We crossed the time zone late yesterday without realizing it. So we were up and moving before first light this morning. Which worked out okay since we were already under way when the sun first broached the horizon. Shortly after that, we were officially off the lake and into the river system. For the most part it was easy and fun even though much of the route was one industrial sight after another and a constant stream of bridges. Forty-eight bridges to be exact. We also passed port to port to a couple of barges where there wasn't a lot of room. We were within a First Light boat length as we passed. The nice thing about river barges is that they don't go fast and, except for the turbulence coming off the propellers, don't make much wake. So a close pass isn't much of an issue.
We had two locks to go through. Something we haven't done for many weeks. The first was all of a two foot drop but it seems I did something that irritated the lockmaster. As we pulled out he gave me a nasty look and a brush off hand signal. I had no idea what I did wrong. We had called in on the radio to start. Then I called a back to ask about specifics but got no answer. No one came out to the wall to tell us what was going on. The lights turned green. I drove in (we were the only ones in the lock) we tied off, we went down, the gate started to open, and I drove out. For some reason he blew a long horn blast after we were clear and underway. Ah well. Never going to see him again. Don't really care what his problem was. I hope he didn't stew about it for long but, if he did, that would be his problem, not mine.
The second lock was a different story. They were working a 3 x 4 raft of barges though the 40 foot lift. So First Light and three other pleasure boats ended up holding station for nearly 2 hours before we could lock through. It was a bit of pain but that is the way it should be. Those folks are working for a living and moving the stuff that keeps the country working as well. It is only proper that the commercial boats take priority. After the barge moved off, the lockmaster called the waiting boats with the order that he wanted us in the lock. We rafted up 2 by 2 to ride the “floaters” (floating bollards which are spread pretty far apart—as you would expect in a lock built mainly to handle massive barges). The lockmaster came out to the boats and explained the procedure. A procedure which Included the last step of him sounding a horn when we could power up and move out of the lock. Apparently that gives the people waiting to go the other way notice that boats are heading out.
If the first guy had bothered to share that with me, I likely would not have irritated him so.
Shortly after the second lock, we passed through four lift bridges one right after the other. Clearing the last, our little armada all drifted a bit to starboard and took up residence on the town free wall. Yes, we are risking another wall, and one that lay athwart a busy commercial waterway to boot. It has good reviews and free power, so we decided to take the risk.
A little while ago, another huge barge & tow went by about 50 feet off our port side. We felt nary a ripple. The wind is rattling the trees but with just over 300' of fetch it has no chance to get a grip on the water and stir things up. And the lake? It is more than 30 nm away along a twisty river and two locks. I don't think even Lake Michigan can come up with a surge that can reach us here.
Have I mentioned about how glad I am that we are done with Lake Michigan? Well, most of the folks in our little armada are of the same opinion. All of us had a story of sitting for days waiting for the winds to abate and most had tales of at least one really ugly day of travel. One couple is on their second loop. On the first, they were on Lake Michigan during the same time of the year as now. They had little problem the first time around and were as surprised as the rest of us at how challenging that part of the trip had been.
Tomorrow, most of us plan to head off together for the next series of locks. The “pleasure boats” traveling in packs from lock to lock is what the lockmasters like to see. I am glad to cooperate so long as they tell me what they want.
No comments:
Post a Comment