Nothing beats the smell of NAPALM in the morning.

   

We awoke to the sounds of chain saws and sirens at 6:00 this morning. The french restaurant we had dinner in last night was engulfed in flames. Denny looked at me and said "I didn't think your dinner was that bad." I have a history of gin mills burning down the morning after a visit by me. This is the third one. The power was cut to the area so I started up our generator early and we enjoyed the fire.

There were two other boats ahead of us so we couldn't fit in the lock for the 8:30 lockage (there are only two lockages per day as the lock handlers have to open the locks by hand cranking the valves and lock doors). We were first in line for the 2nd lockage and it didn't matter if there was a second in line as we filled the lock to within 6 feet on either end and 30 inches on either side. The lock master saw us waiting and asked if we really intended to pass through. When the valves were opening the current would push the boat something awful, it was all we could do to keep her from banging the sides of the locks.

After traveling through the 20 miles of locks (at 6 MPH) we entered back into the river and made our way to within 8 miles of the U.S. border where we docked just before dark at the gas dock of the Marina Gosselin. The Marina was closed for the night so we figured we would pay in the morning and top off the fuel.

Don't plan on eating at the Terrasse.

A pleasant morning surprise walking down our dock.

What I usually wake up to.

Threading the needle.

A few more feet of boat and we would have to turn back.

Lock full and gates open.

Off we go.

One of the great sights along the Canal.

She is worth a double take.