Day 123 Nickajack Lake to Chattanooga Wednesday September 19, 2018

Day 123  Nickajack Lake to Chattanooga Wednesday September 19, 2018

Cloudy/high fog to start then mostly sunny all day like yesterday. Warm temperatures into the high 80s. Nice breeze from the N.

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The trip up the Tennessee has been great. We have enjoyed it as it is peaceful and far more boater friendly than the Illinois, Mississippi, or Ohio Rivers.  The current up river is less, there is little debris in water, the water is far clearer, far less barge traffic, more anchorages and more marinas, and the scenery has been very nice.  But, (I know you knew there was a but coming - didn't you!! You sly dog you.), today was what we had been waiting for - a wonderful ride of about 40 miles, the likes of which we have yet to experience. Simply stated it was like we where driving our boat through mountains, oh that's right we were!!  It was simply spellbinding. But you don't want me to babble on you want to see some of what we saw don't you. OK.

As it did yesterday, the day started out with low clouds - or high fog - which ever you like. The day was quite gray and we feared that it was thick enough to ruin our view of the surroundings. But as you will see it thinned out nicely and actually made for some dramatic scenes that a blue sky couldn't have created.

The shot below is just after leaving the anchorage. There is a train moving there as the tracks run along the river here and there is a lot of traffic - just like along the Erie Canal.

 Soon afterwards we are approaching the old Hales Bar dam site. It was built in the 1930s to much fanfare but the rock foundation leaked badly and the new dam and lock at Nickajack was built soon afterward to replace it.

Here is a close up of the powerhouse from the dam

There is a channel there somewhere

Around the next bend the sun began to worm its way through the clouds. I was going to show only a few pictures but I said - hey I want to see'm again myself so you have a bunch. And trust me, as wonderful at the photos are, in person, it was two levels above.

 The sun continued to gain the upper hand as we moved along.  In places there were some nice homes/cottages and most of the ride there was little to no development.

The sun had nearly won out now. We are about 15 miles out from Chattanooga

We are now approaching the big turn into Chattanooga - look on a map at the snake like turns the river makes here. The famous Lookout Mountain now comes  into view. It has a commanding view of the river in both directions. Thus it was a strategic vantage point to see what was moving on the river. Thus it was very important during the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

The Interstate 24 runs at the base of the mountain - look for the highway in the photo below.

The City is beautiful from the water - they have made it a super location to be.

The two buildings are both aquariums. One of freshwater species and the other one for ocean dwellers. Both were outstanding - and the surrounding public spaces were equally well done.

"Pardon me boy's is that the Chattanooga Rail Station?" Well no trip would not be complete without at stop at the the train station that Glenn Miller and the Andrews Sisters made famous.

The station is now nicely redone and you can even stay in converted rail cars on the tracks outside.

 This would be a great place to have those ham and eggs on a train trip, eh?

 This must have been the "first" Chattanooga Choo Choo - don't think it was the one in 1945 - but it will do.

 Some great building in town

And we have gone so far to the east that we are again in the eastern time zone - you can almost smell the salt air over the Smokey Mountains. And crossing over the time zone we "lost" an hour so it means that it is time to say .................

Good Night and May God Bless