Reflections on Anchoring

Day 133  | Grand Rivers to Nickell Bay  |  40 Minutes  |  2 Miles 

After two nights in Green Turtle Bay, it was time to untie and move along. We had identified a nice anchorage just beyond the marina. Best part is we didn't have to leave at the crack of dawn, and it was after 10:00 when we unplugged and headed over to the pumpout dock for some final business. Today I wore the shirt I received from "Granny" at Christmas and got lots of compliments ... and laughs.

Two miles down the Cumberland we pulled off into a quiet cove lined by forests. We cruised in and dropped our anchor in 12 feet of water. It wasn't even noon. The sun was strong in the early afternoon, but I spent some time on Fiberglass Beach reading and then napping. The occasional blue heron buzzed by gracefully. Other boats, from kayaks to pontoon boats to motor yachts, came and spent some time in the anchorage. Finally, at 4:00, we jumped on our big task of the day -- getting the dinghy down and taking it for a spin. The dinghy had not been off the upper deck since way back in Button Bay, VT. The outboard started on the first pull and we sped away from the Mother Ship.

A heron (not sure if it was the same one as above) sat on the shore and aired out his wings in a strange stance. We made our way through a shallow cut and back into Lake Barkley. The deck chairs made their way out of the cockpit locker and we enjoyed dinner on the bow while watching the eagles fly overhead and reflections intensify on the water.

With the dinghy in the water, we cleaned its home on the flybridge of the bugs and spiders that had accumulated underneath it. Night fell quickly and bright stars lit up the dark black sky. Not a single streetlight or docklight is shining in. All the other boats have gone home. We have all the ports and hatches open and the only sounds are of frogs and crickets. This solitude is one of the beauties of anchoring. The reflections in the water are another beauty.

We will cut over to the Tennessee River tomorrow and go about 12 miles before ducking into another quiet anchorage. The water on the Tennessee is still high and angry, so we'll take it slow for a few more days. We are fortunate to have a few extra days built into the schedule and patience is an option.