10/02 - 10/06 - “Meet in the Middle” C-Brat Gathering

Well, by 10:30am just about everyone had pulled out. I got underway, along with Mystery Girl, Little Joe, Consuela, and Dragon Fly, and headed up river. Dragon Fly peeled off at lunch time to make lunch and then head back to Prizer Point. I believe they are pulling out and heading home tomorrow. Consuela peeled off a ways after to meet a friend I believe, leaving us three amigos to continue up the Cumberland. Calm nice day. We passed one tow, and then around 3 pulled into Neville Bay to anchor for the evening. Colby

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Little Joe

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Mystery Girl

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Little Joe passing a flock of Pelicans

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Little Joe passing a tow

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C-Brat replication of a tow. :mrgreen:

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Mystery Girl, C Traveler and Little Joe anchored in Neville Bay

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Sunset over Little Joe in Neville Bay
 
Colby, wonderful reports & photos & you final three are very much the Three Amigos with many good times & cruises shared. I feel fortunate to also having shared time with you all.

Jay
 
Thanks Jay. As a few of the new members to gatherings said this past week, C-Brats are quite a friendly group of folks. Many of us have been fortunate enough to cruise with each other a few times, making the cruises that much more fun! It's been a pleasure to me to be able to meet, and cruise with folks like you!
This morning, with the 45 degree air temperature, and water at 72, it was a foggy morning. The fog quickly burned off after the sun came up, and us "three amigos", departed for Clarksville. Very quiet day on the water, with several fishing boats, one large cruiser, and a 300' Passenger Ship. (The American Melody that was doing her last cruise in this area for the season. I believe she begins in Memphis or Knoxville, on the Tennessee River, then cruises on the Cumberland to Nashville, before returning to go to Paducah.) Didn't see any tows today. Did see the Cumberland City Ferry however, crossing back and forth across the river just upstream of Cumberland City. Highlight for me is taking the barge staging area route next to the Cumberland Fossil Plant, seeing the more industrial side of the River. Colby

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Mystery Girl in the morning sunrise at Neville Bay

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Little Joe on the other side of me, in the fog.

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Somebody asked me at the gathering about private docks back in some of the coves during winter pool. This is a common example. They become grounded until summer pool starts flooding back in.

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Little Joe and Mystery Girl going past some of the machinery at the Cumberland Fossil Plant.

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Zoomed in a little more on Little Joe

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Little Joe passing by some of the barges.
 
Due to the current night time lows in the 40's, and water temps in the low 70's, once again we woke to some fog. Last night we stayed at the Clarksville marina, which is a very nice marina. $1 a foot plus $5. Boat US members get a 25% discount. There really isn't anywhere to anchor within 5 or so miles of Clarksville down river, and nothing really until past the lock upriver. At Clarksville is the Red River, but it's rather narrow, and fisherman frequent it. Only saw a few fishing boats on the water today. Had one tow running 6 miles behind us, and one that was coming the other way. That one was still in the Cheatham Lock when we got there. Waited about 45 minutes, then entered the lock. I think half their valves were not working, so it was a very slow lift. Turned into the Harpeth River, which is rather scenic. Went a few miles to Pack Island, but decided to come back to where the river widens out near some bluffs and makes for another nice anchorage. (That's so we are a mile closer to Nashville, our destination tomorrow.) Colby

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Look close, and you can just barely see Mystery Girl behind Little Joe

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Mystery Girl and Little Joe anchored on the Harpeth River.
 
You're welcome Rob. Hope I'm not boring anyone yet. And I'm not real pleased with my iphone's photos due to the cover causing fuzziness due to scratches in the protective window over the lens.... Anyway, today we cruised about 38 miles to Nashville. Numerous tows on the water today. Passed a few, went around a few, and even got overtaken by one. (We're running 5 kts, he was running 6 kts.) Lots to see today. But the most excitement for me, and bummed I didn't have the camera ready, was watching a new barge being launched in Ashland City. We had already passed the facility when Bill noticed what appeared to be a safety meeting going on. (Guys in hard hats huddled up.) He then noticed a tug moving towards the facility. There had been a barge sitting up on the bank on tracks leading into the water. I decided to turn around and go back to see if the barge was to be launched. Before I could get there, I saw it slide down the bank and splash into the water. The tug came in behind it, tied on, and took it away. Other than that, lots of river barge industry to see as we neared Nashville. We left Mike and Christy on Little Joe in Nashville. The Riverfront dock is by reservations through Dockwa. They decided to make reservations so they could get the code to the gate padlock, while Bill and I decided to press on. (Little Joe will be turning around tomorrow to head back. Nashville was their destination for this trip.) Tonight Mystery Girl and I are on the old lock wall at mile 201. Think of being in a lock, at the bottom of the lift. We were able to get tied to the bits in the wall, but shore side will not be accessible unless we scale the 10 feet of wall above us! A few of today's photos: Colby

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This was the barge that was launched

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Tug waiting to catch it.

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And off it goes...

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This was the tow that overtook us. Later he stopped mid channel (he called and notified us) to pick up two more barges. There was another tug that pushed them in to the front.

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You never know what you'll see along the shore...This was on what appeared to be a small private launch ramp.

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Little Joe going past some barge facility.

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Mystery Girl going past a tug putting barges together.

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Mystery Girl coming into Nashville. Notice the "Bat wing" towers. Apparently this building was filmed in one of the Batman movies.

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Mystery Girl, C-Traveler and Little Joe on the Nashville Riverfront dock.

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Mike captured this photo while walking across the bridge to downtown.

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One more

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Mystery Girl passing by General Jackson
 
Had one tow go by us last night, leaving a little wake, but we still did ok on the old lock wall at mile 201. I measured it this morning. We still had 12 feet of wall above our roofs. And even if we wanted to scale it to get on shore, there was a fence at the edge. Anyway, a doable stopover for the night. Something I've noticed is that there is a pretty good fluctuation of water levels on the Cumberland River upstream of Cheatham Lock. Last night I believe the water level dropped a little over a foot, then came back up this morning most of the way.... That same tow that went past us must have stopped somewhere later, as he was an hour ahead of us when we left in the morning. Today we experienced the strongest current along the Cumberland River, about 1.5 kts. Maybe 2. We assumed it was from the Old Hickory lock releasing water. We also ran slow and remained behind that tow, then waited just shy of two hours while it went through the lock ahead of us. He was a double lockage. (IE, couldn't fit his entire tow through the lock.) Seems to me these locks are shorter than others I've been in. Also made reservations for locking through Cordell Hull later this week. Probably no commercial barge traffic so it has very limited hours, requiring a call by noon the day before. Speaking with the lock tender at Old Hickory, he suggested I call today as the guy is a hard to get a hold of. Got him at the second number, and his days off are Friday and Saturday, so he has to put in for overtime, thus our reserved time is pretty important to make. This evening Bill and I are anchored on one of the many coves on Old Hickory Lake. Colby

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Looking upriver on the old lock wall at mile 201

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Looking downriver

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Mystery Girl floating while waiting for the tug to enter Old Hickory lock ahead of us.

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Once the tug entered the lock, we held on the approach wall. Here Bill is on the starboard side, while I'm on the port side.
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Bill waiting for the lock to begin filling.

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Bill taking my picture while I take his. :mrgreen:

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just another photo of us in the lock.

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Sunset on Mystery Girl this evening in one of the many coves here on Old Hickory Lake.
 
Few photos to upload tonight. We had a peaceful night anchored in one of the Old Hickory Lake Coves. This evening we are in Cedar Creek near mile 264. Earlier today we stopped at Cedar Creek Marina at mile 233 to put on some more fuel. (Different creeks) Saw a number of fishing boats today, and a few cruisers. We passed what will probably be the last of barges as we head upstream, at the Gallatin Steam Plant. I stopped abeam the barge facility there for a bit to watch them unload a coal barge and the small work tug push an empty out of the way and a full into position. They use a large crane bucket to unload the barge. (The tow that passed us the other night while we were on the old lock wall and that we had to wait for at the Old Hickory Lock, was taking coal barges up to the Gallatin Steam Plant.) Colby

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Another photo of C-Traveler in the Old Hickory Lock as the gate was being closed behind us.

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Unloading coal at the Gallatin Steam Plant



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Goodnight
 
After a very serene night in Clear Creek, Bill and I cruised 39 miles and are tied up against the old lock 7 wall. It’s another high wall, but this one doesn’t have a fence on top of it, and we have access to ladders to get to the top! My uploaded photos will show how we tie up to these high walls. We’re in a much more desolate area of the Cumberland River, and only saw one fishing boat today, near the lock wall when we arrived. Very peaceful cruising along at 5mph and enjoying the scenery. Tomorrow we have reservations to lock at Cordell Hull at 1pm. (Because it’s not a high use lock, you have to set up lockage in advance. I doubt there are many, if any, commercial tows this far up river.)
Added this morning. Not enough cell service to upload last night, so adding another photo this morning. Had quite a bit of fog until just after we departed at 8a. Also, the current really picked up in the River yesterday afternoon, and was probably flowing at about 2mph after we got tied on the lock. Water level was rising as well. In this mornings photo you can see where the water level on the wall was. Bill measured a 26" drop from the high wet mark on the wall. Very common fluctuation closer to the dams (we're 11nm away) from their generation schedules. This morning, there is barely any current at all as well. Colby





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Old Lock 6 Wall. Much lower than the two old lock walls we've stayed on.

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Mystery Girl and C-Traveler on old Lock 7 wall

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Here you can see my aft line tied onto a chain coming down off the top of the lock wall. (Heavy sucker. I couldn't budge it from above.) Bill is tied off to a bit in the wall with his forward line. (He had another bit to tie on with his stern line, and a ladder right at his cockpit.)

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I've got my forward line on a bit in the wall, and you can see my ladder.

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Fog this morning, and if you look close you can see last nights high water level on the wall.
 
Just another day enjoying time on the water. Got to the Cordell Hull Lock a little bit early, and waited about 30 minutes before the gate was opened for us. I think that was the fastest fill / lift I’ve had in these locks. The lockmaster said it takes 12 minutes. I think he had the valves full open. A little turbulence near where I was, but didn’t have any problems staying on the wall. Tonight we are anchored in McDonald Hollow Cove, near mile 328. We got our kayaks down today, and kayaked around the cove. Colby

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C-Traveler on the wall inside Cordell Hull lock.

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Cordell Hull lock upper gate opening in front of Mystery Girl

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C-Traveler and Mystery Girl anchored in McDonald Hollow cove
 
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