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I make the run back to the 625 mm and decide to pull into Louisville Marina (called PJs Landing on the chart & Quimby's) and top off the tank. I don't really need gas at this point but I notice that Quimby's states they have shower facilities and that doesn't sound too bad at this point. After topping off the tank with 12 gallon I ask about the shower. Unfortunately I find out they are remodeling the restrooms and the showers are out of commission at the moment.

A few miles ahead the 603 mm I am at the cut leading to the Little Tennessee River renamed Tellico River. It is navigable for 33 miles to where the Chilhowee Dam obstructs it. There are some very nice homes along the shore and many new ones under construction. Along the way there is some impressive views of multiple ridges of the Smokey Mountains in the distance. I try a few photos but they just don't do it justice. It is beautiful.

Along about the 21 mm I again happen on to Kerry Thacker and his friends. They were having no luck fishing the Tennessee so they were trying the Tellico (no better luck here). I had felt guilty that I wasn't able to spend more time talking to them yesterday so it was nice that fate once again brought us together. We talked about 45 minutes and they gave me a little advice about the narrowing river ahead. I continued on to the dam and stopped just long enough to take a picture and then reversed my course.

The mouth of the Tellico is right beside the Fort Loudon Lock & Dam. At Louisville Marina they told me I could probably catch a shower at Fort Loudon Marina so I idle in. It is a very nice facility and I again top off the tanks and ask about shower facilities. They have them available and allow me to use them at no cost. Really nice folks! Also, while fueling, I notice a restaurant on the harbor and ask about it. It is a Calhoun's the same as in Knoxville. By the time I finish the shower it is about 4:45 so I decide to have another hot evening meal. I had the roasted chicken which was excellent!

With that done I depart for the lock which is only about a half mile away. As the chamber starts to lower I talk with the lockmaster about the Clinch River and Melton Hill Lock. He reminds me I need to be there between 7 am and 3 pm so someone is on duty. I exit the lock a little later and make my way downstream. I know there is know way I will reach the Clinch tonight and plan to find a suitable spot and anchor out when it gets dark. I know running the Clinch will probably take about five hours so I want to be there as early as possible. But I don't want to run in the dark to get there.

As the twilight starts to wane I pull off the main channel in to a small bay about the 570 mm. Here the river is almost a mile wide and I was open to it but the weather had been perfect. The temperature had reached 78 degrees and the winds were calm all day. I drop anchor and decide to fire up the "entertainment center" and watch another movie. I am about 45 minutes in to the video when the wind starts blowing and rocking things about. Here we go again!

Not sure what is coming I decide I need to find a more sheltered harbor. I fire up the Honda and start my search. It is pitch dark as there is no moon. Have I mentioned I hate running in the dark? I drag out the spot light and use it to pickup channel markers as my biggest fear was running in to one of them. I decide to fully deploy the trim tabs and this allows me to run level at about 12 mph. At this speed I can still get somewhere but it is slow enough to keep me out of too much trouble. I run about three miles to the mouth of the Clinch and then up it about a half mile where I find a decent spot along the shore. By now I'm tired and decide to hit the rack.