So as requested by the lock master we were up and ready to go at 6 am. He then read out the order in which the barges and pleasure boats( us) would go through.
As it turns out , we had to wait and finally go into the lock at 9 am. The lock was dirty, rusty and instead of a flat lock wall it had rounded concrete posts. Tax payers money obviously no going to this lock in Ohio!
Got through in about 1/2 hour and finally on our way ( after a 19 hours wait ) ,to the turnoff at the Ohio and Cumberland junction. The whole thing was a farce and something needs to be done to improve the situation at Lock 52! Perhaps some better PR training of the lock keepers there would also help!
Enough to said on this subject!!
Interesting , the Ohio River at this point is Illinois on the north side and Kentucky on the south side.
We had a god run the rest of the way and the Cumberland River was quiet and picturesque .
And best of all no barges were running! We got the big new Barkley lock by mid afternoon and the lock keeper was ready and waiting for us. This lock has a 57 ft lift and once the gates were shut we were up the 57 ft in 10 minutes.Graeme says 8 minutes!
Then it was a very short distance into the Green Turtle Bay Marina, which is like a big holiday camp for boaters and espcially the great loopers!
Erica had booked a Swedish massage at 4.30 pm at the on site Jade and Earth Spa. We docked and settled in.Graeme started hosing down the boat and the two legged Lady Erica went off to have her calming and relaxing one hour experience !
Later a group of our smaller flotilla members had dinner together at the on site Commonwealth Yacht Club .Great facilities here and a courtesy car of our use tomorrow . Lots of welcomes from our fellow loopers also.
We are learning more and more about some of the loopers that they have sold up their homes and are living the loopers dream on their boats
Time now for rest and bed. Look at our little visitor we found on our boat!
Over and out,
E and G.
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