TN>Land Between the Lakes--planning stages

Many years ago I paddled around the LBL peninsula. I think that trip was close or a bit over a hundred miles.
3 years ago I paddled down the left side of Kentucky Lake.
We're thinking about a 'bridge to bridge' paddle over a long Thanksgiving weekend. If you look at the map you'll see Hwy 68 bisects the park roughly half way up the peninsula....guesstimate on mileage is 50-60 miles.
We're thinking of a total of 8 days....a day travel each way and 6 days on the water paddle camping......so between 8-10 miles a day(ish).
Why November? That's when Poof can get the most time off, the bugs will be gone, the kids back in school. the bassboaters put up for the winter, and hopefully the ticks will be hibernating, etc.

LBL is an awesome place. It's huge, you can camp practically anywhere. It is a 'flat' area-no major mountain ranges to block serious wind so there could be a day where its just too rough to paddle so that possibility is built into the timeline.

We've been backpacking a lot of the last year, got some good bikecamping in; just thinking something different and living out of a kayak has its amenities.

I know most can't get away Thanksgiving due to family but if any HFers are interested you're surely invited.

I guess that will be a good excuse to look for a better long distance kayak.:)

Your kayak would be fine....and if not I've got a spare.

I live on Barkley Lake about 5 miles from the Dover, TN bridge. I've tried to make a group hang and meet some of you folks that have helped me so much but I've never made it. Not sure of my schedule around Thanksgiving yet, but if there's any way I can help w/the planning pm me and I'll give you my phone #.

I will keep this in mind. I haven't used any vacation time for this yr yet

I will have to watch this closely. If I can't get the full week of from work I might still be able to get out and see everyone.

Ragnall

Wow lot's of response.
Potneck you will be a great information resource.
My biggest challenge in the past was finding a shuttle in that area
that can handle kayaks versus driving several cars down.
One thing you can share with us is your remembrance of temperatures
that time of year.

MedicineMan,

I can take care of any shuttling/parking needs and the weather here is usually perfect that time of year. I'll post some details later this evening or in the morning.

Potneck that is great news! We'll be looking for a put in near the bridge on the left
and a take out near the bridge on the right.....

Spoke with the man at the visitor center.
He said each person spending time in the 'backcountry' at LBL needs a permit.
Cheapest is 3 day/7dollar.
Have to buy in person at the visitor center.
After 3 days would need to stop wherever you are and get another per it OR buy
the year pass for 30dollar which would last our entire trip....or roughly 5-6 dollars/day
which by the way is cheaper than a backcountry permit in the Smokies per night.
Also asked the man at the visitor center if it will be open day after Thanksgiving......we plan to drive down (its actually over) on Thanksgiving.
He said it will be open day after Thanksgiving so we can buy the permits that morning, do the shuttle and begin the paddle.
A better idea of mileage from HNO, he looked at a map that had actual mileage on it.....better guestimate is now 45 to 50 miles around
depending on how many coves we go into and that could increase the distance.....cove hopping-

Cove hopping is a technique long distance paddlers use when the wind is sucking really bad. When you've got a really long fetch possible
like at LBL the wind can really kick up the waves, so you paddle around into the open and fight real hard until you can duck into a cove keep
paddling but not fight as much wind; then repeat and repeat.

Next issue for the planning stages is water. Will the campgrounds be close enough to our route to get water from? Will them be open?
Options-
river water (only if extreme emergency)
look for creeks flowing into coves (doable maybe)
carry all water for whole trip (possible, it is done in the Everglades, but I
bet we find other ways
caching ahead of time- that has a ring to it eh?
paddle across the lakes to the commercial sides of the lake where the marinas are-
again possible but way out of our way and into barge traffic, let's avoid that if
we can
Any other thoughts?
Good to be betting PMs with interest on this but I'm not really a trip organizer, maybe a trip motivator and invitee....I'd think all that might do this trip are over the age of 20 and kinda know there way about the water world and backcountry...you know things like being able to swim is a good thing, things like the wind can pick up and you might have to slosh against it for several hours, things like remote location and possible injury, theoretically it is possible the Bison could escape and chase us,etc.