Are We In Heaven, or just Green Turtle Bay, KY?

Several times this past five months while we have been cruising up one river, lake, bay or another, I have looked over at my First Mate and whispered, “Are we in heaven?”  She usually flashes that heart-stopping smile of hers and responds, “I don’t think so, there were mosquitos (or spiders, frost, rain, whatever) last night, and there are no mosquitos in my heaven.”  Can’t argue with that, so I settle for imagining I am in Purgatory.  For you non-Catholics, that’s like…almost heaven…sort of.  Point is, there are so many beautiful places we have been fortunate to see; it’s hard to remember we’re really here on Mother Earth.

Maybe, just maybe, the calm relaxed feeling that overwhelmed us Monday, as we pulled in to Green Turtle Bay (aka GTB) Marina on Lake Barkley, had a bit to do with the hard run we had just made down the Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland Rivers.  Who cares.  We’re here, we’re with a bunch of other Loopers who seem just as glad to hang out for a bit, and we’re happy.

I know I have been a bit remiss about getting a post in (and I’ve heard about it from some of you), but…get over it, I’m on vacation!  And we’ve had no mosquitos, spiders, frost or rain, so I’m pretty sure we’re in heaven, or darn close.

Irish Rover and Blue Skies as Once Around departs the anchorage at Little Diversion



Oh yeah, heaven isn't at all cold either, according to the Admiral.  Our trip down the rivers sometimes got a little chilly.

One of the few homes along this stretch of the Mississippi.  The Admiral says her girlfriends like the house pictures...guys, I don't get it either.

View of the Mississippi from the fly bridge

Mississippi River on the left, Ohio River on the right

Lock 52 on the Ohio River

At this nice Tow Captain's pleasure, Once Around and Moonstruck were allowed to lock thru with him 

We did make the 111 miles to the Cumberland Tow anchorage last Sunday.  That was a long day, but the anchorage was one of the best you could imagine.  Doug from Moonstruck and I had big plans to get together for something…drinks or cigars, I forget which, but in truth, we all crashed by 8:00 that night after the long run.

Monday we entered the Cumberland for a calm and quiet 30 mile trek up to the Barkley Lock, which dumped us into Barkley Lake and Green Turtle Bay.  Here we were greeted at the fuel dock by our old friends from Godspeed, Billy and Pam, and Sid and Ev from Something Special.  We learned that there were lots of other Loopers in port, and that evening we all had drinks aboard TerrMar IV.  Mark and Terri are another of our Canadian Looper buddies, and time aboard their boat is always filled with laughter and a bit of insanity.

As we entered the Cumberland that morning, we were worried we were going to get caught in the fog

 

But, it broke up into a mild mist shortly after we entered the river

The Cumberland scenery was spectacular...

...and the wildlife...

...was abundant.

My First Mate on the bow as we approach the Barkley Lock, leading into Barkley Lake

God I love that smile!

This lock has nearly a 60 foot lift, one of the largest of its' kind

Doug and Judy enjoy the ride up

Entering Green Turtle Bay Marina (darn close to heaven!)



Sid...Something Special...says it all!

Bob from Spirit Dancer enjoys his new found hair, thanks to Mark

The Admiral and Mark seem a bit bewildered by Sid and his hat

Sid's First Mate, Evelyn with mine aboard TerrMar IV

As the week progressed we decided it was time for pampering our baby again, so Once Around has gotten a complete rub down (hull and exterior wax), several “oopsie” scratch repairs (finally got that Erie Canal yellow paint mark off her hull) and had her engines serviced.  I even felt sufficiently in control of my “arocknephobia” to send the propeller we damaged in Canada to the repair shop.  (I still don’t want to talk about it, though).  The Admiral wasn’t sure about doing the cosmetic stuff on Once Around right now, until I reminded her that we were getting closer and closer to Sarasota, Florida.  If Tom (the previous owner) saw her the way she looked when we arrived here at GTB, he would have me tied to the mast at his yacht club and given a dozen lashes.  She looks absolutely pristine again, so Tom and Elaine, we’ll see you in December!

We have been otherwise vegetating here in GTB.  We had a great Looper gathering one night where at least 15 crews attended a “docktail” party.  It’s amazing; we’re still meeting new and interesting folks every time we stop.  Pam and Billy from Godspeed also organized a dinner at a small restaurant called Sugar and Spice, where we (the only 8 guests allowed that night) ate German food cooked by a gourmet chef in her own kitchen as we looked on.  Marilyn (the owner and chef) filled us with awesome food and a good run down of the history of the area.  It was another of those hard to explain amazing loop experiences. 

The work is still ongoing on Once Around, so we may be here thru Tuesday or Wednesday.  Then we are off headed down the Tennessee River for a big official Looper “Rendezvous” in Alabama later this month.  It looks like we may lose our wingman, Moonstuck along the way, as they are not attending the Looper gathering.  I think they are getting a bit “barn sour” as they head home for Port Charlotte, FL.  We’ve seen this syndrome before with Jolly Tolly, but we know it to be short lived.  Jolly Tolly, who completed the Loop in September, is currently in port in Goose Pond, TN, readying for a trip south to Florida and the Bahamas for the winter.  Moonstruck is also planning on getting back on that track after the holidays.  Something tells me all of our paths will cross along the way! 

Speaking of crossed paths, I spoke today with Garth on Algonquin who is currently in Chicago and heading south as fast as he can make it.  Kathy and Zeke are back on board and they should catch up with us later this month or early November.

Life is good and boating is fun!