May 14th Thursday

 

0600  Underway Winds much better at 10 to 15.  Overcast.

0845  Made it across the bay.  Did a one gal test run at

          1450RPM 5.4 MPH 7.71 MPG.

1700  Continued on slow speed until Port O’Connor 473WHL I called the coast guard and ask if they had any information on the lock at the Colorado River.  He did not know but would check and let me know.  In less than 5 minutes he called me back with the bad news.  They were still working on the lock from 7am to  7 PM everyday.  This was bad timing for me.  If I continued at slow speed I wouldn’t make the lock until sometime tomorrow after 7am.  Then I would just have to sit all day at the lock.  The bect I can remember there is not a good place to dock on the West side of the lock.  I could keep running tonight and get through but I have been avoiding running at dark. 

1710 Picked up speed to around 20MPH and ran the 40

        miles to the lock.

1830 Made it through the lock and swing bridge.  I could not get the lockmaster to answer me on the radio after several attempts.  There was a tug and barge going through so I just got on his tail and followed.  He was the last one headed East.  There were about 6 on the East side lined up to go through to the West.  I was lucky on that one.  I tied up at the Matagorda Marina again.  This was a good spot to stop.  I got fuel and ice here on the way over.  This is also the place that a shrimp boat had just come in and I bought a pound of shrimp (16 shrimp) right off the boat.  Tonight I took out the COBB and grilled the split chicken.  While the chicken was cooking I looked into my radio problem.  My antenna is gone.  I am using antenna that screws onto what they call and NMO base.  The base is there but the antenna has come unscrewed.  I have been using this type of base for as long as I can remember and have never had this happen.  I have a wire with an alligator clip that is about 20 inches long.  I clipped that to to the little nipple on the base.  This works a little but not great. I also have the new portable that I just bought. 

1900 I emailed Alok a couple of times and we agreed to met

        at Harborwalk at 1400 tomorrow.