June 8, 2012, Dover Island Anchorage, Dover, TN

Took our time this morning and got going about 08:30.  We had a fairly short day planned with only 37 miles of travel.  The Cumberland River is pretty narrow in places and it bends and turns often.  We met a 24 barge tow on one of the curves.  He was pulled over to the side to let another tow go by.  We waited for the same tow and then passed the large tow before he got up to speed.

Got to our anchorage about 13:30.  I did some fishing and we both went swimming.  It was very warm this afternoon; 96 degrees with just a slight breeze.  Dover Island area is just beautiful.  We anchored just behind the island in about 28 feet of water.  It is a little deeper than we usually do and we ended putting out 65' of rode.  We would definitely come back to this anchorage.

CO's comments:  I had to tie a rope on Bobbie because the current was so strong she would have floated away.  She would not have had enough strength to get back to the boat on her own.  Boy I like my AIS!

Our approach to Dover Island on 6-8-2012

The 24 barge tow caught up to us at our anchorage later in the afternoon.

Going up the Cumberland on 9-8-2012.

June 7, 2012; Lake Barkley State Park Anchorage

We left this morning at 07:15 and got to Green Turtle Bay by 09:20.  The mechanic had us ready to go by 11:00 and we were on our way by 11:15.  It was another beautiful day with wind again.  Although it is just beautiful here at the park it sure was difficult getting here.  Our chart plotter didn't have a sail line and we had to go by the buoys in the Little Rover channel and they were few and far between.  The channel was about 12 feet deep and the it weaved and cured a lot.  Outside the channel it got very shallow.  Luckily we had a large chart of Lake Barkley which also marked the channel and Keith was able to pick us up on his tablet also.  We don't know what we would have done without those two.  We got gas at the marina for just $3.85; great price.  It was a very peaceful and quiet night.

CO's comments;  Before we left Green Turtle Bay I was told that outside the channel it gets very shallow.  A couple of time on the Cumberland River we got close to the red buoys in the main channel and the depth immediately got shallow.  I have a Navtronics fishing program on my Table and it was very accurate as far as river depths; much more accurate than my chart plotter.

6-7-2012 Anchorage in Lake Barkley Park

6-7-2012 Sunset

N36 51.600
W87 55.107

Sugar Bay Anchorage on the Tennessee River, Mile 35.7

Slept in and after tea and coffee we were on our way by 09:00.  It was another sunny day and it was very calm in our little cove but when we got out to the river the wind picked up again.  We only went about 28 miles today so we reached our anchorage in Sugar Bay by 12:45. 

Our plans have changed and we have to stop at Green Turtle Bay tomorrow for a boat part.  Hopefully we will be on our way again by noon.  Therefore, we have chosen a different anchorage for tomorrow.  I guess what we missed this time around we can do on our return trip.  Boats!  There is always something, but they are so much fun.

We had planned on staying at the new Clarksville Marina that was suppose to have opened on Memorial Day weekend, or so I was told.  I called again to make reservations and the gentleman said they were not opened yet as they ran into problems and he did not know when they would open.  I called around and we have a few more options.

We took the dinghy out this afternoon and it was a beautiful ride.  We anchored out by the boat ramp and there is a real nice park there as well; it is part of the "Land Between the Lakes".  When we got back Keith went in for a swim and tried out our new swim platform ladder and it works great. 

CO's comments:  Water temperature was 78 degrees.  The charts did not show an anchorage by the boat ramp but we had plenty of depth and protection from winds in all direction.  The anchorages shown on the north side were full of "Fish Attractors" and they were more susceptible to wind.

N36 51.466
W88 07.682

We turned right at the northern most green buoy (Mile 35.7) into Sugar Cove.  After a short distance we headed towards the right side of the bay and followed it up to our cove on the right very close to the paved boat ramp.

The tow, Jack Walker.  At this moment we were on a collision course in 4 minutes and 29 seconds.

June 6, 2012; another beautiful sunset.

June 5, 2012, Fort Heiman Cove Anchorage, KY; Mile Marker 62.6

Tuesday:  After our morning walk, we got every thing ready and we were on our way by 10:15.

We went about 35 miles to our anchorage and got here by 14:20.  It was a beautiful day but some what windy; 82 degrees.  About Mile 67.0, by Paris Landing, we saw a Chinook helicopter drop 3 loads of parachute jumpers out.  Keith thought they were Seal exercises.  After we got settled in we just sat and relaxed, loved it.

This mornings walk.

My new "best friend" River.  He belongs to our neighbor Sam.  River has walked with us the last 2 days.  He is one of the best behaved dogs I have ever met.

Chinook helicopter with 7 jumpers.

Aft view of the entrance to our anchorage.  We turned left at Fort Heiman Light #62.6 and went to the 2nd Class Harbor Arrow and then, right, into our anchorage.

Bow view of our anchorage.  We went into the cove as far as possible and anchored in about 12 to 13 feet of water.  Just beautiful and very peaceful.

CO's comments:  We saw 3 tows with in 1 mile.  There were 2 going down river and we were following the other.  Boy, does my AIS work good.  I knew their names, their speeds, and their direction of travel.  When I was on a collision course with a tow, it would turn red and start counting down the minutes and seconds til impact.  Naturally, I took evasive action.  It is so much nicer to call the tows by name and give them your intentions.  They respond faster and better than before.

N36 29.984
W88 03.563