St. Peter's Canal

This whole incident was very confusing to me. The bridge in the picture is a swing bridge and I need the call the bridge master for him to open it. So I tie up and see this sign (above)...looking for some phone number written to call (as the sign seems to indicate) someone to let me through. I neglected to see this little phone with the box closed. Any way, I call on the VHF radio to the coast guard to see what I am supposed to do, they suggest a few channels for me to call the bridge master on...no luck. I walk up to the little control house...no one there. I come back down and stand in front of the sign for a little while, scratching my head at this confusing sign with no phone number. I see the box...proceed to force it open (a little rusty on the hinges). I feel a little like i am geocaching...so close to finding the cache just looking for a clue. A phone is inside...I pick up the phone and it starts ringing...a girl answers...I am not even sure what to say...-long pause-... I am on the telephone and feel I should introduce myself, say my first name and in a long complicated way I tell them what I need because I don't really know who I am calling. Some home down the street who comes down to open this bridge or something? After the long pause I force myself to remember that just because I am physically on land and speaking on the telephone I have to talk in boat terms. "This is sailing vessel Chanty requesting passage through the St Peters Canal swing bridge." It was all very weird. Its sort of like seeing some one you work with at the grocery store with street cloths instead of a uniform and wondering to yourself...how do I know that person. Out of context. Then (totally unrelated) a bunch of people (well maybe 3-4) with cameras show up and start taking pictures of the boat as if someone send out a memo..." boat going through swing bridge...don't miss it" Even more weird...one starts running to get a shot from the front of the boat but she couldn't run fast enough. Every time she stops there isn't quite enough time for her to take the picture. I felt a little bad and slow down for her. It was just a weird experience. I wonder if I said "weird" enough times.