Diamond Island, TN – Ross Branch, AL, September 23, 2008

Our anchorage last night was within 2 miles of Shiloh National Military Park and one of our books said they had a dinghy dock. So, this morning we went over in the dinghy – and found no dock. The shoreline was steep and comprised of rock, so there was no way we could stop.

We were sorry we couldn’t stop because this is said to be one of the most historically significant sites on the river. The battle of Shiloh was fought here April 6-7, 1862, the Civil War’s first major battle in the western theater. There were more than 103,000 Union and Confederate soldiers plus the Union gunboats Tyler and Lexington. By the time the battle had ended, 23,000 men were dead and dying.

We got through Pickwick Lock, a 55’ rise, and entered Pickwick Lake (still part of the Tennessee River). Shortly after the lock and dam is the entrance to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. We will eventually return here to go south to Mobile, Alabama. But first we are first taking a side trip and will continue on the Tennessee River up to Chattanooga.

We think Pickwick Lake is prettier than Kentucky Lake. The landscape is hillier with more bluffs. We passed a beautiful cove and went in to just look. There was a small waterfall among all the trees and a sand/rock beach curving out into the water. There were several boats pulled right up to shore. The water must be quite deep all the way in.






We left Tennessee and went through the very northeast corner of Mississippi. Our anchorage is located in Alabama. Anchored in Ross Branch at 3:30.

1 lock – total 88

(no phone or internet coverage at our anchorage)