Where's Nova 2014: FINALLY WIFI -- MV TO CHAMPLAIN CANAL

Federal lock at Troy NY, this is the first lock you encounter coming up the Hudson River

We have not had much wifi since leaving our house last weekend, so here is first blog entry from Fort Edward NY, on the Champlain Canal. I took a few terrible pictures along the way, will post them anyway. Sometimes its hard to take photos from the boat.

Day 1 we traveled about 90 miles to the Connecticut River, landing at a very small marina between the highway bridge -- I-95 -- and the railroad bridge -- the marina & fuel dock belong to Herb Chambers, the auto mogul, who owns it so he could make a big slip to keep his 92 foot small auxiliary boat and he has a helicopter pad and a small mansion there as well. I don't know where he keeps his big boat. The manager is very nice to us and lets us stay there for free -- with a huge fuel purchase! Our friend Gordon Van Nes came over from Chester and drove us to a restaurant for dinner.

Day 2 we went about 75 miles to Manhasset Bay -- Port Washington. The town of West Hempstead, LI, maintains about 24 guest moorings where you can stay for 2 nights, weekdays, 1 night weekends. Usually we go ashore on the launch, but this trip we just stayed on the boat. I like usually to sit in the cockpit evenings and watch the planes from LaGuardia, very nearby, taking off and heading for Europe, but this evening was very cool, we were tired, and darkness came late.

Day 3, we took off early hoping to get favorable currents on the Harlem River and Hudson -- the NY currents are almost impossible to figure out, we usually just go on our schedule and what is, is. Its always interesting going thru New York, today there was not much traffic, the Harlem River winds across Manhattan for 7 miles, I think we saw two other boats, lots of car traffic though (no, not in the river!) The Spuyten Duyvil swing bridge (railroad) is at the Hudson end, we waited about 10 minutes for that to open for us, and we were off up the Hudson.

Since the last time we were on the Hudson River, we have traveled hundreds of miles on the inland river system, and now appreciate more than ever the beauty of this great river. To say nothing of the history -- someday we should spend more time exploring. We passed the Palisades, various masions, bridges and "mountains" , lighthouses, Indian Point nuclear plant, "up-the-river" SingSing Prison, Olana (Frederick Church mansion museum) many creeks and inlets, river islands, the list goes on and on. We landed at Cornwall Yacht Club, a friendly small place where we have stayed before, called our friend Larry Barbieri, and had a fun evening catching up with him, and his new puppy Geoffrey Charles Wallingford -- did you ever know a dog with three names?

Day 4 held a nasty weather forecast, so we left at 6:30 and traveled all day in overcast but dry weather, stopped to fuel in Albany, and landed in Waterford, NY, tied up and about 15 minutes later the deluge started; it rained all night and the river rose about 4 feet, no kidding.

We decided not to go into Canada until around July 8 or so, for various reasons -- called some boating friends who co-incidentally were coming by the Waterford dock to visit with another cruising boat -- anyway, it all ended up that we will spend the fourth of July with them at their marina, Chipman Point Marina, Orwell Vermont.

Day 6 and 7 spent in Waterford, cleaning boat, doing errands, visiting with Kevin, Karen and Mark, etc. We had some wifi at Waterford, once we moved the boat, but got bogged down in other things.

Sunday June 29 – Day 8 – beautiful day, farmers market at waterford docks, we left mid-morning and traveled only a short distance, but through two locks, to the town dock at Mechanicville. Another free dock with power, water, a comfort station and nice porch for boaters. The State of New York, The Canal Corporation, and the river towns-- almost all of which are hurting – have formed partnerships to improve their waterfronts and offer wonderful services to boaters, making the NY canal system a save, inexpensive, and easy cruising destination for summer vacations. Question is, where are all the cruisers? We have been thru these areas several times, but never seen things so quiet.

Monday, June 30 – Day 9. Left the dock at 7:50, traveled 25 miles thru locks 3,4,5,6 – Champlain Canal, this is, -- almost all of the area is being dredged in one spot or another – passing many big barges, all of which kept our speed down to 5 knots or so – we locked thru with one big barge, our first experience like that and came into Ft Edward – tied up to a wall by a lovely park, quiet spot, and free for us with power, water, etc. When you consider that many New England Marinas now charge upwards of $4/per foot for dockage, you understand the appeal of free. We are not due in Orwell for our 4^th of July rendevous until Thursday, so may stay here for two days. The Library is nearby with wifi !!!

Now if I can find pictures somewhere:

we're off. . . . .

lighthouse at The Race, where LI Sound and BI Sound meet

Lighthouse at Old Lyme, Connecticut River

sleeping near the I-95 bridge, Connecticut River

flat calm in Long Island Sound ! We're lucky!

1877 Lighthouse "Stepping Stones" near the Throgs Neck Bridge

Hell Gate Bridge, nice view of Manhattan

Bridge after bridge after bridge on the Harlem River

this is Sing Sing ("up the River")

lots of work on Tappan Zee Bridge

Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant

Bear Mountain Bridge, beautiful Hudson highlands

here we are with Geoffrey Charles Wallingford, who came to visit
how many dogs do you know with 3 names?
Geoffrey is the best buddy of our friend Larrry Barbieri