On September 20, 2015 after going back up the Mississippi River to help our friends who were stuck on a sand bar, we were late as we entered the Cumberland River and headed to Green Turtle Bay on Barclay Lake. Once again I am always watching and waving at the tug boat crews. It was almost dark as we headed to the Cumberland turnoff, so we explained our intentions to the tug we were following, and he actually moved over in the river and shined his lights so we could run beside him and see where we were going. As we passed, the pilot came out on the bridge and waved back and bowed in thanks as we were making our final pass and turn. They really appreciate communication and courtesy which I'm sure they don't always see, and I'm always delighted to see them wave or beep a horn at me.
As we pulled into the anchor site behind Cumberland Island, the moon light filled the sky and our friends on Rhon-Da-Vous were already there with their lights on so we could see to anchor. Marv took Sadie to shore in the dark in the dinghy, and he didn't come back for a considerable time. I got the spotlight out to watch for them, and finally here they came. They had pulled into shore, and when they got out of the boat, they both sunk in the mud. Marv said he couldn't reach the radio to call for help, and he had to pull his feet out a little at a time to keep from loosing his river shoes in the mud. Needless to say, they both got a good hose down when they got back on the boat, and that still didn't wash off all the mess. I didn't care; I was just grateful to have them back on board.
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| Patti's Center in Grand River near Green Turtle Bay Marina |
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| Enjoying a Seafood Boil at Green Turtle Bay |
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| Kudos to the Chefs at the Crawfish Boil |
Green Turtle Bay was a delight to see after anchoring out for several days and traveling in remote areas. We were stuck here for 9 days for mechanical repairs, and I have to say, it was a delightful place to be stuck. They had a heated pool with water aerobics and a beautiful salon and spa in addition to great restaurants, a crawfish feed, and wonderful people. As Marv mentioned, they had golf carts to take to town for shopping. So friend, Rhonda, and I headed to town where I made a small dent in my Christmas shopping. In spite of our good times there, we learned after 9 days in port, that we were restless to continue our journey. We are becoming true vagabonds. By now, our travel companions had all moved on, but no worry! Many new loopers have arrived.
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| Kentucky Lake |
On September 30, we left Green Turtle Bay, crossed over to Kentucky Lake and headed south. The winds were strong and the water somewhat rough. (I laugh now as I write this blog, because I had no idea what rough was about at this point.) Between dirty rivers and cool weather, I have yet to take a dip in the waterways. I guess I just need to be a little more adventuresome. We anchored out a few times on Kentucky Lake due to few marinas. Taking Sadie to shore was always a challenge due to wildlife. One night there was a coyote waiting on shore for them, so fortunately, Marv made alternate choices and went to the other side of the bay. There weren't a lot of sights, but the scenery was beautiful.
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Sadie on her Throne...She Owns This Spot
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On October 2, after three days of cool weather, we stayed at Clifton Marina where we met several other loopers. We have now been traveling with Patriot, Chuck and Vicki, who are two retired FBI agents. What delightful people and what stories! While about 20 of us, loopers, went into the marina for the spaghetti special dinner, a 90 foot yacht came into this little tiny marina with a lady pilot and an entire crew. Of course no one got off to have marina spaghetti, but it was amazing to watch them tuck that huge boat into the slip. In the mean time, we learned that spaghetti is the special every night at the Clifton Marina. Now this marina consisted of a cash register, fishing tackle, an ice cream cooler, fishermen and a few tables and chairs. That's ok. It was good food, it was warm, and we had wonderful people to be around. The next morning the 90' boat tried to turn around in the marina. What a comedy of errors! As they backed out, we all held our breath. If they wrecked, we would all be stuck with the spaghetti
October 3 was cold and windy on Kentucky Lake. A few times I tucked into the salon to warm up while Marv and Sadie drove from the flying bridge. I'm so glad I'm glad I have a warm jacket and mittens. We had to wait 3 1/2 hours for a lock, so we rafted off from Patriot. Chuck visited with Sadie, and finally claimed that the best pet for him onboard would be a dead cat. Because of the long lock wait, we were late getting into Grand Harbor Marina. We once again met up with our friends from Rhon-Da-Vous and went to town for dinner at Freddy T's where they came to the marina to pick us up. Dinner was nothing to write home about, but time with friends is always wonderful, and having the locals escort us was a great way to get tidbits about the local community, events and history. One day we took a courtesy van with Patriot and went to see the Shiloh Civil War Battlefield. 20,000 people died here fighting over the Mississippi, slavery and control of the south. It was interesting to see and of course we had a good time with Chuck and Vicki, Patriot. As always we shared docktails with other loopers on the marina docks. It's always fun to hear the woebegone stories of other loopers--locks, snakes, coyotes, boat oopahs and more. Each day we meet new friends. Boaters seem to bond immediately. We all have something in common...love and respect of the waters. Grand Harbor Marina is a beautiful resort, but the marina is so huge it is a real hike to get to shore to walk the dog or take a swim. Fortunately, the marina office is dockside along with the showers and laundry room, and our slip was right by the facilities.
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