Cloudy/high fog to start then mostly sunny all day. Warm temperatures into the high 80s. Nice breeze from the NE Clouds in PM and threat of shower but didn't happen.
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Yesterday was a short day and today was a longer day. We did 69 miles and one lock - going upstream!! As I expected the long day we were underway at 0700. The night was clear but just before sun up low clouds formed that looked like Maine Fog floating above us instead of on the water. The first two shots were coming out the channel from the marina.
This shot is just as we turn left and onto the river channel.
And upriver about three miles
And then around 0800 the sun had dissolved all the fog clouds and the sun was out.
It was a very nice ride, We did see four Pleasure Craft coming downriver and a few bass boats doing either 0.01 mph with the electric trolling motor or a 100 mph with their 6000 HP engines. I may have exaggerated a little on that last part but I would sure like to have a radar gun to find out what some of these guys are doing for speed! It is fun just watching them fly by.
There were a few times that the breeze left for a while as you can see in this reflection.
The clouds thickened in the afternoon but we didn't get rained on.
This draw bridge did me a big favor. Shortly after we left the marina for the morning I saw a tow show up on the AIS. He was headed up river and was about twenty five miles ahead of me doing about 5 mph. I was doing about 10 mph. For you math fans, how long in time before I would catch up to him. And how many miles would I traveled to do it? Well it is 5 hours - And now here is the most important question. How many miles will I travel when I catch up to him? 25 you say? 30? or maybe 50? Yes it will be fifty miles until I catch him - but there is a big glitch in that outcome. How far away is the Nickajack lock that I want to pass through today? You guessed it 50 miles. So that means what? Yes boys and girls (I am trying to be kind to my senior readers with the reference) We will arrive at the lock at the same time. My lock luck may have run out today.
So I keep a watch on him and our pace maintains our expectation of arriving at the lock at the same time until I notice he has stopped about 11 miles from the log. What luck!!. I slowly gain ground on him until I am about 2.0 miles away. Oh No he is on the move again. Then head is a railroad bridge that needs to be raised for the barge. He has to wait for 25 minutes - enough for me to catch him and scoot on by. Thanks to CSX.
We move with alacrity the remaining 10 miles to the lock. At about 15 minutes out I call the lock. I am still afraid that he might say I need to wait for the tow to go first - but I hear "That's fine - will have the lock ready - just wait for the light and the horn and then come on in." YEEESSSS!!!
So we drive straight into our own private boat house.
The Nickajack Lake is very nice. Go only a few miles up river to our anchorage for the night.
Looking out to the main channel.
And the bluff wall
And small bluff at our anchor
So time to say .........................
Good Night and May God Bless
You really do have great Lock Luck!
ReplyDeleteWe have been fortunate - and I figured out that the locks have AIS as well - so they can see you coming. Think that helps if you time things right.
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