Day Nine: Rain and Consequences

Hoping to make it home today, we got an early start. By lunch time we passed through three locks.  One had the largest lift of the trip at more than 25 ft.

Ahead of us stretched a thirty mile section without locks. But it wasn’t a free ride. Ten lift bridges lay ahead of us, each with a delay.

After lunch the rain hit. This time the lightning strikes were very close. We passed through the Holley Lift Bridge and continued five miles to the Hulberton Lift Bridge.

Pulling up to the bridge Phil radioed the bridge master to request passage. He informed us that he couldn’t raise the bridge. A transformer blew out in town and he had no power.

We tied up at the wall to consider our options.  This would be a difficult place to overnight since we were in a rural area with no amenities.  The bridge operator came over to talk and we exchanged cell phone number so he could inform us of developments. Power might be back on in 4 – 6 hours.

We decided to back track four miles to Holley where the town tie-up wall had power and stores and restaurants were in walking distance. About six o-clock, we got a call that the Hulberton Bridge had power back and could lift the bridge. Too late though, we’re spending the night in Holley.