7/17/17 – 7/26/17: Headed south down the Tennessee River where at MM 215 we will continue towards Chattanooga then Knoxville.

7/17/17: Green Turtle Bay, Grand Rivers, KY (MM 31.7 Cumberland River) – Duncan Bay ( MM 34 Tennessee River) = 8.5 NM

Hello TENNESSEE RIVER:

Pisgah Bay located at MM 30 is where a Rock Quarry is located. The quarry is a hangout for locals where they express themselves with graffiti on the rocks, party, and jump from the cliff into the 100+ pool of water. It was a Monday so we ventured in with Twelve Stones, took a look, took some pictures, and proceeded down the river. It was a unique thing to see along the river.

The locals take advantage of the summer months here so we see lots of pontoon boats pulling kids on tubes and water skiers. When we anchor it is nice to tuck into a corner so we can avoid the locals circling our boats and we don’t get in the way of them having fun.

We ended up anchoring in a small finger cove off the main Duncan Bay. Duncan Bay is one of the areas included in the Land Between The Lakes Wildlife Refuges. The area is closed to people between Nov. 1 – Mar. 15 to provided undisturbed resting and feeding areas for waterfowl, shorebirds, & eagles.

It was secluded and small enough we didn’t have any boats pulling tubes. We were a stones throw from the banks so easy access to take the dogs to shore and to go swimming. Our 1^st night we were all alone as our buddy boats had stayed another night at Green Turtle Bay.

The clear water exposed a large number of fish and the shores were often occupied by beautiful birds.

7/22/17: Duncan Bay ( MM 34 Tennessee River)– New Johnsonville, KY – Pebble Isle Marina (MM 96 Tennessee River) = 51 NM

A heat advisory was issued for the area with feels like temperatures between 105-109. Oh my gosh.

7/25/17: New Johnsonville, KY – Pebble Isle Marina (MM 96 Tennessee River) – Beech Creek Anchorage (MM 155 Tennessee River) = 51.25 NM

7/26/17: Beech Creek Anchorage (MM 155 Tennessee River) – Zippy Cove Anchorage then Grand Harbor Marina, Counce, TN (MM 215 Tennessee River & Tenn- Tom) = 60 NM

Across from the Grand Harbor Marina is a protected anchorage, Zippy Cove. We anchor here late in the day and go into the marina early the next day.

7/15/17: Cannon Springs Anchorage  (MM 51.8) – Green Turtle Bay, Grand Rivers, KY (MM31.7) = 17.27 NM

We stayed at Green Turtle 2 days so we could restock on supplies. A trip to Sams Club, Walmart, & all of us enjoyed a great Chinese Buffet.

7/11 – 14/2017:

7/14/17: Dry Creek Anchorage ( MM 73) – Cannon Springs Anchorage  (MM 51.8) = 18.25 NM

It was a nice short trip today.

7/13/17: – Clarksville Marina, Clarksville, Tenn. (MM 126) – Dry Creek Anchorage (MM 73) = 46 NM

We continue to find these amazing anchorages. Richard & Karen aboard Semper Fi had stayed here on their way to Nashville so they recommended this anchorage. They joined us tonight with our 3 other buddy boats. A total of 6 boats enjoyed the evening.

7/12/17: Rock Harbor Marina, Nashville, Tenn. (MM 176) – Clarksville Marina, Clarksville, Tenn. (MM 126) = 43.45 NM & 1 Lock

We covered a lot of miles today & it was a pleasant cruising day with the help of the wind and current.

The river has dropped around 4 foot in the last couple of days, leaving large amounts of debris on the banks.

7/11/17: Nashville Downtown City Dock , Nashville, Tenn. (MM 191) – Rock Harbor Marina, Nashville, Tenn. (MM 176) = 13 NM

A short trip today to Rock Harbor Marina to catch up with our other two buddy boats.

7/9/17: Riverview Marina/Restaurant, Ashland City, TN ( MM 158.2) – Nashville Downtown City Dock , Nashville, Tenn. (MM 191) = 28.6 NM

The current coming into Nashville was running about 3 knots. So we were happy our good friend Mike Borum met us at the dock to catch our lines. It was Sunday and the local had taken some of the dock space but we fit in nicely. John aboard RecRoom was with us and our other two buddy boats stayed at Rock Harbor Marina not far from Nashville.

We stayed on the East Side Docks which have security gates and access to the big pedestrian walkway bridge that leads to the town side of the river.

We walked over the an met our other buddy boaters and enjoyed happy hour, ice cream, and a carriage ride around the city.

Nashville is spectacular at night from the water.

7/7/17: McGregor Park City Dock, Clarksville, TN (MM 126) – Riverview Marina/Restaurant, Ashland City, TN (MM 158.2) = 28 NM & 1 Lock

It had been almost 2 weeks since we had done laundry so we decided to go to Riverview Marina/Restaurant for 2 days so we could get chores done. No one wants to do laundry in Nashville.

Again we were right alongside the river so the wakes were aweful! People often complain about the rude boaters in New Jersey but I do believe the locals on the Cumberland River are worse. They would come at full speed within feet of us tied up at the dock. Several small boats that tied up to go to the restaurant were beaten up by the wakes crashing them into the floating dock.

The icing on this cake was the delicious Cat Fish the restaurant serves.

The first night at the dock we heard a loud knocking/banging sound and we thought we had a log under our swim platform, nope, it was large Asian Carp eating the algae off the bottom of our boat. For two days they feasted on the bottom of our boat.

7/6/17: Dover Island Anchorage ( MM 90.7) – McGregor Park City Dock, Clarksville, TN (MM 126) = 30.4 NM

The City Docks are located along the beautiful ‘Riverwalk’. The City of Clarksville sure did this right. We docked on floating docks and were able to walk along the river with Ike & Jake as well as walk to a variety of restaurants.

The docks are however located alongside the river which meant all 4 boats had lots of trash surrounding our boats. RecRoom even caught a large tree which we were able to push off and send down the river.

7/5/17: Little River, Goat Island Anchorage, Fort Campbell, KY (MM 59) – Dover Island Anchorage ( MM 90.7) = 27 NM

A quick trip to our overnight anchorage. Secluded, off the main river, and quiet.

6/27/17: Green Turtle Bay, Grand Rivers, KY (MM 31.7) – Little River, Goat Island Anchorage, Fort Campbell, KY (MM 59)= 28 NM

Goat Island anchorage is 4.5 miles off the Cumberland River on the Little River.  All four boats tucked up just off Goat Island & the Barkley Lake State Park to ride out the 4^th of July weekend.

We were able to dink over to the park/beach area each day and let Ike & Jake run free. We swam at the beach and off the back of our boats. One of our buddy boats cooked up a feast for the 4^th of July and we were able to sit on our boat and watch the fireworks. We swam off the back of the boats and had a great time.

The State Park Lodge offered reasonably priced breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets which we often dinked over to and tied up at the free floating docks.

The local boat traffic is heavy on weekend and especially on the 4^th of July weekend. We had prepared ourselves for that but the lack of boat safety displayed by the local boaters was stressful. There was no water Police or enforcement which is strange to us since there are so many in the Florida waters.

On our way out of the anchorage we stopped at the Barkley State Park Marina to fill up with water. The Marina staff is excellent and professional. We would definitely stop there again.