To Sabine Yacht Basin

3/14/07 – We arose early hoping to leave and stay ahead of an approaching storm, but it found us first. After an hour of watching our location slowly shift we threw out our other bow anchor, which seemed to grab quite nicely. The winds became fierce (reported 40 mph) and tried to blow our dinghy off the boat, so we wedged it long-ways across the pilot house, and tied it down again. At first sign of clearing we decided to ride it out on the waterways, pulled anchors and left Mermantau River behind. (Not before fishing the Captain's hat out of the water which had blown off his head while pulling up anchor) I continued to get weather reports from both daughters so we knew it wasn’t going to be a pretty day. The sun came out briefly and we had high hopes of missing the storms, but alas alas, it found us again. When we approached the Black Bayou pontoon bridge we were told the lock immediately following the bridge was down until 5pm which meant we’d have to wait about 3 or so hours with the other traffic. UGH! There were already two barges tied off waiting, with a few more coming down the canal towards us. Tom radioed the lock master to be sure our name was ‘on the list’ if that’s how they were going to lock us through. Of-course the rains came down harder as we coasted back and forth on the canal waiting. There are very few choices in these here parts of Louisiana when you’re on the water – we had no option but wait and proceed when called. Somewhere the gods smiled on us and it wasn’t more than 30 minutes later the lock master starting calling boats to line up for the lock through. We were the third called, behind two unencumbered tugs. We threw on life jackets and tossed lines around the cleats along the side wall, as the rains continued to pelt us. Once out the lock we continued through poring rain; an occasional lightening bolt with some thunder thrown in just for fun. (ARE WE HAV’N FUN?!) Fortunately, it’s not a freezing cold rain but with an open pilot house it makes everything wet. It’s very interesting being on the water in the poring rain; without winds, the waterways become smooth, taking on the appearance of blacktop. We managed to find our dockage for the night at the Sabine Yacht Basin just before the last of the storm blew through. We were not totally sure we were in the right place since I had attempted to phone them all day and never got an answer, now I know why. It’s like a boat burial ground and the buildings deserted; obviously another place that didn’t survive a hurricane. Those boats that are not half sunk already have clearly not been attended to for some time.