FLORENCE, AL TO GOLDFIELD BRANCH EMBAYMENT IN AL

Saturday, September 20th, 2014

Day 47
Miles Traveled: 29
Total Miles Traveled: 1165



  It was an exciting day.  We locked through the largest single lift lock we will go through on this journey - Wilson Lock.  We were lifted 94 feet to enter Wilson Lake on the TN River.  The history of Wilson lock is interesting.  The treacherous "muscle shoals" area on the Tennessee River was submerged with the completion of Wilson Dam in 1925 making the TN River much easier to navigate.  The Corps of Engineers were directed to construct Wilson Dam to supply electricity for the manufacture of explosives in World War I.  In 1933, the Wilson project was turned over to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and, it was the first of nine Lock and Dams built by the TVA.  At its peak, the project involved more than 18,000 workers.  An average of 111 rail-car loads of equipment and materials  arrived daily and more than 800 bricklayers worked at one time under a single roof.  Currently, it is the highest single lift lock east of the Rocky Mountains and sixth for the entire United States.  

Downstream side of Wilson Lock and Dam

Entering downstream side of Wilson Lock

  The water inside the lock almost appears to be boiling as the water is allowed to enter the chamber.  

Inside Wilson Lock while locking up

  One other interesting feature of this lock is that the upstream doors/gates don't swing open as they do on the Ohio, they go down into the water and you cruise over.

Wilson Lock upstream gate which lowers into the water

Wilson Lock gate lowering into the water

  


  Wilson Lake is the smallest but deepest lake on the Tennessee River.  It is only 15 miles to the next dam, Wheeler Lock and Dam.  Upon exiting Wheeler Dam there was a lot of turbulence in the water as we entered Wheeler Lake. 

Exiting Wheeler Lock - turbulent water

  We cruised a short distance to our anchorage at Goldfield Branch embayment (which doesn't seem to be near anything according to Google Maps).  It was a scenic and protected anchorage. 

View of Wilson Lake from our anchorage