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Local Knowledge
By Michael Verdon — Spring
2004
Facing your first Tennessee River lock can be daunting, especially if you’ve never seen something as massive as the internal chamber of the Fort Loudon lock. “It’s one of the smaller locks on the river, with a 72-foot drop,” says lockmaster Tim Wright.
While locking through beside a 100-foot barge might sound harrowing, Wright says recreational boaters should be fine (as we were): “Just let the lock operator know it’s the first time, and he’ll take a little more time with you. And if he says something you don’t understand, just ask.” Wright says it’s impossible to predict traffic flow, though it’s a sure thing that weekends are busiest. Locking through averages 45 minutes. Lock operators monitor VHF Channels 13 and 16. “Be sure to bring at least 50 feet of line and [plenty of] fenders,” Wright says. “It’s important to make sure you’re tightly secured.”
At Chickamauga Reservoir, five miles above Chattanooga,
Erwin Marine general manager Doug Underwood says the boating’s excellent.
“We have a lot of good coves where people can anchor out,”
he says. His marinas (www.erwinmarinesales.com)
cater to transient boaters, with full amenities (the marina in downtown
Chattanooga lacks showers).
Below Chattanooga is the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee River Valley, where the water passes under the shadow of Signal Mountain, Lookout, and others for a relatively unpopulated 25-mile stretch. “Back in the old days, the area known as ‘The Suck’ was hairy, with whirlpools and hard spots to navigate,” Underwood says. “Now it’s some of the prettiest river scenery in the country.”
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