Our First Rescue at Sea

September 29, 2011

I guess we should have paid attention when the tow boat captains were talking to each other about how they were going to lay their barges up against the bank and stay put until the 5 foot rollers settled down.  They were afraid their loads would break apart in the rough sea.  Lake Pepin can be very treacherous when the winds pick up.  It is a shallow lake with great width and length.  Well, the wind did pick up and we had gusts of 50 miles per hour.   As we crossed the lake, John noticed one of the cushions from the upper station fly over the bow of the boat....it was moving much faster than we were!  When it touched down, John was able to turn around and 't' bone it.  Brian and I went to the rail to catch it with the boat hook and Gail went to the upper deck to secure the other 3.  No bodies went overboard in the rescue and we thought that was our excitement for the day.  The rest of the way across the lake was without problems as was the first lock.  However, the second lock was challenging and the third one was beyond scary.  As we approached the lock we didn't think it would be worse than the second, but about the time we were entering the gate (and it was too late to turn back) we saw endless 3 foot rollers in the chamber.  Each of us had the same thought -- this is a bad plan!  The wind was howling.  The sky was dark.  It was ominous.  Fenders and lines were all secured on the boat, but we can't get to the wall to secure ourselves against it.  The waves and wind were pushing us so hard we weren't sure we'd be able to stop before we got to the gate at the far end of the lock -- even if we threw it in reverse.  Brian was doing everything he could to keep us from hitting the wall and away from the chamber doors.  At one point we were twisted sideways and it looked like we would hit the wall with the stern.  Brian is pushing us forward, backward and using the bow thrusters.  Black smoke is belching out of the exhaust -- the engine is getting such a workout.  John, Gail and I kept reaching for lines that the dock master was throwing to us, but we couldn't get close enough to catch them.  John was able to throw a line from the boat to the dock master, but we were bouncing and pulling so violently, that it ripped the line loose and bent the steel hause pipe in two.  We were unattached again -----.  After what seemed like forever, we did manage to get another line from the boat to the dock master.  He tied us off and dropped other lines to Gail and I.  At last, we were secured to the wall for the nine foot drop.  The stress and fear of bodily harm left all of us exhausted.  The dock master offered us the cargo dock behind the wall of the lock for the night.  Sounded good to everyone even though it was just 2:00.  We decided we had had enough for one day.  The wind and waves made what would normally be a 10 minute docking job into a 45 minute task and now  it was raining.  Lashed to the dock; we all scrambled inside to relax and warm up.  Gail made a delicious chicken pot pie from scratch for dinner.  It was a wild day, but challenging and rewarding.  We had worked well as a team and we had a memory that none of us will forget---no matter how hard we try! 

The day begins clear and sunny

Downtown Wabasha and the eagle center



The sky is getting darker and the waves are building



Lock entrance -- last chance to turn around

Finally --Secured for the night