We woke up this morning to the sound of engines. Our friends on Avalon, tied up just off our bow, were cranking up and pulling in lines. We looked at the weather and started to debate leaving or staying. The forecast and future RADAR suggested that, if we got going, we would beat the weather to our planned wall perch near Peterborough with a couple of hours to spare. It was a close call but we decided to get moving. A few other boats made the same choice so, all in all, it looked like about half a dozen or more headed out. First Light ended up center boat in a clutch of three puttering up the canal. Though there were a few narrow and shallow places along the way, it was a pretty low key route. It helps to be following another boat with the same draft. If she comes to a quick stop, stop.
There was only one lock today. When we got there, Avalon and two other boats were heading past the doors. I aimed First Light at the wall figuring we would be part of the next cycle when the dock master started to motion us in. That would make for four boats bow to stern and side to side. We had done something similar the the day before with three boats so, why not? The only difference was that First Light was the last boat in this time, filling the last “empty spot. Her captain (me) was responsible for not banging into the boats just a few feet off our starboard side and bow. Once in place, our anchor was just shy of hanging over the dink in front, and our sides were, maybe, three feet from the boat next to us and maybe a foot off the lock wall. But, apart from some very close quarters boat handling, there wasn't much to it.
It was a short run from the lock to the wall. But it was long enough for the winds to start picking up with dark clouds building to the west/southwest. There was some debate as to where on the wall mooring was permitted. The safest bet looked like tying starboard side to on the east wall. So that's what we did. If it turned out I wasn't “allowed” to do that? Someone would have to write me a ticket as we weren't going anywhere by the looks of the sky. We tied to with lots of fenders and and five lines, checked in with the dockmaster (who had no problem with where we had parked) paid the tab, and it started to rain. Thunder rumbled in the near distance and it seemed like we had cut this one a bit too close. But once again, the worst of the weather split north and south of where First Light lay. So it turned out to be a good call after all. But, as they say, hindsight is always 20/20.
It is supposed to be pretty windy tomorrow. Windy enough that we may wait a day before tangling with a thing called a “bathtub lock”. It seems they fill two giant tubs with water and boats. Then one tub goes up while the other goes down, each tub acting as a counter weight to the other. Which amazes me for two reason. One, that someone would actually come up with such a hair-brained scheme. And two, that someone else would decide that sounded like a really good idea, then go ahead and build such a thing. But it is the only way to get where we are going and it has done its task tens of thousands of times, at least. So goofball idea or not, we will be giving it a go. But giving it a go in 20 knot winds? We might give that challenge a pass.
NOTE: The wind doesn't mean anything to the boat once it is in the lock. It is getting in and out, particularly on the high side, that gets to be a challenge when the wind is blowing. Locks are narrow, there are things to bump into, and the boat isn't the best handling thing in a stiff wind. I am getting better at it, but I wouldn't be surprised if my pacer is sending a message to my heart Doctor every time I am handling the boat in tight quarters with a stiff breeze.
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