DAY 1 Sept 3, 2016 ANCHORS AWEIGH !

 

READY TO GO! Fox Chapel Marina, PA

Locking:  Hopefully it’s something we remembered to do to the house before leaving …but this morning we woke up as locking virgins and now going to bed tonight as old pros! At first it’s a challenge–especially when you start with the fenders (aka the bumper-thingies) on one side of the boat and then the lockmaster radios to tell you to move them to the other side.  Maybe that doesn’t seem hard but they have to be tied off at just the right spot to protect the boat and the lines (aka the rope thingies) are scraggly and hardened. On top of that they don’t get tied off where they would for docking purposes because the lock wall hits the boat at a much higher spot (hence THREE tying “opportunities (really SIX, if you count tying and Untying) just for the first lock) The next problem came when the lockmaster passed the hook to catch our line that would hold us to the wall.  Despite doing precisely as instructed by the books, YouTube, and the guy up at the marina, needless to say, the way I “accepted” the hook with our line was entirely wrong.  So we had to UNDO that!  The final blow came when we tried to retrieve our line to exit….of course it got stuck on a post up on the top level of the lock.  The lockmaster came to our aid for that too! We progressively progressed more successfully through the next two locks. So w/ 53 total just on the Ohio River (the first two of our three today were on the Allegheny River!), we will make good use of our first day experience. So we have locked and been damned!  Traveled 36 miles today after a late start at noon and an early end at 3:30.

Gates opening–ready to exit!

Holding onto the line as we descend

Gates closed behind us–all tied up!

LOCKING: Gates closed behind us, holding the line and easing it out as we drop, and gates at the other end opening to the lower level.

Hello Pittsburgh!  The City of Bridges

Good Bye Pittsburgh:  Official starting point of the Ohio River- confluence of the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right)

Ventured up a side ride river ((Beaver River) for the night to dock at a pleasant little marina stocked full of friendly weekenders spending the night on their boats.  Back to our standard flank steak salad dinner (plus actually surprisingly yummy Mendoza Malbec in a box!)  after sardines, crackers and radish (and beers!!)  appetizers.  Lucky to have little Ziggy….wouldn’t have discovered the yummy ice cream spot up the road if we hadn’t had her out for her walk!  Speaking of Ziggy:  she has adapted in a blink to boating life and settles down wherever we are to either nap or take in the scenery.