I have not posted for awhile I have been oh so not busy and have no excuses. I mentioned last post that I did make it to the Tennessee River headwaters and here they are.
This is the center between the Holston River to port and the French Broad River on starboard.
The French Broad River
The Holston River
Headwaters from about a quarter mile. I am at mile 652. I have traveled every one of them by water.
This is Knoxville as I head back down river.
I spent the night here downtown
And the next day I am off and heading to Goose Pond
Just a blue moon
A pretty picture from Jones Creek
All day everyday
Well I am back at goose pond. I am rich with $46 in my pocket.
I had two scares during the trip. I stopped on 8/23 just above Watts Bar dam. my anchor got rapped around a limb that had been weighted and dropped for fish attraction. The line was seriously wound up. I had to go in the water and spend 15 minutes diving and untangling to get free. This was the first time on the whole trip all 4000 miles of it I have been hung up like that. The second scare was rain on the river. I was just out of Ft. Loudon in a narrow channel when it started raining to beat the band. It was raining so hard I could not see more than 10 feet in front of the boat. This went on for 20 minutes. I couldn’t stop I couldn’t see what was coming. I didn’t know if I was in the channel or not. What did I do?
I went on the radio with a securite , securite announcing my speed and river mile and slowed to about 4mph- just enough to handle the current and steerage. I steered by plot charter kinda like instrument only flying. my only big fear was hitting a log. I had seen quite a few big ones usually about 4 or 5 a day. I puckered up and and made it. That’s why we have life jackets ( which I wear all the time) and insurance. I also could have hit the horn for 5 short bursts every 30 seconds which is a warning signal. Honestly I forgot that one.
As usual I get back and spend too long not contacting friends. I will do better. I guess. If I have to.
Gotta love it.
Dr Brad Standing by on 16.
Black Dog Sailor 