Clifton, Tennessee

We have some time before we have to be at Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama for the AGLCA Rendezvous the end of October, so we have decided to make a run to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Tennessee River is one of the finest inland cruising areas I have ever seen. (However, I have a feeling I’ll be saying that again about somewhere else!) Clean water, spectacular scenery, and very nice people. The land varies from prairies to sheer rock cliffs.

 It is sparsely populated along the river.  We go for miles without seeing a house, road or any signs of civilization.

Our run to Chattanooga will be a “side trip”, off the Loop. Normally we would follow the Tennessee south to the Tennessee / Mississippi border, near Pickwick, and pick up the Tennessee / Tombigbee Waterway which would take us south to Mobile Bay, and the Gulf. We will continue to follow the Tennessee, which at the Tennessee / Mississippi border turns south east through Mississippi, then north east and up to Chattanooga, back in Tennessee. We then turn around and head back to Pickwick. The entire round trip side trip is about 500 miles.

Last night's anchorage behind Kelly's Island gave us a perfect sunrise with a little fog rolling over the water. 

A leisurely breakfast and a short run brought us to the city of Clifton by noon, where we are staying at a very nice marina.

Clifton has a lot of civil war history. It was near here where Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forest  defeated General Sherman's March to the Sea.

Clifton is also the home of author T. S. Stribling, who received a Pulitzer Prize in 1933 for his book The Store. It is said that Stribling’s writings outsold Faulkner and Hemingway.

This is a photo of Stribling’s house. It is now a library on the main floor, and the second floor has displays of Stribling’s original writings and artifacts.  

Downtown has many original 1800’s buildings which are in good shape. We did a two mile walk through the small city, and were waved at and greeted by most everyone we met. 

Just as we got back to the marina, a 75’ Hatteras pulled in. I don’t think he had a foot to spare when he spun it around. We helped them tie up and plug in.

Still waiting to be invited over for cocktails!

Good Night -

Captn Ken