Great Loop Day 064 Oct 31, 2016, Pebble Isle Marina to Cuba Landing, Tennessee
Pebble Isle Marina to Cuba Landing, Tennessee
“Take hold of your own life.
See that the whole existence is celebrating.
These trees are not serious, these birds are not serious.
The rivers and the oceans are wild,
and everywhere there is fun,
everywhere there is joy and delight.
Watch existence,
listen to the existence and become part of it.”
― Osho
<Day 63 Previous Post | First Post | Next Post Day 65>
(Note: If this post is truncated in an email, readers can click on "View entire message" and they'll be able to view the entire post in their email app.)
Day 64 Monday, Oct 31, 2016. Happy Halloween! Hope you all have a great night trick and treating. I miss not being with the grandkids on this night. Several years ago I asked my oldest granddaughter what I should be on Halloween and she replied in her 5-year-old voice, "Be a Blue Prince!" That was going to be a challenge. With the help of my wife. Colleen, we come up with a pretty good facsimile. With blue hair dye, my beard and hair had the right color. Found a blue crown, vest, shirt, and striped pants. I believe I had that royal look that pleased her and her parents.
Another year I went as Gumby, Found a costume that turned out a bit short on the crotch, and now everyone knows Gumby was well endowed.
But last year I ran out of costume ideas and then an epiphany struck me. Just for the 'halibut', I put on my yellow foul weather gear complete with sea storm boots and a yellow noreaster hat and went as the Gorton Fisherman handing out hot fish sticks to the kids and parents. Totally hilarious.
Well, almost. She didn’t come with the package.
Good morning Pebble Isle Marina.
34ft Katy Corrine from Wisconsin doing the loop.
Captain and first mate Randy and Nancy
Boat Card:
Bobbie from Pebble Isle Marina surprised me with a complimentary cinnamon bun to start my morning. People living on the river are the best!
Bronwen Somerset yummmm
I started out at 2 pm central time and arrived at Cuba Landing just before sunset. I remembered to get a bag of ice just before leaving. Paul and Jean of Bob Tale were staying behind to get new batteries installed tomorrow. Seems their electrical load exceeded their battery capacity, especially running a refrigerator on board. Giving the hare a head start, haha.
Today's voyage to Cuba Landing was a short 20.5 miles but included a railroad lift bridge that I needed to call on my VHF radio. The bridge operator came right back. Told him I was 15 minutes away and he'll have the bridge open for me. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Saw the Tennessee River limestone outcrop onshore, a nice geological feature. A few bald eagles and white pelicans fly by. The right channel leading to the marina was well marked and spared my rudder the embarrassing grounding that occurred at Pebble Isle Marina.
RR bridge near New Johnsonville, TN
CSX rail bridge opens for my mast.
Now I am here in Cuba Landing Marina and don't need a passport. Nobody to greet me here, they shut down on Mon, Tues, and Wed. I knew about this from Bobbie, a Pebble Isle employee. He said to tie up next to the fuel dock and I should be ok for the night. He used to work here some 5 years ago. Gathering local knowledge is not only important but very useful as well.
Scott Harris, a local resident came by to admire the Sea Marie and tell me his life story. New to sailing he recently bought a 30 ft sailboat and keeping it here at Cuba Landing. It's an older 1974 fiberglass boat that's a work in progress. Met his wife Mary and their kids staying the night onboard. Mary was nursing back to health a 3-week-old kitten looking much like Mickey, a Domestic Shorthair they had found as a stray. Scott is from Canal Fulton, near Akron, OH., joined the army, spent most of his time in a tank battalion, became a medic then back to school to be a nurse now working as an independent contractor as a Polygraph examiner. Moved here from Ohio to get away from the northern winter and have relatives living here. Mary works in a vet clinic and is quite fond of animals.
Well, that's how my day went this Halloween. Tomorrow starts November and the weather is warm in the 80s this week. But the nights are cool, great for sleeping. The World Series resumes tomorrow November 1, 2016, in Cleveland.
So for now, Fair Winds and Gentle Seas...
Comments from 2016:
Camille Sandrock Henry, when you get close to Ft. Myers, we could help you secure an inexpensive dock at Fisherman's Wharf, San Carlos Island!!! We will also make you some good homemade meals!!!
Pogo Bob Halloween night, nine years ago, we were tied to the wall in downtown Chattanooga, with a jack-o-lantern carved from a little pie pumpkin. The next morning, we arrived back at Privateer Yacht Club where our Great Loop adventure began 10-1/2 months before.
Limestone banks along the Tennessee River
Someone forgot to tell this tree the river is getting damned. Didn’t have time to move up to higher grounds. But seriously, trees like this can be found underwater in some anchorages that will steal your anchor.
Sunset at Cuba Landing Marina.
The closed marina office.
The fuel dock.
Mickey the watch cat.
As I was getting settled a huge vessel pulls in and I get out to help her secure her lines on the other side of the dock. The skipper Ed said he and his wife, the Admiral, started out from Ft Myers and the 2 of them are heading back. The name of the vessel is Miss Ly.
Miss Ly approaches the dock. She's got to be over 50ft long.
Boat Card:
The entire store is up on a floating dock.
Too bad the store was closed. Got this shot thru a closed window. Hoping I wouldn’t get shot taking the photo.
Night comes fast and it was a quick trip to the restroom for sure.
