CINNAMON ROLLS

Oct. 17, 2011---Specialty of Pebble Isle is cinnamon rolls provided for the transient boaters. Home made and fresh from the oven, they are absolutely outstanding treats! Made a trip to the infamous Wal-Mart to pick up a few supplies while transportation is readily available as Maryann has plans to drive to Mississippi to visit friends tomorrow. Looking toward the fuel dock and restaurant as the sunset painted the clouds pink. A great end to a peaceful day.

LAUNDRY

Oct. 16, 2011---What a stroke of good luck! Maryann's conference in Nashville ended Saturday night. Sunday she drove to Pebble Isle Marina to join Keith & I on the boat. I say good luck because she promptly tackled the laundry! She does a much better job than we would have done. Meeting other boaters and renewing friendships at the onsite restaurant is another plus. Having stayed here in the past we enjoy being here.

PEBBLE ISLE

Oct. 15, 2011---Warmer today with less wind. Traveled 30 miles on Kentucky Lake (Tennessee River) to Pebble Isle Marina. Trip took 4 hours. This marina is located in New Johnsonville, TN about 2.5 miles north of Highway 70/1.

PARIS LANDING

Oct. 14, 2011---Beautiful day---still a little windy but skies are clear and sun is shining. Traveled 24 miles in 3.4 hours to Paris Landing State Park Marina. Upstream speed 8.6 mph at 1600 rpm. We are now in Tennessee. Crossed out of Kentucky at mile 62.5 about 4 miles from the marina. Turned off the main channel just before Scott Fitzhugh Bridge on hiway 79/76 located about halfway between Clarksville and Paris Tennessee. Very relaxing journey.

MOVING

Oct. 13, 2011---It may look cloudy, but it was a bright day for us! Maryann left yesterday to attend a conference in Nashville. Keith & I moved the boat to the fuel dock and pumped out the holding tank. Said our goodbyes to the folks on the dock and maneuvered the Dream Manor out of the Green Turtle Bay Marina. It was great to hear those diesel engines puurrrrrrr. Traveled a short mile up the Cumberland River and crossed over to the Tennessee River. The canal joining the two rivers is 1.5 miles long. There was about a .5 mph reduction in speed indicating the water was flowing from the Tennessee into the Cumberland. It was a treat just to be traveling in the boat as it had been a year since we parked her last October. This felt like a maiden voyage and being in no hurry, speed was held at 8 mph. Wind stirred the water into waves, but with wind behind us the ride was smooth. It was a pleasant (3 hour) 20 mile ride to Kenlake Marina. After getting acquainted with dock personnel they called for a park employee to haul us to the nearby restaurant for a late lunch. Plan to move on to Paris Landing Marina tomorrow.



Entrance to Kenlake Marina is well protected by a rock wall.







Dream Manor sure seemed a lot happier with today's attention.






Marina was quite peaceful.

GTB-Oct

Oct. 10, 2011---Dream Manor sits patiently waiting in Green Turtle Bay Marina. If she could speak it would be to ask, why am I still tied up here? Maryann has a convention to attend in Nashville starting Thursday. During her absence Keith & I are going to start traveling up the Tennesse River. It may be an experience as it has been nearly a year since we operated the boat!


Here are a few pictures to show how low the water is now compared to April. Remember the ramp on the left was
downhill to the parking area. The floating dock was wedged up against the bottom of the Yacht Club restaurant.





Water had flooded the ship store on the right and got into the Boat Works office in the background.

Boat Works shop was flooded several feet deep.

The travel lift was under water during the flood and all the boats on stands in the yard floated and had to be tied to the docks.

RETURN

Oct. 9, 2011---The 4 mcgees did not really get to enjoy a "boating season" yet this year. We lived on Dream Manor during April as spring flooding created raging rivers carrying lots of debris. Green Turtle Bay Marina flooded (as did many others).It was obvious high water would be a problem through much of the summer. Therefore we chose to travel on land this year. Keith and Maryann lounged on the beaches in California and entertained their Grandson Max. Perhaps it was Maryann who spent time on the beach! They also made a couple of trips thru Montana and Wyoming to see relatives while driving to and from California. (Max lives in Gillette, Wyoming). Sounds like a lot of driving, but Keith loves to drive and Maryann has certainly grown accustomed to long trips. Allen and Carol traveled from Louisiana to Wyoming three times visiting family and friends. On one occasion the 4 mcgees were in Gillette, Wyoming at the same time. A few thousand miles of driving gives a person plenty of opportunities to see our great nation. Last trip to Gillette in September, Carol and Allen attented his 50th year high school reunion. No idea how it is possible so many years have passed. That's half a century! Oh well, it was a terrific gathering and certainly fun to renew old friendships. That was a really brief summary of this years activities.

Switching to current events----Keith and Maryann left California on September 26th arriving at the boat October 5th. It was just another 3000 miles across country to Grand Rivers, Kentucky including stops in Montana and Wyoming. Allen flew from Lafayette, Louisiana to Nashville, Tennessee October 8th and was picked up by Keith and Maryann. It is a 2 1/2 hour drive from there to Green Turtle Bay. It is great to be back on the boat. Carol is missing out as she chose to stay home. She did not want to be gone during Halloween as passing out candy to the neighborhood children is a special event.

Having been here a few days ahead of me, Keith and Maryann had already washed the boat. I just spent today being lazy (relaxing I meant). We are enjoying some wonderful fall weather and fully intend to exercise the "Dream Manor". The rivers look smooth and we are getting anxious to test the waters.