Paul and Jan's Most Excellent Adventures: "African Queen" or "Deliverance?"

After we tied up at Korth's Pirate Lair yesterday, we partook in both food and grog. We were pretty tired from sailing all day, but we caught this "oh-so-true" icon of the delta on our way out of the restaurant...

Mainland equivalent of "Hawaiian time!"

These are some of the original banana trees planted at Korth's Pirate Lair in the 1930's. The owners love Hawaii and have a house on the Big Island, so they wanted the Hawaiian "feel."

Looks like Jan has island fever...

A beautiful sunset.

At around 10 a.m. Saturday, we left Korth's and after stopping at the Spindrift Marina to get some groceries, ice and a much-needed toenail clipper we headed further upstream towards the town of Locke.

"Aloha, Korth's!"

Around several bends, we came to the first bridge and needed to radio for them to open it for us.

"Aloha tower control, this is 35-ft. sailboat requesting the bridge to open...please."

After a short wait, the tower rotated the bridge and we passed through. After we were clear, I radio'd them again..."Maaaahalo tower control, we are clear, and you have a great day!"

The temps were rising rapidly and we were in need of a cool dip in the flowing river...Paul went first.

A PERFECT backflip off the bowsprit...10 points!

"Whoa, THAT feels GOOD!"

By now, the temperature was close to 95 degrees! You were dry in minutes after getting out of the water.

Jan went next...

Using her highly refined surfer's balance, she steps out on one rail...

She JUMPS with cat-like finesse...
MEOWWWWW!

KER-PLUNK! Into the 75-degree water that wasn't salty at all!

So different!

THAT was fun, and the water felt really good!

Even though Trim was in "neutral," the current was dragging my legs downstream from the ladder.

After all that, we ventured up into the "Amazon..."

This Delta diver's performance wasn't as good as mine...

"I think its THIS way, Mr. Bogart," Jan says, as the river gets more and more narrow...

"Don't you worry there, miss, I'll get us there, NO problem!"

And then, the boat STOPPED, stuck in the mud. "But, but...the GPS said the shallow marsh was over THERE..."

Bogey, in our trusty Zodiac, rowed our stern anchor out into deeper water and set it..."don't worry, Miss, I'll get us out of here real quick, like."

After a 15-minute wait (luckily the tide was coming in, and even though we are 50 miles from the ocean, its still a 2-foot tide), we were able to pull ourselves free with the anchor and having the boat gently in reverse.

"I told you, miss, we'd be moving upstream soon."

As we progressed up the waterway, the banks were getting closer and closer.

Hmm, where ARE we?
Nice trees in the Amazon river...

We came around the bend, depth reading was 7 feet into an Amazonian-looking waterway called "Railroad Cut Slough," which backs up to the town of Locke, a Chinatown dating back to the 1930's. The Chinese laborers made all of the 1100 miles of levies that created the river Delta area.

"Honey, we're home..." Tying Trim to a TREE, after dropping the stern anchor as we came to the bank.

Which tree? This one, or that one, miss?

Our view of the slough.

I think I hear "Dueling Banjos."

Trimming Out looks better than the "African Queen."

Just some of our Amazonian flora and fauna, ten feet away from the boat.

We loaded the laptop into the dinghy and took a twelve-minute walk into the Chinatown of Locke in search of dinner and a much-needed internet connection...we found both at Al the Wop's (true name of the restaurant) where we were told we could find wi-fi and the best steak ever).