This is encouraging for me. My husband of 18 yrs filed for divorce to my surprise. Rents are so high right now as well as interest rates. So im going to buy myself a houseboat w a portion of my divorce settlement. I’m so excited to be starting this new life at 57 years old. One of my favorite vacations growing up was at Lake Cumberland and I took my son to Dale Hollow to houseboat twice. I’m a smart and capable woman who has always had a natural affinity for fixing things & needing to know how things work, like water pumps. I can’t think of a better way to grieve the end of my marriage than taking to the water, my natural environment- I AM a Pisces 🐠
Wow, thank you for sharing your story. It sounds like you're going through a major life change, and I'm truly inspired by your resilience and positive outlook. Embracing a new chapter by getting a houseboat and reconnecting with cherished memories is such a wonderful idea. It’s great to see you turning this challenging time into an opportunity for growth and happiness. Wishing you all the best in your new journey on the water!
Thank you, Martin! Yes, the appeal of these pontoon style houseboats is being able to sit on the "front porch". It's the next best thing to floating down the river on an old raft, like Huck Finn.
Absolutely incredible video, it just feels like something so out of the world. It is adventurous, relaxing, and enjoyable to watch this experience you bring to us. And that's exactly what I needed to recharge my day to keep going again. Thank you so much, a big fan of your videos. :)
I grew up and live near the Cumberland in Carthage. The Coast Guard sent up a buoy tender about a month ago to maintenance the buoys and day markers. Think it may have went all the way up to about Gainesboro. Long time overdue. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your journey. Thanks for posting these.
Hello Brandon! The section down from Carthage is one of my favorite. I wish Carthage had a city dock, we wanted to stop there where the ramp is and walk around but I couldn't find a good place to land, plus the current from Cordell Hull was really strong. I'm glad to hear they are addressing the marker bouys. We saw several out of place and missing all along the Cumberland.
You don’t want to stop in Carthage I am from there and it’s full of corruption as a vet I can tell you the judges and DAs are a joke and disgrace to nation and people there supposed to represent
I left Tellico Village on September 12th 2022 on my 22' pontoon and cruised to Cherokee Marina on Old Hickory Lake. We should have passed wakes but I don't remember seeing y'all. Took me 18 days. Great trip!!
Hi Howard, I'm sure we passed somewhere. One of us may have been in a Marina, cove, or in our case, up a tributary. We spent a couple of days in the State Marina at Pickwick during the mid-September heat wave when it hit 100 degrees a couple of days. It took us a month to make it back up to Toqua.
I know you have traveled the length of the river and was wondering if you had to choose a marina that allows liveaboard, one that is quiet but has most amenities which would you pick? Thanks
"That's a tough question, Greg. You would pretty much have to investigate each one individually to make a determination. Speaking for myself, any marina away from a large metro area could be considered. State Park marinas tend to have more traffic. There was one marina, Defeated Creek on Lake Cordell Hull, that brought me back to my childhood when I used to hang out at my uncles' brother's boat dock in the summer. It had old wooden fishing boats, lived-aboard boats, and wooden docks, giving it the feel of a shanty village on the water. It was pretty cool, but it's not for everyone. I would suggest getting out a map and seeing what's along your planned route to check them out. There should be information online about each one. At the few marinas where we stayed, we always found the staff to be very helpful.
I would have figured going the other direction around the loop would be better. The current being with you for the longer Tn river. Is there a reason you chose that direction? I have been thinking about putting in at Knoxville an following the current all the way to New Orleans. Thinking on building a shantyboat for the trip.
There were several reasons, but the most important was that TVA was running the Cumberland hydro's full tilt because of the recent floods up in Kentucky. The Cumberland, being mostly run-of-the river, was really moving at the time. I also assumed that in September and October that TVA would be running a peaking only schedule as the weather cooled off. That didn't quite work out because we hit a heat wave in late September. On the big river the channels open up pretty wide and the current is less an issue, but it still works against you near the dams. Luckly, none were spilling water in addition to the generation. Wind became a bigger issue as Hurricane Ian was pulling a lot of wind right down into the Tennessee Valley just as we got to Guntersville, so it was right in our face, for days and gusting 20-30 mph all day one day on Nickajack. We ain't complaining though. If you're planning a trip down stream, you don't really have much to worry about. It will be a blast! Lots of marinas, river and coves to duck into if things get rough. Life is relaxing on the river, just taking your time and, unfortunately, goes much quicker than you want to. Better get to work in that Shanty.
@@justkeepgoing I did the length of Nickajack downstream this spring. Set in by the Chickamauga Dam, spent 2 hours or so magnet fishing Chickamauga creek and an hour in Lookout creek before heading full speed to Nickajack dam. That was a long haul going downstream. I loved it but being as we were still on the water well after dark, it was to long for my passengers. Found out that one of them has a fear of bats. I live on the mountain Nickajack Cave goes under an remember that wind. Much of the river between those two dams narrows an speeds up. I was doing 15 to 20 mph with the current. It had to be slow going up through there, fighting the current and those winds.
That's a pretty section of river through there. We were breaking the white caps that day for sure. We wanted to check out the cave entrance but couldn't clear the RR trestle to get back in there.
@@justkeepgoing Yea, that bridge is low. I touch it with my hand easilly from my bass boat. The ramp I normally use is over there. But you can tie off on the river side of the tracks an walk over to the park. There is a trail to an overlook at the mouth of the cave. Best time to be there is right before dark when the bats come out. There is also a small camp site closer to the dam. More walking but much better for beaching your boat. Gravel vs rocks.
We live in Cookeville and have been thinking of this type of traveling the past year or so. Thank you for the excellent videos doing exactly what we want to be doing. 1 question, What type of lock map planner do you guys have with all the lock info? Was it Tennessee Valley locks and dams book?
Thank you, Joshua! We used a combination of sources for lock info. The main source was the Corps of Engineers Nasville District website ( www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Locations/Navigation-Locks/Cumberland-River/Cordell-Hull/ ), we also used both a Tennessee Guidebook and a Cumberland river Guidebook - by Jerry M. Hay. These guides are out of print now with the latest edition being published in 2018, so some data is out of date, but they describe the river and surrounds well and a good reference while underway. You can view both of these online at Google Books to get yourself fired up to go! :)
I don't know of anyone personally, but I'm sure there are rental out there. There are some on Kentucky Lake on the upper Cumberland, but I am sure there are others. I would check the marinas website or give them a call. Also, Vrbo and AirBnB. Good Luck!
Nice effort. I'm guessing that no one told you and so you don't know -- the audio on your videos is practically inaudible. Can't really hear anything you're saying, even on full volume on my end. Don't have that problem with videos from other people. You should think about how you are recording the audio and improve it, if you want people to be able to hear you. Otherwise, it is just a bunch of quiet mumbling with a clear word or two here and there. Makes an otherwise nice video frustrating to watch.
Okay, thanks for letting me know. I don't have an external mic and that's a lot of the problem. Plus, I have new editing software and struggling with balancing the audio from different sources. I try not to make the sound overbearing but I guess I pushed it too much.
@@justkeepgoing Agree that adding an external mic will probably solve most if not all of it. Another thing to keep an eye on is stuff hanging down from the ceiling at the front of the boat directly in front of the camera. Seems to come and go in your videos. Good luck with everything.
@@_onesimpleidea Thanks for the encouragement! Unfortunately, all of the video on this trip has been recorded. We didn't plan ahead to post any videos from this trip. but when we got home, we realized we had taken so many photos and videos we'd just document it here to share with our friends and family, and anyone else interested in doing something like this. Maybe convince so other old retirees out there to get out and take some chances. I did compare the local file with what is posted on RUclips and there is a difference in audio. I think RUclips compresses the audio and it sounds muddied in spots. On the next try I'm going to boost the audio a bit post at a higher bitrate to see if that works better.
I love Tennessee and live on the Cumberland Plateau. Thank you for the great videos, I really appreciate them.
Amen! And that river! Thanks for the comment!
This is encouraging for me. My husband of 18 yrs filed for divorce to my surprise. Rents are so high right now as well as interest rates. So im going to buy myself a houseboat w a portion of my divorce settlement. I’m so excited to be starting this new life at 57 years old. One of my favorite vacations growing up was at Lake Cumberland and I took my son to Dale Hollow to houseboat twice. I’m a smart and capable woman who has always had a natural affinity for fixing things & needing to know how things work, like water pumps. I can’t think of a better way to grieve the end of my marriage than taking to the water, my natural environment- I AM a Pisces 🐠
Wow, thank you for sharing your story. It sounds like you're going through a major life change, and I'm truly inspired by your resilience and positive outlook. Embracing a new chapter by getting a houseboat and reconnecting with cherished memories is such a wonderful idea. It’s great to see you turning this challenging time into an opportunity for growth and happiness. Wishing you all the best in your new journey on the water!
@@justkeepgoing Thank you!!!!
Great video, thanks for all the details from each stop. You guy have a perfect front porch...
Thank you, Martin! Yes, the appeal of these pontoon style houseboats is being able to sit on the "front porch". It's the next best thing to floating down the river on an old raft, like Huck Finn.
Nice video. Peaceful and relaxing. Great scenery.
Just started watching. Love what you are doing. Hopefully I will be on the water down there in a year or so.
Loved your video mate- from The Land Down Under. I'm looking forward to more.
Awesome, thank you!
Absolutely incredible video, it just feels like something so out of the world. It is adventurous, relaxing, and enjoyable to watch this experience you bring to us. And that's exactly what I needed to recharge my day to keep going again. Thank you so much, a big fan of your videos. :)
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Epic scenery ❤ thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching
I grew up and live near the Cumberland in Carthage. The Coast Guard sent up a buoy tender about a month ago to maintenance the buoys and day markers. Think it may have went all the way up to about Gainesboro. Long time overdue. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your journey. Thanks for posting these.
Hello Brandon! The section down from Carthage is one of my favorite. I wish Carthage had a city dock, we wanted to stop there where the ramp is and walk around but I couldn't find a good place to land, plus the current from Cordell Hull was really strong. I'm glad to hear they are addressing the marker bouys. We saw several out of place and missing all along the Cumberland.
You don’t want to stop in Carthage I am from there and it’s full of corruption as a vet I can tell you the judges and DAs are a joke and disgrace to nation and people there supposed to represent
Awesome, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
I left Tellico Village on September 12th 2022 on my 22' pontoon and cruised to Cherokee Marina on Old Hickory Lake. We should have passed wakes but I don't remember seeing y'all. Took me 18 days. Great trip!!
Hi Howard, I'm sure we passed somewhere. One of us may have been in a Marina, cove, or in our case, up a tributary. We spent a couple of days in the State Marina at Pickwick during the mid-September heat wave when it hit 100 degrees a couple of days. It took us a month to make it back up to Toqua.
Nice video , i enjoyed it , thank you for sharing , i subscribed , 😊
Thank you, George!
I know you have traveled the length of the river and was wondering if you had to choose a marina that allows liveaboard, one that is quiet but has most amenities which would you pick? Thanks
"That's a tough question, Greg. You would pretty much have to investigate each one individually to make a determination. Speaking for myself, any marina away from a large metro area could be considered. State Park marinas tend to have more traffic. There was one marina, Defeated Creek on Lake Cordell Hull, that brought me back to my childhood when I used to hang out at my uncles' brother's boat dock in the summer. It had old wooden fishing boats, lived-aboard boats, and wooden docks, giving it the feel of a shanty village on the water. It was pretty cool, but it's not for everyone. I would suggest getting out a map and seeing what's along your planned route to check them out. There should be information online about each one. At the few marinas where we stayed, we always found the staff to be very helpful.
Это просто песня пенсии 👍
What did you do with truck and trailer after launching?
My brother drove the truck and trailer back to our home in East Tennessee.
I would have figured going the other direction around the loop would be better. The current being with you for the longer Tn river. Is there a reason you chose that direction? I have been thinking about putting in at Knoxville an following the current all the way to New Orleans. Thinking on building a shantyboat for the trip.
There were several reasons, but the most important was that TVA was running the Cumberland hydro's full tilt because of the recent floods up in Kentucky. The Cumberland, being mostly run-of-the river, was really moving at the time. I also assumed that in September and October that TVA would be running a peaking only schedule as the weather cooled off. That didn't quite work out because we hit a heat wave in late September. On the big river the channels open up pretty wide and the current is less an issue, but it still works against you near the dams. Luckly, none were spilling water in addition to the generation. Wind became a bigger issue as Hurricane Ian was pulling a lot of wind right down into the Tennessee Valley just as we got to Guntersville, so it was right in our face, for days and gusting 20-30 mph all day one day on Nickajack.
We ain't complaining though.
If you're planning a trip down stream, you don't really have much to worry about. It will be a blast! Lots of marinas, river and coves to duck into if things get rough. Life is relaxing on the river, just taking your time and, unfortunately, goes much quicker than you want to.
Better get to work in that Shanty.
@@justkeepgoing I did the length of Nickajack downstream this spring. Set in by the Chickamauga Dam, spent 2 hours or so magnet fishing Chickamauga creek and an hour in Lookout creek before heading full speed to Nickajack dam. That was a long haul going downstream. I loved it but being as we were still on the water well after dark, it was to long for my passengers. Found out that one of them has a fear of bats.
I live on the mountain Nickajack Cave goes under an remember that wind. Much of the river between those two dams narrows an speeds up. I was doing 15 to 20 mph with the current. It had to be slow going up through there, fighting the current and those winds.
That's a pretty section of river through there. We were breaking the white caps that day for sure. We wanted to check out the cave entrance but couldn't clear the RR trestle to get back in there.
@@justkeepgoing Yea, that bridge is low. I touch it with my hand easilly from my bass boat. The ramp I normally use is over there. But you can tie off on the river side of the tracks an walk over to the park. There is a trail to an overlook at the mouth of the cave. Best time to be there is right before dark when the bats come out. There is also a small camp site closer to the dam. More walking but much better for beaching your boat. Gravel vs rocks.
Thanks for the info. Next time though there I’ll check that out.
What is the brand of your boat?
It's a 2003 Catamaran Cruiser Lil' Hobo Vagabond.
What remote pilot system are you using?
Hello Greg! Mine is from Intellisteer.
intellisteer.com/products/type-st/
Thanks for stopping by!
I went to yall 1st episode
We live in Cookeville and have been thinking of this type of traveling the past year or so. Thank you for the excellent videos doing exactly what we want to be doing. 1 question,
What type of lock map planner do you guys have with all the lock info? Was it Tennessee Valley locks and dams book?
Thank you, Joshua! We used a combination of sources for lock info. The main source was the Corps of Engineers Nasville District website ( www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Locations/Navigation-Locks/Cumberland-River/Cordell-Hull/ ), we also used both a Tennessee Guidebook and a Cumberland river Guidebook - by Jerry M. Hay. These guides are out of print now with the latest edition being published in 2018, so some data is out of date, but they describe the river and surrounds well and a good reference while underway. You can view both of these online at Google Books to get yourself fired up to go! :)
Do you know anyone who rents house boats on the Cumberland?
I don't know of anyone personally, but I'm sure there are rental out there. There are some on Kentucky Lake on the upper Cumberland, but I am sure there are others. I would check the marinas website or give them a call. Also, Vrbo and AirBnB. Good Luck!
thanks
Nice effort. I'm guessing that no one told you and so you don't know -- the audio on your videos is practically inaudible. Can't really hear anything you're saying, even on full volume on my end. Don't have that problem with videos from other people. You should think about how you are recording the audio and improve it, if you want people to be able to hear you. Otherwise, it is just a bunch of quiet mumbling with a clear word or two here and there. Makes an otherwise nice video frustrating to watch.
Okay, thanks for letting me know. I don't have an external mic and that's a lot of the problem. Plus, I have new editing software and struggling with balancing the audio from different sources. I try not to make the sound overbearing but I guess I pushed it too much.
@@justkeepgoing Agree that adding an external mic will probably solve most if not all of it. Another thing to keep an eye on is stuff hanging down from the ceiling at the front of the boat directly in front of the camera. Seems to come and go in your videos. Good luck with everything.
@@_onesimpleidea Thanks for the encouragement! Unfortunately, all of the video on this trip has been recorded. We didn't plan ahead to post any videos from this trip. but when we got home, we realized we had taken so many photos and videos we'd just document it here to share with our friends and family, and anyone else interested in doing something like this. Maybe convince so other old retirees out there to get out and take some chances.
I did compare the local file with what is posted on RUclips and there is a difference in audio. I think RUclips compresses the audio and it sounds muddied in spots. On the next try I'm going to boost the audio a bit post at a higher bitrate to see if that works better.