Red, Left Port Window-Mounted Post-It Reminders
The Nassau Mills Lock Master told us about a large boat that went hard aground immediately after leaving his Lock. Unable to get the boat off by any other means, the Park Service raised the river's water level. "It took three days to get the water high enough, but we did it", the Lock Master said. Red, left port. Red, left port. As a memory aid there are now red (on port) and green (on starboard) Post-Its on the wheelhouse's center window.
Fall is In the Air
The sign on the dock said, 'Don't get too close. We may be swimming naked.' Look as we may we saw no one. Oh well, it is 62°F out and the water is only one degree warmer than that.
On the Blue Line in Hastings Lock 18
While crossing Rice Lake, named for the wild rice that once grew there, Nellie's 10' water depth alarm sounded. Shortly thereafter our speed dropped percipitously while fuel consumption went up by 25%. Hmm, we've seen this before--thy name is grass. After stopping the boat and going hard in reverse, Bicki reported seeing clumps of weeds in our wake. Sure enough, both speed and fuel consumption then went back to normal.
Self-Trending Lock Lines
All the Trent-Severn locks have plastic-coated, wire rope, mooring lines. They're mounted vertically and spaced 8' apart along the lock's length. One end of the mooring line is fastened to the top of the lock's wall while the other end is also fastened to the lock's wall but well underwater. The mooring lines are used by boaters to keep their craft in place while locking. We've found that a short loop around the mooring line, which is then made fast to a hawse cleat, frees our hands to do other things.
The Whole Trent-Severn to Date but Only Peterborough to Hardy Island Today
As expected, today's flat lands, and only one lock, allowed us to put some miles under the keel; 48 miles to be exact. That puts this year's total at a nice round 1800 miles. Tonight we're on a well set anchor in a pretty bay on the east side of Hardy Island. DBH
