Yesterday it was my birthday and we ran around Land Between the Lakes (LBL) looking at the campsites and the bays on the Kentucky Lake we hope to anchor in. Water is low! The swimming area at one campground was dry! Very nice campgrounds and lots of options to camp. Backcountry camping is $20 per year per person and this allows you to camp about anywhere but the lake access areas seem to be pretty nice. Then there are fee campgrounds which cost $8 for the first night and $7 thereafter on an honor system. These sites have gravel pads, fire rings and picnic tables…nice. The organized campground costs $12 and goes up with amenities like electricity, water and sewer. I think we will go to Smiths Bay and catch up with Matt there….maybe a first night here??
Today we go town. The big event was the 14th annual BBQ festival in Paducah….quite an event. Too many places to choose from and a carnival type atmosphere. Home made BBQ smokers doing whole hogs, chickens, brisket, pulled pork, ribs, etc, etc…..deep fried everything potatoes, sweet potatoes, ice cream, pickles….corn on the cob….pastries, pies, cakes….
We had a couple of bbq pork sandwiches and bought a chicken and rack of ribs for the take home. Next year is 15 years….maybe we’ll be back for a shirt! I’ve seen these BBQ events on TV but never had the pleasure of attending one before.
The other fun thing today was a tour of an Ingram Barge Company Tow that had just been reconditioned and painted. This was a inland river tow that was 6,000 horsepower with twin wheels. We had the full tour….engine room, galley, quarters, bridge and working areas. These guys put in 28 days straight and then get 28 days off. The bigger tows that Ingram have work the Mississippi. They are over 10,000 horsepower and triple screw. I have a shot of a damaged propeller next to new ones I’ll post. It was the Roy E. Claverie….145 x48’ built in 1981 by Jeffboat….crew of 9…typically tows 15 barges on the Upper Mississippi.
Ingram Barge has about 120 tows and is a privately owned company out of Nashville…big bucks there!
We’re still in Nickell Bay….caught fresh fish for dinner….busy anchorage on weekends with three houseboats rafted up, another nearby and lots of small craft traffic. Quiets down after dark and calm winds too. Okay maybe tomorrow we go to Kentucky Lake.
The sun goes down over the Tennessee River
Kayaks back home at our stern
GTB Sunrise
You're barn's on fire!
6 weeks of smoking the tobacco leaves to create snuff or chewing tobacco!
Twins Chase Vehicle on the Loop
It's a courtesy car on the move if you can catch us with it!
what a mess....pulled anchor....and raised a bramble patch..Bassholes strike again!!!!!
a bunch of branches wired together to a rock caught in our anchor...wire cutters please!
They started a burn ban yesterday in LBL due to drought and the leaves falling.
luckily we enjoyed a fire earlier in the week
When they dammed Lake Barkley, they did not cut any of the trees first so you find them at anchor
this was the top of a tree we pulled up in the morning after swinging for two nights!
The water is down for the winter pool
so you can see the bridge and road!
Louisville Slugger Bat
Unscheduled stop in Louisville
Ryder Cup and the Slugger
Finally Some real exercise
We rode the bikes from the anchorage to the boat show....sore legs after the up's and downs, particularly the gravel up to the highway!
Finally some time for fishing....
....looks like fish on the grill tonight!
First Meal out in Paducah
a Pizza from a nice wood fired oven at Max's to celebrate the Loop closing of "Our Turn"
Covered in fish flies from the anchorage
The Gulls went crazy!
Sun's up on Peoria Lake
...leaving the Blue Point Creek Anchorage
Stern Anchor Chain
from the muddy waters by Blue Creek Point
Ottawa FREE wall (from the porch of the Ottawa Boat Club)
end of week one!
Lying along the wall in Chicago Harbor!
north of the Chicago Harbor Light
Lying along the wall at St Joe
End of Day One....day two too!
Leaving Spring Lake under the Grand Haven Bridge
THE Journey Begins
The burgee on the big lake Mishegame...north wind at one knot!
August 2008.....
Time to hit the water
North Channel 2007
Benjamins
About us....
- TWINS
- Spring Lake & Punta Gorda, Mishegame or the FL sandbar
- Their blog chronicles the journey of Jim and Vaughn aboard their boat TWINS as they travel the Great Loop (aka Great Circle), their multi-year circumnavigation of lakes, rivers, and waterways around the Eastern United States.
Paella on the rocks....
North Channel Cuisine
cooking paella over an open wood fire
have pan will travel....
resting before consumption!
Twins at Anchor
Heywood Island, North Channel
Anchored at the cut...
Beardrop Harbour