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| RAIN! Ted doesn't drive from the lower helm so the wipers are just for show. Never used them |
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| Yup, this is how 'beauty' looks. Reminiscent of our 'Big Trip' 6 years ago - even the rain pants with the patch. |
Woke up to a lot of rain. Hurried to make it to the bridge
opening at 9:00 which was 5 miles away. It didn’t open until 9:20 and we had to
make it to the locks by 11:00 a.m. Not a
lot of time. Once we got through the lift bridge, we went a little way and saw
another lift bridge that we didn’t expect. It was already open! 9-Knot-Ted gave it his best shot but as we
pulled up, a ship exited and the lift bridge went down. It was another 20
minutes until the Bridge Master (?) opened as he had to clear car traffic.
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| Today's route |
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| Lift Bridge Down |
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| Lift Bridge Up |
Saw many ships today. Took pictures of few.
Hurried to reach the Canadian Upper Beauharnois and arrived at the waiting dock, only to have
to wait almost 3 hours - ships have priority. Another boat tied up to us – a lovely French couple. The gentleman spoke only a little English.
His lady spoke better English – and Ted and I – well, you already know how well
we speak French. He gave us restaurant tips to which Ted CLAIMS he couldn’t
understand. I clearly heard Chateau Montebello.
The couple (didn’t get their names and was too embarrassed to ask after 3
hours) have a large black cat who roams their bow and gunwales. I’m not superstitious, but the way things
have been going, there is something in me that hopes that cat doesn’t jump
over.
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| 3 hours at the 'waiting dock' |
Not sure if this boat trip is aging me or keeping me young. Could go either way but right now …. feel like I'm aging - quickly. The ‘joy’ of
doing commercial locks is escaping me. It’s much better today (what wouldn’t
be) so, for that, I’m grateful. When in
the Upper and Lower Beauharnois Locks we were the largest boat so they put us
on the wall and had 2 other boats raft off us. Ted and I caught the lines off
the wall and let them out as we went down in the lock – Ted on the aft and me
on the bow. My fenders and lines were
out on both port and starboard as I never know where we are going to have to go
on the waiting docks or the locks. Fine … but we had two boats tied off our
starboard side. Those people sat there chatting and laughing while Simple
Pleasures held all three. But of course, I’m not complaining. Well, maybe a tat
– and it’s not difficult but Ted complained too. It happened in 3 out of 4
locks and Ted spent most of his day tying lines on our boat AND everyone else’s.
I, as well as those who know Ted well, would think this is one of Ted’s dreams,
but it turns out, he is ‘over’ tying lines all day!!! The boaters we met today were all French - yet almost all spoke English. And I love the way boaters always help other boaters regardless of the language barrier. Evidently boaters speak "boat". We all knew what each other needed to maneuver these locks - and we are so grateful to those boaters who helped us with catching lines, etc.
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| In the locks and 3 abreast. We also had 2 off our starboard side |
At 5:00 we arrived at Cote Ste. Catherine Lock after a 16
mile cruise. 2 ships had to go through before we could get into the lock. Two gentlemen who were also on the VERY
LITTLE waiting dock moved their boats so we could dock. We were stern in with
our bow prominently out beyond the dock.
One of our locking buddies, who tied off us in the prior two locks, tied
off us again. And so, again, we waited. One hour wait.
Finally, we finished the last lock – Ste. Lambert – and I
don’t recall being happier for anything to be over. Well, maybe
childbirth. As I expressed my
celebratory mood to Ted, he informed me we have to go back through the last 2
locks to get to Ottawa Monday(?). As he
is my ticket back to Alex Bay, I let him live.
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| Last Commercial Lock - Ste. Lambert |
We arrived at Port d’Escale Marina in Old Montreal and I AM ENTHRALLED!! It is everything I had hoped and that fellow boaters, who made this cruise a few years ago, had told us. The marina is a U-shaped Basin and we are at the bottom of the U next to the Office and not far from the Rest Rooms (bonus!). I can’t wait until tomorrow as we arrived around 8:00 and were too exhausted to go out. The lights around the marina are breathtaking! There are fireworks off our Port side as I am writing. So grateful we are here and, like childbirth, I am already forgetting the pain of getting here.
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| Seeing Montreal |
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| Entering Port d'Escale Marina in Old Montreal |
Sorry we are missing friends Paula & Rob from Charlottesville but they sent me this picture tonight.
They are staying with dear friend Lynn (Odyssey) and we had a wonderful week full of
adventures with them on our boat a few years ago (before our boat would only
sleep 2). HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAULA!
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| Lynn & Paula - (Hey, where's Rob?) |
We have so many family and friends in Dorian’s path. Praying for all to escape her and hoping it
weakens quickly. Son Joe, Jenn and Cam who
are in Boca are flying out Sunday. Jenn
tells me it may hit there Tuesday
morning. Kendall should be safe in
Tallahassee. Whether evacuating or
staying, we hope all who are in the path are safe.
2 comments:
Arriving at that marina seems to sooth all the agony it took to get there. Enjoy your stay in old Montreal, it's an amazing place. We partied on the dock tonight until after midnight. Blues in Bay tomorrow.
Miles, you were right - it is fabulous. I never want to leave. I don't even want to leave the boat to see Montreal (but of course we will). We are still VERY tired but so grateful to be here. And glad you found a way to comment. I have to write my reply, click 'publish' which takes me to a google sign-in and then click 'publish' again EVERY time I want to reply to a comment.
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