KUTTAWA, KY TO SUGAR BAY, LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES, KY

Monday, September 8th, 2014

Day 35
Miles Traveled: 22
Total Miles Traveled: 917



  Since we would have a short travel day, we slept in a little and left Buzzard Rock Resort and Marina shortly after 9:00 am.  We enjoyed our stay at this marina. 

Buzzard Rock Resort and Marina

  
  We had to cruise a few more miles on Lake Barkley/Cumberland River to get to the Barkley Canal.  This is a 1.5 mile long canal that connects Lake Barkley, on the Cumberland River, with Kentucky Lake, on the Tennessee River.  The land between these two lakes is known as the Land Between The Lakes.  President Kennedy created the Land Between the Lakes in 1963 as a recreational and environmental education area.  It is 170,000 acres and one of the nations largest inland peninsulas. 

entering Barkley Canal

  We were excited to enter new water - The Tennessee River.  This river is over 650 miles long and starts at Knoxville, TN and ends on the Ohio River near Paducah, KY.  It was first mapped by British Army engineer, Lt. Thomas Hutchins, in 1769 and at that time was not very navigable due to boulders, shallows, and narrow segments.  In 1890 the first canal system was opened to public use.  The Tennessee Valley Authority was created in 1933, as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal, to develop the water resources on the Tennessee River.  This led to more and better locks.  There are a total of nine locks creating nine mainstream lakes on the Tennessee River.  They are Kentucky, Pickwick, Wilson, Wheeler, Guntersville, Nickajack, Chickamauga, Watts Bar, and Fort Loudoun.

First view of Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River

  We explored Pisgah Bay, which had a rock quarry that was flooded when Kentucky Lake was formed.  Much graffiti has been placed along these rock walls, so it is a destination often visited.

Graffiti at Pisgah Bay rock quarry

  We stopped just before lunch and anchored in Sugar Bay.  This anchorage was recommended to us by several locals and also our cruising guides by Fred Myers and Skipper Bob.  The scenery was beautiful and we had a nice breeze to keep us cool and keep the biting flies away (mostly).  After lunch we decided to get the dinghy, "Pufferfish", down and take a cruise around the bay.  We pulled in close to a boat launch ramp and walked some on the shore.  All around were rustic camp sites that are part of the Land Between the Lakes.  

Seahorse anchored at Sugar Bay

  Angie was given some lessons on driving the dinghy with the outboard.  She had some difficulty figuring out which way to turn the outboard to make the dinghy turn the way she wanted.  By the end, she was starting to get the hang of manuvering our "family car".  She still will need some more practice. 

Angie's first attempt at driving the dinghy

  We grilled some chicken for dinner and then enjoyed the view with the full moon.  This was a great anchorage.