Day 23 - October 12 - Clifton Tennessee

We continue to be captured by the lure of the Tennessee River. Our destination today is the Clifton Marina and it will be a rather short day on the river. We were greeted warmly as soon as we entered the marina and we had our first taste of genuine Southern Hospitality. As we were registering we were handed glasses of sweetened ice tea. As our host told us, we were now in the South so we should just kick back, relax and enjoy tea the way it was meant to be. We were also informed that dinner this evening would be fried catfish and hush puppies and that she would see us at 6:30p or thereabouts.

I was about three weeks overdue for a haircut so I borrowed the marina’s courtesy car and headed into town. The town is very small but totally charming. My first thought was of a John Grisham novel but soon the history of the town captured my attention. The Civil War was the most traumatic event in Clifton's history. While most surrounding communities remained loyal to the Union, the citizens of Clifton allied themselves with the Confederacy. In the second year of the war, the Tennessee River became a vital invasion route for Union forces. Clifton, to its great misfortune, was located in a strategic position on that river. Early in 1862 Union forces occupied Clifton and they stayed here for the remainder of the war. The Union stronghold in Clifton was Stockade Hill and the officers' headquarters were located in what is now the front yard of the Frank Hughes School. Several skirmishes were fought around Clifton and Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest (Forrest Gump’s namesake) conducted a raid here in December 1862. Legend has it that only four homes in Clifton survived the Civil War. The Presbyterian Church is the only public building still standing from that era. At various times during the war it was used as a hospital and misused as a horse stable by the occupying Union forces. The front of the church still bears the scars of where Union soldiers pulled out part of the brick wall to make a wider opening.

Back to my haircut…I felt like I had stepped onto the set of Steel Magnolias when I entered this shop. It was by far the social and gossip epicenter of town. But the best part was the price – I only paid $15 INCLUDING tip and it is one of the best haircuts that I have ever had! Now if I factor in transportation costs to and from Clifton and Chicago, it would still be cheaper to get my haircut in Clifton than it is in Chicago.

Three other Looper boats arrived after us and we all ate fried catfish and enjoyed Southern hospitality at its best. By far, this has been my favorite marina and I whole heartedly recommend that everyone visit Clifton at least once in their lifetime.

Hours on the water: 3.5
Nautical miles traveled: 25
Number of locks: 0
Time spent waiting at locks: 0
Tomorrow's Destination: Pickwick Lake
What we're listening to: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
What we watched: 0
Lesson for the day: This Yankee is smitten by Southern Hospitality
Obligatory knitting report: Mittens for Wunder Kids