Land-Between-the-Lakes Boating Cruise

Land-Between-The-Lakes, KY 2013– America’s Boating Club of Central Ohio boaters have a regional, if not national, reputation for being eager road boaters. We love to hitch the boats up and head down the highway. Traveling to faraway places, experiencing all the wonders that this great nation has to offer.

Land-Between-the-Lakes State Park

Land-Between The-Lakes was our 2013 voyage-of-the-year cruise. We came looking for new experiences, tranquility and the joy of friendships, all offered in abundance by members and guests of CSPS and District 29. We found them in spades. This voyage was to duplicate the one undertaken in February 1862 by Admiral David Glasgow Farragut which paved the way for the fall of Nashville during the Civil War. Only we didn’t travel on steamships stuffed with cannons; we cruised on small boats loaded with sailors and credit cards.

Our ‘Admiral’ was the rascally Ron Lavely who served as our cruise planner for years. Ron and Linda have done a superior job organizing our cruises. Anyone who has ever organized anything will certainly appreciate what a challenging task this is— about as rewarding as herding cats.

Underway on a bright and clear Monday morning, we launched out of the very clean and professional Kentucky Dam Marina. Our flotilla of six boats and two jet skis headed across Kentucky Lake for the cut leading into Lake Barkley.

Turning south, and almost oxymoronically, we headed up the Cumberland River. Yes, yes, Cumberland is a southern river that flows north into the Ohio River. Goofy. Following the barge channel through Lake Barkley, we effortlessly transitioned into the Cumberland River. No record exists that tells us what Farragut thought of his voyage into destiny. He had to love it because Lincoln made him an Admiral.

As I sat on the foredeck of Phil and Ruth Osborne’s boat my imagination worked overtime. The Cumberland River, flowing over 600 miles, isn’t as wide as the Ohio River. My imagination saw a Rebel behind every tree trunk. I couldn’t help but wonder what his crew felt like knowing that at any time they could have been sailing into a Rebel ambush. But no shots came our way.

We did get blasted with a steady bombardment of bright sunshine. What we did see was lots of animal and marine life: birds of all types, foxes, turtles, deer, domesticated cattle and an occasional jumping fish. The Cumberland was remarkably clean, free of industrial development and of man’s litter and garbage. It was also warm. 87 degrees.

Our first day’s journey ended in the Tennessee River town of Clarksville. This historic city (fifth largest in the state) has recently completed construction on a gorgeous riverfront development project and our group benefited from its amenities: docking under roof, gas and pump out, beautiful park and friendly staff.

Clarksville offered a historically preserved architectural downtown, new businesses with art galleries and places that served good food and adult beverages. Valiantly led by ‘Admiral’ Lavely, we invaded and conquered this Rebel stronghold.

Sailing the Cumberland River locks

Early the next day our Band-of-Boaters followed Farragut’s wake toward Nashville, but first we had to transit the one lock on this stretch. In our flotilla we had the District Executive Officer, District Education Officers, Seamanship, Piloting, Advance Piloting, ABC, and Weather instructors. So upon exiting this lock, the lockmaster told us we were the easiest, most well behaved group he had ever locked through. He would have been shocked if he had seen us at the bars holding up the Grand Ole Opry!

Nearing Nashville, we rounded a bend in the river and came face-to-face with the muzzle mouths of the Confederate cannon of Fort Donelson. The fort was sited so that as the Union Flotilla steamed south it was under constant cannon fire for about two miles as they sailed toward the fort. Farragut took ten days to take this position, and it was only with the help of Union infantrymen that it fell. What was historic about this battle was it marked the first time in our history where naval gunfire was used in close support of our ground troops.

Arriving in Nashville, we secured the boats, put on our cowboy boots, started humming “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”, and headed into the dens of iniquity along Honky Tonk Row. People on vacation, especially boating people, aren’t shrinking violets and nervous nellies. We are all ones who want, no, have, to see what’s around the next corner. That same attitude applies during this, our Second Battle of Nashville.

Instead of guns we invaded with credit cards and this time the rebels opened their arms; threw open their doors; greeted us with ‘hail fellow well met’ and that phony ‘sweet cloying southern charm’ all the while angling for that plastic card with raised numbers in our wallets. They won this skirmish of the Second Battle of Nashville.

Tuesday through Thursday night were spent enjoying ‘Athens of the America.’ Nashville is a town rich in history and alive with the commerce of modern life. Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage offers the finest drink of spring-fed water in America. The city has fine gardens and parks. Universities abound with lots of their graduates staying put. But like most shallow, simple minded sailors we headed for the bars and honky tonks of Broadway Street with all the temptations of the Grand Ole Opry.

We were not disappointed. Tootsies, BB Kings, the Stage, Legends Corner all served up cold beer and hot licks music. Every wanna-be country star must play everywhere on this strip. We even had one in the hotel lobby during afternoon tea.

A Nashville Street Performance

Gathered over beers I suddenly realized that my cruising shipmates are true Americans. They could be the poster children for what is good and right about this crazy experiment in democracy. These guys are the ones that rolled up their sleeves and went to work building America. Teachers, policemen, small business owners, firemen. Helping other people thru education, ready to lend a helping hand to any boater, standing up when the American flag goes by, respecting others and the environment and striving to improve their knowledge and their lives. I couldn’t ask for a better group of shipmates or better friends to have a beer with.

Here’s a few examples over the five days of that ethos. Phil and Ruth’s boat wouldn’t run on the first day. Pretty common when you realize Ohio boats sit idle for months and then we take them out and run them like maniacs for a week straight. Phil, always concerned about others, told everyone to ‘Shove off!’ Didn’t happen. When he finally got ready to launch the whole gang was waiting. “One for all; all for one.”

Just south of the lock, our ‘jet ski maniacs,’ Carmen and Dan Mullane, came upon a family with two young children in a disabled boat. Tom Schmersal worked his boat into position, directed the young Captain on the proper way to secure the towline, and professionally delivered him to his car. “No muss; no fuss; just another day for a Power Squadron-er.”

Rita and Len had a power problem leaving Nashville and decided to go all the way back to their car. 130 miles. Another boater, who hadn’t planned on running it all in one day, changed his plans and journeyed with them. “I got your back.”

So, I can honestly say that we won the Second Battle of Nashville. The first battle opened the southern states for the ultimate victory of our most perfect Union. The second battle opened my eyes to the wonderful people that I sail with in America’s waterways.