Monday 9/24
It's dejavu time as we once again prep Puffin for the portage to our next destination. We have decided to launch Puffin on the Little Tennessee River which in 1979 after much controversy became dammed and created Tellico Lake which empties into the Tennessee River at mile 602 above Fort Loudoun Dam, the last of the nine dams on the Tennessee. The Tennessee River is formed at Knoxville, Tennessee(mile 652) and flows southwest 650 miles draining into the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky with 9 locks and dams created along the way by the TVA for navigation, flood control and power generation. Starting at mile 22.4 is Kentucky Lock and Dam followed by Pickwick(mile 206.7), Wilson(mile 259.4), Wheeler(mile274.8), Guntersville(349.0), Nickajack(mile424.7), Chickamauga(mile471), Watts Bar (mile529.9), and Fort Loudoun(mile602.3) creating lakes of the same name behind each. We arrive late afternoon at Tellico Harbor Marina(mile 20.1 on the impounded Little Tennessee) which provides us with a suitable ramp for Puffin and storage area for the truck and trailer.

Sunday 9/23
Sunday morning, we meet up with Jeff and Judy(Kay Sa Rah II)) who have generously offered to drive us back to our truck and trailer near Nashville. When we arrive at Cherokee Resort Marina, we find our rig just as we left it and after thanking the marina for letting us store it there for free, the four of us stop for lunch at Ruby Tuesdays where I for one really enjoy the humungous salad bar, a luxury hard to come by on a boat. Royce and I then leisurely head back to Paris Landing with our unencumbered trailer.