Dean and the Canals

Canals- Erie - to Lake Erie, Oswego- to Lake Ontario, Champlain- to Lake Champlain.
Troy, NY about 10 miles above Albany, has the New York Federal Lock that allows you  to start the New York State Canal System either west to the Erie Canal and branch off in the Oswego Canal or north to the Champlain Canal.

Once thru the Federal Lock, the town of Waterford has a public dock, where you can tie up and get  information about the canals, restaurants, public facilities, before starting your Canal journey.

Erie Canal to Lake Erie- 340 miles-35 Locks
Erie Canal to and thru Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario 184 miles - Erie- 23 Locks, Oswego- 7 L
Champlain Canal to Lake Champlain-60 miles- 12 Locks

2017 marks  the New York Canal System Bicentennial 200th Anniversary of the start of the construction of the Erie Canal and for those traveling the canals by boat, it is offering toll free navigation on the Canals for non commercial boaters during the year.

 Sooo Captain Dean wanted to experience some of the Erie Canal before committing to the Champlain Canal to reach Lake Champlain so I can return to the journey.     Once thru the Federal Lock in Troy, Dean continued up the 5 lock stairs (one right after the other) and up thru lock 9. There are walls in the Canal where you can tie up for the night and most had restrooms and/or showers available.  From there Dean turned around and came back down to Waterford where he turned North for 11 locks ( 1-12 no #10) on the Upper end of Hudson River turning into the Champlain Canal to reach Lake  Champlain. At times the Hudson River is so shallow and narrow a Canal is dug so you can get through. This took about 9 days to get to the southern part of the lake where it gets wider and 2 days to be in Burlington, on the Vermont side.

One experience was Basin Harbor, home of the Champlain Marine Museum www.lcmm.org and replicas of Lois McClure schooner ( that is sailing this summer on the canals to Buffalo to help celebrate the 200 anniversary of the start of building the Erie Canal). The museum is a nice walk from the courtesy dock at the Basin Harbor Resort www.basinharbor.com and you can stop at the Red Mill restaurant for a meal on the way.

Gate to regulate water flow in the canals

Once in Burlington at the Community Dock I joined him.
Next- Lake Champlain and more of the journey

Up to Albany, Troy and the start of the Canals

From NYC we traveled up the Hudson River about 33 miles from the Battery and stopped at Croton on Hudson (Half Moon Bay) for the night, as we had traveled rough waters- 3 ft waves up the Hudson with the winds and I was done for the day. A storm was brewing and I wanted to be in safe harbor.  Many other boats thought the same and we ascended on this Marina, probably 6 boats within 1 hour. We stayed 2 nights with the rain and wind. We passed West Point and the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) on our way up the Hudson River to Kingston, NY, docked at Roundout Creek, an inlet off the west side of the Hudson. Tied up to the dock and met a couple from Michigan, who live aboard  a 58 ft  trawler style boat named "Tinacious", that they designed and had completely  re-built themselves from a bare hull, a massive project.
 Riverport Wooden Boat Building School is located there and Dean was enjoying chatting with the boat teachers and students.  We stayed there for 2 nights (weather-rain) and walked into town for a meal with "Tinacious" owners, Art and Pam.

Last stop before Albany/Troy area is the Shady Harbor Marina, 10 miles south of Albany. There we met some Loopers we had previously seen at Half Moon Bay Marina and Kingston; and other boaters who recognized our boat from passing on the Hudson River.  There is a restaurant on site and you can chat and play outdoor games with fellow boaters.

It didn't seem possible that we were going to be able to meet with friends in Montreal due to weather related traveling. We needed to decide on an alternate path as part of the Erie and Oswego locks were closed for a short time with the heavy rains and we also heard about some issues with the Ottawa River .

By Friday, I decided I needed a break, after roaming what I called high seas -3/4ft waves, (from my non boater status), rain and wind. I jumped ship and drove to Massachusetts for a little regrouping. My anxiety with the weather led us (Dean) to decide to take the Champlain Canal to Lake Champlain where I can rejoin our journey.
Next one- Dean with the Canals, regrouping, and redirecting our trip.

Some things to know

Boats- the type you choose is a big consideration.  Most of the Loopers (boats cruising the Great Loop or any part of it) we connected with had power boats a bit larger than ours.  Ours being 33 ft motor sailor with masts down, and 10ft 2 in width.  Some of the power boats, trawler style,  were from 36' to one we met from Marathon, Fl. a live aboard, at 58 ft, a bit larger than they had anticipated, to a 48 ft live aboard.  These couples no longer own land homes, their boats are their homes.  A little scary for me at present although, I would like to perhaps have a 36' ft trawler on the intercoastal down south.  And there were a few hard core sailing people making the Great Loop in their 40 some feet sailboats. One couple we met were from Finland and sailed to the US from there to travel the Great Loop.

Coming from South Coast Massachusetts down to NYC, there are many coves and tucked in harbors and marinas to spend the night, not much in anchorage or moorings. Many along the way to NYC charge from $2.50-3.50 a foot for dock space. We had to tuck into some of them as our weather beginning the trip was not ideal- much rain, wind, and high seas. We were able to get  free moorings with the town of Fort Washington in Manhasset Harbor but is was too windy and wavy for me that day so chose to go into a dock.  You can anchor behind the Statue of Liberty if the waters aren't too busy.
As you journey farther up the Hudson River you can find Anchorage and Moorings at least 50, 60 miles from the Statue. There are many areas to tie in the Canals or at a Lock with nice parks you can be on land for a while. 2017 is an Anniversary for New York so the NY State canal system is not charging for canal travel and tie up.

Marinas- Many of the larger and better equipped Marinas, especially on the Hudson River,  are very familiar with Loopers and welcome them. The boats traveling the Great Loop or any portion of it Triangle, Champlain Canal Loop, will spend $$$ for supplies, groceries, any boat repairs, restaurants, laundry, fuel, pump outs, at the Marinas with these conveniences. The dock fees range from$2.25/ft to less than $3.00/ft plus a few $$$ for electric. on Hudson River Marinas as you get up the river about 50 miles.  Sometimes the dock fee is worth it if you have been traveling 6-7 hours a day for a few days,  and need a shower and laundry, or a meal you did not prepare on a boat. Stay tuned for the Hudson River and the NYState Canals

East River around the Battery and up the Hudson

I know why it is called the Battery.  You get battered around by all sizes of boats, waves from the boats, tides, wind, and ebb and flood currents from the tides.  That is a mouthful and a boatload of obstacles to maneuver around. The weather was not the best, cloudy, though no rain, and some wind.
We started out from Port Washington, LI about 10:00 am so we could catch the currents at ebb on the East River from Hell's Gate- which is about the middle of a 14 mile run from Throg's Neck Bridge to Manhattan (the Battery). Eldridge's Tide and Current Book start at the Bridge 2 hours after low tide at the Battery. We had to calculate the low tide, 2 hours, and our speed getting to the bridge and Hell's Gate to figure how to travel with the ebb currents or fair current in East River the last 1/2 of the 14 miles. Ebb currents can work in your favor, carrying you 2-3 knots faster than your normal cruising speed. Catching the wrong current can put you up to that much slower than normal.  We tried to time our trip around Manhattan for flood currents in the Hudson River. That didn't quite work in our favor, but not too bad. To see Manhattan (NYC) from the water is something to behold!! The skyline mixing old architecture with new modernistic is incredible and a little weird.  There are many buildings higher than the Empire State Building especially the new 911 structure in downtown Manhattan. From the west end of the East River you can see the Statue of Liberty in all her magesty at the base of the city. Anchor behind it or moor in Liberty Park, on the New Jersey side.  We dodged tour boats, cruise boats, small and large, and many other boats, including Looper boats such as ourselves going up the Hudson to the Canals.  I am learning there are different routes(loops) to take on this journey.  Heading up the Hudson River was a challenge, with all the boats and the current not always with us. It wasn't against us that much, just chugging along.  We recognized other Loop boats we had seen or docked with earlier. Next blog-- journeying up the Hudson River with other Loopers and other routes to take.


From afar
 



New vs Old
 





Stuck with the Weather.

We thought April showers bring May flowers.  Apparently not true according to the weather guy upstairs.  Just a challenge to my (Suzan) seaworthiness.  Started out last Wednesday with reasonably good weather.    Except when we were out in more open seas, we were rocking and rolling, as I call it.  Only made it past Padanaram Harbor and turned back into that harbor as I was not doing well with the higher seas.  Moored at the NBYC, nice with launch service. Looked at the weather on NOAA charts-- not good for a few days-- we (Dean) and Woodstock (our cat) moored for 2 nights.

Thursday morning I returned home we were only 10 miles away by land, 1 1/2 hours by boat. Had to regroup for weather , and this will not be the only weather regrouping.  I, not being a bonified boat person, choose not to ride the 2 ft waves.  Friday Dean brought Puffin back to the dock we started from and was out again to Point Judith and New London, Ct. on Saturday.  I, and the cat, opted to take a train from Providence to New London on Sunday to meet him in New London. I arrived at 1:30 and Dean had just fueled up at Burr's Marina. We stayed 2 nights at Crocker's Boatyard, closer to downtown New London. Nice Marina, family owned since late 1800's. www.crockersboatyardinc.com.                      

Out again on Tuesday after making a trip to Defender Marine in Waterford, next town from NL.

On our way, seeing how far Puffin motors in about 5 hours, quite a push for me, having been on the boat for only 2 hours traveling from home in over 2 ft seas.  We listened to the marine forecast and the seas were to be less than 1 ft and cloudy skies. We had a current with us for most of the 5 hours, pushing us at 8.5-9 knots so arrived at Branford, Ct . Our normal is 6-7 knots as we are a motor sailboat without masts and sails for this trip. we have a small inboard Diesel engine. Unfortunately we were at Branford for another 2 nights in a slip. We planned to leave around 10:30 am and the fog rolled in so we had to wait it out. Luckily it cleared by 12:30 and we were on our way to Stamford, a long hall, arrived about 5:30 -beautiful city, huge boats.


Off and boating the next day to Manhasset Harbor,  had a tough time with 3 ft waves coming into their harbor. We wanted a mooring, it was so windy and wavy that I opted for a dock. We are spending a lot of $$$ for docks/slips as moorings aren't readily available along the Connecticut and Long Island coasts.

Stay tuned for our journey down the East River, around Manhatten, and starting up the Hudson River.

Getting Down to the Wire- Journey to begin

All the wiring for the Mast is in place. What a job that is/was. Much more complicated than expected. Mostly done except for testing to make sure all components- Radar, Radio, Deck Lights, Mast head Light, and Loud Hailer work.


My seat- across from the Captain's seat so whomever is not piloting, can sit up and see the water ahead and around.
Dean is working on the part that fits into the VBerth to make a fuller bed for sleeping. I have the foam, waiting to be cut.
Inverter we will take with us and wire in while traveling.
We will also take the extra batteries to be swapped out or added, as and if needed.
We are down to the last amounts of supplies to be put on board and then we are ready----


Our cat, Woodstock, is joining us on the journey. He has not been on Puffin in the water. We don't know how he will do and are prepared. He has been wearing a harness instead of a collar, that you can hook a leash to so if he goes overboard we can reel him in. As mentioned before, he also has a pet life jacket.

Still some things to accomplish on land---mail, bills to be paid, cleaning our home as we have guests staying while we are away. We are plant people so all of our indoor plants (20-25) are outside for awhile and some Dean has put the potted plant in the ground for moisture. We have placed them so there is ample morning light and should get moisture when it rains. I hope it is not like last summer- in July, August, September--no rain at all, we were in a drought. We contracted for someone to mow the lawn and neighbors will keep an eye out for anything unfamiliar around our home. We have nice neighbors.
By next week we will be on our journey on the Triangle Loop of the Great Loop.

Launched-- We are in the Water!!!

Long cold winter leads to a warmish and rainy spring and finally-time to go in the water! This all has to be co-ordinated with high tide so when backed into the water the boat doesn't run aground.

7:30 am sunny day, thank goodness, the trailer backs into our yard to take our boat "Puffin" to the water. Yea!!! Brownell, www.brownellsystems.com can't say enough good about the company. Their trailer guys and inside ladies are great to work with. "Puffin" was loaded onto the trailer. As the boat stands were removed, Dean was applying some touchup paint to where the stands held the boat. I guess this is typical if you paint the bottom while it is on stands. We launched at Niemiec. www.niemiecmarine.com and were on our way to the temporary slip at Acushnet River Safe boating Club before we take off in 2 weeks.The Nanni diesel started instantly.

We have been scrambling the last 2 weeks trying to get as much done on land before the boat hits the water.
We spent a day sanding and painting the bottom of the boat and black stripe at the water line. Boy did our backs hurt the next few days.
Dean did as much as he could to get our makeshift mast ready to put up and secure. The antenna for the radio, radar, loud hailer, spotlight all have to be cabled through the mast and deck, and attached to switches and power before we depart for our journey.
A few things left to finish- my passenger seat attached to the port side, opposite the Captain's chair, V berth insert made and installed for a larger more comfortable sleeping arrangement. The inverter needs to be installed and connected to the house batteries.
Most of our food supplies, cooking pans, dishware, towels and bedding, and bathroom supplies are onboard.
On my end, last  food supplies and fresh items and our clothing.
And do not forget, our cat is traveling with us. He has not been on the boat in the water. The first time will certainly be interesting. He has a harness and 2 leashes plus his own life jacket, yes, they do make them for animals. Ours was purchased at Defender Marine www.defender.com in CT.



Mast still on the Deck