Fall Camping in Land Between the Lakes

Fall Camping in Land Between the Lakes

    Every year we meet up with my parents, our best friend, Nick, and his daughter. Sam, for a Fall camping trip. This year we selected Land Between the Lakes and carefully chose our weekend for an overnight trip.  My husband, Donald, and I even went the weekend before and scouted back country camping sites, picking several in case others had the same idea. 

   Finally the weekend arrived but life started interfering with our plans. Issues arose that didn't allow Sam to come and more still that would prevent Nick from joining us until much later in the day. Alternative plans were made and directions given with a plan to text which site we ended up at. 

More life happened and my Dad started feeling a bit ill. Okay no problem, just a little under the weather but reason enough for him to stay out of the chilly air. My Mom opted out also but we resolved to continue on, minus the canoe we had already loaded into the truck. Once we had conducted what felt like a fire drill on loading and unloading the canoe I decided to call my Mom back. We changed our plans again this time requiring my Mom to load up her Chevy Cruze with all her camping gear plus my 13 year old cousin, Ira, who had started living with them and meeting us at our home.  My Dad just had a brake line repaired on the truck and wasn't comfortable letting Mom take off with it.

    Once she arrived Saturday morning we transferred all of Mom's gear into our extended cab Chevy and headed off into Land Between the Lakes. Checking the events listing we noted a race in Grand Rivers and opted to enter through the South end. Making our way down Highway 68 we reached Aurora where everyone was setting up for the annual fall festival, Aurorafest. Everything seemed to be working against us but we pressed on through the throngs of people and traffic.

    We stopped at the Golden Pond Visitor's Center for our back country camping permits and was again foiled by the fact they didn't sell fishing licenses. Plan modified once more, luckily my husband already had his and Ira was young enough not to require them so my Mom and I decided not to drive back out to Grand Rivers or Aurora to get ours. 

   Driving North on The Woodlands Trace we finally turned onto Old Ferry Road where we made our way towards the shores of Lake Barkley. Another turn after several miles had us bobbing down a rough, mostly gravel road till the lake was visible through the trees. It also quickly became visible our first pick for a back country campsite was taken. 

  We lumbered through a three point turn on the narrow road and headed back the way we had came. As luck would have it, our second pick was just a few miles away so we wheeled back on the blacktop of Old Ferry Road and deeper into Land Between the Lakes. Navigating several turns we were back on gravel and several minutes later we arrived at the second site to find it unoccupied. 

  Ira had never been camping, he had "camped" in a friends back yard but had never been on a real camping trip. We were all excited to have the honor of taking him on his first trip and quickly set about laying down the rules.

   #1 No playing, no fishing, no laying around, etc till camp was set up. That means tents, fire pit, back country bathroom, and firewood collection all had to be done first. 

  #2 No whining or complaining, either will just earn you a hard way to go. 

  #3 Do not light the camp fire till closer to dark to conserve wood for the much cooler night.

  #4 Once you think you have enough firewood, go gather 3 times more. 

 We set about to erecting camp on a small grassy area adjacent to the lake shore and in front of a dry inlet. The lakes had already been dropped to Winter pool by Tennessee Valley Authority and added to that Kentucky was in a bit of a drought. The lake shore here was muddy but firm enough in most areas to tread upon without sinking. It would do for fishing and that's exactly what Ira and Donald started doing once camp was completed. 

  My Mom and I set about putting the finishing touches on camp, organizing things, lighting Citronella candles to fend off the flies, and clearing away leaves from around the fire pit we had constructed. We spent the next several hours in camp fishing, milling about, and enjoying the beautiful Fall day we had been granted.

  Someone, who shall remain nameless.....Mom, forgot her camp stove. I always try to bring a grate and as it happens it had been remembered this trip. When the time was right we started the camp fire then by using some large stones placed around it to form the pit with another smaller stone on the outside to trap the coals I made a campfire stove. Mom had been gracious enough to prepare homemade Beef stew in advance so all that was required was reheating. 

  After I doled out heaping bowls of steaming Beef stew with the sun getting low in the sky, Nick pulled into camp. We finished our meal before Donald began to help Nick set up his tent while the remainder of us piled into the truck and headed to the Elk and Bison Prairie.  Not only had Ira not been camping but he had never seen Elk or Bison. There had been talk of a field trip at his school in Southern Illinois but nothing ever came of it so we made our own field trip. 

  The prairie had a line of cars waiting to enter, as usual in the Fall when the Elk are in rut and Ira speculated if we would get to see any. I let him know they animals were used to limited human interaction, such as vehicles and being in vehicles. He read the warning signs aloud as we took our turn entering the large motion sensor gate and over the metal grate that prevents the Elk and Bison from escaping. 

  We were immediately greeted with a large bull resting off the road several yards. Further on we heard a large bull Elk bugle and spied yet another in the tall dry grasses of the prairie just 40 yards off the the little one way road. Many people passed right on by, not noticing as the bulls natural colors camouflaged him. We pulled off the road, onto the shoulder so we could watch him for a bit and take a few pictures. 

  Continuing on we came to a full on Bison back up, along both sides of the road and meandering across it in places Bison were everywhere. We took full advantage of the back up, snapping pictures, taking a live Facebook video and watching young calves feed. Finally the Bison moved enough so the vehicles could start moving themselves, stopping every now and again to let another Bison cross the road. 

   Elk could be randomly spotted standing on the top of a ridge or grazing in open prairie, every now again you could hear the large bull calling somewhere off in the distance. Nearing the back side of the prairie, after a dry creek crossing, there were several cow Elk milling about just yards off the road with one even coming right up to the informative exhibit. 

  Ira had such an amazing time on the first trip around he wanted to circle the prairie again, so we did. This time the Bison had worked themselves into a field and off the road except a few who lingered behind wallowing in dirt, kicking up dust. 

 Making our way by them we once again spied a few Elk dotting the prairie but this time on the backside the large bull was visible, standing high on a ridge overlooking his heard and bugling on occasion as if to gather them up as darkness began to descend upon them. 

As we made our way towards the exit we once more encountered the Bison herd making their way across the road again back towards the more forested area of the prairie. A text came across my phone so I took advantage of the stoppage only to see it was from Donald. He was informing I had his back country permit in my wallet. I quickly realized he wouldn't be legal if checked without me there. I immediately responded with an "OMW". We ended our field trip and as we headed back toward the gates we passed the Wildlife official coming to close the prairie down. 

  As darkness descended I hightailed it back North to our campsite arriving to find that thankfully no Wildlife official had been by. We sat around the fire as the chilly night settled in around us and begun a bit of telling ghost stories of sorts. Ira wasn't very keen on it so we kept the stories to local lore of the area and interestingly enough a pack of coyotes began to howl shortly afterward. 

  Throughout the evening the coyotes would call out, one pack to our West and another to the East, talking back and forth on occasion.  Donald, Nick, and I had never heard coyotes in Land Between the Lakes in the numbers we heard them that night. I had scarcely seen or heard one since moving to Kentucky nearly 20 years previous. They were of no concern to us even with our little pup, Kennedy with us. Nearing bed time the coyotes started their revelry with the East pack sounding very close to camp. We still paid no mind, Kennedy thought about barking back at them and then thought better of it. 

  Donald, Kennedy, and I took ourselves to bed in our tent with my Mom turning into her tent not shortly after. Ira and Nick stayed up for some time talking around the campfire then trying some night fishing to no avail. Finally after some time they turned in for the night and the camp was quiet. 

  I don't know about you but even with an air mattress I don't sleep well when camping. I wake up periodically throughout the night before falling back to sleep and repeating the cycle. During one of these awake periods I could tell Donald wasn't asleep either but said nothing. I just laid there listening to the soft snores coming form the tents around me when suddenly I heard something walking in the woods behind the tents. It was a steady, four legged gait just beyond the dry wash. The sound of leaves crunching steadily through the forest until it stopped just quickly as it started. I knew it had entered the wash behind the tents and whispered to Donald to confirm he heard it as well. Moments later it could be heard entering camp from along the lake shore, crunching on the leaves that were scattered about behind our camp chairs. The sound of a grocery bag rustling, a bag Ira had left lying next to his chair, it rustled only for a few seconds before the sound ceased.  The animal then made it's way out of camp exiting towards the West and I made my way back to sleep. 

  The next morning I made a bathroom call while Donald scouted the lake shore for tracks and he found paw prints, the tracks of a coyote. The pack had sent in a scout in once camp had been quiet for some time, finding nothing, they had left us alone the remainder of the night. 

  We took some time to rebuild the fire and warm up before Nick had to break down his tent and bail off back into life. The rest of us set about to some morning fishing, breaking camp and cooking a breakfast of sausage links and flap jacks. Our bellies tamed we finished tearing down camp, packing everything up and headed out of Land Between the Lakes. 

  Ira had such a wonderful time on his first camping trip he's ready for another. I'm so glad we pressed on despite everything. There were so many obstacles to overcome and so many times we had to change our plans but again we have learned you just have to roll with things or they will knock you off course. In the end we had an amazing time camping, enjoying each others company, the wildlife and being in nature.

Remember, Adventure Awaits!!

 

Fall Camping in Land Between the Lakes

Fall Camping in Land Between the Lakes

    Every year we meet up with my parents, our best friend, Nick, and his daughter. Sam, for a Fall camping trip. This year we selected Land Between the Lakes and carefully chose our weekend for an overnight trip.  My husband, Donald, and I even went the weekend before and scouted back country camping sites, picking several in case others had the same idea. 

   Finally the weekend arrived but life started interfering with our plans. Issues arose that didn't allow Sam to come and more still that would prevent Nick from joining us until much later in the day. Alternative plans were made and directions given with a plan to text which site we ended up at. 

More life happened and my Dad started feeling a bit ill. Okay no problem, just a little under the weather but reason enough for him to stay out of the chilly air. My Mom opted out also but we resolved to continue on but minus the canoe we had already loaded into the truck. Once we had conducted what felt like a fire drill on loading and unloading the canoe I decided to call my Mom back. We changed our plans again this time requiring my Mom to load up her Chevy Cruze with all her camping gear plus my 13 year old cousin, Ira, who had started living with them and meeting us at our home.  My Dad just had a brake line repaired on the truck and wasn't comfortable letting Mom take off with it.

    Once she arrived Saturday morning we transferred all of Mom's gear into our extended cab Chevy and headed off into Land Between the Lakes. Checking the events listing we noted a race in Grand Rivers and opted to enter through the South end. Making our way down Highway 68 we reached Aurora where everyone was setting up for the annual fall festival, Aurorafest. Everything seemed to be working against us but we pressed on through the throngs of people and traffic.

    We stopped at the Golden Pond Visitor's Center for our back country camping permits and was again foiled by the fact they didn't sell fishing licenses. Plan modified once more, luckily my husband already had his and Ira was young enough not to require them so my Mom and I decided not to drive back out to Grand Rivers or Aurora to get ours. 

   Driving North on The Woodlands Trace we finally turned onto Old Ferry Road where we made our way towards the shores of Lake Barkley. Another turn after several miles had us bobbing down a rough, mostly gravel road till the lake was visible through the trees. It also quickly became visible our first pick for a back country campsite was taken. 

  We lumbered through a three point turn on the narrow road and headed back the way we had came. As luck would have it, our second pick was just a few miles away so we wheeled back on the blacktop of Old Ferry Road and deeper into Land Between the Lakes. Navigating several turns we were back on gravel and several minutes later we arrived at the second site to find it unoccupied. 

  Ira had never been camping, he had "camped" in a friends back yard but had never been on a real camping trip. We were all excited to have the honor of taking him on his first trip and quickly set about laying down the rules.

   #1 No playing, no fishing, no laying around, etc till camp was set up. That means tents, fire pit, back country bathroom, and firewood collection all had to be done first. 

  #2 No whining or complaining, either will just earn you a hard way to go. 

  #3 Do not light the camp fire till closer to dark to conserve wood for the much cooler night.

  #4 Once you think you have enough firewood, go gather 3 times more. 

 We set about to erecting camp on a small grassy area adjacent to the lake shore and in front of a dry inlet. The lakes had already been dropped to Winter pool by Tennessee Valley Authority and added to that Kentucky was in a bit of a drought. The lake shore here was muddy but firm enough in most areas to tread upon without sinking. It would do for fishing and that's exactly what Ira and Donald started doing once camp was completed. 

  My Mom and I set about putting the finishing touches on camp, organizing things, lighting Citronella candles to fend off the flies, and clearing away leaves from around the fire pit we had constructed. We spent the next several hours in camp fishing, milling about, and enjoying the beautiful Fall day we had been granted.

  Someone, who shall remain nameless.....Mom, forgot her camp stove. I always try to bring a grate and as it happens it had been remembered this trip. When the time was right we started the camp fire then by using some large stones placed around it to form the pit with another smaller stone on the outside to trap the coals I made a campfire stove. Mom had been gracious enough to prepare homemade Beef stew in advance so all that was required was reheating. 

  After I doled out heaping bowls of steaming Beef stew with the sun getting low in the sky, Nick pulled into camp. We finished our meal before Donald began to help Nick set up his tent while the remainder of us piled into the truck and headed to the Elk and Bison Prairie.  Not only had Ira not been camping but he had never seen Elk or Bison. There had been talk of a field trip at his school in Southern Illinois but nothing ever came of it so we made our own field trip. 

  The prairie had a line of cars waiting to enter, as usual in the Fall when the Elk are in rut and Ira speculated if we would get to see any. I let him know they animals were used to limited human interaction, such as vehicles and being in vehicles. He read the warning signs aloud as we took our turn entering the large motion sensor gate and over the metal grate that prevents the Elk and Bison from escaping. 

  We were immediately greeted with a large bull resting off the road several yards. Further on we heard a large bull Elk bugle and spied yet another in the tall dry grasses of the prairie just 40 yards off the the little one way road. Many people passed right on by, not noticing as the bulls natural colors camouflaged him. We pulled off the road, onto the shoulder so we could watch him for a bit and take a few pictures. 

  Continuing on we came to a full on Bison back up, along both sides of the road and meandering across it in places Bison were everywhere. We took full advantage of the back up, snapping pictures, taking a live Facebook video and watching young calves feed. Finally the Bison moved enough so the vehicles could start moving themselves, stopping every now and again to let another Bison cross the road. 

   Elk could be randomly spotted standing on the top of a ridge or grazing in open prairie, every now again you could hear the large bull calling somewhere off in the distance. Nearing the back side of the prairie, after a dry creek crossing, there were several cow Elk milling about just yards off the road with one even coming right up to the informative exhibit. 

  Ira had such an amazing time on the first trip around he wanted to circle the prairie again, so we did. This time the Bison had worked themselves into a field and off the road except a few who lingered behind wallowing in dirt, kicking up dust. 

 Making our way by them we once again spied a few Elk dotting the prairie but this time on the backside the large bull was visible, standing high on a ridge overlooking his heard and bugling on occasion as if to gather them up as darkness began to descend upon them. 

As we made our way towards the exit we once more encountered the Bison herd making their way across the road again back towards the more forested area of the prairie. A text came across my phone so I took advantage of the stoppage only to see it was from Donald. He was informing I had his back country permit in my wallet. I quickly realized he wouldn't be legal if checked without me there. I immediately responded with an "OMW". We ended our field trip and as we headed back toward the gates we passed the Wildlife official coming to close the prairie down. 

  As darkness descended I hightailed it back North to our campsite arriving to find that thankfully no Wildlife official had been by. We sat around the fire as the chilly night settled in around us and begun a bit of telling ghost stories of sorts. Ira wasn't very keen on it so we kept the stories to local lore of the area and interestingly enough a pack of coyotes began to howl shortly afterward. 

  Throughout the evening the coyotes would call out, one pack to our West and another to the East, talking back and forth on occasion.  Donald, Nick, and I had never heard coyotes in Land Between the Lakes in the numbers we heard them that night. I had scarcely seen or heard one since moving to Kentucky nearly 20 years previous. They were of no concern to us even with our little pup, Kennedy with us. Nearing bed time the coyotes started their revelry with the East pack sounding very close to camp. We still paid no mind, Kennedy thought about barking back at them and then thought better of it. 

  Donald, Kennedy, and I took ourselves to bed in our tent with my Mom turning into her tent not shortly after. Ira and Nick stayed up for some time talking around the campfire then trying some night fishing to no avail. Finally after some time they turned in for the night and the camp was quiet. 

  I don't know about you but even with an air mattress I don't sleep well when camping. I wake up periodically throughout the night before falling back to sleep and repeating the cycle. During one of these awake periods I could tell Donald wasn't asleep either but said nothing. I just laid there listening to the soft snores coming form the tents around me when suddenly I heard something walking in the woods behind the tents. It was a steady, four legged gait just beyond the dry wash. The sound of leaves crunching steadily through the forest until it stopped just quickly as it started. I knew it had entered the wash behind the tents and whispered to Donald to confirm he heard it as well. Moments later it could be heard entering camp from along the lake shore, crunching on the leaves that were scattered about behind our camp chairs. The sound of a grocery bag rustling, a bag Ira had left lying next to his chair, it rustled only for a few seconds before the sound ceased.  The animal then made it's way out of camp exiting towards the West and I made my way back to sleep. 

  The next morning I made a bathroom call while Donald scouted the lake shore for tracks and he found paw prints, the tracks of a coyote. The pack had sent in a scout in once camp had been quiet for some time, finding nothing, they had left us alone the remainder of the night. 

  We took some time to rebuild the fire and warm up before Nick had to break down his tent and bail off back into life. The rest of us set about to some morning fishing, breaking camp and cooking a breakfast of sausage links and flap jacks. Our bellies tamed we finished tearing down camp, packing everything up and headed out of Land Between the Lakes. 

  Ira had such a wonderful time on his first camping trip he's ready for another. I'm so glad we pressed on despite everything. There were so many obstacles to overcome and so many times we had to change our plans but again we have learned you just have to roll with things or they will knock you off course. In the end we had an amazing time camping, enjoying each others company, the wildlife and being in nature.

Remember, Adventure Awaits!!

 

My Ol Kentucy Home Scene Two

My Ol Kentucky Home

Scene Two

  When my Aunt and I started discussing their stay she expressed interests in renting a pontoon boat from one of the local marinas and taking a day to hit the waters of Kentucky Lake.  I began researching rentals on the internet and asking around among friends. I honestly didn't want to rent from the resort closest to me because of cost. They have the newest pontoon boats on the lake but you pay a hefty price to rent them. Turns out Kentucky Dam Marina was pretty much the same way, $350 big ones for a full day rental, not including gas.....gas at the marina too which is always higher than at at any gas station. Finally after checking a few other resorts we settled on a rental from Big Bear Resort & Marina, just a few miles from my home and reasonably priced at $235 for 8 hours. We weren't trying to be cheap, we were just trying not to go broke in one adventure. 

    On a Monday morning, we opted for a weekday rental to avoid the weekend rush, we gathered up our gear, our floats, beach towels, coolers, and sunblock. A short drive landed us creeping into the resort fairly lost as to which way to go. A sign demanded everyone obtain a parking pass but we found no one in the main office to do so. We followed the signs down to the marina and marina store, along the way I was a bit surprised at how small the resort seemed compared to the one near my home but found it's overall appearance to be well kept and quite nice.

   Once parked we headed down the dock and into the marina store where we found a very nice female employee who assisted us not only with the boat rental but with fishing licenses as well. My Aunt forgot her driver's license so my Uncle had to use his which was apparently falling apart as it seems they aren't made very well. When the clerk handed it back, the state in the address portion fell off! When everyone had what they needed the guys brought the gear and coolers down to load onto the boat. We had brought along our best friend to captain the boat as he has a lot more experience and is more familiar with navigating Kentucky Lake.  

  The female employee began to go over a checklist of damage on the boat, noting some black electrical tape and metal band used to repair the arm of the canopy, damage to the upholstery on the captains chair and on one of the front bench seats.  There was also some issue with the depth/fish finder, it was in working order but not mounted properly on the dash. None of the issues were of any real concern to us and seemed merely cosmetic so with a tank full of gas we headed out of the bay and into the main waters of Kentucky Lake. 

  We cruised the shoreline closest to the marinas and houses, allowing my Aunt and Uncle to get look at the big expensive homes that line the bank on the West shore.  Sprawling estates with gentle slopes to the water and houses almost on top of each other with so many stairs down to the dock it made my knees ache to look at them. We ducked into a small uninhabited bay just south of Kentucky Dam and set the anchor. 

   My Aunt and I chilled in the shade of the canopy and visited while the guys tried their luck at fishing. The weather was absolutely sublime, especially for August in Kentucky. Highs were only forecast for the uppers 80's, a gentle breeze, mostly sunny and lower humidity all combined for epic boating weather.
   It seems the fish weren't in the biting mood as suddenly our friend decided to use bologna as bait, we had forgotten live bait. Low and behold he sets his pole down to grab a drink and his hook is stripped of bait. Meanwhile my Husband and Uncle weren't having any luck with the lures they were using. Fishing was quickly becoming a bust in the little bay we had chosen. 

 

   On the main water again we still hung to the West shoreline and began to pass Kentucky Dam Marina, it's blue and white sign with accompanying blue anchor sign sitting high atop the breaker wall. As we made our was past a flock of Loons decided to join us, flying between us and the shore as we headed toward the dam. We passed the free beach area of Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park and hooked toward the East. Keeping a safe distance we cruised by TVA Kentucky Dam.

     Once on the Eastern shoreline, clear of the locking area and of the barge tie offs we stayed just out of the Tennessee River channel making our way past Lighthouse Landing and towards the canal. The shoreline was now free of houses and resorts. The waters surface became much rougher crossing the main river channel until we were clear of it and headed into the canal itself. We passed another boat, anchored off, fishing and waived as we passed before crossing under the canal bridge.
   Lake Barkley is a bit more difficult to navigate especially at Winter pool when the lake is at its shallowest levels. The best practice is to stay within the buoys that mark the main channel of the Cumberland River. The Cumberland like the Tennessee River flow South to North in this portion of Kentucky eventually dumping into the Ohio River just a few miles apart.
   Taking the navigation struggles into account as well as being in a rented boat we opted to drop anchor just a few yards upstream from a barge tie off on the Western shore of Lake Barkley. It was now nearing noon and everyone was ready for a bite to eat so it turned into a lunch stop. We broke out the supplies and had a little picnic style lunch. Ham sandwiches, chips, and snack cakes for everyone!
   Our bellies full we headed back through the canal and back onto Kentucky Lake. Once again we headed south, or upstream, and towards the Rock Quarry. The Captain wanted to make his yearly jump into the from the cliffs of the Quarry.
   Navigating the entry can be tricky as a shallow rock wall, just under the water's surface, protrudes across three fourths of the water in the entry to the Quarry. There is also a small protrusion from the opposite side, leaving a clear narrow path approximately 25 yards across to pilot boats in/out. This danger is magnified when piloting larger boats but the pontoon we had rented was just 21' making it a breeze.
   The waters of the Quarry are deep once inside like most would expect. You can forget about dropping anchor in most areas unless you have over a 100' of rope with you. We pulled up just a few yards from the 50-65' exposed cliff faces that are covered in an array of graffiti from welcome signs, cartoon characters, to initials and dates.

My husband now minding the helm our Captain jumped into the lake and swam over to the cliffs where he then began climbing up the craggy almost step like face. There is a large tug rope in one spot to assist with an over sized "step". Can't say you'd find me relying it or climbing a 50' cliff face with out being anchored to it at least for that matter but to each his own. The nimble Captain didn't waste time once atop the cliffs and quickly jumped off a shear face without hesitation. His form was flawed but acceptable, there was to much splash upon entry but I'll give him a 8 for guts and effort alone!

Back on board our Captain navigated us back out of the Rock Quarry and just across the next inlet to a sandy beach near the popular weekend party spot called The Sands. There were but a few boats beached upon the actual Sands and the one we had chosen was completely void of other vessels.

  We slowly pulled up to the shore making sure to trim up the motor as the water became shallower and beached the pontoon on the soft sandy shore. I began to pull out the floats and realized I should have brought a hand pump or inflated them before setting out. Several of us set to blowing them up the old fashioned way before a couple gave out from being unable to get the technique down. I was left to solo huff and puff the plastic floats to life. Of course I had to purchase ones with more than one compartment to air up as well. Resilience paid off, in between allowing my cheeks to rest and I succeeded in inflating 3 of the 4 floats I had brought. I figured if anyone wanted the 4th one bad enough it was up to them to breath life into it. The next few hours were spent swimming and cooling off in the water in between slathering sunblock on.
  At days end when it was time to head back into the marina we were ready but at the same time saddened our little lake adventure was coming to an end. We had plenty of fun, laughter and relaxation but also sun as some of us were turning red despite all the sunblock. I would definitely recommend renting from Big Bear Resort and Marina if your looking for practicality without the price tag. For all our boating and touring around the lakes, our gas tally came to just over $30.00. You could expect to spend more if you tube, ski or travel further than we did. Yes, the boat wasn't perfect and had it's flaws but it was reliable and served our purpose well.

As always, till next time, Adventure Awaits!!

Taylor Bay, Lake Barkley

Taylor Bay

Taylor Bay, Lake Barkley

Spring has finally sprung in Kentucky and I wasted no time on our first day above 60°. The bay had been chosen over the Winter, the gear prepped the night before, and dawn finally broke on canoe day. 

As the sun crested over the horizon I could see a patchy fog hung in the air, the temperature had dropped overnight to 40°, and I was still eager to set out.

We layered up on clothing so as the day warmed we could shed layers as needed. Once loaded I wheeled the truck to Land Between the Lakes and down past the Nature Station, and to Taylor Bay. 

Fog rises off Lake Barkley, Taylor Bay.

A chill hung in the morning air but there wasn't a cloud, a single RV was parked at the back country campground, it's generator humming, and the fog hung about the surface of the water. We unloaded the gear and canoe, then portaged the canoe to the water's edge. Once situated I climbed in the bow, my feet stinging in the cold water, and got seated. My husband took his seat in the stern and we set off. 

The views of the morning sun mixed with the rising fog were breathtaking. 

View in Taylor Bay

My feet bordered on numbness but I said nothing as we paddled out into the bay. We tried to paddle to the back of the bay, towards Taylor Creek, but despite the rainfall the water level remained low, thanks to TVA and Barkley Dam. Paddling across the bay to the far side, we began working our way toward a couple islands at the mouth. It was a good warm up and Mother Nature continued to awe us with here beauty in the early morning hours.

The Sun peers over the trees

View from the bow

Video Canoeing Lake Barkley

After leisurely paddling to the island we disembarked to stretch and explore. The ground was fairly rocky but it was a false sense of security as you soon began sinking into the muddy earth. Luckily it was firm enough and not soupy so exploring was still possible. While wandering we heard a barge blowing it's horn every now and again, it made us curious as to the reason. 

Island view looking toward Cumberland River or Lake Barkley

We wandered about and took a few photos before shoving off again. Paddling past the island and toward the adjoining bay of Jake's Fork I found the reason for the barge's horn. A fog bank hung out over the lake, river channel, and other islands.

Fog bank on Lake Barkley

Shore and fog bank from the bow

My husband noted a large bird with White tail feathers to our right and one look told me it was an American Bald Eagle. I watched as it swooped down to the water, snagged a small fish, and then flew toward the neighboring tree line. 

Paddling on we made our way to the far side of Jake's Fork Bay and spotted our Eagle friend again, perched high a top a tree branch, watching the lake for his next meal. Not far down the shore, into the bay, we spotted his nest off some yards into the woods. We took a moment to marvel at the creation and then paddled on into the bay further. 

A loud pair of geese voiced their disapproval of our visit and flew past above our heads, honking the whole way. My husband now spots a Doe in the woods on the ridge line and we watched her silently as we paddled to the back to the bay till the water became to shallow to continue much further. 

Guiding the canoe to the bank we again disembarked to stretch, explore and grab a bite. It had warmed to the mid 50's and we began removing layers. Setting up our picnic we noticed the Doe behind us in the woods, still following the ridge line. She paused to watch us and us her between prepping our food. No alarm was raised, the doe quietly watched us before finally continuing on her way. 

I stood eating a sandwich and wishing I could feel my feet, now completely numb from the cold water. Another boat entered the bay and trolled halfway back before setting a jug line. Brunch in our bellies now we set out again paddling to deeper water then cutting across the bay. As I photographed the Sun and sky to my right my husband spied a Beaver approaching. I quickly switched to video and recorded the swim by. 

Watch video here

We made the final push back to the boat ramp and our trusty Black Chevy. Our arms were feeling the burn from paddling so much but every bit was worth it! 

Happy Paddling & Hiking

Girl's Canoe Day, Lake Barkley, Kentucky

Me and my bestie Nikki

 Girl's Canoe Day

I had told my girlfriend, Nikki, how relaxing and enjoyable I found canoeing. Being an outdoor loving lady also she wanted to go and have a girl's day. We planned for a month for her to meet me near my home early one morning so we could go paddling in a bay on Lake Barkley. 

I made sure Nikki brought everything needed for an enjoyable outing, sandals that can get wet and be comfortable as well as a light jacket for the early morning chill. 

Canoe locked and loaded

I was a bit nervous about taking the husbands truck with the canoe loaded onto the bed extender but then I remembered I could handle such things, that I wasn't a puss, and got my confidence back. Off I went to meet Nikki and get Girl's Canoe Day underway! 

We launched the canoe in one of my favorite bays and began paddling along the shore. The day was beautiful, full sun, only a few cotton ball type clouds, and a slight chill hung in the early Fall air. We soon warmed up enough to remove our jackets and bask in the warmth of the day.

Beautiful day to be on the water!

Enjoying the day

Paddling around the bay for a bit we decided to pull up on shore, stretch our legs, and get off our bottoms for a minute. I love my Sarnac XL but Old Town needs to add more padding on the molded seats. After only an hour or so your but starts to get a bit restless and yes, sore. We found a good spot to pull up, or at least we thought it was a good spot. The bank was gently sloped down to the waters edge but it was muddy and not sandy or rocky like a lot of places. No big deal, we stood on the bank talking girl talk and had a couple deer run up on us before changing directions once they noticed our presence, and ran off over the ridge behind us. 

Once we were stretched and rehydrated we began maneuvering the canoe along the bank to get back in and relaunch. My feet became stuck deep in the mud and I had to pull up quite hard to free them. I pulled my left foot up hard and with a loud sucking sound it came free, as I tried the same with my right I felt my sandal begin to tear. They weren't expensive and were a pair I had for years so no big deal, right? Wrong, the fabric and padded insert that was sewn to the bottom sole of the shoe had come completely apart and ripped near the top. 

Casualty of Girl's Canoe Day

We managed to get the canoe situated, got ourselves back in, and out on the water again. I didn't let the sandal set back bother me, we were out on the water in a canoe, who needs shoes anyway? I'm a Southern Country Girl and avid outdoors woman, I've gone barefoot plenty. We continued on, exploring the back of the bay, a small bridge, and feeder creek. 

Bridge at back of bay at feeder creek
 and Nikki hamming it up

We had paddled the entire bay in just a few hours and were not ready to call it a day yet, so we pulled up on the bank to load back up and head over to another nearby bay. Now is when a good sandal would be useful, I slid my torn sandal back on to portage the canoe back to the truck, but found it flopping this way and that. There was no way to step or walk and keep the darned thing from doing what it wanted. It ended up folded under my foot when carrying the canoe or the sole flopped off to the side of my foot, providing no protection from the ground. 

Finally it popped in my head, I have my husband's truck with toolbox! Surely I could find something to rig my sandal to last the rest of the trip, so I began digging, looking for duct tape, wire, string, twine or anything. Unless I planned to use a ratchet strap, there was nothing of use. I found a small bungee cord type fastening cable, the kind with a hook at each end, lying in the bed of the truck. I took this and looped it around my foot in the sandal and hooked each end together. It worked for one trip to load gear and the fastener cord broke, it was rotted. I finished loading the gear barefooted which might be easy as a kid once you do it for awhile but as an adult who must wear sensible shoes to work every day you become very tender footed, but I sucked it up and got it done.

Gear and canoe loaded we headed down the back roads of Land Between the Lakes to the next bay I notice the canoe bouncing quite a bit and decide to stop the truck to investigate. I hop out, bare feet and all, to find one of the ratchet straps had slipped off the bumper. I secured it again and we were back underway.

Accessing the next bay was a little tricky, the road becomes severely rutted and mostly made of packed dirt just past a small cemetery and requires some skill to navigate. I had forgotten the road condition and became nervous driving my husband's truck down it. Once past a certain point though there is no turning back, literally. The road is narrow, the tree branches occasionally brushing the side of the truck, and there's no where to pull in to turn a truck around, let alone a full sized one with a 14ft canoe hanging out the back. Onward I went, dodging the deep ruts I could only assume a monster truck had made during a monsoon, and managed to make it to the end where it opened up to the forest and shoreline. 

Before we began unloading again I scrambled to find a replacement repair for my sandal, searching now in the cab of the truck, under the back bench seat I found a fish stringer. I know what your thinking and yes I did. Leaving about two inches free on the end of the stringer I wrapped it around my sandal to secure the flopping, flapping thing to my foot. Once wrapped I threaded the sharp pointed metal end through the metal loop on the other end, several times and began to unload the canoe. When returning for the life jackets it came undone so I took the metal spike end and weaved it through the openings in the top of the sandal. I now officially had a lethal weapon on my foot and it was reminiscent of something from the Flintstones. It worked though and allowed us to finish unloading without further issues.

A better place to pull up on shore

Nikki and I launched the canoe again and set about to paddling the shoreline of the bay. We zig-zagged back and forth in the bay, paddling from one side to the other and into smaller inlets searching and exploring the feeder creeks. Finally we had covered the second bay, it was late afternoon now and we were ready to call it a day. We loaded up the canoe and gear with my stone age looking sandal repair holding and made it back to Nikki's SUV without drama. 

Despite the little set back we had an awesome Girl's Canoe Day and can't wait to do it again this Spring. Nikki enjoyed it so much she is now looking for her own canoe or kayak. I'm glad I'm not a drama queen and don't let something small such as the ruined sandal spoil the day. I already purchased new water shoes last year on clearance at Dick's and can't wait to try them out! 

Happy Paddling and Hiking!

Lake Barkley Kentucky

Canoeing Lake Barkley

 Lake Barkley

On a recent trip to my Aunt's in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina my husband and I went paddling down the French Broad River. We were hooked! Once home we immediately purchased a canoe, Old Town Sarnac XL and began our canoeing adventures. 

Blue skies over Barkley

For our first outing we chose a quite bay on Lake Barkley not to far from home. Now when we paddled the French Broad we used a John Boat while my Uncle and Step-Dad were in a canoe. I was prepared for the unsteadiness, my husband however was not. I got in first, my husband pushed the canoe out a bit further, and made his entry. Only he didn't sit down immediately and began commenting about how tipsy it was. We were less than three feet from shore and I was about to be dumped into two feet of water with a muddy bottom. I promptly threatened him (Ha!) and told him to sit down, which thankfully, he did. The remainder of the trip was very enjoyable and I knew I had found my new addiction. 

Paddling the bay 

One of the great things about living in Kentucky is it has the second most navigatable waterways in the nation, Alaska comes in first. Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley combine for over 3,300 mikes of shoreline, more than Lake Michigan. Kentucky Lake is actually the largest artificial lake east of the Mississippi River. There are plenty of bays to paddle and feeder creeks that drain into them. There is barge traffic and recreational boat traffic of all types, on both lakes so expect wakes. Staying in the bays lessens wakes from barges but recreational boats explore quite deeply into the bays during Summer pool. These lakes were formed by the daming of the Tennessee River and the Cumberland Rivers, respectively and are major transportation routes to the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. When the rivers flooded, creating the lakes, Land Between the Lakes was also formed. There is a sad and tragic side to the creation of the lakes, but I think an article by David Nickell tells it best, Land Between the Lakes: A Story of Colonialism in Kentucky.

Girls Canoe Day

 We spent many days marveling at the beauty, the wildlife, and the peace and quiet that surrounded us.  I couldn't count the number of deer we seen from the canoe, just yards away on the bank in the forest. I can tell you of the family of otters that we saw one morning. Playing along the shoreline and skillfully dodging us as we paddled near. Fishing from the canoe was amazing and we caught several kinds, large mouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. Watch out for the intrusive Asian carp, they tend to jump out of the water when frightened by motors so a nearby passing boat could stir the huge fish up.

Bridge in back of one of the many bays

It's quite easy finding a place to put your canoe or kayak in, public boat ramps, use areas, and campgrounds abound in Land Between the Lakes. Back country camping is allowed with permit and in almost any location aside from cemeteries of course. There are many roads that were flooded also and lead directly into the water, follow almost any road long enough and you'll find a bay to explore. There are also several small lakes contained in Land Between the Lakes, such as Energy Lake, Hematite and Honker Lakes. Recently the latter two have been unnavigable due to Lily Pads and invasive species.

I can't wait until Spring so we can get the Sarnac back out and explore more of Lake Barkley! I'm especially excited to explore a channel of the Cumberland River named for distant ancestors who once lived in the area.


Happy Paddling!!