August 3, 2017

Today was another day of new experiences.  You would think that after 5 months and over 5000 miles we would have experienced it all.  WRONG.  They weren't bad experiences, more of one learning to be patience.  We hit the water at 5:45AM ready to roll..  Went 1/4 of a mile and called the lock master for a pass through.  We were then informed that a tug pushing 9 barges was coming.  We could go through with him, but would have to wait till he was all settled inside the lock.  We waited patiently for about 30 minutes and then it was our turn to squeeze in.  The tug and his barges were 105 ft. across, the lock is 110ft. wide. There was just enough room for us to snuggle in next to the tug and not get our dinghy caught in the gate.  After we started filling up the lock master informed us that the lock was closing after this pass through until 6:00PM.  We just made it.  Our next lock was 20 miles down river and we got there and nobody waiting.  We then learned that a tug was coming up and we would be next.  It was going to be a while, we best  tie off on the big bumper in the middle of the river and wait.  We did,

after about 45 minutes the gates opened and a tug with 12 barges slowly moved out.  After an hour and a half we were locked in and ready to go.  That's when the lock master explained that if that tug

had 15 barges it would have taken 3 hours for them to go through 1 lock.  The tug pushes 12 in the lock and then the next three.  The lock goes up without the tug.  When the lock is opened the people at the lock then pull the barges out of the lock by hand and little boat, one at a time until the lock is empty and goes down and gets the tug.  Thank goodness that wasn't a 15 barge.  I thought the trucks on the Interstate were bad, but the tugs on the river are something else.  Barges parked on the side of the river 3 and 4 deep,tugs pushing any where from 1 to 15.

Jim on bumper in the middle of river

Tug with 15 barges.  3 across by 5 deep

Foggy lonely morning

We also watched Turkey's, Bald Eagles, and Golden Eagles.  The towns were few and far between and lonely water in between.  After 102 miles we called it a day.  We're at  a very sad marina.  At one time it was probably a very big deal, but time, economy, age, and neglect has been hard on it.  But it was a port in the storm and after 13 hours we were ready to quit.  It has electric for our air conditioning and that's all that matters.

Bottom of the lock