Columbus, MS to Grand Rivers, KY

Total Miles Traveled since departing Grand Rivers, KY 2820 miles.

We have been very fortunate with weather and river conditions, so we stayed at Columbus one day for fuel and provisions, then on April 2^nd we cruised 57 miles, passing through 4 locks and anchoring near Fulton Lock.

We weighed anchor April 3^rd and cruised 24 miles passing through 3 locks to an anchorage at Bay Springs, MS.  Bay Springs Reservoir is one of our favorite places to anchor, stretching 9 miles long and several secluded coves.  With possible thunderstorms passing through, we anchored 2 days waiting for milder weather.

Jamie Whitten Lock, the northernmost lock on the Tenn-Tom Waterway, raising us 84 feet.

Bay Springs

On April 5^th we cruised 37 miles to an anchorage called Zippy Cove, another great anchorage between Bay Springs and Pickwick Lake.  Our friends Charlie and Robin (m/v Lower Place) keep their boat at a marina near here and have a house close to Pickwick Landing Marina.

Easter Sunday Breakfast

We weighed anchor on April 6^th and cruised 9 miles to Pickwick Landing Marina.  We stayed a few days visiting with Charlie and Robin, cleaning the boat, and catching up on a few maintenance items.  This is a really nice marina with a state lodge and restaurant close by. 

 

On April 11^th we passed through Pickwick Lock on the Tennessee River, our last lock heading north and entering Kentucky Lake.  Each lock from Mobile north has been raising us in elevation, Pickwick Lock drops us about 50 ft.

We cruised 53 miles to an anchorage at Beach Creek Island.

 On April 12^th we cruised 65 miles anchoring at Richland Creek on Kentucky Lake.  We had very windy conditions all day and night and this was a very protected anchorage.

 Hangin ten cruising the Tennessee River

We weighed anchor on April 12^th cruising 31 miles to an anchorage at Panther Bay.  We stopped at Paris Landing Marina to take advantage of an excellent fuel price, over a dollar a gallon less than a few marinas on Kentucky Lake.  I didn’t need fuel, but fuel prices seem to increase every week.

On April 15^th we cruised 19 miles to Ken Lake Marina, our friends Steve and Jan (m/v Forever Young) live close to the marina, so we stayed a couple of days to visit.

Steve and Jan took us to Extreme Bar Bingo night at Boyd's Tavern, established in 1798, Canton Kentucky's original speakeasy.  This was a really cool place.....and I won $25 on bingo......winning!

We departed the marina on April 17^th and cruised 10 miles to an anchorage at Duncan Bay.  We anchored 3 days breaking in our new Kentucky State fishing license.  Winner winner fish for dinner.

On the 18th, we dropped the dinghy and filled the stringer, big mistake coming back at sundown though, the bugs ate me alive while cleaning the fish.

On April 20^th we cruised our last 13 miles to our home port at Green Turtle Bay, Grand Rivers, KY.  We traveled 2,820 miles since departing Green Turtle Bay last August 2025.  We have logged 43,157 miles since starting our Great Loop in September 2015.

This will be my last post until we start our way south again in August.