Clifton Marina to Grand Harbor Marina, Pickwick Lake

Another day begins. We again have fog to greet us with an outdoor temperature only in the 40's. So we hang tight.

Foggy Morning

While waiting for the fog to lift, we have Glenn, a local retired riverboat machinist, help Tom to figure out our AIS issues.  For those trying to follow us with this, we are hoping he solves our problem.  Let us know!

Once the fog lifts, we  fuel up and head up bound on the Tennessee River, which seems like we should be traveling down bound as we are heading south.  But not so...

Transient slip right at fuel dock...very convenient!

We travel approximately 60 miles and are near the Pickwick Dam and Lock. There is a strong current and the river narrows with very shallow depths.  The smell of sulphur is actually sickening.  This is not a pleasant approach to a lock and, just our luck, we have two barges traveling down bound for which we have to pass within this narrow turbulent pass. We arrive safe and enter Pickwick Lock, which rises up into Pickwick Lake. Pickwick Lake extends 53 miles south along the Mississippi and Alabama state line.

The bollard is caught with the line on first try...getting good.

It is a beautiful lake with deep water. How lucky,  another gorgeous day with beautiful water and beautiful scenery.

Just your average lake home...

We arrive to a warm Tennessee or maybe a Mississippi welcome (we are not sure where we are by land) at Grand Harbor Marina. It is a very large marina with many boats of various sizes and cater to great looper boats.  Great looper boats are boats that circumnavigate the eastern North America.  I suppose we are just half loopers!  

Marina office and ship store

Lots of slips with many boats of all sizes.

Captain enjoying a Friday night tied in and all secure.

Another day, only 62 miles, leaving at 11 am and arriving at 4 pm.  The travel is a little slower than we thought, but we are enjoying the journey and the people we have met along the way.  The real truth is, we are happy to be off the Ohio!  Love to all and goodnight.

Sunset at Grand Harbor, MS or TN??

Pebble Isle Marina to Clifton Marina

Today we wake to the sound of rain pummeling the bow - not good.  We decide to venture into the Grey Heron, the marina's restaurant, and are met with complementary sweet rolls and coffee.  The day was looking a little better!   There, we encounter a group of experienced southern cruisers who are more than happy to share their tips and recommendations.  We decide to leave later, around 11 am,  and cut our planned trip in half, traveling only 60 miles.

Disconnecting the shore power

As we leave Pebble Isle Marina in Johnsonville, TN, the sun appears!

Pebble Isle Marina

We leave the marina and travel 60 some miles on the Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River to our next stop, Clifton Marina, in Clifton, TN. Our journey takes us through wildlife preservation areas, industrial areas, and scenic river homes.

In areas the water is a mirror.

Dredging operations

River homes built to withstand  rising river levels.

Other homes built on natural flood protection

We arrive approximately 6 hours later, traveling at a leisurely pace, to our stop for the night, Clifton Marina. We receive another warm and friendly welcome. We are happy to have found a new home to rest and call it a day.

Sunset at Clifton Marina

Green Turtle Marina to Pebble Isle Marina

Although staying a day longer than we wanted to at Green Turtle Marina, we accomplished several things on Tuesday. We fixed our windshield canvas, to which we give a  huge shout out thanks to Mark Sunderman of Creative Canvas & Covers for a great job and same day service. In addition to having our windshield repaired on Tuesday, Tom was able to be groomed  at the local beauty salon in Eddyville, KY!

Tom getting a new hairdo!

Today, we bid farewell to Green Turtle Marina and also to the crew of Kumbaya.  While they also had plans to depart today,  bad luck strikes again.  While on a shopping errand yesterday, the captain's wife broke her ankle and her tibia. She is now in a hospital in Paducah, KY. Luckily no surgery, but will be in a non weight bearing mid thigh cast for 8 weeks. We thank our lucky stars, that so far, we have had only minor issues.

Leaving Green Turtle Bay Marina

Today, we leave around 9 am.  It is drizzling with a cool breeze;  the new windshield is immediately appreciated.  It is our first day of travel without the sunny skies which have spoiled us since our departure. Even the dogs shiver sitting on the bridge.

Buster and Bailey

We leave Lake Barkley, cross through the Barkley Canal, and enter Kentucky Lake.  Kentucky Lake is the last of nine mainstream lakes on the Tennessee River which  forms at Knoxville, TN with the junction of the Holston and French Rivers.  The Tennessee River flows south and southwest to its confluence with the Ohio River at Paducah, KY.  The Kentucky Lake portion of the Tennessee River is the largest, most developed and most popular of the TVA lake system.  Scattered on its shoreline are five state parks and over 80 resorts and marinas. We will  navigate through the Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River until it meets the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway.

Abandoned  farm materials elevator for a now abandoned railway. Built in 1918.  Left as a marker by the TVA. Appears to be in the middle of nowhere in the Kentucky Lake.

The abandoned train rail.

We travel approximately 80 miles and have arrived at Pebble Isle Marina for the night. It is still raining. The temperature seems to have fallen and the winds have grown stronger.  We will put up the rest of our canvas on the bridge to prepare for another cool wet morning tomorrow.  Although the weather could have been better, today was a good day.  Minimal marine traffic, deep debris free water, and no locks!  Tomorrow will be a different tale.  Until then....

Green Turtle Bay Resort and Marina

We are enjoying our stay at the Green Turtle Bay Resort and Marina.  Again, we meet wonderful people.  A special thanks to local boater Jerry who took us with him and his grandson to church on Sunday and then to the grocery store.

Entrance sign by boat into the Marina.

Entrance sign by car or golf cart

Lake Barkley is beautiful and the scenery and sights are much different than those along the Ohio River.

A beautiful lake house

Not too many of these on the Ohio River!

We spent the past two days cleaning the boat, our clothes,  restocking supplies, and enjoying a break.  We even managed to get the dogs groomed.

Tom at marina boat store.

Sunday dinner at the Green Turtle Bay Restaurant

Today, by golf cart, we ventured into Grand Rivers, KY,  a small village (about 400 people) sandwiched between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. They are known for their huge holiday festival of lights and for Patti's 1880 Settlement, which was voted best small town restaurant in the Southeast United States.

Patti's  1880 Settlment garden

They also have several cute boutique shops.

Pink Tractor Boutique

Tomorrow rain is predicted and we need to fix a broken windshield. So, it looks like it will be Wednesday before we start back on the water. While we are enjoying the stay, we are anxious to get back to our travels.