Fall on the Cumberland


Fall colors on the Cumberland River


Our return trip, down the Cumberland River from Nashville, was a celebration of fall colors.  Mother Nature used a much more vivid palette to paint the landscape than what was on display 10 days earlier.  She was clearly signaling that cold crisp nights, with cooler temperatures were on the way.  To me this also signaled that Halloween with all the accompanying festivities couldn't be far behind.  I appreciate and enjoy the shoulder seasons.  They signal a transition.  Smells, colors, foliage, temperatures, clothing, and seasonally favorite foods all under go a change.  In life, change is good, it piques the senses and reminds us to relish the world and experiences in which we live.  In this case, we were relishing our downstream journey on the Cumberland.



A house blends with the fall colors



The Cumberland River Farm is located mid-way between Clarksville and Nashville.
It is an event center.


Clarksville Tennessee



We stopped overnight at Clarksville City Marina and then motored a couple of miles to the City Free Dock so we could visit downtown.



Clarksville was founded just after the Revolutionary War.  In the period leading up to the Civil War it was a major center for growing and exporting tobacco.  To support this industry, half the population of the county were slaves, the other half were white.  The federal government built a customs house in town to collect taxes on imported and exported goods.



Tennessee became the 36th, and final state to ratify the 19th amendment into law, thus extending the right to vote to women.  



This statue in Clarksville encourages all Women to exercise their right to vote.
This message is just as powerful today as it was in 1920 when the 19th amendment was ratified.



Downtown Clarksville appeared prosperous and well maintained.



Clarksville has produced many prominent citizens.  Here is a statue of native son Frank Sutton who played Sergeant Vince Carter on the Gomer Pyle TV show.  The town is also the home of three time Olympic Gold Medal winner Wilma Rudolph and the home of Pat Summit, the long time coach of the Tennessee Volunteers Women's Basketball team.



As the county seat, the town has an imposing court house



Lady Justice statue on the Court House



The former Customs House is now occupied by the county Museum



Clarksville has had a long tie to the military.  On it's border is Fort Campbell, home to the 101st Airborne Division.  As this is a rapid deployment force, their equipment can be quickly moved by air or sea to where ever their presence is needed.  We passed 15 barges of military equipment being returned to Fort Campbell.


Dover Island Anchorage


We spent a night anchored behind Dover Island.



It was nice to kick back and relax after our full schedule in Nashville



Sunset at Dover Island Anchorage



Sunrise at Dover Island


On to Green Turtle Bay



Enjoying Beth's homemade apple crisp while motoring to Green Turtle Bay




The scenery along the Cumberland continued to impress



White Pelicans were in residence on the river



There were beautiful while stationary or in flight



Green Turtle Bay is large, we often used our dinghy to get around



We used the marina's courtesy car to drive to the grocery store and the dinghy to return the groceries to Amy Marie



A heron stood guard over Amy Marie while we were gone



Our final night at Green Turtle Bay we had docktails with the crews of Pilar and Long Recess.
Yes is got dark before we returned to our boats!



Karen and Tony of Long Recess are Gold Loopers and have prepared their boat for loading on it's trailer and the trip back to Ohio.  We met Karen and Tony at the fall 2021 Looper Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park.  

This is a fun and difficult part of the Loop.  As Loopers we've travelled off and on with a wonderful group of people and formed many friendships based upon this shared experience.  It was a bucket list item for many of us.  It's safe to say that we hate the experience to end.  It is similar to graduating from high school, where one phase of your life ends and a new phase begins.  Some people we will be fortunate enough to see again, with others we will travel different paths that never again cross.  We are just a handful of days from crossing our wake and also loading our boat on it's trailer for the long trip back to the west coast.  To all those with whom we spent time, swapped stories and shared information, to those who cheered us on and provided support, we love you all.  This has been a terrific shared experience.  It is easy to say that we all grew together and have been changed, for the better, as a result of the challenges and obstacles we've overcome together.  Success on the Loop comes from being a contributing member of the Looper community.  

We did it - together...   

Well Done!

______________________________________________________________


Berthing Information

  • Clarksville Marina
    • Phone: 931-444-0646
    • Services:  Gas, Diesel, Pump Out, Power, Water, Restaurants nearby, friendly and helpful staff.
    • Bit of a walk to town on a busy road
    • We motored to the Free Town Dock to visit the downtown area
  • Dover Island Anchorage
    • Shown on Navionics near the town of Dover
  • Green Turtle Bay
    • Phone: 833-676-7355
    • Services:  Gas, Diesel, Pump Out, Power, Water, Restaurants nearby, friendly and helpful staff.
    • Courtesy Car available
    • Loved the indoor pool and showers!

Trip Logs













Location: Clarksville, TN, USA

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 19, 2022 at 12:46 PM

    I will miss your blog posts and seeing the beautiful photos you posted. Thanks for having us all along for the ride. Glad you finished the loop and had such a great time. Safe travels to you.

    ReplyDelete

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