From Wheeler Lake to Guntersville Lake on the TN River

We got an early start this morning. 

We only saw one tow today and he was going our way...

He allowed us to pass him which enabled us to be at today's lock before he got there and so the Lock master just told us he would have the lock ready.......meaning water down to same level we were traveling in and the gates would be open.

Some maples were turning....so beautiful!   We hope to see more color on our return trip down river.

We saw a lot of these beautiful rock walls along the river.

Heading into the Guntersville Lock.

On the other side of the lock we came out on the large Guntersville lake.

This was a very nice boat house that could dock several boats.

We thought it was all alone but then we saw the house that went with it well hidden in the trees.

We never heard of the town of Guntersville and never really saw the town but saw the many houses on this lake.

Some close ups of homes.

  
This house had a permanent aluminum roof.

One very nice thing we have noticed since we entered this part of the TN River... the water is prettier, cleaner looking.

However, we then began to see great masses of green on top of the water on both sides of the river.

When we realized what it was, weeds growing on the bottom of the river we definitely did not want to anchor out.... we remembered our experience of anchoring in weeds on Lake Champlain … 500 lbs of weeds and mud on our anchor!

Here is our path through the weeds to our marina tonight.

We thought it was completely clear under our boat until we started watching the depth gage change to very little water under the keel because of the weeds.

We had a long 9.5 hour day today traveling from mile 305 to mile marker 378. When the river narrowed some today the current picked up and slowed us down more. Two or three more days depending on weather and other unknowns in boating long distances....we will be in Chattanooga.  It will be a long day tomorrow to get to the Nickajack Lock but after that we will be in the beautiful TN River gorge!  Exciting for me because these are my Smoky Mountains!...I have hiked there....... so much history with that place .....some sad as it involves the Indians whose land this was first.