Log 64
Erie Canal—Oneida Lake
6:30 AM
Friday, July 07, 2000
Ess-Kay Yards
Brewerton, NY
Day 81
It started out cold today. When we got up, the outside temperature said 48 degrees. The sky was crystal clear so we knew it was only a mater of time before it warmed up. We wanted to make the 7 AM opening at our first lock of the day, so we left our marina wall at about 6:30. We had not gone a mile when it started to get pretty foggy. Where we were the fog had gone, but further down the canal, it was narrower, and the trees were taller, and the sun wasn’t high enough to melt the fog. The further we went the foggier it got, until you couldn’t see the banks of the canal, even though it was very narrow. No problem though, I just slowed down a little more, and used the radar to help guide us through. As it turned out it didn’t last but a few miles, and the sun was up enough to do its work, and by then we were almost to our first lock.
Speaking of locks, we reached the highest point of locks today. When we got to lock 20 we had climbed 410 feet and traveled 108 miles from where we joined the canal at Troy. As you can imagine we had been lifting all of this way, and the next two locks (# 21, and #22) we dropped down 25 feet each time to reach level of Oneida Lake.
We reached Oneida Lake about 11 AM. Earlier than we had planned. The trip across is about 20 miles of so, and I picked it up a good bit, so we made it in a little over and hour. I’m sure those Detroit engines were very glad to get some good use, after having to been at idle for so long on the canal. Shortly after noon, we found the other side of Oneida Lake, and rejoined the Erie Canal. Our plan was to stop here, and then go through the final lock on the Erie tomorrow, and then up the Oswego Canal to join Lake Ontario. As we were fueling up, ($1.49) the lady who runs the marina (Kim) and I were talking and she asked where we were headed. I told her our plans, and she said, “Why would you do that?” She said that the Syracuse airport was only 15 minutes away, and everything we needed to stock up was real close to here. She had room for the boat, and she would take good care of us, and the boat. Done! Plans changed, and we are here at the Marina (Ess-Kay Yards) where we will leave the boat for a couple of weeks.
With those plans done, we tied up the boat in our semi-permanent slip, and decided Steve and I would go fishing. He went with Kim, the marina owner, to a bait shop, and I worked on cleaning the dinghy, and getting it off the back, so we could find the big fish.
Well as you can imagine the big fish are still there, and we ended up coming back without dinner. The good news was the girls had been cooking, and had a great batch of spaghetti sauce heating up. We decided it needed time to slow cook, so we all jumped in the dinghy in search of the perfect Pina Coloda. (By the way just saying that should tell you we have finally reached civilization again, and there are marinas, and waterside restaurants all over the place) The first place we stopped at looked great, and Deb was all set for one of those fancy drinks, and take it with us in the dinghy. We had a little trouble getting anyone’s attention, and when we did she informed us that they had no “to go” glasses. Oh well, there are more places, lets jump back in the dinghy, and go somewhere else. The next place we went to they had this old lady bartender who looked like she could care less about what we needed, and it turns out that was in fact the case. Deb said do you have any to go glasses, to which she shook her head yes. Great Deb said, I’ll have a Pina Colada. “Don’t have any” was her response. “We’re all out of the stuff” “Got margaritas though”. Well Deb’s heart was broken, but Steve and Claudia took this lady up on her offer for the Margaritas. While we were paying for those drinks, the lady says, “Ever had a blue moon?” (If you saw this lady there would be a lot of things that would go through your mind about now) “No can’t say if I have” I told her “what’s it look like?”
It’s a beer she tells me, and then gives us two small glasses to sample. It turned out to be darn good, so Deb and I ordered a couple of glasses to go. She proudly fills up two medium sized plastic glasses, and then tells us we owe her $7. (No wonder she was pushing them, if you sell enough beer at that price you can do real well)
After a short dinghy ride to finish our drinks, we went back to the boat for some of the spaghetti. It was great, and we enjoyed relaxing with a good meal. After dinner Steve and Claudia went walking with a fishing pole in Steve’s hands, and Steve ending up catching a couple of fish.
Another great boating day. I’ll keep you posted…
BK.
Friday, July 07, 2000
Thursday, July 06, 2000
Chapter 63: Erie Canal to Ilion
Log 63
Eire Canal-Ilion NY.
5:20 AM
Thursday, July 06, 2000
Ilion Marina
Ilion, NY.
Day 81
This is what I thought the Eire Canal was: A long narrow man made channel that went through towns that had docks next to their downtown areas. As you traveled this canal, you would stop each night at one of these little towns, and enjoy their local flair. Sort of like the canal systems in Europe. (Who knows where I got this idea)
I now know what the Eire Canal is. It’s a road of water. A scenic road that is in the middle of nowhere, and takes you to somewhere, but along the way there is no place to really stop. If you picture this kind of road, (like maybe a desolate back road) only water, that’s what the Eire Canal is. With all of that said, it is beautiful. There are lots of hills, and some mountains, and almost always there are trees growing up to the canal edge. Most of what we are on is the Mohawk River, but it is connected by man-made waterways, and lots of locks. (We have gone through 19 in two days). Yesterday we went through a lock that lifted us up over 40 feet, in about 11 minutes.
We untied at about 6:30 yesterday, and made it to our first lock at exactly 7AM. The sky was a bright blue, sunny, and with a slight chill in the air. (About 64 degrees) This is one of the few times since we have left home that I had to wear a sweat suit to drive the boat. The night we spent in Amsterdam we had the misfortune to meet a couple of boats that were going the same place we were. These were two McKenna 57 foot boats that had captains on them and they were delivering them somewhere. We don’t know where because we didn’t want to talk to them. (To long a story, let’s just say they were not your normal kind of boaters) Anyway….as I have said there is a speed limit of 10 MPH on the waterway, and we wanted to get ahead of these guys, so we wouldn’t have to lock through with them all of the way. When we left the lock wall in Amsterdam there was no sign on life on their boats so we knew we would make it to the first lock before them, and stay ahead of them all day. Well, by the second lock (where we had a slight delay getting in the lock) they were right behind us, and we knew they would probably catch us at the next lock. As we were locking through, and talking to the lockmaster, we mentioned these two boats behind us, and he said he had heard about them. It seems that they had already had two warnings about their speed. He went on to tell us that although he personally couldn’t give them a ticket, he could sure make their life miserable, by finding all kinds of ways to slow down the lock process. Well that was at lock # 12, and for the rest of the day we were talking to the lockmasters warning them about the two upcoming McKenna boats. It became a game to Steve, and he was really having a good time trying to get the lockmasters to delay these guys coming through the locks. (Like saying “Why do you think those guys feel that all lockmasters are hicks”?) By the end of the day they ended up being a couple of hours behind us, and I’m sure very frustrated with the slowness of the New York Canal System.
We reached Ilion NY by about 2:30 in the afternoon. It was really too early to stop, but it was the only place for quite a while where you could tie up, and have electricity as well. So we took advantage of it, and made it a relaxing afternoon of cleaning up the boat, and telling stories.
At the marina (they call it a marina, but actually it’s not a marina, it’s just a long wall where about 8 to 10 boats can tie up) they said you could you could call two different local restaurants, and they would come and get you for dinner. We studied the different menus, and decided on one, and I called for reservations, and a pick-up. It really worked out great. Not only did they pick us up, but the food was great, and on the way back the owners wife stopped at the grocery store so we could run in and get a couple of things. Back at the boat we had a nightcap, watched a little TV, and off to bed. Two good days on the Erie Canal.
I’ll keep you posted.
BK.
Eire Canal-Ilion NY.
5:20 AM
Thursday, July 06, 2000
Ilion Marina
Ilion, NY.
Day 81
This is what I thought the Eire Canal was: A long narrow man made channel that went through towns that had docks next to their downtown areas. As you traveled this canal, you would stop each night at one of these little towns, and enjoy their local flair. Sort of like the canal systems in Europe. (Who knows where I got this idea)
I now know what the Eire Canal is. It’s a road of water. A scenic road that is in the middle of nowhere, and takes you to somewhere, but along the way there is no place to really stop. If you picture this kind of road, (like maybe a desolate back road) only water, that’s what the Eire Canal is. With all of that said, it is beautiful. There are lots of hills, and some mountains, and almost always there are trees growing up to the canal edge. Most of what we are on is the Mohawk River, but it is connected by man-made waterways, and lots of locks. (We have gone through 19 in two days). Yesterday we went through a lock that lifted us up over 40 feet, in about 11 minutes.
We untied at about 6:30 yesterday, and made it to our first lock at exactly 7AM. The sky was a bright blue, sunny, and with a slight chill in the air. (About 64 degrees) This is one of the few times since we have left home that I had to wear a sweat suit to drive the boat. The night we spent in Amsterdam we had the misfortune to meet a couple of boats that were going the same place we were. These were two McKenna 57 foot boats that had captains on them and they were delivering them somewhere. We don’t know where because we didn’t want to talk to them. (To long a story, let’s just say they were not your normal kind of boaters) Anyway….as I have said there is a speed limit of 10 MPH on the waterway, and we wanted to get ahead of these guys, so we wouldn’t have to lock through with them all of the way. When we left the lock wall in Amsterdam there was no sign on life on their boats so we knew we would make it to the first lock before them, and stay ahead of them all day. Well, by the second lock (where we had a slight delay getting in the lock) they were right behind us, and we knew they would probably catch us at the next lock. As we were locking through, and talking to the lockmaster, we mentioned these two boats behind us, and he said he had heard about them. It seems that they had already had two warnings about their speed. He went on to tell us that although he personally couldn’t give them a ticket, he could sure make their life miserable, by finding all kinds of ways to slow down the lock process. Well that was at lock # 12, and for the rest of the day we were talking to the lockmasters warning them about the two upcoming McKenna boats. It became a game to Steve, and he was really having a good time trying to get the lockmasters to delay these guys coming through the locks. (Like saying “Why do you think those guys feel that all lockmasters are hicks”?) By the end of the day they ended up being a couple of hours behind us, and I’m sure very frustrated with the slowness of the New York Canal System.
We reached Ilion NY by about 2:30 in the afternoon. It was really too early to stop, but it was the only place for quite a while where you could tie up, and have electricity as well. So we took advantage of it, and made it a relaxing afternoon of cleaning up the boat, and telling stories.
At the marina (they call it a marina, but actually it’s not a marina, it’s just a long wall where about 8 to 10 boats can tie up) they said you could you could call two different local restaurants, and they would come and get you for dinner. We studied the different menus, and decided on one, and I called for reservations, and a pick-up. It really worked out great. Not only did they pick us up, but the food was great, and on the way back the owners wife stopped at the grocery store so we could run in and get a couple of things. Back at the boat we had a nightcap, watched a little TV, and off to bed. Two good days on the Erie Canal.
I’ll keep you posted.
BK.
Wednesday, July 05, 2000
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.
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.
Monday, July 03, 2000
Chapter 61: Kingston to Troy
Log 61
Kingston NY to Troy NY
4:00 PM (cocktail hour)
Monday, July 03, 2000
Troy Town Dock Marina
Troy NY.
I thought I’d try something different. With Steve Larry aboard he gets up so early that I don’t have time to write a morning log sometimes, so I thought I’d get a jump on today’s entry.
Today we went from Kingston to Troy NY. About 60 miles on the Hudson River. It was an easy trip, and we made it to our dock about 2 PM.
The morning started out with a bright sun, and very little wind. Kingston looked quite a bit different than it did last night, with all of the festivities going on. Most of those happy boaters last night, were still sleeping this morning as we passed them on the creek that led us back to Hideaway Marina. Steve was up early, and cleaning the boat like we were going to sell it, or something. I tried to get off a log, and ended up doing so, but it was tough to concentrate with him scurrying around everywhere. We needed fuel, so we left our slip at about 7:30, in order to go out in the channel, and around the bend to another marina that opened at 8 AM. They had fuel, but the cost was $1.89 a gallon. Yikes, we have finally hit that high priced fuel that we heard about. I decided not to fill up, and hope the price would get cheaper somewhere else.
The trip north was about the same as yesterday. The Hudson continues to impress us. High banks, beautiful scenery and easy to navigate. The only thing to worry about is all of the debris that is floating. To most boaters it would be a big deal, but if you have boated on all the rivers we have, you are somewhat used to it. Anyway, if you keep a sharp eye out you have no problem.
We got here a little earlier than normal because I went fast a good part of the way, and that allowed us time to get to the grocery store, and also the hardware store. For a while now we have had a problem with the faucet in the galley. It has one of those sprayers on it, and all of a sudden it quit coming out of the faucet, and will only come out of the sprayer. At first it seemed like a big hassle, but we have learned to live with it. When Steve got aboard he thought he knew how to fix it, so when we got here today he took it apart. The good news is, it was exactly as he had said, and we took off about 8 blocks to the hardware store. The bad news is they didn’t have the thing we needed, so we wasted a trip. (Well not totally, because we stopped at the liquor store on the way back and got a few things. Which reminds me it’s almost time for a gin and tonic)
4:30 AM
Tuesday, July 04, 2000
I ended the log at exactly the point above, and got a gin and tonic, and never made it back to it, so I’ll finish it now.
As the time shows, it’s very early here. I woke up at about 4, and thought about the day, and all we had to do, so I just got up. The coffee is brewing, the weather channel is on, and I’m on a boat, so I’m getting a great start to this Forth of July.. Although it’s dark outside, it looks like it will be a nice day here.
Meanwhile….back to yesterday.
On our way back from the hardware store, it started to rain, and continued for the next couple of hours. Steve and Claudia decided to hitch a ride to the local grocery store, and Deb and I stayed on the boat. I needed to have some time to review the cruising guide and get an understanding of the Eire Canal. (Which is why I ended the log so abruptly above) Once back from the store we all cleaned up, and made it up to the local Brewery for some dinner, and got to bed early, so we could be ready for an early morning.
Side note: I forgot to tell you a great story that happened while we were in Kingston. The marina we stayed in (Hideaway Marina) was located all the way back on a small creek. It was very narrow, and normally only smaller boats were back there, but the owner said he had room, so we ended up tying up to a dock next to the boat ramp. (Actually it was the one you use to tie to when you drop off your boat) The dock was about 40 or 45 feet long, and our boat is 50 feet. Anyway, it was tight getting around us in the channel. As we were sitting on the boat waiting for the fireworks, a sailboat, with the wife driving, were going past us when she ran aground. (It was low tide, and she only had about 3 to 4 feet of water) You could tell the husband was upset, and he was explaining to his spouse the rules of the road, and what she had done wrong. After a fair amount of animation (with a lot of people sitting on their boats watching all of this) he took over and tried, in vain, to use the engine to get off the mud. About this time the owner of the marina (a big guy that looks like an older Grizzly Adams with a pony tail) came over in his boat to help him by pulling him backwards off the shoal. It was obvious to everyone watching that the husband was making a big deal about this, and was directing everything. Well Grizzly (actually his name was John) did just what he should and pulled the sailboat backwards, and she (the boat, not the wife) was floating again. The husband, now completely in charge, was going to show his wife the way this should be done. He reached down to fire up the outboard engine that powered their boat, and really gave it the gas. The boat took off, and he drove it exactly where his wife had gone, only this time much faster, and in front of the entire world he ran aground, much harder, because of his speed. It was great. Everyone cheered, and clapped, and he went below, telling everyone that he was done, and his wife was in charge. Which, from my point of view, was a smart decision, because when John pulled her off the shoal, she calmly drove off without a problem.
Back to today…..
It’s starting to get light out now (5:10). The weather channel shows it will be mostly sunny, and somewhere in the 80’s. I’m not sure how far we will get today on the Canal. I’ve done some reading about the trip ahead, but I need to do more, just as soon as I finish this. (Then I’ll use my cell phone to send it off) I do know that we have about 28 locks to go through before we get to Oswego NY, where we will leave the boat for a couple of weeks while I go back to work. I also know that the accommodations along the way will be somewhat less that we have come accustomed to. Rather than normal marinas, we will be tied along walls of towns, or lock walls. As I look at the guides it talks about electricity availability (or lack there of). There is a good chance we will be running the generator some nights. Oh well it’ll be an adventure.
So I guess I should get going. Steve will be up soon, and we need to be ready to leave about 6:45, because the locks open at 7 AM.
I’ll keep you posted….
BK.
Kingston NY to Troy NY
4:00 PM (cocktail hour)
Monday, July 03, 2000
Troy Town Dock Marina
Troy NY.
I thought I’d try something different. With Steve Larry aboard he gets up so early that I don’t have time to write a morning log sometimes, so I thought I’d get a jump on today’s entry.
Today we went from Kingston to Troy NY. About 60 miles on the Hudson River. It was an easy trip, and we made it to our dock about 2 PM.
The morning started out with a bright sun, and very little wind. Kingston looked quite a bit different than it did last night, with all of the festivities going on. Most of those happy boaters last night, were still sleeping this morning as we passed them on the creek that led us back to Hideaway Marina. Steve was up early, and cleaning the boat like we were going to sell it, or something. I tried to get off a log, and ended up doing so, but it was tough to concentrate with him scurrying around everywhere. We needed fuel, so we left our slip at about 7:30, in order to go out in the channel, and around the bend to another marina that opened at 8 AM. They had fuel, but the cost was $1.89 a gallon. Yikes, we have finally hit that high priced fuel that we heard about. I decided not to fill up, and hope the price would get cheaper somewhere else.
The trip north was about the same as yesterday. The Hudson continues to impress us. High banks, beautiful scenery and easy to navigate. The only thing to worry about is all of the debris that is floating. To most boaters it would be a big deal, but if you have boated on all the rivers we have, you are somewhat used to it. Anyway, if you keep a sharp eye out you have no problem.
We got here a little earlier than normal because I went fast a good part of the way, and that allowed us time to get to the grocery store, and also the hardware store. For a while now we have had a problem with the faucet in the galley. It has one of those sprayers on it, and all of a sudden it quit coming out of the faucet, and will only come out of the sprayer. At first it seemed like a big hassle, but we have learned to live with it. When Steve got aboard he thought he knew how to fix it, so when we got here today he took it apart. The good news is, it was exactly as he had said, and we took off about 8 blocks to the hardware store. The bad news is they didn’t have the thing we needed, so we wasted a trip. (Well not totally, because we stopped at the liquor store on the way back and got a few things. Which reminds me it’s almost time for a gin and tonic)
4:30 AM
Tuesday, July 04, 2000
I ended the log at exactly the point above, and got a gin and tonic, and never made it back to it, so I’ll finish it now.
As the time shows, it’s very early here. I woke up at about 4, and thought about the day, and all we had to do, so I just got up. The coffee is brewing, the weather channel is on, and I’m on a boat, so I’m getting a great start to this Forth of July.. Although it’s dark outside, it looks like it will be a nice day here.
Meanwhile….back to yesterday.
On our way back from the hardware store, it started to rain, and continued for the next couple of hours. Steve and Claudia decided to hitch a ride to the local grocery store, and Deb and I stayed on the boat. I needed to have some time to review the cruising guide and get an understanding of the Eire Canal. (Which is why I ended the log so abruptly above) Once back from the store we all cleaned up, and made it up to the local Brewery for some dinner, and got to bed early, so we could be ready for an early morning.
Side note: I forgot to tell you a great story that happened while we were in Kingston. The marina we stayed in (Hideaway Marina) was located all the way back on a small creek. It was very narrow, and normally only smaller boats were back there, but the owner said he had room, so we ended up tying up to a dock next to the boat ramp. (Actually it was the one you use to tie to when you drop off your boat) The dock was about 40 or 45 feet long, and our boat is 50 feet. Anyway, it was tight getting around us in the channel. As we were sitting on the boat waiting for the fireworks, a sailboat, with the wife driving, were going past us when she ran aground. (It was low tide, and she only had about 3 to 4 feet of water) You could tell the husband was upset, and he was explaining to his spouse the rules of the road, and what she had done wrong. After a fair amount of animation (with a lot of people sitting on their boats watching all of this) he took over and tried, in vain, to use the engine to get off the mud. About this time the owner of the marina (a big guy that looks like an older Grizzly Adams with a pony tail) came over in his boat to help him by pulling him backwards off the shoal. It was obvious to everyone watching that the husband was making a big deal about this, and was directing everything. Well Grizzly (actually his name was John) did just what he should and pulled the sailboat backwards, and she (the boat, not the wife) was floating again. The husband, now completely in charge, was going to show his wife the way this should be done. He reached down to fire up the outboard engine that powered their boat, and really gave it the gas. The boat took off, and he drove it exactly where his wife had gone, only this time much faster, and in front of the entire world he ran aground, much harder, because of his speed. It was great. Everyone cheered, and clapped, and he went below, telling everyone that he was done, and his wife was in charge. Which, from my point of view, was a smart decision, because when John pulled her off the shoal, she calmly drove off without a problem.
Back to today…..
It’s starting to get light out now (5:10). The weather channel shows it will be mostly sunny, and somewhere in the 80’s. I’m not sure how far we will get today on the Canal. I’ve done some reading about the trip ahead, but I need to do more, just as soon as I finish this. (Then I’ll use my cell phone to send it off) I do know that we have about 28 locks to go through before we get to Oswego NY, where we will leave the boat for a couple of weeks while I go back to work. I also know that the accommodations along the way will be somewhat less that we have come accustomed to. Rather than normal marinas, we will be tied along walls of towns, or lock walls. As I look at the guides it talks about electricity availability (or lack there of). There is a good chance we will be running the generator some nights. Oh well it’ll be an adventure.
So I guess I should get going. Steve will be up soon, and we need to be ready to leave about 6:45, because the locks open at 7 AM.
I’ll keep you posted….
BK.
Chapter 60: New York City to Kingston
Log 60
NYC to Kingston, NY.
5:50 AM
Monday, July 03, 2000
Hideaway Marina
Kingston, NY.
Day 78
Steve and Claudia arrived right on schedule. They caught a 6:30 AM flight from Chicago, and got to the boat about 10:30 on Saturday. The day was just beautiful. Sunny, and about 83 degrees.
Once we straightened up their stuff, we took a cruise of the New York Harbor. We went up the East River, which is between Manhattan, and Brooklyn. (I’m assuming somewhere along here we went under the Brooklyn Bridge) This is also the river that takes you out to Long Island Sound. We also went along, and around the Statue of Liberty again. Quite a sight from the boat.
For dinner we took the ferry from our marina to Manhattan. We have done that three times now, looking for a place to eat. The first time was with Rome and Theresa, and we ate at a place called Fox Hounds. The next time just Deb and I went over (on Friday night), we thought it over, and we ate at a place called Fox Hounds. On Saturday night with Steve and Claudia we introduced them to a great place called…..you guessed it…..Fox Hounds. Hey it was a good place.
Sunday…
We left New York with a lot going on. Here is a small example…
· They are expecting about 40 million people to be on the New Jersey Turnpike.
· About 160 Tall Ships will be there. The largest gathering in history.
· The carrier “The John F. Kennedy” will be in the harbor with President Clinton on board.
· They plan on the largest fireworks display in the world.
· They expect 40,000 boats in the harbor to see the fireworks. Yes…that’s 40 THOUSAND!
· Protection?? The State Police—Secret Service—NYC Police—FBI—Coast Guard and the Navy.
They are missing one thing though. Headquarters. We got the heck out of there, so I guess there will only be 39,999 boats now. (Call me boring, but there is no way I would want to be a part of that)
The trip up the Hudson was just awesome. It was everything I could ever expect, and a lot more. The first thing we encountered was a May Day call on the ship to shore radio. Someone was calling the Coast Guard saying they were taking on water and sinking near the George Washington Bridge. This was interesting to me, because we were just south of the bridge, and I immediately got the binoculars out and looked to see if I could see someone, and possibly help. The strange thing was no one was around. The caller told the Coast Guard they had 5 persons aboard, and going down. For the next few minutes there was a lot of chatter on the radio, but no one heard from the distressed boat again. I called the Coast Guard, and told them I was near the bridge, and I didn’t see anyone. The next thing you see is a Police boat, and then a helicopter, and then a Coast Guard boat. We saw the Coast Guard up close. Very close. In fact they had their blue lights on and pulled us over. They asked us a lot of questions, and took our boat information. I think, and so do they, that it was a crank call. A shame to have all of that happen for nothing, but it was an exciting way to leave the city.
North of NYC the Hudson is absolutely spectacular. Tall cliffs line the sides of the water, and it is wide and easy to navigate. In fact the entire 90 miles we went yesterday was very pretty. We passed West Point (that was really neat) and made our way up to Kingston, NY. All along the way we passed boats heading south. We assumed they were all heading to NY for the big show. It was a beautiful day, and a joy to spend it on a boat on the Hudson.
The Guide Book describes Kingston as sort of oasis. It is the only main stop off between NYC and Troy, NY. (Which is where we turn west, and join the Eire Canal) What we found in Kingston was a small town in need of jobs. They were having their July 4th celebration, and you could tell there was a fair amount of poverty. Nonetheless, everyone was having a great time. We found our way from our marina, to Rosita’s, a Mexican restaurant in the heart of town. It turned out to be a good place to eat, and afterwards we walked around the town, and watched all of the festivities. The boats were fender to fender. All waiting to see the main event. The fireworks. Which I must say was very good. (Although I can’t figure out why they have to have them so late. 9:45 Come on.) Good day!
I’ll keep you posted.
BK.
NYC to Kingston, NY.
5:50 AM
Monday, July 03, 2000
Hideaway Marina
Kingston, NY.
Day 78
Steve and Claudia arrived right on schedule. They caught a 6:30 AM flight from Chicago, and got to the boat about 10:30 on Saturday. The day was just beautiful. Sunny, and about 83 degrees.
Once we straightened up their stuff, we took a cruise of the New York Harbor. We went up the East River, which is between Manhattan, and Brooklyn. (I’m assuming somewhere along here we went under the Brooklyn Bridge) This is also the river that takes you out to Long Island Sound. We also went along, and around the Statue of Liberty again. Quite a sight from the boat.
For dinner we took the ferry from our marina to Manhattan. We have done that three times now, looking for a place to eat. The first time was with Rome and Theresa, and we ate at a place called Fox Hounds. The next time just Deb and I went over (on Friday night), we thought it over, and we ate at a place called Fox Hounds. On Saturday night with Steve and Claudia we introduced them to a great place called…..you guessed it…..Fox Hounds. Hey it was a good place.
Sunday…
We left New York with a lot going on. Here is a small example…
· They are expecting about 40 million people to be on the New Jersey Turnpike.
· About 160 Tall Ships will be there. The largest gathering in history.
· The carrier “The John F. Kennedy” will be in the harbor with President Clinton on board.
· They plan on the largest fireworks display in the world.
· They expect 40,000 boats in the harbor to see the fireworks. Yes…that’s 40 THOUSAND!
· Protection?? The State Police—Secret Service—NYC Police—FBI—Coast Guard and the Navy.
They are missing one thing though. Headquarters. We got the heck out of there, so I guess there will only be 39,999 boats now. (Call me boring, but there is no way I would want to be a part of that)
The trip up the Hudson was just awesome. It was everything I could ever expect, and a lot more. The first thing we encountered was a May Day call on the ship to shore radio. Someone was calling the Coast Guard saying they were taking on water and sinking near the George Washington Bridge. This was interesting to me, because we were just south of the bridge, and I immediately got the binoculars out and looked to see if I could see someone, and possibly help. The strange thing was no one was around. The caller told the Coast Guard they had 5 persons aboard, and going down. For the next few minutes there was a lot of chatter on the radio, but no one heard from the distressed boat again. I called the Coast Guard, and told them I was near the bridge, and I didn’t see anyone. The next thing you see is a Police boat, and then a helicopter, and then a Coast Guard boat. We saw the Coast Guard up close. Very close. In fact they had their blue lights on and pulled us over. They asked us a lot of questions, and took our boat information. I think, and so do they, that it was a crank call. A shame to have all of that happen for nothing, but it was an exciting way to leave the city.
North of NYC the Hudson is absolutely spectacular. Tall cliffs line the sides of the water, and it is wide and easy to navigate. In fact the entire 90 miles we went yesterday was very pretty. We passed West Point (that was really neat) and made our way up to Kingston, NY. All along the way we passed boats heading south. We assumed they were all heading to NY for the big show. It was a beautiful day, and a joy to spend it on a boat on the Hudson.
The Guide Book describes Kingston as sort of oasis. It is the only main stop off between NYC and Troy, NY. (Which is where we turn west, and join the Eire Canal) What we found in Kingston was a small town in need of jobs. They were having their July 4th celebration, and you could tell there was a fair amount of poverty. Nonetheless, everyone was having a great time. We found our way from our marina, to Rosita’s, a Mexican restaurant in the heart of town. It turned out to be a good place to eat, and afterwards we walked around the town, and watched all of the festivities. The boats were fender to fender. All waiting to see the main event. The fireworks. Which I must say was very good. (Although I can’t figure out why they have to have them so late. 9:45 Come on.) Good day!
I’ll keep you posted.
BK.
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