Port #31: Not Seeing Double...

 Great Loop II Date: 10/07/2014
Day # 68 (Tuesday): 53 miles (1790 total miles)
Locks: 0 (12 total locks)
Port #31: Clifton, TN
Anchorage: Double Island

Although the crew on OB was very tempted to stay at Pebble Isle a day or two, we’d fallen behind our schedule with the prop repair as well as the weather delays. We couldn’t really come up with an excuse to extend our stay.

The day started off overcast and finally broke into partly cloudy skies. There was less wind than the day before. The landscape continued to change as the Tennessee River narrowed. Throughout this part of the trip, there was evidence the river was a lower than normal winter pool.

Some fall colors were beginning to peep through.

Nice little farm nestled in the trees.

New housing had popped up since our last trip.  It took away the rural nature of the area.

We saw more limestone outcroppings and higher hills.

We continued to navigate around the barge traffic.

Cypress trees were more prevalent.

We could see the water levels were well into winter pool.

The top line on the rocks is were the water level is at summer pool.  The water levels are controlled by the dams.  Here it was controlled by Barkley Dam (that we left behind at Green Turtle Bay) and Pickwick Dam (our next lock and dam before Grand Harbor).

Some of the scenes were reminiscent of our 2010 adventure. All in all, these next miles that took us eventually to Yellow Creek and the beginning of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway held some of my favorite scenery.

We saw this old grounded tow in 2010.  I mentioned something about a 'hard grounding'.  It was by itself at that time.

This time there was obvious work going on nearby with dredgings from shoaled areas being deposited there.

The anchorage we chose was one Blue Angel and Miss Ruby stayed in during 2010. A severe thunderstorm chased OB, Sea Estate and N II Wishin into Mermaid Marina that evening. Blue Angel and Miss Ruby had great protection during that storm so we felt this was an excellent place to put down our anchor.

Charlie found his comfortable spot.

A beautiful setting with the full moon rising.

Double Island was wide with a good bottom and our anchor took a sturdy hold. We enjoyed a quiet evening watching the full moon rise to our east. We hoped we’d see some of the Blood Moon early in the morning.

I awoke at 2:30AM to the rattle of our AGLCA burgee above our heads. That’s a small penant flag we fly on the bow to denote that we are Loopers. I got up to check the weather and saw lightening to our north. I closed the boat up and checked the weather radar online.

A strong line of thunderstorms was heading in our direction. I decided to stay up and ride out the storm. Once again OB hung well on her anchor. However, the cloud cover kept me from seeing the Blood Moon.

Port #30: A Favorite Stop...

Great Loop II Date: 10/06/2014
Day # 67 (Monday): 38 miles (1737 total miles)
Locks: 0 (12 total locks)
Port #30: New Johnsonville, TN
Marina: Pebble Isle Marina

At sunrise, the skies cleared and the wind subsided making for a better day for travel. We pulled anchor and headed OB for our next destination, Pebble Isle Marina in New Johnsonville, TN. Pebble Isle was one of our favorite stops during our 2014 Loop. It is run by some of the friendliest, most conscientious folks we've run into on the Loop.  Besides that they have the best catfish and hushpuppies I’ve ever had.

On the way we passed the Bridge to Nowhere closely followed by the old abandoned granary. Many structures of a civilization that used to reside in the area lay on the bottom of the Kentucky Lake. Construction of the dam began in 1938. It was completed in 1944 and the land alongside the Tennessee River began to flood and eventually became Kentucky Lake. The old Louiseville-Nashville RR Bridge was one of those structures as was the granary that resided just down the road.

Ft.Heiman anchorage is behind this bluff.  It looked like a great place to drop the hook.

Some nice homes began to appear on the shoreline here and there.

The Old Louisville-Nashville RR Bridge...the Bridge to Nowhere.

The abandoned granary.

OB came into Pebble Isle amongst a dozen other Looper boats. Pebble Isle is currently in its off season and the restaurant is only open on the weekends. The management told me if I could gather enough folks, they’d call the cook in and serve us dinner. Loopers love to eat out and gathering 14 people was easy. That night we enjoyed a wonderful catfish feast.

OB's home amid the gathering of Loopers.

One big happy family awaiting the catfish feast.

Port #29: Leaving the Turtles Behind...

Great Loop II Date: 10/05/2014
Day # 66 (Sunday): 38 miles (1699 total miles)
Locks: 0 (12 total locks)
Port #29: Fort Henry, TN
Anchorage: Panther Bay

With OBs shiny wheels on, the crew was more than ready to get back underway. We pulled away from the dock at Green Turtle Bay at sun up. The buoy markers were confusing coming out of the marina into Barkley Lake. We picked our way through the area, moved through the cut from Barkley Lake and were soon in Kentucky Lake and headed south.

Another gorgeous sunrise.

Land Between The Lakes (LBL) was on our port side (to the east) as we moved down Kentucky Lake. The landscape was changing with more hills filled with dense woods. The skies were clear, the sun was shining and the wind was so strong out of the south, there were white caps on the lake. We saw very little commercial traffic.

We passed this interesting looking commercial vessel, the Delta Mariner.  This boat carries Delta and Atlas V rockets from Decatur, AL to Cape Canaveral, FL.  We may see her again during our trip up the AICW next spring.

The hills disappear right into the lake.  I made me wonder what this looked like before it was flooded to create the lake.

The sailing line kept us near the Land Between the Lakes.

The LBL area was engineered by Tennessee Valley Authority with the help of the Army Corps of Engineers to create a recreation area on a peninsula of land created by the Cumberland River and the Kentucky River. Prior to that it was known as ‘Between the Rivers’.

The Confederates built Fort Henry on LBL during the Civil War. That fort fell in 1862, Kentucky declared itself a neutral state and the area saw little war action afterward. FD Roosevelt developed the New Deal, created the TVA, dams were built on the Tennessee River, Barkley Lake and Kentucky Lake were created.

We had planned to anchor in a cove called Fort Heiman, another Confederate installation during the Civil War. It was well protected on all sides but the south, the direction the strong wind was coming from. So we changed our plans and decided to anchor in Panther Bay, an anchorage we used during our 2010 Loop. The south bay of Panther is tucked in and well protected from the south.

When we arrived at Panther Bay, a lone sailboat was anchored at the opening into the south bay. We passed him and moved further in the bay to anchor. Well protected from the wind, we had a quiet night. A thunderstorm came through early in the morning. OB moved around her anchor but the anchor held her firm.

Panther Bay, our home for tonight.

The mastless sailboat anchored at the opening of the south branch of Panther Bay.  Sailboats doing the Loop usually have their masts shipped from Chicago to Mobile Bay because of fixed bridges with low clearance along the route.

Sunset on a fantastic evening at anchor.

The thunder woke me up before the alarm clock.  That black star is OB.  No problem...we were anchored well and very protected by the hills around us.

Port #28: The Truth Be Known...

Great Loop II Date: 9/27/2014

Day # 58 (Saturday): 49 miles (1661 total miles)

Locks: 2 (12 total locks)

Port #28: Grand Rivers, KY

Marina: Green Turtle Bay Marina

The crew had a wonderful night’s sleep. The Admiral (PSR) was up at 4:45AM, the coffee was perking and it was time to check with the Lockmaster at Lock 52 about locking through. The same Lockmaster was on duty. He wanted to know if he kept the waters quiet enough for a good sleep. I laughed and thanked him for the peaceful night. He invited us to come on over, the lock was open. I asked if we could wait until daybreak so we could see the water better and he agreed.

Sunrise...the lights at Lock 52 are on the left.

At daybreak, anchors were hoisted and OB was underway with Infinite Sea falling in behind. The day crew was on duty by now but hadn’t had that first cup of coffee yet. I told the lockmaster as soon as we got to the top of the lock, he’d have a cup of Starbucks in his hand. He was more than happy to get the locking process underway. At the top, I handed him a cup of Starbucks fresh from our thermos.

Lock 52 awaits!

Stephanie on Infinite Sea works her line.

Leaving Lock 52.

We cruised past Paducah and the entrance that would lead us to the Kentucky Dam. With new adventure planned, Todd and I decided pass up our previous route and take the Cumberland River to Barkley Dam and Lake. This time we decided to stay at Green Turtle Bay Marina near Grand Rivers, KY.

Charlie found his spot.

Last look at the Ohio River.

The trip was uneventful, except for a loud thud as we neared the confluence of the Ohio River and the Cumberland River. Nothing popped up behind us. We could only guess it was a deadhead giving us one last smack on the hull.

Once in the Cumberland River, the landscape changed again. The river was narrower and seemed more serene. OB was still pushing her way against the current.

The banks of the Cumberland River.  Some fall colors were beginning to show there.

The Barkley Lock was ready and waiting for us. The ride up to Barkley Lake was uneventful with a few visitors looking down watching us as we moved nearer to them. It was fun to watch the kids and listen to what they said as they watched the lock chamber fill.

The Barkley Lock...the lift was 53 feet.

Green Turtle Bay was just around the corner from the dam. After some shuffling, the staff had us in our dock. Infinite Sea made reservations for the four of us at the Yacht Club for dinner. We were all glad to celebrate getting OB into the port where her repairs would be made. Infinite Sea would be moving on toward Joe Wheeler and the AGLCA Fall Rendezvous in a few days. We would stay put until our props were repaired and until we saw our daughter-in-law, Brigette, and our twin granddaughters, McKenzie and Madison.

Sunset the first night after arrival.

OB's home for 8 days while her props were fixed.

Looper food-in and celebration for a couple who had just crossed their wake, earned their Gold Looper flag and BaccaLooperate Degree.

No trip to Green Turtle Bay is complete without a trip to Patty's in Grand Rivers.

That is their Tropical Pork Tenderloin with roasted mixed vegetables.  The left overs made a full meal the next day!

Green Turtle Bay is a resort in a beautiful setting. We enjoyed visiting with Loopers we’d met all along the way, a few nice walks in the surrounding hills, some good food and some rest. OB was lifted the Monday after we arrived, the props were removed and sent to the facility that had repaired them in 2010. The marina staff was able to put OB back in the water and tow her back to her dock while the props were off. We stayed in the comfort of our own boat.

Waiting for OB...

The truth is about to be known...

Chip and some bruising on the Port prop...

...and a little curl on another blade (Port prop).

Nice little curl on the Starboard prop...

...and some bruising...

...another curled blade (Starboard prop). 

A little bottom paint was scraped off the keel (that long protrusion at the bottom of the boat...it's supposed to be black but you can see some white fiberglass showing).

Another view of the keel.

OB’s props were back Thursday afternoon and put back on Friday morning. It was a busy day. Once OB was back in her dock, we picked up a rental car from Enterprise and drove to Greenville to visit Brigette, McKenzie and Madison.

GTBs towboat maneuvering OB into the lift.

OB's props back from the shop in Iuka, MS.  They always look brand new!

That little thing just to the right of the prop on the shaft is a cutter.  It would cut any line or crab trap line that might try to tangle around the shaft and stop us dead in the water.

This photo shows the scissor like blade on the cutter.  There are actually two blades on the cutter...one is on the other side of the shaft but the prop is in the way.  They are very sharp and they work very well.  We've seen the results!  There is a cutter on each of OB's shafts.

It was wonderful to see David and Brigette’s new home. They have done a lot of renovation with the landlord reimbursing them through breaks in their rental charge. We drove to a wonderful Mexican Restaurant in a town nearby, enjoyed a fantastic meal and had fun back at their home loving up the three of them before bedtime.

Love every chance we get to be with Brigette and our twins.  Just wish David could have been there.  He's traveling a lot with his new job.

Grandma and her girls !!!

Grandpa and McKenzie having a little teenage chat time.

It's fun when teenagers still like to cuddle.  The picture is McKenzie's.  She's a very good artist and wants to go into graphic design some day.

Todd and I stayed one more day at Green Turtle Bay to catch up some odds jobs on OB. Sunday we would be on our way down the Kentucky Lake and Land Between the Lakes.