Sat, Sun - Oct. 6-7/2018 - Wheeler & Wilson Lakes

Sat., Oct. 6 (56.9 miles)

After another restful evening under the stars in Hunstsville, AL, we cast the lines to continue downstream to Joe Wheeler State Park (mm 277). It's yet another summer day - 90+ and sunny. No locks today, so we enjoyed an uneventful float down Wheeler Lake to the State Park that lies just outside of the Wheeler Lock and Dam.

JWSP is a beautiful resort that includes camping, cottages, golf, restaurant, and of course the marina with a pool - where we enjoyed cocktails with our Looper friends. 

This is our second visit to JWSP, as we attended the Looper Rendezvous in 2016.  We learned a lot that year, and it helped us prepare for the trip.  The 2018 Rendezvous is about to begin Oct 15th, so Loopers are beginning to arrive.

We docked next to our new friends, Joe and Sue Frattinger (Fratt House), and met James and Mary Jane from Orilllia, ON aboard Late Harvest (Bayliner 38).  James and Mary Jane began their trip in Canada having completed the Lake Michigan, IL-MS, OH River legs, so we had a lot of stories to compare.   James and Mary Jane arrived early for the Rendezvous, so they took advantage of some time off the boat by renting a car for a trip to Nashville.  Part of doing the Loop is checking out the surrounding areas by land.  So much to see and do!

Sunday, Oct. 7 (63.4 miles):

The summer weather continues in the South, it's 9:00 a.m. and already very warm - another 90+, sunny day.  We cast off early anticipating 2 locks today.  We are at the mercy of the Lockmasters, and the barge tows, who have priority over pleasure boats in locking through.  Joe Wheeler Lock and Dam (mm 274.9) is just 2.5 miles from the State Park, Brian called the Lockmaster, and he told us to come on down.  Once again, we were the only boat in the chamber as we dropped another 48 feet to enter the smallest lake on the Tennessee River, Wilson Lake.

Wilson Lake is only 15 miles long and was the most populated lake we've come across so far.  This is because, unlike the other lakes that form the TN River, much of the property was privately owned before the TVA took control in 1933.  The TVA only owns 10 miles of the lake's 154 miles of shoreline.  The Wilson Dam (mm 259.4) is the oldest on the Tennessee River, constructed in 1918.  It boasts intriguing architecture - the arches forming the spillways are patterned after construction skills dating back to the Roman Empire.  ALL OF THAT MAY BE INTERESTING, but what really struck us was the 93' drop to Pickwick Lake.

 

It's 12:00 p.m. CT, and we've already made it through 2 locks, descending almost 150 feet.   Cub's season is over, and the Bears are on a bye week, so we listened to the Lions defeat the Packers on XM Sirius.

We continued for 45 miles to Grand Harbor Marina (mm 215.3).  Depending on whether you are on water or land, Grand Harbor is in both Counce, Tennessee and Iuka, Mississippi.  This is where Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi intersect.  Grand Harbor is another mirage - a beautiful resort with many amenities.  We tied up to our covered slip, put on our bathing suits, grabbed a couple of drinks, and headed up to the pool; only to discover the pool is closed for the season - don't get me started!  We returned to Port-A-Gee and concluded our day enjoying docktails and exchanging pleasantries with the locals.