We wanted to leave the dock at Riverview Marina this morning
by 7:30. Mike had one of his young dock
hands move HHII down the facedock late last evening. We actually were docked
across their launch well with our bow hanging into another empty regular dock This was to
make room on the facedock for a power boat.
It was impossible for us to power out of where we were with our mast
sticking out forward and aft. So, we walked
HHII around to the dock perpendicular to the face dock. Our strategy was a success and we didn’t have
to wait until the staff started work at 8 am!
 |
| Hudson Athens Lighthouse |
What a miserable morning!
It had rained last night so everything is wet on our boat. The clouds are so dark, depressing, and
hanging so low it feels like we can almost reach out and touch them! Before we got too far, the rain came. It lasted long enough to wet the dodger and
make visibility all that much worse. I
just hope a bank of fog doesn’t settle down on us next. One plus for the morning is that there’s been
very little debris as well as no barges with tugs…yahoo! However, it’s Saturday and the fishermen are
everywhere…unbelievable. They always seen
to either be anchored or drifting in the main channel…even the channel under the bridges!!
 |
| Albany |
 |
| freighter from Panama in Albany |
The closer we get to Albany, NY, it seems like the skies are
brightening up a bit. We keep motoring
under one bridge after the other. It’s
hard for me to remember that we don’t have a stick 61 feet up in the air. I have to keep reminding myself that we can
actually get under fixed bridges that are only 20 feet high!! Before we knew it, we were at the south end
of the Troy Lock. When I called, the
tender told me he’d get the lock ready…he had to let the water out of the lock….very
slowly. I worried about locking through Troy only because I
remembered it was the worst of all the locks last fall. They only have fixed pipes and cables (no
weighted ropes) and they are spaced so far apart. As it turned out, it wasn’t difficult for me
to snag a pipe this time. Maybe it’s
because we are locking up and more of the pipe is exposed. Chuck and I also remembered what we had to do with the lines to keep our boat from moving forward and backward. Also, the walls are protecting us from the
wind. It didn’t take long for the water
to fill the lock and we were soon motoring out into the part of the Hudson
River where we no longer have to worry about TIDES!! Sweet!
 |
| looking toward bridge E2 and Lock 2 |
 |
| town of Waterford |
As we turned to port into the Erie Canal Inlet, I was hoping
there would be room on the floating docks.
Yes, there’s room even though Waterford
is having a Canal Festival with crafts and music. It figures…in the fall, Waterford was having
a Tugboat Festival. It was so busy
during that weekend, that the lock tender had us stay between locks 2 and
3. This Festival is celebrating the
official opening of the Erie Canal and there are a lot of people but few
boats. I’m happy about that because I
really wanted to see Waterford which is mile marker 0 on the Erie Canal.
Since it's early, we'll have to walk around and check out the festival.
More pictures of Waterford, NY.
 |
| old part of the canal |
 |
| canal no longer used |
 |
| docked under this bridge |
 |
| 4 boats docked at Waterford |
Wishing you all the best Betty & Chuck!! I didn't realize you were stuck between Locks 2 and 3, we were just out of the Waterford locks and the tugboat festival was the next day when we came through. You must have been just behind us ! We're enjoying your posts, but we do miss seeing you. Glad to have me you both!! Safe cruising.
ReplyDelete