Clifton to Snake Creek (Days 74-75)

We are putting some miles on now — nearly 60 miles yesterday (from Birdsong Creek to Clifton) and nearly 40 today (from Clifton to Snake Creek). In a boat that goes 8 mph comfortably on flat water, pushing against a 2-3 mph current, that counts as distance. That 60-mile day took us 8.5 hours.

As I write this, we are anchored in a pitch-dark and narrow creek just off the Tennessee River, about 10 miles from Pickwick Dam. Our fellow Loopers on 50-foot Varlabania are anchored just ahead of us. We are in this creek, which is not a designated anchorage, because our chosen and publicized anchorage a half-mile away had such a strong current that we knew we couldn’t sleep well there. Both boats set anchors there and pulled them back up again. We will go through a lock tomorrow morning and need to be fresh. Jeff saw this small creek nearby and offered to explore it. After Many Moons tested the depths and set anchor, the larger boat followed us in. (I’m at the helm during anchoring while Jeff lowers the heavy 2-anchor system, and it’s a fun challenge when we’re working well together.) I rowed the dingy up-creek to explore, but the isolation and darkening evening felt a bit weird. I turned around pretty quickly.

Already, it seems, the visits to Birdsong and Clifton are fading in memory. On The Great Loop, one adventure or impression follows another so quickly, it’s hard to keep track. So I keep trying to blog daily, even after a long day. It’s more for us and our memories than for you, but I hope the readers enjoy also. Photos and captions follow.

PS: Our thanks to Peter, Cheryl and Jeff on Varlabania for hosting us a 2nd time. (We went over by dinghy.) Our boat is too small to host more than two on the stern. but we hope to make it up to them some way — especially since they’re from Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. 🙂