Date: May 03 to 07, 2025
Engine Hours: 21.3 (2576.0 – 2597.3)
Distance: 196.7 nautical miles
View Tracks:
HIPPOKAMPOS has been squatting at Aqua Yacht Harbor at the mouth of the Tennessee River, where it feeds into the Tombigbee Waterway, since November, 2023. That’s roughly a 6.5 hour drive from our home in Louisville so visits have been few, and those visits usually entailed maintenance tasks rather than recreation. We decided not to go further south and return to Green Turtle Bay in Grand Rivers, Kentucky which would cut our interstate travel time in half and hopefully make getting to the boat more enticing.
First up was to pass through Pickwick Lock just outside of Aqua Yacht Harbor. Once through, that would be the only lock we’d encounter all the way to Kentucky Lake. We couldn’t help but be reminded that this same lock is the one we stalled at just outside of the gates a couple of years ago while making our way south. Never mind though… gotta do it. To get the party going we decided to make just a short hop over to Pickwick Marina which would put us within minutes of the lock chamber. Two hours after we left Aqua Yacht Harbor we arrived and booked a slip to wait for our morning get-a-way. Janet served up some pasta and sausage for dinner and we saluted this years’ Derby Day before we turned in early at 2100 hours.
We were on our way at 0750 and heading for Pickwick Lock and we took our positions onboard and passed through by 0845. Our plan was to make Swallow Bluff Island and anchor for the night but our early schedule allowed us to continue further to Clifton Marina. While there we met Mike and Jan, owners of a Defever 49 who just so happened to be working their way north to Green Turtle Bay. Coincidentally it was Pier 6, which is the same pier where we’ll be located, and here they where right on the other side of the dock at Clifton. Small world. We had dinner at the marina restaurant which accommodated us even they had just closed for the evening. Maybe it was ordering their special bison ribeye and hot honey chicken that persuaded them to let us stay… Read More
Aqua Yacht Harbor to Green Turtle Bay (cont.)
Moving on, we departed Clifton Marina and started making our way to Cuba Landing, about 5 hours away. The calm winds made the water surface like glass, and with a current pushing us along at 9+ knots, we made good time. As we rounded a bend in the river at mile marker 110 we slowed to a full stop… fog ahead! We back-tracked about a half-mile and waited it out. We tried repeated phone calls to the Cuba Landing Marina with no answer and as we got closer we tried VHF channel 16. With still no answer we pulled up to the fuel dock with not a person in sight. With a little further investigation we discovered it was still off-season and the marina was closed. We were advised by a person closely associated with marina management that we could stay put where we were but we moved over for a port-side tie a little further away from the pumps.
As we continued on the next day we encountered some interesting river traffic,, the cruise ship AMERICAN SYMPHONY came into view just north of Diamond Island. As we got closer to the Land Between the Lakes we passed under the CSX New Johnson Lift Bridge and saw the Benton-Houston Ferry. Of course a cruise on the Tennessee River isn’t complete without witnessing the demise of the Old Danville Grain Elevator, resting half-submerged at the bottom of Kentucky Lake… Read More
Aqua Yacht Harbor to Green Turtle Bay (cont.)
After a night at our old hangout, Paris Landing, we started our last leg for Green Turtle Bay. We arrived at 1430 but rather than going straight for our slip, we decided to do a pump-out at the fuel dock. Just as you would figure it, cruising for the last 5 days without mechanical or electrical issues couldn’t be left to rest. Instead, as we powered up to leave the fuel dock the battery switch gave up the ghost and shorted out. There wasn’t much to do except be towed over to our new homeport at Pier 6, Slip 25. The best that can be said about that is that it happened once we were “home” and not out in the wilderness over the last 200 miles.
