It worked great for two of the three locks we had to go through. The first two, that is. We three boats, As You Wish, Bay Tripper, and Cat-n-Dogs stuck together with Bay Tripper in the lead. The lock masters had the doors opened and waiting for us. It all went like clockwork.
Bay Tripper in the lead, As You Wish behind them. |
The stretch to the third lock was a bit longer. Bay Tripper, who'd been traveling faster than the rest of us, managed to get quite a distance ahead. About 2 miles from the lock we heard them call to request passage. The lockmaster said he'd wait. SlowBoat got on the radio right away saying they were already in the lock and ready to go. The lockmaster repeated that he would wait. Bay Tripper then said there were two other boats behind him (us). The lockmaster said we'd wait for us, too. Armed with that, we both sped up a bit, not wanting to hold up the show.
The falls at Canajoharie |
We did get there in just a few minutes. Bay Tripper was on the port side, pulled far ahead. SlowBoat was on the starboard side, smack in the middle of the wall. So As You Wish pulled up next to Slowboat, on the port side. As Cat-n-Dogs entered the channel the lockmaster told us to stay on the port side as well, so we buttoned up behind As You Wish. We hadn't fully secured ourselves to the wall when they closed the doors behind us.
Van Alstyne homestead, 1749. Still a residence. |
I've mentioned that, at this point in the process, we wrap lines around our cleats and manage them as we go up. Some folks just hold the lines themselves. We think SlowBoat did just that. But when the chamber filled with water, the fill came from the starboard side. This pushed their boat away from the wall so hard that they couldn't hold on and let go. SlowBoat drifted sideways and into As You Wish.
Thankfully, no people or boats were damaged. |
Everyone had fenders on them, so no damage was done other than some scuffing.
Once the doors were opened, SlowBoat immediately got on the radio and yelled about how this was all the lockmaster's fault. That, if they'd been allowed to lock through that would have never happened.
The rest of us were flabbergasted.
I tell ya, everyday's an adventure.
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