Tennessee (Inland Transit Day 6)
Tennessee River Mile 172
Saltillo, TN
Log Entry by Program Manager Tatiana Dalton
Sunday, October 30, 2022
2036
Today was one of my favorite days so far, because Tennessee is my favorite place to look at that we’ve been. The natural riverbanks are full of trees covered in just-past-peak foliage, falling off to narrow sandy beaches where birds stand by the water and driftwood comes to rest. Best of all were the cliffs of beautiful sedimentary rock composed of layer after layer suspended in a sloping diagonal display. I have resolved to return to Tennessee some day to walk in the trees, admire the rocks, and experience the river from land.
It was also a satisfying day because this morning I realized just how far we’ve come (geographically speaking). As of today at 1900, we’ve traveled 949 miles since leaving the boatyard in Manitowoc, WI, and we have just 486 miles to go until Mobile.
Tonight, we will stop at the spot where Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama meet. The marina where we’ll fuel up come 0900 is at the intersection of the Tennessee River and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. In the morning, we’ll continue on the latter, first through a manmade canal where we’ll pass through a gauntlet of 10 different locks, and then we’ll finish the journey on the Tombigbee River. It’s strange to be making quicker progress than we anticipated—before we left Chicago, the images in my head of long, slow rivers had me convinced that this transit would never end.
Sunday on a boat is strange, too—when there are so few cues from the outside world as to the day of the week, it can be strangely disorienting to be reminded that today is a special day. Earlier today, I heard Captain Flansburg explain tall ship Sundays to Captain Hill, noting that traditionally Sundays are for “making and mending” things rather than regular ship’s maintenance. He also described his own tradition of wearing his “Sunday’s best” to supper—a nice, clean shirt with a tie and waistcoat—and inviting the crew to join him in doing so. I love Sunday’s best with Captain Flansburg, although since I don’t live on board and I often forget to pack for it, I usually end up woefully unprepared.
This evening, as I sit on a mess bench in the galley to reflect on the day, I’m watching Jake. Having arrived just a few days before this transit began, he’s just starting to settle in here on Denis Sullivan. He’s moving things around—finding a better home for the microwave, making better use of this and that space, consulting with Catherine and Andrew as to his choices—in short, he’s nesting.
Because we’ll be stopping at the marina tonight, my shipmates will be stood down and have a full (or at least a fuller) night of sleep ahead. We’re all looking forward to hot showers on land and doing a few loads of laundry—it’s been less than a week since Chicago but every smelly sock counts when you’re living in such close quarters.
The water is beautiful and smooth tonight, with a set of small ripples spreading out from the aft portion of the Sullivan’s hull on each side. What a beautiful place to spend a Sunday evening.
