Long distance paddlers all share the same thought when they reach the wall blocking them at the “end” of a lake – dam.
But luckily for them and any other boater passing up and down the chain of reservoirs on the Tennessee River, locks provide a relatively easy way around the man-made blockages. “We’ll get them through just as quickly as we can,” says Butch Witcher, the lockmaster at TVA’s Nickajack Dam.
Tennessee River locks are available to recreation boaters of all shapes and sizes at no charge. Though commercial traffic takes precedence, the locks will operate for a single kayak or canoe.
And even if you don’t plan to paddle from Knoxville to Paducah, the lock can be a fun addition to short day trip. “It’s a pretty cool experience,” Witcher says.
Pretty cool, that is, if you know what to do. Witcher says there are a few things to know before you are ready to lock through.