Grand Rivers, Ky to Leatherwood Creek, TN

From Grand Rivers, Ky to Leatherwood Creek, TN

September 10^th, 2015

Thursday

Miles Traveled 53.1
Total Miles Traveled 53.1


We started our Great Loop Adventure at 12:24 this afternoon from our home port at Green Turtle Bay Marina.  The marina is located on Barkley Lake, close to the Barkley Lock and Dam.  The Cumberland River runs through Barkley Lake and flows past cities such as Clarksville and Nashville Tennessee. 

To continue on our loop route, we must cross over to the Tennessee River; this is made possible by the Barkley Canal, which connects Barkley Lake and Kentucky Lake.  The Tennessee River runs through Kentucky Lake and flows past cities such as Chattanooga and Knoxville Tennessee.  Both the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers flow south to north and empty into the Ohio River.  The land between the two rivers is referred to as the “Land Between the Lakes”, which is a beautiful national park.

 
We cruised through the Barkley canal and entered the Tennessee River (Kentucky Lake) at mile marker 25.4, the river system is documented with navigation charts that show the river channel, aids to navigation and river mile markers in statute miles, not nautical miles.   Although the lakes can be several miles wide, we must stay in the marked river channel to avoid running aground in shallow water.
 
The highlight of our cruise today was a military helicopter doing maneuvers around our boat on the river.  At first sight it looked like he was coming in low directly at us……..should we grab the flares?

 

 

One of our many views along the Tennessee River