Leatherwood Creek, Tn to Densons Island, Tn

From   Leatherwood Creek, Tn  to Densons Island, Tn

September 11^th, 2015

Friday

Miles Traveled 54.8

Total Miles Traveled 108

 We awoke this morning with a partly sunny sky and a 50% chance of afternoon thunderstorms. We had to make a decision the stay on anchor today, or continue up the Tennessee River.  Since there were several places to get off the river channel if a storm developed, we decided to continue up the river and keep a close eye on the sky. 

The first boat we encountered on the river today was a ferry crossing the river.

We passed the old Louisville & Nashville RR Bridge that had only two spans remaining, then an abandoned dock that was flooded when Kentucky Lake was created.

 At mile marker 100.4 we cruised under the CSX Rail Road Lift Bridge.  The bridge clearance from the water is 24.6 ft so we had plenty of room to get under it.  If our boat was too tall, we could call the bridge operator and ask for the bridge to be raised for our passage.  Have you ever crossed that bridge brother Dean?

 

 

After cruising about 3 hours, storm clouds started to form west of us so we pulled into Pebble Isle Marina for lunch; we were only tied to the dock for about 15 minutes before the rain started.  An hour and a half later, the sky was clearing and we continued our journey south. 

About an hour later an AIS alarm sounded notifying us that another vessel was within our safety zone.  We installed the Automatic Identification System this summer when preparing our boat for the loop.  Most large commercial boats and some recreational vessels use this system to monitor boat traffic around them.  Although we could not see a boat around us, the alarm indicated a boat within one mile of us.  As we approached a bend in the river, a tug pushing several barges came into view.

 

This is the approach to our anchorage tonight; it is Densons Island at mile marker 125.0.  The river channel continues to the left of the island, and we will anchor near the shore on the right side of the island in about 25 feet of water.  When anchoring, we always have a white light visible for 2 miles, 360 degrees around our boat.