Chapter 62: Troy to Amsterdam

Log 62
Troy NY to Amsterdam NY

5:10 AM
Wednesday, July 05, 2000
Tied to lock #11 wall
Amsterdam NY.

Day

The guidebook says to leave Troy docks at 7 AM to get the best jump on the Eire Canal, and that is exactly what we did. Steve and I were both up early. I got up to write this log, and he must have got up to clean, because that is exactly what he did. By the time 6:30 came around we were both antsy to get started, and by 6:45 we were rolling.
The first lock was Troy Lock, and it was only about ½ mile away. They opened at 7 AM, and were their first customer. We were also joined by a 60+ foot Viking Sport Fish (Eagle One) who was behind us at the Troy Town Dock. They had a captain, and crew aboard, as well as the new owners, and were heading to Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Once we exited the Troy Lock we only had about 2 miles to go before we had to make a decision on whether we go north toward Lake Champlain, or west on the Eire Canal. The first lock we came to was Lock #2. (No fancy names for these New Yorkers….and where did lock #1 go to?) It was an old lock and when you got to the top of the 45-foot lift you could look over at the original lock that was dug by hand back over 170 years ago. We no more than got out of that lock and we were back in another one (Lock #3). Then another, then another. We actually went through 5 locks in about 2 to 3 miles. All of them lifted us between 15 and 45 feet, so before we were done we had been lifted about 167 feet in a very short time. Once we got out of lock # 6 things started to spread out a little, and the locks were about 30 minutes to an hour apart. This is the way they explain them in the guidebook, and the reason is they have a speed limit on the water, and so everyone goes the same speed if you are “canalling”.
So far this has been very different than I expected. I pictured a fairly narrow canal that was man made, and all along the way there would be towns where boats could tie up, and walk into the towns to enjoy the local flair. In fact what we have found is very similar to the Illinois River, and it’s locking system. In this case we are on the Mohawk River, and you really don’t see any marinas of any size. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. It is very pretty, and a pleasure to navigate, it’s just not what I expected. Yet. As I read the book I think some of those towns where you tie up near there downtown areas may be coming up. (At least they show pictures that look like that)
We got to lock #11 about 2:30, and after going through we saw a pretty little park, and it was located next to a town, so we decided to stop for the night. (There were no marinas for a long ways ahead) Once we tied up to the lock wall Steve and Claudia went exploring into town (Amsterdam) to get their bearings, and see where we could eat dinner. After about an hour they came back to announce that based on their observations the town was a lost cause, and the best place to eat was on the boat. (So much for quaint little towns with lots of personality)
The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing, and reading about what was to come on the canal. (I have read that book a few times now, but I’m still not sure where we will end up, because it’s hard to plan with all of the locks) We did end up eating on the boat (great chicken on the grill with some of Debs great pan fried potatoes) and just sitting around watching the boats go by. We ended the evening watching Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and the New York Fireworks on TV. In total we had a great first day on Eire Canal.

Today…
The sun is up now, and it promises to be a very pretty day. We need to get out of here by 6:30 so we can be at lock #12 by 7 AM when they open. That should give us a good start on the day. I don’t know where we’ll end up yet; we’ll just have to see how the locks treat us.

By the way Happy Anniversary to Les and Ann Walleck. I know today is their wedding anniversary, but I’m not sure how many years. 26? Have a great day!!

I’ll keep you posted…

BK.