Joe Wheeler

We got out of Little Bear Creek at about eight o'clock this morning.  The temperature was about 57 degrees, but the sun was shining with little clouds.  By 9:30 a.m. we were in Wilson Lock for a 93 foot lift.  The lock master was very nice and informative coming out to talk to us as the lockage was just about done.  He started out by saying "I've got to tell you something."  I said "Uh-oh!"  He said "No, it's a good thing."  He said in all his 20 years at that lock no one had ever asked him which bollards were the least turbulent for locking up.  He said he used to tell boaters all the time not to take the center bollard for that reason, but they would inevitably never listen and brag that they had been locking for 12 years.  I explained that we had been on the wrong bollard before and learned.  As he explained the valves that open up to fill that chamber could potentially fill it in 12 seconds, but there is a control that he cannot override to keep it slower.  With that knowledge and a couple anchorages to pass on to Bill and Patty for Wilson Lake, we were on our way.

This cute little bird took a ride up on the bollard in front of us.

We took a detour into the second cove on port side to show Bill and Patty a small anchorage that Ray and I call The Cow Pasture, where we have ridden out a couple storms over the years.  They said they liked it and would keep it in mind for future reference.
Then it was on through the 15 miles of Wilson Lake and into Wheeler Lock at 12:15 p.m.  We timed both locks just right.  There was a tow going into Wilson when we came out and one coming out of Wheeler when we went in.  Wheeler was a 48 foot lift that took about 20 minutes.
A couple more coves to port and we were in First Creek, where we had originally intended to anchor, but just prior to our arrival, Shirley on "Joint Venture" called and said we could tie on the outside of the last set of covered slips.  Stan and Shirley were there to grab our lines and we were tied off by 1:15 p.m. right next to their slip.  "Conched Out Too" tied in front of me.
After our 28 mile trip, we enjoyed hanging out on the dock and catching up with old friends and new. The spread they served for dinner was a fabulous bonus.  They plan to meet us again tomorrow in Decatur where they live.