drewpster
Commander
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2006
- Messages
- 2,059
About eight years ago a friend and fellow hunter and I were discussing the need for a new hobby. I was single again and I had a few dollars. I had my eye on a cool looking rail buggy a buddy from work had for sale. My friend, who had lived on the river all his life, mentioned that he knew of a nice little tri-hull boat that was for sale. At first I had little interest. But things do change.
After some tweaking the little tri-hull ran great and my friend I enjoyed many day trips fishing, drinking beer and solving the worlds problems. I liked the river. I had allot of fun skimming up to the bluffs and bobber fishing for blue cats. We call them pan friars around here because generally any cat larger than a plate isn't fit for eating.
One of the best camping spots on my end of the river is a little island just off Wolftever creek. It splits an off-shoot of the main channel between Wolftever and Chester Frost Park. There is plenty of deep water in the area and if you get a spot early you can tie off your boat right to the bank at your camp spot. The island is about three hundred feet across and is longer than it is wide. It is covered in pines and hardwoods and the undergrowth is thick enough that other campers are not a bother.
Late afternoon on a particularly difficult workday I decided I would spend my weekend at the camp spot on the island. I was going it alone this time. I had a hard day that day. Things were just not going right. I hadn't dated for a year after my first wife and I had split. It was a really rough time. Being a bit of a loner, I have always enjoyed my private camping trips. I really needed some reflection time and this time it would be at the river on the island.
One of the best things about having Monday and Tuesday off is after dark the river is generally empty. Other than the occasional barge or determined fisherman most of the boats are at home or in their slips after dark early in the week. This trip was no different. I put the boat in at the Wolftever public boat ramp. A short turn under the highway bridge and about a five minute ride across the river took me straight to my camp spot. The sun was just going blue when started to set up camp and I had a fire going by the time darkness fell on the river.
I eat good at camp. I brought a nice sized T-bone, a can of my favorite pintos and an ear of yellow corn. Still in the husk of course. The weather was perfect. It was about 75 degrees after nightfall and a lite breeze was blowing. Just enough to feel behind the ears and not so much to upset the campfire. I still own the Hibachi that made that steak. One trick is to start the corn early and cook the steak quick. I have better luck not burning the corn that way.
It was real quiet that night. I am not one to have a radio going at camp. I prefer the quiet. It was dark that night. I remember needing my lantern to move around, not to mention to check the Hibachi. There was a smallmouth bass fisherman across the water. I could see his nav lights and his blue light hanging off the side of his boat. He was far enough away that I could only slightly hear his engine start when he decided to move to a new spot down river. The lights from the Wolftever put in around the parking lot where my truck was parked were just visible through the Wolftever bridge inlet.
I am always inspired by the distant lights you see across water at night. It has something to do with the distance in that dark backdrop. The first thing I do when I am at the ocean at night is look for lights. Part of it is the boater in me looking for markers. Its a relief to see a blinking buoy in the distance. The water gets shallow in places on the river in the off season part of the year. The TVA lowers the lakes all along this part of the Tennessee off season. When navigating at night on a river getting lost is not a major concern. After all, there are only two ways to go. But hazards on the Tennessee have claimed many a boat. The reflection of a channel marker at night in a spotlight is a assurance of being on course, a guide to lead the way even when you cannot see the channel.
I enjoy my solitude when I see those lights in the distance. And I feel calm in the assurance of a blinking light in the dark across the water. My most serene moment was all alone on that little island. In that moment I felt a calm that I had not felt in a long time in that period of my life.
I still remember the distinct smell of that corn sizzling in my grill. I remember the feel of the breeze on the back of my ears. I can hear the water gently lapping the shore. And I can see those dots of light in the distance. Now I am remarried to my true love. We have a son and a daughter. I have the life I wanted and the memory of my night at camp.
After some tweaking the little tri-hull ran great and my friend I enjoyed many day trips fishing, drinking beer and solving the worlds problems. I liked the river. I had allot of fun skimming up to the bluffs and bobber fishing for blue cats. We call them pan friars around here because generally any cat larger than a plate isn't fit for eating.
One of the best camping spots on my end of the river is a little island just off Wolftever creek. It splits an off-shoot of the main channel between Wolftever and Chester Frost Park. There is plenty of deep water in the area and if you get a spot early you can tie off your boat right to the bank at your camp spot. The island is about three hundred feet across and is longer than it is wide. It is covered in pines and hardwoods and the undergrowth is thick enough that other campers are not a bother.
Late afternoon on a particularly difficult workday I decided I would spend my weekend at the camp spot on the island. I was going it alone this time. I had a hard day that day. Things were just not going right. I hadn't dated for a year after my first wife and I had split. It was a really rough time. Being a bit of a loner, I have always enjoyed my private camping trips. I really needed some reflection time and this time it would be at the river on the island.
One of the best things about having Monday and Tuesday off is after dark the river is generally empty. Other than the occasional barge or determined fisherman most of the boats are at home or in their slips after dark early in the week. This trip was no different. I put the boat in at the Wolftever public boat ramp. A short turn under the highway bridge and about a five minute ride across the river took me straight to my camp spot. The sun was just going blue when started to set up camp and I had a fire going by the time darkness fell on the river.
I eat good at camp. I brought a nice sized T-bone, a can of my favorite pintos and an ear of yellow corn. Still in the husk of course. The weather was perfect. It was about 75 degrees after nightfall and a lite breeze was blowing. Just enough to feel behind the ears and not so much to upset the campfire. I still own the Hibachi that made that steak. One trick is to start the corn early and cook the steak quick. I have better luck not burning the corn that way.
It was real quiet that night. I am not one to have a radio going at camp. I prefer the quiet. It was dark that night. I remember needing my lantern to move around, not to mention to check the Hibachi. There was a smallmouth bass fisherman across the water. I could see his nav lights and his blue light hanging off the side of his boat. He was far enough away that I could only slightly hear his engine start when he decided to move to a new spot down river. The lights from the Wolftever put in around the parking lot where my truck was parked were just visible through the Wolftever bridge inlet.
I am always inspired by the distant lights you see across water at night. It has something to do with the distance in that dark backdrop. The first thing I do when I am at the ocean at night is look for lights. Part of it is the boater in me looking for markers. Its a relief to see a blinking buoy in the distance. The water gets shallow in places on the river in the off season part of the year. The TVA lowers the lakes all along this part of the Tennessee off season. When navigating at night on a river getting lost is not a major concern. After all, there are only two ways to go. But hazards on the Tennessee have claimed many a boat. The reflection of a channel marker at night in a spotlight is a assurance of being on course, a guide to lead the way even when you cannot see the channel.
I enjoy my solitude when I see those lights in the distance. And I feel calm in the assurance of a blinking light in the dark across the water. My most serene moment was all alone on that little island. In that moment I felt a calm that I had not felt in a long time in that period of my life.
I still remember the distinct smell of that corn sizzling in my grill. I remember the feel of the breeze on the back of my ears. I can hear the water gently lapping the shore. And I can see those dots of light in the distance. Now I am remarried to my true love. We have a son and a daughter. I have the life I wanted and the memory of my night at camp.
