Shifting gears, again … from the hub-bub of Green Turtle Bay to the quiet anchorages of Kentucky Lake. Last night, we heard barges rumbling through the nearby lock. Tonight, we hear crickets.
Variety is good. It awakens your mind and refreshes your senses.
Entering Kentucky Lake
We’ve also encountered the Tennessee River, our 6th river of The Great Loop. It doesn’t “look” like a river yet because it’s encompassed here by this man-made lake, created when the Tennessee Valley Authority dammed the river. (Part of FDR’s New Deal.) The resulting lake is 55 feet higher than the original river. While it’s a popular recreation destination now, this engineering marvel was also the source of great upheaval by displacing some 72,000 people.
As Jeff says, we are “cruising on top of old homesteads.”
Our floating home arrived at Sugar Bay on the east side of Kentucky Lake just as the skies began to open. (They were restless all day, punctuated by both white puffy clouds and ominous deep gray ones, so we knew we were racing the weather again.) “What is it with us and sugar?,” I asked, remembering our hairy arrival at Sugar Island on the Illinois River as a storm blew in. This was a passing rain, though, and we were soon exploring by dinghy. We also received a visit, by dinghy, of the Loopers who are anchored in a different inlet about a mile away. Photos and captions below.
This 2-mile canal connects Barkley Lake to Kentucky Lake. I rode my bike over that bridge to explore the Land Between The Lakes (recreation area). See the three boats ahead of us? We all had to wait for a barge to come through first.
We passed two barges on the lake, reminding us that it’s also the Tennessee River. It’s easy in this wide navigation channel, but I still use the radio to express our intentions — more a courtesy than a necessity. Both tow captains seemed to appreciate it. (Loopers are told that, when in doubt, call. After weeks of cruising near barges, Jeff still thinks I call more than needed and I still think it’s the polite thing to do. Ah, well. Different communication styles!)
We set anchor at Sugar Bay just as the rain began to pelt.
And then the rain stopped…
…and Jeff took out the dinghy. (That’s some kind of fish trap on the right.)
I took the dinghy out, too, and was chased back to the boat by an incoming thunder cloud.
Many Moons at anchor in Sugar Bay.
The clouds broke enough during my dinghy outing to get this shot, looking out from Sugar Bay into Kentucky Lake.
Peter and Cheryl, who we have never met, stopped by in their dinghy. Their boat is anchored out of sight about a mile away. I sent them a note via the Looper’s messaging app, and they responded in person!
Our neighboring Loopers departing by dinghy.
At nightfall, the skies are still restless, which makes for some great photos!
Yep that is the idea! With so many Loopers this year, we are finding that we do need to plan in advance and make reservations, just like on Lake Michigan and the rivers, because the marinas fill up. So that forces us into a schedule a little more than we’d like! Good thing we also like to anchor out. 😉
For Many Moons 
Great photos Mary!
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Now, your really are in cruising mode. Just go with the flow and enjoy each moment.
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Yep that is the idea! With so many Loopers this year, we are finding that we do need to plan in advance and make reservations, just like on Lake Michigan and the rivers, because the marinas fill up. So that forces us into a schedule a little more than we’d like! Good thing we also like to anchor out. 😉
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