We had lovely weather while attending the Fall Rendezvous, and just knew that it wouldn’t last through our departure day. Sure enough, it was cool, grey and rainy as we got underway this morning from Joe Wheeler State Park. Kathleen and I have an informal agreement to avoid traveling in rain, but we had to pass through Wheeler and Wilson Locks and knew that our best chance of getting through both during daylight hours was to be in a group. Wilson Lock has become a major bottleneck on the Tennessee River after its upper guide-wall was damaged and sunk in a 2021 storm. This left commercial traffic without any assistance to steer long barge rafts into the lock, and without a convenient place to moor barges when splitting a tow, and has considerably slowed down throughput and created long delays. The 40 or so boats leaving the Fall Rendezvous divided up into flotillas yesterday and today to lock through together to reduce the demand on the locks.
Wheeler Lock is only three miles from the park marina, so our group of eight boats waited at the docks until the Lockmaster told us to proceed, then locked down 48 feet without any problems, despite the light rain.
Wilson Lock was next—the Lockmaster told our group that we could pass through after they finished with two tows. We stepped on the gas to cover the 15 miles to Wilson and hold our place in line, only to arrive and discover that the 12 boats from the flotilla that left Joe Wheeler marina three hours before us was still waiting to lock through, and we waited another 1.5 hours with them. In addition, there was a fishing tournament going on and ten bass boats were also in the queue. The Lockmaster said not to worry, there was enough room for everyone in the 600 x 110 foot chamber, and our 20 cruising boats and the ten bass fisherman fit into the lock with room to spare. Dragonfly was rafted up three-deep in the middle, and had a smooth ride down 94 feet to the bottom.
After exiting the lock, we cruised single-file down the three-mile approach canal to Florence Harbor Marina. The Harbormaster and marina staff had their hands full directing our flotilla to their slips in the midst of the fishing tournament based out of the harbor. After getting settled in, we had drinks aboard Wild Goose with Kim & John, the first Loopers we met and exchanged boat cards with back in Davenport, IA, then the four of us had dinner at the River Bottom Grill at the marina.
It was great meeting you both at the Rendezvous. I will be following your progress on NEBO and wishing we were there with you.
ReplyDeleteMitch