Back on the Boat Again  

 

October 19th – October 22nd   

 

On Monday, we picked up our one-way rental car and stuffed it full of things to take back to the boat.  We got to Green Turtle Bay around dinner time and unpacked the car, but once again, went to bed with boxes all around us.  The next day, it took us 4 hours to return the car to Paducah, run some errands and do our grocery shopping.  We then spent the rest of the day putting everything away on the boat.  It was frustrating, but luckily, we finished just in time for  -- guess what  -- Happy Hour!!  Yes, we are back on the boat again!  We met up with another Krogen Manatee owner and had cocktails with them and others at the dock.  

 

The next day we left and traveled about 40 miles. I was quite a bit “out of sorts” and needed to readjust to the boat life.  Roger drove the whole way and later in the afternoon we called ahead to Paris Landing Marina.  They told us they were closing at 4 p.m., but we were welcome to take a 72’ slip and settle up with them when they got back there in the morning around 8 a.m. 

 

We had hot dogs and beans for dinner (my second time cooking in 5-1/2 weeks now) and started to watch a DVD, but I fell asleep at 8:30 and we went to bed at 9.  So we were ready by 7:15 a.m. the next morning to leave the dock.  Too bad the marina staff didn’t get there earlier – we had no one to pay for the slip.  I think I like boating in the off-season.  Oh well!

 

Today we traveled 50 miles.  It was overcast and cool most of the day.  The Tennessee River is very pretty, and winds around quite a bit.  We are actually going “up river”, so the current is against us for a total of 190 miles.  We are still managing to average about 6 miles an hour.  (When I think about it, I realize this is a far cry from the red Alfa Romeo in Sicily.)  The foliage is just starting to turn color down here.  Roger spent about a ½ hour watching a pair of bald eagles soar along the treetops on the shore.  Otherwise, it was an uneventful day, thank God!  We are staying at another marina, called Cuba Landing.  We might even pay for the slip this time!  Tonight I’m going all out and I’ll make stir fry and rice.  

 

We are getting the hang of this boating life again.  I had no idea that I would have such an adjustment this time – reading the charts, handling the radios, putting out the lines, fenders and handling the boat -- all come to Roger so naturally – but it’s an effort for me for awhile.  We hope to meet up with our friends from Barefoot Shoes soon.  Rae and Steve Mason are a few days ahead of us, and we hope to catch up to them by the weekend.  We really lucked out in the beginning of the trip by meeting some terrific people.  I hope that we will all meet up with each other along the way again soon.