Parthery.

[magicalbill]

Didn't want to go off-topic on the shift cable problem thread.

Back in the mid 90's a friend and I launched at that marina next to Tellico..Crap..can't remember the name of it.Oh yeah, Ft. Louden..We locked thru and went on to Chickamunga, Watts Bar and thru the Grand Canyon that you spoke of. Went thru Nickajack, under I-24 and to the dam around the bend there.

That may have been one of the most senic trips I ever took. Mid-summer, flat water free of debris..I barefoot skiied half the way there. We had to keep turning around to pick up the kneeboard that I stood up from.(I hadn't mastered deep-water starts.)
Anyway, a great trip I would recommend to anyone.

 

[Parthery]

We did it about 4 years ago in October....JiminGa, Bokat, myself from this forum, as well as 4-5 folks from the THT Atlanta/Lake Lanier group. We ran the 38 miles from Chattanooga to Nickajack, locked down and right back up, then had lunch at Hales Bar. Part of the the group went the night before and camped out at the cabin/houseboats at Hales Bar.

If you do it in October, when the leaves are changing, its beautiful. I highly recommend it and you can go as far as you like. If you keep going downriver, you can go to Guntersville and stay at Goose Pond - which I believe is another 40 miles or so from Nickajack.

I'll dig up some pics and post them.....

 

[magicalbill]

Funny you mention Goose Pond. The Guitarist in my band has a daughter that lives in Scottville Ala. We towed my 232 to The Keys in Jan this year and stopped in for a visit on the way. One of her friends saw my Grady and told me that Goose Pond was a great place to boat out of with a good ramp.

That would be a great run to do again..Watts Bar or Choo-Choo thru the Canyon, lock thru Nickajack and on to Goose Pond.
Parthery..You said you guys locked thru..From the look of the land that lock had to be a heckuva drop. How long did it take?
Oh yeah.one more question..How was Hales Bar? Been by it but never stopped in. Do they have overnite facilities, showers, etc?

 

[Parthery]

Here is the link to the pics...including our trip to the lock on Nickajack...

Due to the "one day" nature of the trip, we literally locked down and right back up...it was more for the experience for those who had never locked through....and the lockmaster was able to accomodate us...

The cabins at Hales Bar were fully furnished...AC/bath/TV...etc...think houseboat. They seemed nice.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-out ... ruise.html

 

[JiminGA]

Wow! What great memories come back seeing those pics! Gang, we GOTTA do that again!