Passage - Coinjock Marina - Ocean Marina Yacht Center
48 SM 9.2 Engine Hours
7:25 AM Underway
2:12 PM Docked Top Rack Marina Port side to fuel dock ( for fuel )
2:41 PM Underway
3:46 PM Docked slip A11 port side stern in.

I hate locks. Susan hates locks. OK we haven't been through many locks. So, we still have not built up confidence from experience. But locks jack Susan and me up whenever we go through one. Maybe it's the swirls of water. Maybe it's whatever you can't see that's going on under water that causes the water to drop or rise. Maybe it's the terrible angles we have to tend to lines as the boat pulls away from the wall of the lock as the water drops. Maybe it's our fenders moving around and not protecting the sides of Liquid Therapy. Maybe it's the current or wind combination swirling around down inside pushing us in abnormal directions. Maybe it's the lock tenders changing their mind on what we should do.
Well today things didn't go too great. We thought we would dock to the south side of the Great Bridge Lock that is covered in rubber. We don't need fenders on that side either. Hey you can't screw that up too much. So, we rig our lines for that side. But there are LOTS of boat's locking through at the same time. And some are going to have to go to the North side of the lock which is concrete and steel. Susan cut her hand right badly on that one other time. So, we are really trying to go to the south side of the lock. That will be our port side. Susan rigs fenders on the starboard side just in case we have to go to the other side.
In we go and yea there is space on the south wall for us. We pull in unassisted by the busy lock tender guys. I tell Susan to loop on to a targeted cleat on the shore. She struggles and finally gets it. However, the following current pushes Liquid Therapy away from the wall too fast for me to adjust with motor and rudder. The lock guy says, he just go over to the north wall. We cast off and I head that way. I get the bow near the wall and the lock guy gets the line. But again the inrushing water pushes the stern around - uh into middle of the lock and I can see a collision with the yacht in from of me if I don't control the stern of Liquid Therapy. I swing the rudder hard to port and the stern of Liquid Therapy moves away from the multimillion dollar yacht. BAM goes the port side of Liquid Therapy into the concrete steel north wall of the. Did I mention we had no fenders on the port side of Liquid Therapy because that was going to be against the rubber south wall. Embarrassed that we are the only northbound boat in the lock facing south as we get tied up for the down elevator. Nope not embarrassed. Just trying to figure out what I could have done different. The delivery captain ahead of me on the multimillion dollar yacht and I chat. He says he says that happens all the time. I think he's trying to make me feel better about the emergency maneuver I did that prevented me hitting the yacht he is delivering. Although, I now have a big dent in my rub railing. Well that's why it's called a rub railing.
The lock doors come open and everyone exits on the south wall and ahead of me on the north wall. I feel like everyone is feeling sorry for me or chuckling at me facing the opposite direction I am supposed to be headed. I consider backing out of the lock. I COULD DO THAT. The lock tender guy says it's 72' wide. So, I jockey L.T. forward and aft to turn around in the lock and head out. Then, I wonder is there a youtube video of crazy things that happen in locks? I wonder if we will be added to that channel.

OK, on up the Elizabeth River to Top Rack Marina to FILL UP. We may not need any fuel all summer after a total fill up. We are still a little rattled as we dock at the fuel dock unassisted. I called them on the VHF and got no response. So, Susan and I can do this docking unassisted. RIGHT? We are still a little rattled from our lock experience. A fellow boater comes over and helps us dockhand says the dock hands are moving boats in the Hi-Dry stack. We fill up. Well mostly. Because I am not Captain Joe Hazelwood and don't want to overfill L.T. even though this is the cheapest fuel in Virginia. Greasy Greed!

Off we go to our destination marina. Nice ride up with too many things to look at. Lot's of ships, tugs, military repairs going on this stretch of the Elizabeth River. Nice weather at least. Still rattled from the lock incident it takes me two attempts to back into the slip.

And then the day travel is over and we realize tomorrow is our last day of our winter journey. We are both sad about that. We walk to a nice Italian restaurant and have a celebratory meal.

Today's picture is of some of our Navy ships in the Norfolk Shipyard.
USS James E. Williams (DDG-95), USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) & USS Milius (DDG-69)