Green Turtle Bay Lake Barkley Kentucky

October 25 - October 27, 2016

We are up and ready to depart from Cumberland Tow Head at 5:30. We have to cover only 33 miles today. We were anchored a mile or so below the Cumberland River entrance. The two sailboats that joined us at the Tow Head led us in. Henry aboard Sea Marie followed them. Mucho Gusto was next with Mystic bringing up the rear. The Cumberland River is pretty. It has a slight current but it is less than what we found on the Ohio. We are able to maintain 6 to 6.5 mph. At about mile four, I looked to the starboard shore and saw what looked like a cow. I grabbed the camera and mentioned that I take a lot of photos and it seems rather silly to take a photo of a cow but that's what I'm going to do. Suddenly,  I realize I was looking at a black bear. Thank goodness Dave saw it too or the others would never believe me. My photo shows a black blob behind brush but we know it was a bear because cows do not use their arms to forage.

Good Morning Cumberland Tow Head

Marked Wing Dam on Cumberland River

Two young eagles on wing dam

Bridge over Cumberland

Black Bear on the Cumberland

Our trip down the Cumberland was quiet. It felt a bit like being back home on the St. Croix River. There were a ton of vultures along the shoreline. This river seems tamer, more consistent in depths and current. The look of being in a flood plain is gone. We continued motoring along, in a five sailboat flotilla.

Tow Shack

Cumberland Shore

Cumberland Shore

Cumberland Shore

Cumberland Shore

Cumberland Shore

Cumberland Shore

We arrived at the Lake Barkley Lock and Dam around 2:00. Greatful II and Veritas, the sailboats which anchored with us last night, were already there, waiting for our arrival. Henry called Dave and said that the Lock Master wanted us to enter the lock and tie up to port, Mucho Gusto was to enter and tie up to starboard. We went under the Highway 62 bridge and heard the crackle of the VHF. The Lock Master called us and said he wanted us to hurry on up and enter the Lock.

Entering the Barkley Lock

Following the flotilla into Barkley Lock

Henry in the Barkley Lock

Beth in the Barkley Lock

Scott on Mucho Gusto in the Barkley Lock

Beth in the Barkley Lock

The Lake Barkley Lock will raise us 57 feet from the Cumberland to Lake Barkley. We entered the chamber and were amazed at the size of the doors that close behind us, dwarfing our boats like a toy in a tub. The ride up was very gentle. Once the exit doors opened, we were in a whole new world. The strong current was gone and our oasis was only a mile away. We followed the line of sailboats and made our way around the red marker to the entrance to Green Turtle Bay Marina. We pulled up next to Sea Marie at the fuel dock and waited our turn to refuel before finding our transient slip #15.

After six days on the water, 350 miles traversed, and one layover at lock 52, we have made it to the Kentucky Lakes. Along with the Joiners and Henry, we borrowed the courtesy car for a trip to the Liquor Store and Walmart in Princeton. The lady at the liquor store gave us fresh buckeye nuts picked from her tree that morning. She told us they will bring us good luck. Our Walmart visit refilled our lard and emptied our wallets. We'll eat well for a while here in paradise.

We made it to Green Turtle Bay

Private Lighthouse at mouth of Green Turtle Bay