This trip was designed to be a combined trip for the Seakayak and the Canoe & Kayak fleets, but all participants brought their sea kayaks. There was a total of 9 paddlers. Friday was a beautiful day; nine paddlers crossed Kentucky Lake from Hillman Ferry to Cemetery Island. We ate lunch there and explored the island. We were surprised to find aardvarks on the island. After lunch we crossed back across Kentucky Lake and watched a south-bound cruise boat travel down the channel. We paddled around an old quarry where many people had added graffiti over the years.
The forecast for Saturday was not too good with the remnants of Hurricane Isaias headed our way. Two of our group (that were not going to be able to paddle Sunday) decided to paddle south from Hillman Ferry to Smith Bay and back. The weather held off and they were able to get in a nice 7.75-mile trip in, including a stop at a sandy beach. The rest of the group went to see the Elk & Bison Prairie. We were able to see some bison, saw one distant elk, and heard one elk bugle. Afterward we went to find a nearby moonshine festival. It turned out the festival had been postponed due to the forecast. We decided to visit the planetarium. There were some interesting exhibits about the Land Between the Lakes, but the planetarium show was a little disappointing because it seemed to be more for children. We finished the night off with a pizza run.
Sunday the remaining seven paddlers put in at Honker Bay on Lake Barkley. This lake is generally shallower than Kentucky Lake. We had been warned about Invasive Carp, but all started out well with various bird sightings, including white pelicans. Unfortunately, one of our group was struck on the shoulder by a large carp. She was able to keep her kayak upright, but we were all a little “carp-shy” after that. We ate lunch at a nice spot that looked like someone’s camping area. We walked up to an old cemetery and looked at the headstones. Luckily we had no further carp incidents on our return trip.
Trip sponsors Jan Rugaber & Judy Thompson
