Slowly… Very slowly… The leaning Aleph Tav approached the Mayaka bridge. With one hand on the helm and the other on the gear lever, I watched and listened, ready to throw the engine in reverse, while every one stood like statues gazing up.
At the point where we would have made contact, instead of a bang, or a scrape, there was perfect silence. We slipped perfectly under the bridge with about an inch or so to spare. For a breathtaking 40 seconds, every cable, rope, and pulley held Aleph Tav at an angle till she cleared the other side of the bridge. The shouts of joy would have been heard far away, if there would have been some one there to hear them.
I made my way to the main mast with my heart still pounding and ucleated the crane line. The hours it took for us to lean this large vessel over, were swallowed up in one second as the mast sprang straight up. In that moment, some 8 to 10 days of extra travel simply vanished.
Amazing how much a person can gain by leaning down toward something that could have been abandoned long ago…
We radioed the Port Mayaka lock to request passage into the Okeechobee lake, about 15 minutes before they closed for the evening.
“… You are welcome to stay in the safety of the canal till we open tomorrow morning.” Offered the friendly lock operator over the radio.
“Thank you, but we would rather be on the other side of the lock.” I responded.
The lock gates slowly opened, allowing us to enter the Okeechobee lake. I don’t exactly know why we had to spend the evening on the other side of the lock, but the joy of seeing that wide open water was difficult to describe, and nothing, and I mean nothing, could rob me of that joy…
“Captain, your welcome to tie off to one of those dolphins if your going to spend the night.” said the lock operator over the radio.
A dolphin is a group of posts wrapped with a large cable. There are usually several dolphins in a row serving as bumpers to guide large vessels into a narrow waterway. I had never heard of such thing; tying off to a dolphin. Why would anyone do that?…
“… Come again???” I asked over the radio.
“The dolphins. You may tie your vessel to any one of the dolphins out there.” Responded the lock operator.
“You want me to tie my vessel to a dolphin?…” I asked, making sure I was hearing correctly.
“Yes Captain, things are pretty laid back here, as long as your planing to head out in the morning.”
“Okay… Thanks!?…” I responded, and with that, I headed to one of the dolphins.
Suddenly we all leaned forwards as Aleph Tav came to a stop and sprang backwards …
Did I say “nothing” could rob my joy?…
Well, that is true, but I had no problem tossing it right out the hatch in a split second, the moment I realized what had just happened. A five inch thick dock rope left behind by some old barge, snagged our propeller beneath the murky waters. What was to be a sweet, restful, and very rewarding evening was now completely ruined.
“Why!!! Why!!! WHY!!!” I ranted, “What kind of an idiot tells some one to tie a boat to a stupid dolphin?????!!!” I continued in my torment.
“CAN SOME ONE PLEEEEEASE TELL ME WHY!!!! WHY!!! WHY????” I demanded as if some one would have an answer to the question…
“Idiot!!! Idiot!!! I-DI-OOOOOOT!!!!!!” I continued without reprieve.
“Lock operator” I radioed, “…be advised there is a line hanging off one of the dolphins that may be a water hazard. Once we are free, we will dispose of it for you. Have a great evening.”
‘Oh if I could only figure out how to feel as pleasant as I sounded over the radio…’ I thought.
Seeing my distress, Andre felt lead to rescue the situation. Starring into the murky water with his bathing suit and a long sleeve shirt he explained: “It’s not the cold water, it’s what’s in it… I swear; if a monster gets me, I’m gonna kill it!!!”
“Andre!” I encouraged, “are you kidding me?… Monsters?… Be serious and stop being a wimp! I would do it, but I can’t stand getting wet…”
“Dad!!!” He complained touching the soupy water with his big toe, “I won’t even see it coming!!!”
“Andre, this is ridiculous, we are in a lake… A LAKE!!! for goodness sake, get in the water and cut that stupid rope!”
“I’ll save you Andre…” Comforted mom while holding a spot light into the water.
After much coaxing, Andre vanished under the water, then sprang up the step ladder screaming: “I SWEAR, if something touches me I’m gonna freak!!!”
“Andre!…” I continued to encourage, and I use the word “encourage” loosely. “This is so dumb!!! First an idiot lock operator tells me to tie the boat to a stupid dolphin, then my son thinks there’s a monster in the water… COME ON!!!!!”
At that Andre vanished again…
Some time later, we got a call from Captain Raymond who was exited to hear about our accomplishment of getting Aleph Tav under the Mayaka bridge. As soon as I told him that our prop had gotten stuck on a thick dock line once we entered lake Okeechobee, he interrupted; “Rabbi, that there lake is infested with gators and water moccasins. Y’all are gona have to free that there line with out goi’n in the water…”
To be continued