June 14-15 2013 above Lock #3 Waterford NY

The Canal officials indeed asked us to move up into the chain of locks yesterday.  So in the pouring rain we went through Lock #2.   It's about a 33 foot rise.  Most of us had to go through Lock #3 as well.  It's  another 33 foot rise.  We were directed to tie up against two tugs in a small basin where there is an Erie Canal  maintenance yard.  It's right above Lock #3.  We are tied against the Grand Erie, a pusher
tug.  Very nice people here.


Entering the lock.  10 boats in the very narrow lock made for some exciting moments since the idea is to stay close to the lock wall.  But when you have two people trying to hold a 52,000 lb boat against a wall with swirling current, excitement is the only word to describe the experience.








The Canal officials are working to get us power and pump-outs as well.  This basin is very calm and so while the scenery is "industrial" at least we aren't battling flood waters and high currents.

We'll most likely be here a few days until the water recedes enough for the upstream locks to re-open.  And we can still walk to town about 1/2 mile away.

From the web cam they have running at the Visitor Center.  The dock is usually a few feet below the concrete embankment which is under water.

Here we are tied up with 3 other boats to this tug and the barge behind us.

Just got tied up (Picture taken by the couple from  Miss gg)

June 9-12, 2013 Waterford NY

Thursday June 13, 2013
All the boats here at the Visitor Center are moving up into the pools between Lock 2 and 3 or up beyond Lock 3.  Projections based on forecasts are predicting a rise of another foot in water levels which creates a risky situation.  Much safer up in the pools above the locks.  But we'll still be ensconced here  for several days if the rain fall amounts meet the forecast levels.

And we made the Paper!  Our boat is near the back with the blue canvas.  And Mary was interviewed at length by the local TV station, an ABC affiliate out Albany.  We couldn't get the broadcast though.










Wednesday, June 12, 2013
With the rainfall over the last few days some of the upstream Erie Canal locks (6-19) are closed due to high water.  That leaves us pretty much stranded here in Waterford which is right before lock #2.  With the predicted heavy rains again tomorrow (Thursday) the rising water has the potential for pushing our floating dock up and over the embankment.  Not good.  So we may have to move off this wall and into one of the pools between the locks to wait out the high water.   Waiting to see what the Canal officials are deciding.

When we first arrived you can see the wooden dock next to the sea wall is much lower than the sea wall.

Today (Wednesday, June 12) the wooden docks are about a foot above the sea wall.  We did move the boat from the high cement wall to here this portion of the dock which is lower but has electrical hookups.











We are tided along the Waterford Welcome center dock along with about a dozen other boats.  And the dock is free!  .We'll be here a few days while we do some shopping and I do some engine maintenance and repair a few other things on board.

Waterford is a bit north of Albany on the Hudson river and is adjacent to Troy NY.  Its the cross roads for the Champlain or Erie canal routes.

The Welcome Center is right in front of Erie Canal Lock #2.  We already went through Lock #1 in Troy a few miles south

The Waterford free dock is long  and can accommodate a dozen boats without any crowding.  We're on the high wall portion.  Makes it easier to get on and off the boat.  But no electrical hookups on this end.

June 8, 2013 Esopus Creek in Saugerties, New York

We left Croton Bay rather early to make this 60 mile run up here to Esopus Creek in Saugerties NY which is where  we're anchored.  Run off , debris and muddy water in here most likely from the big rain storm last night.  Guess we wont be making water tonight.  And alas, we wont be going into town this evening either because we're basically too tired to take the dinghy down and then get it back up before we leave early tomorrow for Waterford and the beginning of the Erie Canal.

Mary is just about to lower the anchor.  It's a little tight in here but forecast has lite winds so what the hell ...

June 7, 2013 Croton Bay

We left Liberty Park in a down pour and dodged ferries all the way to the George Washington Bridge.   We couldn't see much of the Hudson through the rain but what we could make out looked wonderful.  Anchored in this popular spot, Croton Bay.  Its a state park.  With all the rain we were the only boat there.

Not many pictures turned out because of he rain but this one of the Statue of  Liberty as we started up the Hudson River is about the best.

And of course proof that were anchored here.  The Hudson river is to the right and the little park and beach is to the left.

June 6, 2013 Liberty Park New York

After a 146 mile overnight journey on the ocean complete with no sleep, a moonless night, heavy fog, numerous conversations with ships and tows, radar navigation (I remembered how!) and the awe of seeing New York from the water, we made it and anchored behind the Statue of Liberty in Liberty Park.  We're heading up the Hudson tomorrow morning and will hopefully escape some of the drenching rain forecast for tomorrow.

146.8 miles

Our route for those who asked for it.  Lots of commercial traffic north of Atlantic City.  Of course that's when it was pitch black and heavy fog.  Thank goodness for radar.

And of course the obligatory picture of the Statue of Liberty as we passed by going into the anchorage.  Here are more details.

Our destinations from Stuart, FL to Cape May, NJ

Click the image for a more detailed google map

To satiate those who may suffer mild geographic mal-nourishment I put this map together in an effort to pictorially convey our track northward.

This probably won't help those who think New Jersey is north of New York (wasn't that a question on a 5th grade geography test?) but it might assist those who thought Stuart was in Georgia.



For those unfamiliar with google maps: Click the little red balloons for more specific information.  The map can be zoomed in or out by double clicking anywhere on the map.  We did, on a few occasions only move the boat a mile or so from an initial point so multiple balloons may occupy the same space on the map until its zoomed in.

June 1, 2013 2 Mile Landing Marina Cape May,NJ

We left the Delaware anchorage at 6:10am.  On an ebb tide we picked up about 3 knots of speed giving us a startling speed of 9.5 mph over the ground. Astounding since I was only turning 1100 rpm on the engines.  We ended up arriving at Cape May around 1pm, not the 5pm we told the marina.  They weren't expecting us so early and had to jostle a few boats around before we could enter.  There was 20 mph winds and a 2 knot current pushing us into the dock.  We had to go past the dock then back down into the current and wind to keep control and get close enough so Mary could throw a line to them.  Another exciting experience.  You can see the Cape May canal to the left on the map.  Rather narrow and what I'd label a drag strip since every boat in there was full throttle and throwing huge wakes.

Here's where we've stopped beginning at Norfolk and working our way up the Chesapeake and down into Delaware Bay where we'll be until the weather is mild enough to do the 120 mile ocean route to New York.