Saturday October 18, 2014

Pickwick State Park 207.6 to 6 Mile Creek, Wilson Lake, Alabama mm 266

We departed the marina at 0830 headed for as far as we could get. The lake is really wide in this part and at our normal cruising rpm of 1500 we were doing almost 6.7 kts. So that means less current to go against, always a good thing. We passed a number of “Looper” boats returning from the rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park on the Tennessee River. We had planned on attending but tows and locks conspired against us. I also under estimated the distances that we could cover in the time I allowed. Oh well, maybe next year. It was easy navigating today.   Although there is a preferred course line, the water is deep enough so you have some leeway where you are. Not the case in other areas along the river where if you stray, you pay. Bent props and worse. Harbor Lights pulled into Florence, Alabama for the night but slips were tight because of some river festival with dragon boat races and such. The marina was really packed when we went by so our decision to anchor out is fine with us. We caught the next lock perfectly, as there was a sailboat locking down and coming out of the lock as we arrived. The lock is the Wilson Lock in to Lake Wilson, a 93 foot lift. It is quite a spectacle when you pull up to it, in fact when the doors opened I had heard the lockmaster talking to the down bound sailboat but we couldn’t see anything in the lock. Finally, the horn blew signifying that the vessels in the lock could exit, when this little sailboat came out.

 

This is entering Wilson Lock
 

 

The depth finder reading as we entered the lock
 

The same depth finder as we exited the lock
 

 

 We were into the lock at 1542 lifted 93 feet and exited at 1605, a fast ride up. We got the cruising guides and computer out to find a place to anchor for the night. We decided, because of the way the wind was blowing, to anchor in 6 Mile Creek. According to the guides it was supposed to be 10-15 feet deep but the lake level is high so we anchored in 26 feet of water. We put out about 75 feet of chain and the anchor bridle. We then kept watch to make sure we didn’t drag. So far so good. It is Saturday night as I write; we are anchored in this creek so tomorrow I will let you know how this turns out.

Sunday morning and the anchor still holding so up it comes and off on a new adventure.