We’ve been glued to the news on TV and internet day and night. Definitely time to take a break. What to do? We decided to go to the riverfront, become one with the river’s flow and check out the replicas of Christopher Columbus’ Nina and Pinta. This history buff was fascinated by the ancient boats that sailed the seas. And they brought back fond ocean memories of my island girl youth.
The 1492 landing of Columbus is symbolic of America’s beginnings, but that wasn’t my motivation for going. First, Columbus Day also marks the historic beginning of colonization of Native Americans. Having grown up in the British colony of Bermuda, colonialism is not just history to me, and I’ll never condone it. Second, in the four journeys that Columbus made from Spain to the New World, he landed in the Bahamas and further south, never setting foot in what became America.
I maintain a deep appreciation of the ocean and sailing across it. My childhood sailing lessons taught me how challenging it could be. I was the worst captain ever. I almost shipwrecked my entire crew sailing across a small harbor when a sudden gust of wind hit our sail. How did Columbus’ crew spend 30-plus days at sea, and want to do it again and again?
The replica ships were docked at Ross’s Landing, gently swaying in the Tennessee River. Modern rubber tires kept the ships from scraping the dock where they were tied. Made entirely of unfinished wood with no topcoat, the sides could easily be damaged. There must have been a genius of engineering that enabled these ships to travel the ocean centuries ago.
Families brought their kids to check out the ships and teach them about their history. The kids were more interested in enjoying the ships’ invitational aura than the historical details. My breathing slowed to a peaceful pace, watching them wander happily across the slanted decks that allowed water to slide back into the ocean. They hopped up the wooden steps to the upper deck while munching on Halloween candy. The youngsters weren’t the only fun-loving souls on the boats. A few couples brought their dogs onto the boats. The dogs must have sensed the invitational aura, too, because they quickly settled onto the boat decks as if they were home.
It wasn’t only tourists on the boats who were having a good time. Some of the fun was had by folks on the river. Chattanooga Duck boats passed by several times, explaining the historical narrative of the Nina and Pinta to passengers. That made the guy selling us tickets for boarding the boat laugh: “The tourists on the Ducks usually hear about Chattanooga, but when we arrive, it’s all about us.” I asked what it was like being in charge of these boats. He explained that it was a family business, and he’d been the boat’s captain for years. I tried to imagine him living in the four-square-foot captain’s quarters. I’m grateful that he does this — and grateful that I do not.
I stood at the railing overlooking the river watching a small motorboat with several elderly fishermen pass by. One of them laughingly reeled his fishing rod so it almost caught the wooden plank below me. I gasped and stepped back. He yelled, “You’re the prettiest pirate ever!”
I laughed and took a deep breath. That’s what we need these days. It’s time for a jaunt on the Nina at the riverfront. The ships will be here until Nov. 3. Anchors away!
Contact Deborah Levine, an author, trainer/coach and editor of the American Diversity Report, at Deborah@AmericanDiversityReport.com.