Time to leave Green Turtle Bay

We have really enjoyed our time at here at Green Turtle Bay Marina and can't believe two weeks has passed.  This marina has the best ship's store for boat supplies since Mackinaw and we made what seemed like daily visits to the ship's store for this and that.  There is a spa where Hilary was able to get a hair cut and also participate in Aqua Zumba in the heated indoor pool.

During the second week here we have been busy working boat projects that didn't get finished before we started on the trip.  Bert installed shelves in the cabinet on the aft deck and Hilary installed new flooring in the v-birth.  Both projects came out beautifully.

Bert's new shelves.  Organization is a good thing!  

V-Birth floor after old carpeting was removed.

New v-birth floor with new laminate flooring installed.

One of the neat things here at Green Turtle Bay is the turtles!  There is even a turtle feeding area.  One evening we did a test of various foods to see which the turtles liked the best.  We tried broccoli, saltine crackers and bread.  Turtles liked the bread the best and so did the little fish.  One night there were at least 15 of turtles, big and small competing with the fish for the bread we tossed them.  Unfortunately that was the night we didn't take the camera with us.  Earlier today there was a turtle right behind the boat so we at least got a picture of that one eating some bread.

One of dozens of turtles at Green Turtle Bay

We also have gotten to enjoy a couple really amazing local food establishments while we've been here.  Patti's 1880's Settlement is home of the famous 2" pork chop, fresh rolls served hot and baked in a flower pot and pies that are about 10" tall!  Patti's 1880's Settlement has many small shops, beautiful flowers and gardens, a small zoo, put put golf, and remote control boats.

Another hidden gem here in Grand River, KY is Sugar & Spice.  Sugar & Spice is where Chef Marilyn Kunz cooks up some of the most amazing food you can image.  Marilyn hosts a once per day, reservation only, private seating in her commercial kitchen/home.  On Monday, twelve loopers joined together for the private seating at Sugar & Spice.  The menu changes monthly and this month the theme is Oktoberfest.  Sauerbraten, Rouladen, Lamb Shank, Weinerschnitzel, Jaegerschnitzel, and Chicken Paprikash were all available on the menu and were all home-made by Marilyn.  Each meal included a vesper plate appetizer, paprikash potatoes, sweet-sour red cabbage and bavarian kraut.  We are presently in a dry county but Marilyn allows guests to bring their wine with them to dinner.  We ordered the combo plate which allowed us to try all sampling portion of all the dishes.  Yummy!!!!!  

Oktoberfest dinner at Sugar & Spice

As we are preparing to leave Green Turtle Bay, we decided to take some pictures of this beautiful marina.

Our row of Looper Boats

More Looper Boats

Our home for the past two weeks

Not a Looper boat, but interesting to see.

Took the Plunge is the 2nd one from the right.

Green Turtle Bay Private Yacht Club

Tomorrow we are on the move again.  WiFi may be spotty but we'll update the blog when we can.  We've traveled 1,286 miles since we left Lake St. Clair and have logged 160 engine hours.  Today is day 52 of our trip.  It is hard to believe we are nearing 2 months of travel.  Time is passing so quickly and we think we could do this forever.  We understand how folks just keep "looping" once they start.  

The next section of the trip will be entirely on the Tennessee River (approximately 260 miles) and will take us to Joe Wheeler State Park at the Tennessee/Alabama border.  Interestingly, the Tennessee River flows through Kentucky Lake and we'll be nearly 200 miles on Kentucky Lake over the next few days.  We will arrive at Joe Wheeler on Friday, October 19th and stay there for a week.  Half of the time at Joe Wheeler will be spent attending the Looper Rendezvous.  We have about 10 days before our scheduled arrival at Joe Wheeler and only 5 of them are travel days.  Each day we'll move about 50 miles closer to Joe Wheeler State Park.   If you are following on a map these are our anticipated stops:

• Paris Landing State Park, TN 
• Cuba Marina near Eagle Creek, TN 
• Clifton, TN
• Aqua Marina, AL - just south of Pickwick Lake
• Florence, AL
• Joe Wheeler State Park - Rogersville, AL.