Yes friends another boat was firing shots as we passed today! But more on this in a moment after I catch you up on our location.
Before leaving Cuba Landing we pumped out the waste tanks since we were already parked on the fuel dock anyway. They were very nice and did not charge us since we had to move last night when the power box on our dock blew a breaker and it would not reset. If I had known it was free I might not have held it in so long.
By the way if you are wondering why the name Cuba Landing way up the Tennessee I will tell you. A Cuban businessman from New Orleans had traveled up the river looking for opportunities and found one at this location. He established a port and began shipping goods upriver to sell. This was in the late 1800’s and the name stuck.
Our trip today was 51 miles and mostly uneventful until the shots rang out. A small flat bottomed fishing boat was sitting squarely in the middle of the channel as we approached near Lady Finger Bluff. That is where a pioneer woman threw herself off to her death rather than be taken by marauding Indians. Anyway, as we passed the boat we noticed that one man on the bow was busily hauling on a rope while two others were midship and at the tiller. We got by but Native Son was brought up short by the men wildly waving him off and gesturing. He pulled up as they began dancing and jumping up and down, not particularly safe in a flat bottomed boat. Then a pistol rang out several times and a net was hauled aboard with a huge turtle tangled inside. Apparently they were concerned that Rich was going to snag their net and spoil their plans for a turtle mull for dinner. Just like on TV, “Chute him, chute him now!”(Swamp People). Wish I could have gotten a picture but we were too far away.
Clifton Marina is a nice quiet little place, well sheltered and close to the town which sits right on the river. Our fleet of three is all here and we are going to town for dinner but it will not be turtle soup.
Clifton Marina is quaint but a little weird. That is the way things are on the water.
Me, I just take my pills and keep this boat running.
