Thursday, June 7, 2012

We stayed at Ess-Kay Yards, Inc. today.  This morning, we borrowed the courtesy car again.  First we went to West Marine, but they didn't have any of the things we were looking for.  We had not been using our good Cannon camera because the software is not compatible with this computer.  The software is too old.  We tried to download what we needed from their website and were told that it is not available for Windows 7.  Besides that, the disk that goes into the camera does not fit into the slot on the computer or on the printer.  So, we went to Staples, and found an adapter that will handle 50 different memory devices and plugs into the USB port.  It was $15 and works like a champ.  Not only that, but it also allowed me to download an image manipulator / editor for free.  Now I can get rid of red eye, crop pictures, brighten them, sharpen them, make them sepia toned, and so much more. I am so excited.  Now the pictures John took in New York harbor with that camera are available for viewing.  I will put a couple of them on the blog tonight.

We had a great Happy Hour tonight.  There were 6 couples around the picnic table.  One couple Dave and Barb have done the Trent Severn a couple of times before and at the end of Happy Hour, they went lock by lock and told us what to expect.  We've got several pages of notes.  One couple here today is Eddie and Sandi on "Tarquin".  This is the third time our paths have crossed. It was nice to see them pull in this afternoon. 

Helicopter. 

Statue of Liberty 

 At first glance, this looks like a psychodelic boat from the 60s, but those are really rust holes.

New York Skyline.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The two other boats at Aqua Vino with us left before us this morning.  We waited until 8:00 to leave the dock.  It was 57 degrees and cloudy.  We locked through Lock # 20, #21, and #22.  When we were in Lock #20, a barge and tugboat was coming toward the lock on the side we were to exit.  The tugboat captain called the lockmaster and asked him to keep us in the chamber until he got his barge docked.  It took about an extra 20 minutes.  Lock #21 was the first lock going down.

It drizzled off and on again today.  Every time we'd get the canvas down, it would quit raining. We crossed Oneida Lake.  It's 20 miles long,  Most of the way was very calm until we almost reached the far end.  We arrived at Ess-Kay Yard at 2:45 and by 3:30, we were in the courtesy car and going to the grocery store.  The grocery store is named Wegman's.  It is a really nice store.  We bought some shish-ka-bobs for dinner and they were tasty.

There are several loopers here in the marina.  "Sirius" whom we have met up with a couple of times is here.  We had Happy Hour with 2 couples Casey and John, and Al and Dottie.  Everyone has been  extremely kind to us.  I think we are going to stay here tomorrow night as well.

 Aren't these baby tugboats cute?

 Birds sunning at the edge of Oneida Lake.

Oneida Lake. 

We just can't get over how close to the water the houses are.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Today was a long day.  We started out at 8:30, starting right off the bat with Lock #14.  By the time we we called it a day, we had locked through Lock #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, and #19.  We stopped at a really attractive marina and campground called St. Johnsonville Municipal Marina to get pumped out.  Finally, after trying at 4 other marinas, we are pumped out and ready to go (little pun there). 

Lock #17 is the largest single step on the Erie Canal.  It's east gate is pulled up over the canal and you enter by taking your boat under the gate.  It is one of only two of this type in North America.  The other one is on the Ottawa River in Canada.  After we exited this lock, we saw a group of rock climbers on the shore. 

We thought we were going to Utica Free Docks, but when we got there, it is no longer called Utica Marina.  It is now called Aqua Vino.  It has both a dock and an upscale restaurant.  It now costs $1 a foot to stay overnight.  Once we were tied up, I walked  about 3/4 of a mile to a grocery store for a few things to keep us until we get to a marina with a courtesy car and we can stock up before going into Canada. 

When I got back from the grocery and we got cleaned up, we helped two more boats tie up on the dock. They are both from Canada, one from Montreal and the other from Toronto.  We had a wonderful dinner in the restaurant and saw the four Canadians from the other boats in the restaurant.  All in all, it was a long, tiring, but great day on the water. 

 Lock #17 with the door that lifts up to allow boats to enter.  The door is in the up position in the picture.

 These are two of the rock climbers. 

 It's amazing how close to the water these homes are placed.

This picture needs no words.

Monday, June4, 2012

We awoke to rain, cold, and gray.  But, we left Schenectady Yacht Club at 7:45 anyway.  It rained off and on all day, but never hard enough to send John to the lower station to drive.  Yesterday when we were in Lock #2 (the first lock on the Erie Canal), we bought a ten day pass for the canals for $50.00.  We can always buy another two day or ten day pass if we need to, but maybe ten days will be all we need.  Today we locked through Lock #8 which was just ropes hanging down.  We had no problem with that.  We locked through Lock #9, #10, #11, #12, and #13.  When we got to Lock #10, we had to wait briefly and for the first time.  While in that lock, I was holding the front rope and John was holding the back rope.  The lockmaster came over to see our canal pass.  While he was standing there, John's rope came untied from the wall.  Fortunately, the lockmaster was right there and retied it and pushed the front of the boat away from the wall for me.  He was a very nice man.  When we got to Lock #13, there was a terrific current just as we got to the lock.  John adjusted and the lockmaster gave him a thumbs up. 

Every lock we've seen so far has had barges and cranes around them doing work.  You can still see some of the damage from Hurricane Irene from last year.  From what we've heard the New York Canal Corporation is running out of money.  It's amazing they have things as together as they do.

We arrived at the Canajoharie Free Dock in front of Riverside Park at 2:45 P.M.  After we were situated and sitting on the aft deck playing cards, along came the boat "Tarquin" with Eddie and Sandi on board.  We met them at Waterford when we were there.  We helped them get tied up and then decided to walk across the bridge to a Stewart's Shop for a banana split.  I can't even remember the last time I had a banana split and this one was wonderful.  We walked back to the boat and made dinner.  Just a little backwards.  Oh well.

 The sky this morning.

 We passed the man doing the loop in the canoe this afternoon.

 Beautiful scenery.

Amtrak train that runs right next to the canal and right next to where we are docked tonight.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

The Farmer's Market got an early start this morning on the area between the visitor center and the dock.  We bought asparagus, tomato, pickles, apples, strawberries, and radishes.  Then we called Lock #2 and shoved off from the dock and into the lock. This was at 8:30 and by 10:00, we had locked through Lock #2, #3, #4, #5, and #6.  They call these locks "The Steps" because they are so close together and each one raised us up 30 some feet.  When we came out of one, we could see the next one and every lockmaster had the gates already open for us.  We also locked through Lock #7 which was several miles away from #6.  When we got to this lock, there was a group of 4 kayaks and a sailboat that had been in Waterford with us.  I was surprised the kayaks could lock through.  The water inside of the locks always seems so turbulent.  I would have thought it would overturn the kayaks.  However, they had no problem at all.

We had a reservation at the Schenectady Yacht Club.  When we arrived, there was a "Blessing of the Fleet" going on under a covered picnic area.  A man came down to the boat to help us tie up and said the harbormaster had to shoot the gun for the harbor opening before he could come down and pump fuel.  We were glad that he warned us about the gun.  It was REALLY LOUD. We got fuel here, but their pump out isn't working either. That's three docks whose pump out was not working.  It's all because of Hurricane Irene that hit here last year. The harbor master (Brad) gave us a handful of restaurant menus that deliver.  We ordered wings from Broadway Joe's.  When the girl asked me for the address, I didn't know and told her we are at the Schenectady Yacht Club.  The driver then called while on his way to get an address.  John looked it up on the computer and the wings arrived about 5 minutes later. They were yummy!
 

 Three of the kayaks ready in the lock.

 The sailboat "Sirius".

 This is the view right in front of our boat tonight.

 This is the view behind our boat tonight. 

Schenectady Yacht Club Office.  The sign reads "Welcome Loopers".  It's nice to feel wanted.





Saturday, June 2, 2012

We stayed put today because it rained off and on all day and it got cold again.  Tomorrow morning there is a farmers' market right here in front of the visitor center at 9:00 A.M.  We are out of all things fresh, so that's a good deal for us.  We are enjoying being here.  All of the boaters and the town people out walking are so friendly.  We've heard lots of good stories.

Last night John was certain there was someone on the boat in the middle of the night.  He thought he heard someone kick our big green bucket on the bridge.  He got dressed and went up and everything was fine.  Maybe he dreamt it because some people were talking about places where you have to tie your lines back to your boat so that the kids don't untie the boat in the middle of the night. 

Although I did not see them, there were two deer out here swimming in front of the lock.  Eventually, they swam to this little island and then to the far shore.  I didn't get pictures because I didn't see them myself.  I did take a picture of this rather large duck family as you can see.

 Hmmm.

Ducks.

Friday, June 1, 2012

This morning, I walked to the laundry because everything we own was dirty.  Then the ironing was completed and the clothes are now all put away and everything we own is clean.  Isn't that wonderful?  We were afraid we'd be wearing our birthday suits and that would be very bad. 

We met a man doing the loop from Iowa in a canoe.  The lockmaster is allowing him to put up his tent tonight on the hill on the other side of the lock.  He paddled into the lock, the doors  closed, and then they opened and he came back out on this side and hung out beside the wall near the lock until a barge and tow was locked through.  Then he went back in and locked through.  The rumor on the dock was that the barge was transporting a space shuttle.  However, John asked them as they passed and they told him they were transporting transformers.  It looked too tall to fit under the bridge right in front of the lock, and too big to fit in the lock.  However, the pilot house was able to shrink down to allow the tow to fit under the bridge, and the barge and tow just fit in the lock.  I was surprised they could close the gates.  They did it though.

We met a couple from Cincinnati named Jim and Kathy.  Jim worked for P&G before retiring.  They live in Evendale (see picture).  We haven't met a lot of people from Cincinnati, so we really enjoyed talking with them. 

We are staying put because it's supposed to be a stormy weekend. 

 Folks from home.

 The towboat with the pilot house up.

 The towboat with the pilot house down.

 The barge in the lock.

The canoe man waiting fot the lock.