A Birthday

We had a great dinner and a great time!

Locking Through

I promised you pictures from our 4th of July trip locking through. The first one is our approach to the locks. Notice the bridge above the dam where we saw several logging trucks.

The next picture is as we were going in. There was no other traffic at the time so we and a small power boat were able to go right in.

The third picture is of us about 1/2 way down. It is 49 feet from Wheeler Lake to Lake Wilson. We had a bow line and a stern line around the bollard going down. I had to hold us off of the walls of the lock to keep the spreaders from hitting. Dad was in the stern and I was sitting by the mast.

The gate is opening. There was a little fishing boat right outside the gate. He got out of there fast as he had no way of knowing whether we were a small boat or a big barge coming out.

They keep opening. The lock master (a lady) sounded a blast.

The light is so bright but we enter Lake Wilson.

Later in the day after we had been to the other end of the lake, we decided we like our lake better so we started back. Except that there was a barge waiting to be locked through. He had to wait until the lock came down for him, he went in, locked up, and we had to wait until the lock came down for us. About 2 hours.

It was fun and awesome to watch the water come out of the lock. Before it does though, the lock master sounds what sounds a siren to warn people that the water will start coming.

Then we went into the lock.

Locking back up was harder. This time, the water was pushing us off of the wall and we had to hold the boat in on the bollard. I managed to lose the pole I thought I was going to have to use to hold us off. Thus not so many pictures as we were really busy. Dad has already bought another larger line for us to use if we lock through any other time.

And thus was our adventure!