Left Little Cedar anchorage at 6:15 AM and traveled up and through Chicamauga Lock. Anchored at MM 491, Eldridge Slough. Nice and breezy...and we're hoping for some sun relief soon.
Thursday, May 10, 2018 -
At last we are on Eastern Time! We left this morning at 7 AM and had a pleasant day of travel. Storms were predicted for parts of our trip...but we only got some light rain.
CRAZY thing happened as we were going up through Watts Bar Lock. We had just started the ascent when three F-16 fighters passed over us at 500 feet! We were standing on our back deck with Maggie when it happened...and neither of us could tell, at first, what was going on! I thought the lock must be caving in! The noise was so loud and it just reverberated in that concrete chamber!
When we got up near the top the lock master was there to talk about it. We asked if it happened often and he said, "Not often enough for me to be used to it!" He had seen the three planes...and the only reason we know what they were and how close they were to the ground is because Wayne called the Air National Guard about it.
The guy he talked to said he would try to find out more about them and called back with the info we have based on radar records. They probably DO know where they came from but are reluctant to get all mucked up with another agency...or their own. Quite an experience. It's the kind of thing that could bring on a heart attack!!
The rest of the trip went smoothly and we're anchored now in Little Paint Rock Creek at MM 576. We should be home tomorrow afternoon after a stop at Ft. Loudon Marina for fuel.
Friday, May 11, 2018
Well, we did indeed make it home today. Jay picked us up at Concord Marina that afternoon. We were tired, but glad to be back. Spent the weekend recovering.
This was a good trip: just long enough, generally good weather...nice. Till next time....safe travels!
