NM Today: 20
NM Total: 2071
Locks Today: 0
Locks Total: 82
Last night, just as I finished cooking dinner, the propane tank on the boat ran out of fuel. Timing could not have been better. At least the meal preparation was done when it ran out as opposed to mid-preparation. So, today, before we left Green Turtle Bay Marina, we needed to refill the tank figuring that it would be easier in Grand Rivers than it would be further down river. After a couple of mis-directions, we were told that we could get our tank refilled at Shop-O-Rama - a 20 minute drive away. Well that is just fine when walking or bicycles comprise your main means of transportation.
Without much hope of success, we stopped into the marina to see if they had a courtesy car available for use. They said we could have a car at 10:30. Hmmm! We needed to checkout today, so we asked about checkout time, and the dock master told us not to worry about it and go get our propane. Since it was only 9:20 or so when we signed up for the car, we went back to the boat to eat breakfast and hang out for a bit before coming back for the car.
I found Shop-O-Rama interesting as it is a hardware store, boot / shoe store, clothing store, and general store all wrapped up in a store space about 1/4 the size of a normal Home Depot. The dock master told us that even though we did not need the car for the two-hour time limit, we may end up keeping it that long to explore all the nooks and crannies of the store.
The good news was that we got our propane tank refilled. The bad news was that I ended up finding things to buy in Shop-O-Rama that I had not planned on buying. Also, as part of the propane tank refill, Clark decided we needed to replace the O ring for the valve. We ended up buying an $8 propane tank fixture just to cannibalize it for the $.75 O ring. At least we were able to acquire the necessary part without running around the countryside looking for it.
When we made our turn out of Shop-O-Rama, we saw a police car poised like a patrol car in a speed trap. Upon closer examination it turned out to be an antique police car with political advertising for a circuit judge.
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| Old-time Police Car across the street from the Shop-a-rama |
We returned the courtesy car well within the two-hour required timeline. After eating lunch, we finally pulled in our lines and fenders and headed out for our next destination. As we pulled away from the dock, we took one last picture of our friends' boat - Sea Horse - that was just a couple of slips down from ours during our stay at Green Turtle Bay Marina.
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| Sea Horse at GTB Slip |
Our plans indicated that we look for an anchorage for tonight. We had two anchorages that we wanted to peak at before finally dropping anchor in yet a third anchorage for the night. The first of these three is a place called Pisgah Bay. On weekends in warmer weather, this anchorage is "the place to be" and is packed with partying boaters playing loud music.
We had trouble finding our way into the anchorage until I pulled up Active Captain as the water depth into the anchorage area went from deep to very shallow in no time flat. One second the depth finder showed 30 feet and the next it showed 3.6'. Without careful guidance, finding the channel through the unmarked entryway appeared to be nearly impossible. The Pisgah Bay party area is a rock quarry. Once we got into the quarry, the water depth registered over 100 feet deep.
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| Pisgah Bay - Quarry Anchorage |
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| Example of Graffiti in Pisgah Bay Quarry |
We had only come for a look since we had heard about the graffiti in the quarry, and so we turned around to find our way out of the anchorage. Getting out seemed infinitely easier than coming in. The main reason for this was that, although we did not know it at the time, the proper spot to come into the anchorage was blocked by a fishing boat when we attempted our entry. By the time we left he was gone and we could follow the channel out.
Our next spot that we wanted to explore was Sugar Bay anchorage. When we went to Land Between the Lakes Park, we drove by Sugar Bay. We thought it would be interesting to see it from the water side. Well, by the time we got to Sugar Bay, the weather convinced us not to bother. With no sun to be found in the sky, a temperature of just over 50 degrees, and a cold breeze blowing, we were getting pretty cold and miserable. When Clark pointed and said, "There's Sugar Bay", I just grunted and gave a quick glance. We kept going.
By this time, I was not looking forward to spending the night in an anchorage. To have heat we would need to run the generator all night long. Without heat we were looking at overnight temperatures in the 40's outside and perhaps even inside the boat as well. As I tried to figure out how I was going to stay warm during the night, Clark was redesigning our travel plans to take us to a marina for the night.
So, instead of an anchorage, we traveled to Ken Lake State Park where we could tie up for the night at Ken Lake Marina with cable TV, water, and electric. No showers but they do have working toilets! When we tied up at the dock, just before 1600 hours, we were greeted by a cold drizzle to add to the rest of the miserable weather. Boy was I glad we were not sitting out in an anchorage. Other than the trip to the head, we have shut ourselves in the boat with both the heat and the TV on!
Ken Lake State Park was our second stop on our way to Joe Wheeler, so one day out and we have already messed up our careful travel plans. One thing we have learned on this trip is that the weather requires flexibility in any travel plan. The forecast for tomorrow's weather is promising some warmth. I certainly hope so!
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