about lowering my fully loaded kayak down the steep slope into the river. For whatever reason, we got an early start today, and for that I am thankful.

We immediately had to cross 2 miles of big open water to get to river right, where we had the best shot at avoiding the head wind. My arms are always a little rubbery the first mile or two, but I know I just need to paddle it out. Well, today that feeling was amplified by having the paddle the open water. Luckily, the wind had not reached its full potential yet, and we made the crossing, tired but with no other drama.

The rest of the day was a constant dialog with the head wind. At times it was pretty manageable, and others it was hard work. We locked through Wheeler Lock & Dam at 11:00 am. Chris Taylor the lock master was great, he was cheerful and helpful. Buy the time we got to the lock we only had to wait for 10 minutes before the gates opened and we paddled in.

We finally reached the boat ramp at Turtle Creek at 4:00 pm, 9 and a half hours after we started this morning. The ramp was absolutely clogged with floating debris like logs, wood and trash. It took us quite some time to figure out the best way to get our boats out of the water.

Jon crossing the Big Water today

The camping situation was not great, but as always, Jon found a place that would fit our two tents. Just as we were beginning to set up, our friend Dan Truitt arrived and lent a hand. He had also brought us a good six pack of IPAs, which were delicious. 

Dan had driven over an hour to meet us. So, Jon and I treated him to beer and pizza at the local pizzeria. We had so much fun telling paddling stories. Dan was such a blessing for us to meet. I look forward to seeing him again soon.

Today’s scenery was spectacular 

As I write, we are back at camp, sitting in the dark near the river. Even though the paddling was work today, the social aspect exceeded our expectations. 

My friend Shawn Pye gets to Florence tomorrow. We look forward to spending time with him. So cool having him be apart of the adventure.  

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 19 (4/29/21)

The River is Angry My Friend

Start: River Mile: 304

Finish: River Mile: 286

Day Total: 18

Trip Total: 367

It’s always nice to start the day with a hotel breakfast. I like to pace my meal out, starting with Raisin Bran, then waffles and syrup, then yogurt and finally two hot breakfast sandwiches. One that I eat then and one for the boat and a mid morning snack. 

As I was getting my boat ready to load outside at the hotel, I heard someone call out “Jeff!” I looked up and it was Dan Truitt our fellow paddler from dinner last night. He had stopped by the hotel before work to see if we needed help getting our boats and gear to the ramp. So, instead of loaded boats on portage wheels that we’d drag to the ramp, we loaded everything into Dan’s truck and off we went.

We knew it was going to be a windy fight today. We said goodbye to Dan and paddled out into the river, which is very much a big lake in Decatur. Our plan was to stick close to shore on river left to get as much shelter from the wind as possible. Within the first 3 miles we had to cross two separate bays where we were fully exposed to the headwind. Both were brutal. Just as we were completing the second crossing we were hit with a heavy rain downpour. The wind as so bad, I couldn’t stop to put on my rain gear, so I had to finish the crossing soaked to the bone. In the lee of a anchored barge, I was able to get into my rain gear. It’s a good thing too since we paddled through a hour of steady driving rain. Thankfully it was already in the high 70’s so I hadn’t gotten a chill. 

We had a short goal of 11 miles to a small boat ramp. We reached that by lunch so we decided to go for the long goal of 18 miles to a boat ramp in a small cove. We stopped for lunch and got out of our boats which is always a nice change. Getting out the wind and enjoying our deli sandwiched was great. Thanks again to Dan Truitt for the grocery run last night.

The afternoon paddle was to be much more eventful. As the Gilligans Island theme says, the weather started getting rough, our tiny boats were tossed. We came around a point, and were met with a 12 barge tow. The wake he kicked up was amplified by the headwind. Paddling into 15-25 mph headwinds is hard anytime, but with a barge wake it was crazy. I was paddling into 3 foot white capped, and wind whipped swells, one right after the other. At least a dozen times, coming down off one wave and hitting the next, my bow completely submerged into the wave and water rolled all the way down my boat and flooded my spray skirt. The skirt keeps the gallons of water from flooding my cockpit, but it doesn’t keep my clothing dry. Luckily it was a warm day so I didn’t have to worry about getting cold.

This battle went on for over an hour. At the same time we were rounding the point that we hoped would have the boat ramp, and our home for the night, the wind was now coming at us at a 45 degree angle on the right and Jon was in serious danger of swamping. We found a small cove to tuck into and get out of the wind. I paddled the length of the cove looking for a possible camping spots, but there was nothing.  When I got back to Jon, he mentioned that he thought he saw a grassy spot on the opposite side of the cove that would be good for camp. The problem was getting there. Jon saw a small break in the trees with a small steep path up. The waves were crashing right were we would need to get out and unload our boats. Jon approached first, got out and in 60 seconds had all his gear out of his canoe and up on the bank. He then muscled his boat out of the water. Once he had cleared the area, it was my turn. I sit really low in the water and the crashing waves would easily swamp my kayak. After discussing with Jon we decided to have me get out and immediately have the two of us heave my boat, still fully loaded, out of the water and up on the steep bank. Our plan worked and in 30 seconds my boat was out of the water and we were muscling it up this steep trail. It’s still sitting there, 30 feet up from the water, waiting for me tomorrow. 

Unbelievably, just up the narrow trail, it leveled off and there is a dirt double track road. Up the road a couple hundred feet is a clearing on a bluff over looking the river/lake. It even had a broken down picnic table. We immediately got our tents set up and then brought up the rest of the gear. After such a crazy finale, and even more desperate landing, we ended up in the nicest camp site of the entire trip!

After finishing up the kitchen clean up we set up our chairs on the 20 foot bluff that our site sits on and just took in the view. The strong wind we battled all day is now blowing in from the west. It’s keeping the mosquitoes away and helping to dry all my wet clothes. We are shaping up to have a beautiful sunset. 

Tomorrow, we are hoping for calmer wind and water. It will still be a challenge to get our boats loaded and back in the water. But, that is a problem for tomorrow. Today we are dry, safe and warm 

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 18 (4/28/21)

River Magic in Decatur Alabama

Start: River Mile: 345

Finish: River Mile: 321

Day Total: 17

Trip Total: 349

For the second night in a row last night, we did not have a fire, and were forced into our tents by 8:30 by the mosquitoes. The good news is that when I go to bed so early, I am awake early as well. Knowing that we would be in a new town for a night in a hotel was a huge motivator for me to get my butt on gear and get on the water. In fact, we were paddling away at 7:15 am this morning! Anyone that has been following along these past few weeks, know how rare that feat really is.

The conditions this morning were perfect. Slight breeze and mostly cloudy sky’s. The scenery was rolling wood hills and absolute flat as glass water. As Jon would say, these are the moments that make all the rest of it worth it. 

A magical morning for paddling

We were able to make a steady 3 mph through varying conditions, which makes me happy. We had a good floating lunch as we drifted under the power lines at RM 308.5. On the menu today was our left overs from last night, rice, black beans and black pepper crusted salami, only today it was served up on a flour tortilla. It was a hit, very tasty. Way better than the Mac & Cheese on a tortilla debacle from last week!

Coming into town, Brad Collett had connected us with Danielle GIbson the President/CEO of the Decatur office of tourism. I had reached out to Danielle yesterday to give her ad heads of that we would be spending the night in Decatur. She was very helpful in getting us a room at the one hotel that is on the river, and working out the details with the hotel for storing our boats. She even stopped by once we were settled in to chat with Jon and I for a bit. What a great lady, and a true friend to paddlers on the Tennessee RiverLine.

Water as smooth as glass

Danielle had originally hoped to join us for dinner tonight what had a conflict come up. She was kind enough to connect us with local paddler Dan Truitt. We had a great dinner at the Rail Yard. Good food and good beer added to the joy of sharing stories with a fellow paddler. Dan is a prolific paddler in the waters in and around Decatur. We had so much fun talking shop with him. After diner he even ran us to the grocery store for a quick resupply.

Entering the Port of Decatur 

Our afternoon and evening in Decatur have been so fun. We truly thank Danielle and Dan for going out of their way to make us feel welcome in their city.

Tomorrow we head out onto the big water and hope for fair winds and a safe place to camp in the evening.  

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 17 (4/27/21)

Half way home!

Start: River Mile: 345

Finish: River Mile: 321

Day Total: 24

Trip Total: 326

Last night was a no fire, get into the tents by 8:30 so the skeeters don’t eat you kind of night. This morning was chilly and very damp. The tents were soaked. So, packing up a soggy tent is not the most glamorous way to break camp. Once we got all our gear down to the river, the sun had warmed the river bank up nicely and loading the boats was not a problem. 

Launching with Painted Bluff across the river as our backdrop, we put our paddle blades into the water and took off to see what day 17 had in store for us. THe first 6 miles were really nice, a nice tail wind and comfortable conditions with temps in the low 60’s. 

Me and Lil Pug in our happy place

Our mid day goal was 11 miles to Ditto Landing Marina, we had read they had a small convenience store where we could get cold drinks and snacks. We were able to paddle into the marina and tie off our boats right at the snack shop. We were excited to see a wall of coolers with cold drinks ranging form soda, gatorade, water and even beer! Almost immediately, Jon noticed RiverLine 652 posters and brochures. Brandi welcomed us and explained that she was very aware of the RiverLine 652, and had just been on a conference call with Brad Collett last week! Brandi was very pleased to meet us and was very open to suggestions on how to make the marina more paddler friendly.  We ended our visit, with Brandi taking a picture of Jon and I for the marina’s social media.

Tennessee RiverLine Promotional display at Ditto Marina

Leaving the marina, the river made a big arch to the left and we found our selves paddling into a 15 mph headwind for most of the afternoon. The temp today was in the high 80’s so the wind was helpful in keeping us from overheating. Our goal for the day was 21 miles and the Redstone US Army base, which has a public recreation area. 

Redstone has some history that I find interesting. The first US astronaut to enter outer space, did so on top of a Redstone rocket, designed right here on the banks of the Tennessee river. 

As we approached the Redstone landing, we decided that given the time of day (3:00pm) and how we were feeling, we should paddle the additional 3 miles to the boat ramp at RM 321. The ramp is on the quite side (river left) of the river, with nothing but National Wildlife Refuge all around it. We landed at a nice beach area, that was any easy walk to a grassy stop that we set camp up in.

Tomorrow, we paddle to Decatur, AL and a much needed hotel and diner stay. We are hoping to connect with more RiverLine folks, so more to come on that. 

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 16 (4/26/21)

Guntersville Southern Hospitality

Start: River Mile: 367

Finish: River Mile: 345

Day Total: 22

Trip Total: 308

This morning we set a new record for boats in the water and paddling away from the landing, 8:06 am!! I can’t explain how it happed, it just know that it did. Perhaps it was the meeting we were going to have for lunch in Guntersville, at mile 9 for the day. 

Milla Sacks, who was instrumental in getting us connected with Sarah and Dan Stahl in Scottsboro. I had been trying to coordinate with Milla, who is the Exec Asst to Mayor Leigh Dollar in Guntersville, AL. We found a boat landing that was on our side of the river and at the end of the bridge she would be crossing on meet us.

The 9 miles from camp to Guntersville, were very similar to yesterday, with following seas, but with slightly less wind. The waves some how were just as big, se we really had to pay attention. 

Milla met us at the ramp with a delicious pulled pork lunch. She knows the owner of the Bait and Tackle shop at the landing so we were able to sit there out of the sun and have our lunch and chat. A few minutes after we started eating, a photographer from the local paper arrived to interview us and take some photos. Joe the photographer was very interested in our story and how it all ties in with the Tennessee RiverLine 652. 

Our time with Milla and Joe was so fun, I completely forgot we needed to get back in our boats and paddle some more. After a few shots of us getting into our boats we paddled off towards out next objective, the Guntersville Lock & Dam, 9 more miles down river. 

Leaving Guntersville we paddled our way through a beautiful chain of islands that made for very enjoyable conditions. Buy then the wind has shifted to a gentle breeze which was at our backs. It was just enough to be refreshing when the sun started to feel too hot.

The lock through at Guntersville Dam was easy. We only had a 15 minute wait from the time we arrived until we were paddling into the chamber. After a drop of 48 feet, we paddled out and into the next phase of our adventure. 

Locking through at Guntersville

At mile 19 for the day we started looking for a good spot to camp. It took us 3 miles to find something, but what we found was pretty nice. No fire tonight, but the rock formation Painted Bluff, a beautiful Limestone cliff rising 500 feet above the Tennessee river is our backdrop.

Jon approaching Painted Bluff

We have very spotty internet tonight, so I hope the blog uploads tonight.  

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 15 (4/25/21)

Back on the river, crossing the big water

Start: River Mile: 386

Finish: River Mile: 367

Day Total: 19

Trip Total: 286

Our gracious local hosts Sarah and Daniel, met us at the hotel at 7:30 am. We hauled boats and gear back to the boat ramp at RM 386. The weather was cool and mostly cloudy, with a light 5 mph breeze coming from the Northeast. For the first hour, it was at our backs and was gently pushing us along.

Big water today

As the clouds started breaking up the temps increased but so did the wind. We ended up paddling most of the day with some very tricky following seas. This is a challenge as it pushes waves at you from your blind spot. Jon is especially vulnerable to this in his canoe. It would only take one rouge wave to swamp his boat, which is not a good situation on a big, open body of water. 

Speaking of big water, I want to take a moment to paint the picture for you. We are 20 plus miles up river from the Guntersville Lock & Dam. The river is very much a large lake at this point. From 2 to 4 miles wide and 30 miles in length. It makes lake Pepin on the Mississippi River look like a pond. The wind whips up big waves that today were 1 ft to 2 ft high.

So, even though with temp was comfortable, we really had to work hard to keep our boats from being swamped. After 7 hours of paddling, we found a nice flat spot on TVA land to set up camp. It was just after 3:00pm so I had time to change out of my wet clothes and get them laid out in the sun to dry. My boat had also taken on quite a bit of water so I had time to sponge out all the water and let the sun and wind dry everything out. 

As I write, we are enjoying our first camp fire in almost a week. Sitting by the fire, having a Bourbon and posting my blog is the best part of the day for me. 

Camp on day 15

Just after dinner, I got a text from our river angel Sarah. She shot some video this morning of our pack up and paddle out. In the text she included a short video. I will try to add it this this post.  https://youtu.be/wN2a-t54nHc

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 14 (4/24/21)

Weather Day - Going Nowhere

Start: River Mile: 386

Finish: River Mile: 386

Day Total: 0 (zero)

Trip Total: 267

When we decided to get lodging off river last night, our intent was to avoid the high wind and lightning that was forecast for the evening through early morning this am. Well, as we kept tabs on the various weather apps we use the storm was arriving later, and stalling over our location in Scottsboro, AL and adding more complications like high wind gusts and even a tornado watch. So, after much careful deliberation we decided to take a zero day today to let this system pass. The weather for Sunday morning and through the next week is clear and warming.

Our Scottsboro river angels Sarah and Dan Stahl came to our rescue once again. Picking us up at the cottage and transporting us and our gear to the Hampton Inn in town and offering to store our boats at their home for safe keeping. Sarah will pick us up at the hotel at 7:30 am tomorrow and take us back to the boat ramp at RM 386 where we will resume our paddle. 

It’s been really nice having a quite day at the hotel. Jon has been able to get quite a bit of work done. We also did laundry and had a really good lunch at Buenavista Mexican Cantina, a quick 5 minute walk from our hotel. 

Warm, dry and safe in Scottsboro Alabama

I found a really nice video from Mississippi River source to sea paddler Ann Ogg, who did the river last year. I recall from the Mississippi River Paddlers page that she reached the Gulf of Mexico a month or so before Jon and I. The link to Ann’s video is https://www.facebook.com/groups/MississippiRiverPaddlers/permalink/3849870918442899/ In watching Ann’s video I was struck by how each paddler’s experiences, although similar in many ways, are personally and profoundly different from one another. We all paddle the same river, but the people we encounter who become such an integrated part of the experience are different. It is these people whom we encounter for minutes or hours that make the trip what it really is. The memory of a lifetime. 

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 13 (4/23/21)

We Love Scottsboro, Alabama!!!

Start: River Mile: 403

Finish: River Mile: 386

Day Total: 17

Trip Total: 267

The morning broke overcast and chilly, with an overnight low in the low 40’s, way better than the night before. We did our pack-up and had our boats loaded in the in the water by 8:25am. Just as we paddled away from the boat ramp, it started to rain. The rain continued for two hours. Just as I was starting to feel a bit chilled, the rain stopped. Another 30 minutes of hard paddling and I was warm and comfortable. 

Paddling into the rainy morning

Today was going to be a crap shoot. With rain and thunderstorms  predicted for tonight, we really wanted to get off the river and someplace dry. There are 3 budget hotels in Scottsboro, AL. There is a boat ramp at the base of a highway bridge that crosses the Tennessee river and leads to the town. Our plan was to get to the ramp, find a place to store our boats and get a ride with all our gear to a hotel in town. When we started paddling today, we didn’t know how this was going to work, but we trusted that we could figure out a way. 

The paddling was not bad, even with the rain. We had a very gentile tail wind and cloudy skies. The highway 35 bridge was at 16.5  miles (RM 386) ahead, so we hoped we would have time in the afternoon to get our logistics worked out.

Last night Jon made extra Mac & Cheese for dinner. I had the bright idea to save the leftovers and use them to make Mac & Cheese Burrito’s on the boats today for lunch. Well, that is what we did. Let’s just say they tasted less awesome in real life than they did in my head last night!

The last mile before the boat ramp at RM 386, Jon started working the phone with the hotels to see if any of them had a shuttle that could come and pick us up. As he was doing this, I called Milla Sachs, the Exec Asst to the  Mayor of Gunthersville, AL whom Brad Collett had put me in touch with last week. Milla was not able to help as Scottsboro is not her town, but she was able to contact Sarah Stahl the Tourism Dir for Scottsboro. Sarah was very friendly and super helpful. She was able to get us a free night at a beautiful cottage at the county park, then she and her husband picked us up at the boat ramp and drove us, our boats and gear to the cottage. Talk about going above and beyond. When had no plan or options when we landed at the boat ramp, and an hour later Sarah had everything completely handled. 

So, let me tell you about the cottage we are set up in. This park has eight of them, each with a nice big living room with a fireplace and TV, a full kitchen and dinette, two bedrooms with queen beds and a nice big bathroom. The front of the cottage is a full with porch, with nice outdoor furniture. A 5 minute walk around a little cove is KC’s BBQ restaurant, which has great BBQ and a really nice beer list. We invited Sarah and Daniel to join us for dinner at KC’s at 6 pm. We had a great time sharing stories. Meeting people like Sarah and Daniel is what makes this trip so enjoyable. 

Our new house for the night..

Tomorrow we will pull our loaded boats from the front yard to the boat ramp which is a couple hundred yards from our cottage, and launch. Sarah wants to come to take pictures of our departure for the cities social media. 

Just so our heads don’t get a chance to get big, we will be paddling out for an all day rain. The storm will pass overnight on Sunday, and then the week ahead is starting to look better.  

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 12 (4/22/21)

Putting in the work

Start: River Mile: 424

Finish: River Mile: 403

Day Total: 22

Trip Total: 250

Last night was our new record for cold, the a low of 30 degrees. We had a solid coating of frost on the inside and outside of the rain flys on our tents. I have to say that my new sleeping bag kept me snug and warm all night. I really didn’t want to leave it to go outside to break camp. But that’s not the game. We get up every morning, rain, wind, frost, whatever and get in our boats and paddle. On days like today when again with had head winds for most of the day, it’s just paddle, paddle, paddle. Don’t stop, don’t quit. 

Frost on the kayak this morning

On the plus side, it was a sunny day with highs in the mid sixties. As least we where not cold like yesterday. Really not much to see today, the sameness of the scenery means you have to invent artificial targets to shoot for. That island, those power lines, this highway bridge. This helps, as does listing to podcasts and having very in-depth, completely random conversations with Jon. 

The most ho-hum lunch I’ve ever had...

Aside from that, camp is at a TVA boat ramp, where will again will not be able to have a fire. Early to bed after the blog is posted and tomorrow we do it again. We have a chance at some excitement tomorrow so stay tuned! 

Even on a work day, the view is still pretty nice

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 11 (4/21/21)

A Battle every Paddle stroke

Start: River Mile: 440

Finish: River Mile: 424

Day Total: 16

Trip Total: 228

My sister Julie has a saying to describe when she is having a bad day. She will say she is “riding the struggle bus”. Well, today was that kind of day for me. Not that anything I could control was going wrong, it was just a day filled with challenges. On a long trip like this, those challenges and how we overcome them are what makes for a epic adventure. 

This morning was our first on central time, so it got light by 6:00am. Of course right as I was getting ready to leave my tent, it started to rain. There was no rain in the forecast so this was unexpected. Packing up in the wet is always a bummer, but you just have to do it. As we paddled away from Sullivans landing it was 40 degrees with a 10-20mph head wind. Lovely.

40 degrees and 20 mph wind, yuck!

We faced this wicked wind for the first 5 miles, paddles north, straight into it. This is my least favorite condition for paddling. You are working 3 times as hard and going 1/4 the speed. When you can look at the shore and watch specific trees crawl past, you know the going is tough. In a 20 mph, each paddle stroke moves me forward 6 inches. I mean, it was SLOW going.

At mile 9 there was a marina on the map that looked like they would serve lunch and even have cabins for rent. Our initial goal was to make it this far and access how we felt. Well, turned out to be irrelevant since the marina and all the amenities were buttoned up tight. So, back out into the battle we paddled. From here all the way to Nickajack Lock & Dam, we delt with either head winds or cross winds, all the same wicked speed. 1-2 foot wind driven waves are a challenge. You have to constantly pay attention to what the next set of waves looks like. Are there any that could wash over your deck? As cold as it was, it was imperative that we stay dry to avoid hypothermia. 

Many big water crossings today

We shot for the TVA landing just 1 mile from the dam. From there we would call and see if we could lock through. Even though we called a dozen times, we never got an answer. So, we decided to take a chance and paddle to the lock, pull the signal cord and see if we could get the Lock Masters attention. After 20 minutes of calling, he finally filled the chamber and let us in. We could have set up camp upriver from the lock, we but learned long ago, if you have a chance to lock through, do it. 

We paddled into the TVA boat ramp and landed after 8.5 hours in our boats. Hauling our gear up the ramp and getting camp set up, diner and dishes and blogging before bed. Tonight is supposed to be the coldest night yet for us, with temps in the low 30s. So glad I have a nice warm sleeping bag to crawl into. 

Cold weather blogging 

Reflecting back on the day, I’m happy with the 16 miles we made today, all things considered. I felt like calling it quits after 2 miles. 16 miles is way better than a zero day. It took a lot of work, but we made it. Gonna be a cold pack up tomorrow, more adventure to come. 

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 10 (4/20/21)

Sullivans Landing

Start: River Mile: 464

Finish: River Mile: 440

Day Total: 24

Trip Total: 212

This mornings pack up was such a treat. As I mentioned yesterday, the hotel manager let us store our boats in their empty conference room. I literally had everything in my boat and ready to paddle away as soon as it was in the water. We got a few sideways looks when two guys pulled their kayaks through the hotel lobby and out the front door!

Boat pack-up at it’s finest!

Our goal today was Sullivans landing, a 24 mile day. According to Google, Sullivans is a small convenience store just up from the boat ramp. At 20 miles in I was feeling pretty good, and was confident we’d make it Sullivans in hour or so. Not long after that, the wind picked up and was blowing a solid 15 mph into our faces for the next 4 miles, and we struggled into Sullivans 2 hours plus later. At that point Jon and I were both just happy to get out of our boats and end the struggle with the headwind for the day.

Paddling the beautiful Tennessee River Gorge

After unloading the boats and getting our gear organized we walked up the hill to the store. Walking in we were greeted by 3 local guys drinking beer with the owner, 85 year old Randal Sullivan. We bought 2 cold beers, some soda and ice to keep it cold. An hour after we settled in, one the guys from Sullivans drove down to chat and offered us each a cold beer, which we gladly accepted. Jackie was in his 50s and had lived his whole life in the area. We had a nice conversation and he wished us luck on the rest of our journey.

Our scenic little camp at Sullivans landing

A bit later, another of the folks we saw in Sullivans drove down. Collum visited with us for quite a while, sharing beer with us as well. Collum had lots of great local color to share. He explained that Randal Sullivans dad actually opened the store in the 20’s be for the TVA dammed the river. The majority of the Sullivans land was “purchased” by the TVA for a “Fair Price”. He said old Mr Sullivan was still pretty sour about the whole deal. Now when he looks out of the store, all he see‘s is this families land, under the Tennessee river. This story really brought home to me thow controversial the TVA was, and to many still is.

Tonight’s experience with these local guys just re-enforced our feeling that people are inherently good. The folks in this little town could not have been nicer. They really made us feel welcome and we are very grateful. 

Tomorrow the forecast calls for 10-20 mph winds so it’s going to be an interesting day of paddling. We will get as far as we can and take it as it comes.  

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 9 (4/19/21)

Chickamauga Lock & Dam Portage

Start: River Mile: 478

Finish: River Mile: 464

Day Total: 16

Trip Total: 188

Our camp last night on TVA land on a cove known to the locals as Pinky’s Point, was great. We had our own private beach, and just 20 feet up a slop a beautiful pine forest. Setting up our tents on a soft bed of pine needles was a dream.

Pinky’s PointCampsite

 

Breaking camp, we got on the water by 8:15. Our first stop was Chickamauga Lock & Dam, 7 miles down river. Conditions on the river were peaceful, no boat traffic, calm water, and a very gentle breeze. I had a chance to connect with Dad and Bonnie on this stretch. It was great catching up with them. They follow along daily on the blog and even have the Army Corps map up on their big screen TV!

Once we were within a mile of the lock, I called the lock master to let him know we were 20 minutes away. In a somewhat harried voice he explained that he had 6 barges lined up downriver waiting to lock through. They ALL had priority over us. We totally understood, this is a commercial river and the barges always have the right of way. So, with an estimated wait time of 6+ hours, we opted for a long portage around the dam.

In looking at the various online map resources we have available (Google Earth, Google Maps, On X and Go Paddling) we were able to determine that there was a small city park, at the end of where the earthen part of dam ends. Unfortunately it was on the opposite side of the river, over a mile away. We found a set of large concrete steps leading up from the water. So, we had to empty our boats and carry them up the stairs to a large grassy area where we could get ourselves organized and get our boats on the portage wheels. Once on the wheels, we loaded all our gear back into our boats. The trick with this process is you have to balance the load so that you have the weight evenly distributed, like a fulcrum. This way, you are only pulling the weight and not also managing the balance. 

My fully loaded boat, on the long walk to the boat landing.

The overall length of the portage was 1.5 miles, with over half of it up hill. Even with a perfect loading job, the 200 pounds of boat and gear require stopping every 100 steps to change hands and keep loose. At the far end of the path we arrived at a TVA boat ramp where we had to repack our boats for paddling, lower them down the ramp and into the water. On on Mississippi River trip last year, we discovered that pushing the boat out to water deep enough for it to float allows it to the float the boat off the wheels and then pull it back into the shallow water to put the wheels away, which in my case means taking them apart, loading them into a mesh bag and strapping the bag on the rear deck of my kayak. From take out the put in, we spend 2 hours managing the portage. A good trade considering the 6 hour minimum it would have taken to lock through.

Back in our boats, with a good current and the wind at our backs, we covered the last 7 miles to Chattanooga in just under 2 hours. Jon had found a Springhill Suites right on the water. There was a boat ramp a block away from the hotel. So, we had to go through the whole process of unloading and getting our boats on the portage wheels to haul them up the long steep ramp and then to the hotel. The hotel manager Veronica was very helpful. Their conference room as not scheduled to be used today or tomorrow, so she let us wheel our boats in and unpack directly onto the hotel luggage carts. They then locked our boats inside the conference room, all safe and sound.

We had a very full list of to-dos waiting for us in Chattanooga. 

1. Lunch and a beer
2. Upgrade sleeping gear 
3. Ship old sleeping gear home
4. Resupply groceries
5. Resupply bourbon
6. Laundry
7. Plus, Jon has several hours of work to day and the hotel is perfect for that.

Lunch and a beer was accompanied at Scotties on the river, the restaurant that is adjacent to our hotel. Fish & Chips were very good, and the IPA was good too. From there we Uber’d to Rock/Creek outfitters to check out sleeping bags. Jon and I each found bags we liked. The store was also kind enough to ship our old bags home. So, two birds with one stone. While Jon transported our new sleeping bags back to the hotel so he could work, I walked over to the Whole Foods to get our grocery resupply. Shopping a new floor plan at least doubles the shop time. Eventually I found everything we needed. A half mile from Whole Foods was a Liquor store, where I was able to resupply on Bourbon. Once I had all that, I Uber‘d back to the hotel and got started on the laundry. Once Jon was done with work, we went back to Scotties for a light dinner and a cocktail. 

Chattanooga, TN!!

So, even though it was a short day paddle wise, it was a full day before you even factor in the two hour portage. I will sleep good tonight.  

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 8 (4/18/21)

Southern Hospitality...or NOT!

Start: River Mile: 500

Finish: River Mile: 478

Day Total: 22

Trip Total: 172

We woke up to chilly and soggy surroundings this morning. The condensation made for a very wet pack up. With cold stiff fingers, made worse from the condensation, it took me a while to get my body loosened up. Unlike yesterday where I dressed for the conditions at present, today I dressed for conditions I expected in the next 2-3 hours. Aside from being slightly chilly when the sun was behind the clouds, I was very comfortable all day.

We launched this morning with Chattanooga 36 miles away. Our goal was to not just cut that distance in half, but paddle as far as we could so we would have less mileage to cover tomorrow. In the end we covered 22 miles so tomorrow we have 14 miles to get to downtown Chattanooga. We hope to get there in time for lunch.

In order to make miles on the current less pool, we opted for a floating lunch. We had left over smoked turkey and Havarti cheese so we had some very tasty sandwiches. We had the wind at our back so even though we weren’t paddling, we were still making distance. 

When reviewing the map, looking for a place to camp, we noticed that there was a Tennessee State Park, Harrison Bay SP. We were 20 miles into the day, we had been on the water for over 7 hours so a state park sounded pretty good. I noticed that on the camping app OnX, there was a section of the park reserved for tent camping. We found the bay that section was on and looked for a beach to land on. We found one, and just up the bank was a grouping of 3 tent sites. Two of them were vacant and one was occupied by a family. Not knowing if someone had these sites reserved, Jon walked around and came across two ladies cleaning the restroom. He explained our situation. They said they would have to check with the Ranger, but didn’t think there was any reason we couldn’t use one of these site.

When they checked with the ranger his first response was NO, we would not be allowed to camp there. When the ladies came to our defense the ranger told us to wait and that he’d be there in a few minutes. After 15 minutes of waiting, we decided to start unpacking our boats, now knowing the sites didn’t have anyone coming tonight. We reasoned the worst that could happen was that we‘d have to pay per person, rather than the site fee. We were really beat after 7 hours on the river so getting camp set up and our gear dried out was of primary importance. We had brought two loads of gear up the site when the ranger arrived. Jon, trying to make conversation asked him, how he was doing. “Breathing” was his one word reply. 

We explained that we are through paddling the Tennessee River as part of an effort to establish the route as a National paddle trail and that it was really important to make the river friendly to paddlers. The ranger who’s name is John Radford looked at us and said, “we have contractors coming this week to cut some trees in this campground, we are not accepting reservations for camping.”  We explained that we didn’t want to reserve a site, we simply wanted to pay for a site for the night. We will be on the river by 7:00am in the morning, long before any contractor might show up to start cutting trees. His one solution (his words, not mine) was to paddle back upstream two miles to an RV park were they have tent camping. We explained that we were physically exhausted. He told us we were being unreasonable and that we should have called ahead. He said he had offered us a solution and we need to pack up our boats and leave.

We asked if we could paddle around to the next cove, where there was no official camp site and do a wilderness camp? No, that would be trespassing he said, stating “This is my park and I patrol it and would  force us to leave if he found us. Let me state for the record that John Randford was wearing a bullet proof vest and caring a 9mm side arm. He looked a lot more like a SWAT team member that a park ranger, who’s job it was to help visitors to the STATE of TENNESSEE’s park, (not his) and who’s tax dollars as a citizen of Tennessee I pay for. It’s such a shame that he had such a narrow view of what his role is and was. It’s especially  embarrassing when compared to the total strangers who have been so helpful on this trip. There where other camp grounds in HIS park that did not have tree removal scheduled. It would have been simple for him to load our gear into his empty government issue pick up truck and transport us to a site he could approve of. Instead he did literally the least he could do and pass our situation off to an vague and uncertain third party. 

After spending 30 minutes re-loading our boats, we stiffly climbed in and paddled another 2 miles to a Tennessee Valley Authority public land beach and are now peacefully camping. I will be contacting my friends at Tennessee RiverLine who have spent the last 3 years, setting up the base for the Tennessee River to be an Internationally known and respected National water trail, on par with the Appalachian Trail. We don’t need narrow minded park rangers to give people spending considerable time and money in the local economies to make them wish they had never come. That is the type of negative press that can kill an effort like this. 

OK, I’m off my soapbox. Thanks for bearing with me. 

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 7 (4/17/21)

The Longest Day

Start: River Mile: 523

Finish: River Mile: 499

Day Total: 24

Trip Total: 150

We awoke this morning to rain splattering our tents. We had another chilly night, being constantly reminded that we did not bring warm enough sleeping bags. We hope to rectify this situation once we get to Chattanooga, TN.  

The rain really made me hustle packing up. I’d  much rather paddle in the rain, all buttoned up in my kayak, spray skirt on, rain jacket on, all my gear stowed away in my dry hatches. I was able to get the tent, sleeping bag and food in my kayak before the rain took hold. So, we set a trip record of 75 minutes from wake up to in the water!

Paddling conditions were rainy and 55 for the first 2 hours, then it slowly started to warm up. We were excited to have a mid day goal of a hot lunch. The Cottonwood marina was a 10 mile paddled from camp. We took advantage of this stop to get rid of our trash, refill our water bags and get every piece of electronic gear on a charger. Jon had a Bubba burger and I had the cheese burger and fries. It’s amazing how good a simple burger and fries can taste after a week of bagels with PB & J.

Back on the river, I had a full belly and a full dose of Ibuprofen in me, so I was feeling pretty good. The temperature was raising and cloud cover was breaking up a bit. I thought I had stripped off enough layers at lunch but I found myself immediately shedding more. I finally got a a comfortable set up so I was warm enough when the sun went behind the clouds and cool enough when the sun was beating down on us. 

Today being a Saturday, there was a large about of bass boat traffic on the river. They all blast around at 40 mph, driving like they are late for the birth of their first child. They seem to have no regard for the smaller, slower paddler and consistently sped past at top speed, many times getting within 50 - 75 feet from us. Not much we can do but ride it out. 

The final 8 miles of the day I was struck buy the similarities of the shoreline here with that of the Atchafalaya river in lower Louisiana. Vast marshland, similar trees and virtually no place to camp. For the most part today, the wind was light and variable. 

Louisiana like shoreline

Around river mile 506, 17 miles into our day, we started keeping on eye out for a place to camp. With the above mentioned shoreline we just didn’t see anything that was very appealing.  We almost gave in a accepted a sub par site, but decided to keep going. I knew there was a TVA boat ramp at mile 499, but though there was no way we’d have to go that far to find a site. Well, not only DID we have to go that far, the TVA ramp was on the far side of the river from where we were. After over 8 hours in our boats, we landed on a gravel beach adjacent to the ramp. The tent placement wasn’t ideal, but we were in a clean grassy spot, with easy access to the boat ramp for us to launch in the morning.

Making the site home for the night

We are now two days away from Chattanooga. We plan to paddle more that halfway tomorrow to allow us time in town to upgrade our sleeping bags, resupply on food and Bourbon and experience the craft beer and restaurant scene in this most southeast of Tennessee cities.

As I write this, the sun is setting over my shoulder, we are enjoying our third campfire in a row and we are the last ones left here. Looking forward to a peaceful night.  

Perfect end to a great day on the river

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 6 (4/16/21)

Today is Anything can happen day!

Start: River Mile: 546

Finish: River Mile: 523

Day Total: 19

Trip Total: 126

Got up early this morning. Thanks to the cold night, I tossed and turned from 5:30 - 6:30, then finally gave up and went outside. I was able to stir our campfire back to life and soon I was brewing coffee by the lovely warmth of a crackling fire. 

This site on Goat Island really is a beautiful place. The sunrise from camp was awesome. In a different world, I’ve have stayed there for much longer. Thanks again to David Bolling, City Manager for Kingston, TN for the great recommendation!

Early morning pack-up on Goat Island

The paddling conditions were a bit on the chilly side, but we had flat water and a very light breeze. The stretch from 546 all the way to the Lock & Dam is dotted with Islands that have limestone shores, green hardwood forests and lots of wildlife. We paddled past a very small Island, maybe 50 feet long, that was a Great Blue Heron rookery. One small tree must have had 15 little white, fluffy baby Herons. We lingered for a while and enjoyed watching them.

12 miles into our day, we entered Watts Bar Lock & Dam, the second lock through of our journey. We had to wait for the chamber to fill, but after 30 minutes the massive doors swung open and we paddled in side. The drop was not quite as extreme as the Fort Lauden lock, but we were still lowered 60 feet. We were so excited to exit the lock and have some current. Sadly, they were not releasing water through the spill way, so we had the work for it, the old fashioned way, one paddle stroke at the time.

Riding the lock down 60 feet

After the lock, there really wasn’t much to look forward to. We had planned to paddle 21 miles to a piece of TVA land and carve out a site. Around mile 534, we really started to drag. By then the sun was out and since we were dressed for the cold weather we had experienced most of the day, the sun helped to sap our strength a bit.

We came upon a boat ramp on mile 523 and pulled off for a break We had been looking for some way to get to the town of Decatur. When we looked at the navigation app, it was only 2.4 miles from the ramp. Jon was eager to get out of his boat and volunteered to walk to town. Before that, we decided to camp in the TVA land that is adjacent to the ramp. Once we got everything set up, Jon grabbed his gear and started walking. He was gone about an hour. When he came back, we was stepping out of a large pick-up truck driven by and old timer named James, who had a tiny little Chihuahua on this lap named Sadie. Apparently, a 1/4 mile down the road from the ramp, James and Sadie pulled up and asked Jon if he needed a ride. James was nice enough to take him to the grocery store to pick up lunch for tomorrow and Subway for dinner tonight. Jon tried to get James to accept some form of payment, cash or something from the store, but James insisted he didn’t need anything.

Our beautiful TVA campsite at RM 523

So, indeed anything can happen on Anything can Happen Day! 

Tennessee River Thru Paddle - Day 5 (4/15/21)

Our own private Island 

Start: River Mile: 568

Finish: River Mile: 546 

Day Total: 19

Trip Total: 107

Our morning started at the Kingston marina, getting our boats out of the floating dock and loaded. The friends at city hall had a photographer from the local paper meet us to ask us a few questions and take pictures of us loading up our boats. We have really been spoiled by the people of Kingston. They made us really feel like celebrities. We really believe in the Tennessee RiverLine 652 project and will do what ever we can to promote it along the way.

Paddling into the river, it was cloudy, chilly and windy. The wind was 10-15 mph and we in our face over 3 really big 3+ mile open water stretches. Our goal for the day was an Island known by the locals as Goat Island. The final open water crossing was into a strong wind coming in on our right quarter, so it was also kicking up 12”-18” waves hitting us from across. 

Battling the wind

We pulled up to the beach on Goat Island at 3:00pm. We are very impressed. It’s a big grassy site, surrounded by trees with a 180 degree view of the water. A fire pit, picnic table, clothes line and even a horse shoe pit! Dang, I should have brought my pitching shoes!!

It was just a dream to be at this nice campsite so early in the day. I was able completely empty my boat and dry it out. We have our paddle shoes drying on the clothes line. With any luck they may actually be dry when we put them on tomorrow!

Limestone formations

We had been looking forward to a camp fire all day today. It’s the first one of this trip. I believe we are the first campers on this island since last year. There is no evidence of recent usage. As a result, the fire wood situation is plentiful. We have enough wood collected to keep us warm well after dark. Temps tonight will be in the low 40’s so we will be going to bed wearing all our warm clothing inside our sleeping bags. 

I love a good campfire

Tomorrow we lock through Watts Bar Lock & Dam, our second of the trip. It is 12 paddle miles down river from our camp. We look forward to current on the other side!