Travel Logs - Lost Sea

Ghayu and I inside the Lost Sea Caverns

LOST SEA - TENNESSEE

Ghayu and I near the entrance to Lost Sea

After taking a break in Knoxville, our first stop was Lost Sea in Sweetwater, TN on the way to our other attractions in Chattanooga, TN. (Look at the names Lost Sea and Sweetwater :-) kind of unique).

Believe it, we were the first to visit the attraction as early as 9-30 in the morning. The guide was checking many times to see if she could get more tourists to take. (Was she scared to take three of us in the dark caves? :-)

Ghayu and I on the boat trip in the underground lake

The wait was worth, we passed through a beautiful entrance to enter the caverns. We saw huge rooms inside the caverns that were once used by native Indians as shelter. Although it is quite warm inside (58º), it is really surprising as how they could live without light. When the lights inside were switched off, it was real pitch dark - yes, it is indeed. We could not see our hands even in that darkness.

The caverns has a small fall inside that ultimately connects to the lake. It should be the source for the lake. However the lake does not have any outlet (from the fact that the fishes put in the lake never were found to be lost) and so the water pretty much stays there.

The number 1852 scribed on one of the walls

The best to feel of all was the huge lake all inside the cavern. The lake that is more than 800 feet long and 220 feet wide is a wonderful experience to see. The boats powered by electric motors is so silent and you will feel nature so closely in the silence.

Any idea why the place got the name Sweetwater? The guide who had been there in that area for long did not know either :-(

Trivia info as told by the guide: Lost Sea is the world's second largest underground lake. The first one is in Africa but it is not allowed for public and you got to wear masks owing to the toxic nature.

Visit the official homepage of Rock City Gardens at: http://www.thelostsea.com/