Southern hospitality

Captain's Log - Day 29

We spent today at the Island Cove Marina.

I cut my hair this morning. This was the first, and hopefully last, time that I've cut my own hair. I started out with the beard trimmer, but that didn't work too well because the mohawk was too long. Then Simon whipped out some scissors that I was able to use. I was cutting my hair on the swimdeck, and without the benefit of a mirror, it turned out a little rough. I didn't take a picture, but imagine if a barber was blind in one eye and tipsy ... he would've given me about the same cut I gave myself.

We cleaned and showed the boat and then had lunch. (If you go to the Fox Cay, get the Thibodaux Chicken Sandwich! The waitress recommended it, and it was amazing! Also, her grandmother said that we were supposed to give her a kiss after the meal ... unfortunately, she didn't seem up for it.) After lunch, I went to the marina's restroom and tried to salvage the haircut. It's not half bad, but I miss the mohawk already!

Quick aside - Mom, I have to apologize. Nealy borrowed your Dirt Devil for me. It wasn't working, so I opened it up and was holding over the side of the boat knocking out the caked on dirt and the brush roller thingy and belt fell out - sank like a rock. Looks like I owe you a Dirt Devil - but you've got a birthday coming up, right?

After a fairly relaxing afternoon of researching cars while Simon chatted with Will down the dock, we joined Randy and Rebecca for dinner aboard the Toes in the Water. Toes in the Water is a beautiful new 50 foot Gibson houseboat.

Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, and potato salad. Rebecca makes some mean meatballs! She puts green peppers in them! (Sorry, Rebecca, if I'm giving away a secret ingredient.) I've never had green peppers in meatballs, but it's really tasty.

After dinner, we toured the Toes in the Water and then visited with Randy and Rebecca for about 4 or 5 hours! Here's something I learned today - moonshine still exists!

I used to think that moonshine was a product of prohibition that faded out soon afterwards. Turns out it's still a going concern! Randy was nice enough to share with us his apple cinnamon moonshine! Having never tasted moonshine, I expected it to taste about like rubbing alcohol - turns out it's actually pretty delicious! It's also pretty strong medicine - in Randy's words, "it'll make you take back stuff you never stole."

They also shared with us that Popcorn Sutton used to make the best moonshine ever. Unfortunately, he committed suicide to avoid prison after being arrested one too many times for making moonshine.

We had a great visit and learned a lot about their adventures and their aspirations to island hop in the Caribbean on a motor cat (a catamaran that's driven by engines, not sails). Sounds like a blast!

After a lovely visit, they gave us "Toes in the Water" t-shirts and we bid them goodnight!

Thanks again for everything, Randy and Rebecca! Maybe we'll see you in Knoxville.

We're quitting Chattanooga tomorrow morning and heading for Knoxville and the end of our journey. Hard to believe it's almost over. Oh! I almost forgot todays' tidbit!

Tidbit #3 - Flexibility is key. Whether you're contorting to squeeze through a hatch, jumping the five feet from the bow to the dock to catch the boat, reading and fishing for hours while waiting for a barge to clear a lock, or changing your destination from New Orleans to Mobile to Knoxville because of fuel scarcity, closed locks and unreliable boat transporters, you've got to be able to go with the flow (pun intended). The river is going to take your plans, and your anchors, and bend them all out of shape. Part of the thrill is seeing where the river takes you!