Top of the Tenn- Tom

 It began as an absolutely beautiful Monday morning.  But that's the catch, it's a Monday. We took our time leaving Mid-Way and that was a mistake. The Coast Guard cutter Wedge was coming up the river and turns out to be right behind us. (Did you know all CG vessels are cutters?  This one was a buoy tender tug and barge). Now I can run at about 20 mph and he is doing about 8, but Government or military have priority so we have to wait on him at Rankin lock. Oh well, not a big deal since he is only 3 miles behind.  We wait, he gets there and goes in first, but we are promised first out. I've got 11 miles to next lock so he will be WAY behind me.

But first we have to deal with this lock which turns out to be cursed. All is well until we get a fender stuck in some kind of pocket in the wall. That creates some excitement getting it out and relocated to a flat area. With that done, what else could happen. Well about 5 feet from the top the floating bollard we are tied to quits floating and almost pulls the port side railing off the boat. After getting loose, we are now also loose in the lock and they're still filling. That takes some fast adjustments during which I bang the boat into the wall. All of this with the Coasties watching.  Cursed!!

So now I run to Montgomery lock and am told I have to wait for the CG boys to catch up and go in first again. And, by the way, if they don't mind the company, I can join them. No amount of begging will do any good so we anchor in the channel and wait again. This locking proceeds with no surprises or issues and I discuss with the cutter captain just following him to the next lock since once again he must go in first and ok my being there too.  He was a nice guy, but the lock master was, shall we say, less than amicable.

Witten lock is next and last of the day. This is the 4th highest lock in the USA with a lift of 85 feet and does it look different. The lock doors are like the ones in the King Kong movie. Remember where he was locked on that island?  Water is coming through holes in the walls and the bollards have no lips or bars to help hold the lines. We have some issues with that as well as pockets in the wall to catch fenders, but after our earlier practice run, we came out unscathed!

After leaving the lock, it is about a 38 (continues after pictures)

mile run to the end of the Tenn-Tom. We stopped at Grand Harbor marina for the night. This place is very nice, well run and have everything you could need. We can see the Tennessee River from here and will enter it tomorrow for the last legs of the trip.