Euchee Marina on Watts Bar Lake 8/25/2018

It's a typical Saturday night for most folks, but for us, it's another incredible day on the water!!  We had 36 miles plus a Lock to travel through today.  The day started with a light drizzle so we decided to wait until the rain stopped before making our debut on the River channel. 

About 11AM we were on our way toward Watts Bar Dam which is 25 miles up river.

Cloud Nine Making A Wake as we Head toward Watts Bar Lake

The views on the river are, once again, breathtaking with the tall mountain bluffs covered in trees.

Bluffs covered in trees

There are also gorgeous homes surrounding the river banks on our 25 mile ride toward our next Lock.

Nice homes along the way

There are always TVA Nuclear and/or power plants along the way and today was no exception.  As we approach Watts Bar Dam, we see the Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant.  This Plant is the only TVA site shared by a hydroelectric dam, a coal-fired power plant and a nuclear power plant.

Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant

It's been about 3 hours since we left Blue Water Marina and we are approaching Watts Bar Lock and Dam.  As we get close, I call the Lockmaster letting him know we are approaching the Lock and would lock going upstream.  It will only be about 30 minutes so we start getting ready by putting our bumpers on the port (left/passenger) side of the boat, get my life jacket on and get the rope ready that I will throw over the bollard to keep us secure when we enter the lock.  It's now time to go into the lock,  We typically go to the left side of the Lock and tie off on the first bollard on the left.  As we approach that bollard, we see a sign.  As we get closer, it reads "Out of Order"....what the heck and how can a bollard be out of order -- does it not go up and down with the Lock?!!  Well we laugh and move to the next bollard.  There are only 3 on the left side so our choices are limited!!  We make it to the 2nd bollard, get tied up and up/up/up we go 59 feet to the top of the Lock.

Tied up to the Bollard -- Ready to Go!

Another Boater Getting Tied Up to their Bollard

The Lock is NOT open 24/7....

Watts Bar Lock Building

 It's now time to exit the lock and remove our bumpers so we can get going to Euchee Marina, our stop for the night.

Lock doors open and it's time to go.....

Outside the Lock -- Do I Look Relaxed and Happy or What.....Enjoying Every Second of this View

We still have 10 miles to go before arriving at Euchee Marina for the night.  Every time we exit a lock, the views of the homes on the shoreline are amazing.

Euchee is right on the river channel and they have no wave-breakers so the wave-action inside the marina is rough.  Luckily by dark, it calms down a lot as the boats get off the water for the day.

As we round the corner to arrive at the marina, we see a local hangout by many boaters for the day.  It is called Sand Island -- named that because of its sandy beach.

We refrain to going to this Sandy Beach because we are ready to get to the marina and get settled in.

Entering Euchee Marina No Wake Zone

Cloud Nine Settled in Her Home for the Night

Wanted to Check our Mail, but Didn't Know which Mailbox was Ours.....

Cloud Nine Sitting Pretty in Her Outdoor Slip for The Night

Start of Several Gorgeous Sunset Pictures at Euchee

Restaurant at top Right and Full Moon Rises in Center

These are probably some of our favorite and most colorful sunset pictures so far on our trip.  They were absolutely breathtaking.  The restaurant food was very good and we enjoyed talking and laughing with the table next to us.  One of the meal specials for the night was beef kabobs.  The table next to us ordered it and they were sold out......the customer was heart-broken.  So Gene comes to the rescue to add humor to a sad situation and tells him to order grilled cheese from the childs menu.  That starts a whole new conversation -- but in the end the "male" customer just wanted a beef kabob so Gene asks the server if the chef can just cut up a ribeye steak into bite size pieces and put it on a stick.....as luck would have it, the chef agreed and everyone was happy.  We all laughed and everyone was happy the customer got cut up steak on a stick!!!  Two thumbs up for Gene's wit and for the Chef accommodating a customer's request!!

Time to call it a night and turn in.

Love my Captain ….. Love Cloud Nine.