Our third and last blog of the day and we are all caught up! We leave Belhaven going down the Pamlico River, through the "cut" connecting to the Alligator River in a stiff wind that is often abeam. Occasional waves of water on the upper deck. Just give me a large piece of canvas and I'm protected from wind and waves!!
Going down the wide Alligator River, Mike and I are trying to make out this structure in the distance. Oh my, its a long, long bridge with a "swing" at its center. Now, the guide book said we would need to open a swing bridge with a twelve foot clearance that opens on demand. Our experience to this point has been to anticipate a lightly traveled road in a rural area. This is a major route to the Outer Banks at Hatteras. We can see they are working on this bridge and have it down to one lane on this warm and lovely Sunday. Long, very long lines of traffic back up as they let each side through alternately. We approach and call the bridge. The tender responds, he will open when the traffic clears and, now, the drama begins. When the time comes, the bridge does not work. The workers are painting the bridge, not working on its mechanics. Several of the workers are carrying marine radios and we'd have to say, not particularly well train in radio etiquette. The workers, Ramon, in particular, attempt bridge repair. While Ramon is trying to get the bridge to swing, traffic is backing up for miles in both directions. Angry motorists are out of their cars pacing the bridge. We can hear the workers and bridge tender talking. "You'd think they'd have something better then a rope to move this bridge" Not the exact words used! "I've got something better in my truck." Next thing we know, Ramon comes streaking across the water in a boat. Tries again. No go. "We've got to let this traffic clear" Tender calls the city. Repairman is on the way. We watch a yellow truck make its way across the bridge. Workman on radio, "Why you think they're painting this piece of ......., if it doesn't work?" City maintenance works his magic. They all begin to make plans for what to do if this doesn't work this time. It's swinging!! We pass through to cheers and shouts from the workman. Just an hour and a half after the first call!
No comments:
Post a Comment