Catskill, Ny to Croton-on-Hudson

River Traffic

Now that is what I call a sailboat

Times Square

Yesterday was a dull, cloudy day.  We left Riverview early as we had 60 miles to go to get to Croton-on-Hudson at Half Moon Bay Marina.  This happens to be the same marina Alan Gray stayed at earlier.  Looks like most of the boats are smaller and belong to the Condo residents that line the shore.  The benefit is that it is a convenient location to take the train into NYC.

Front Entrance, New York Public Library

As we moved south we saw a lot more barge traffic and even two ocean going vessels. A lot of fun to see a barge try to turn the corner when he has four barges in front of him.  Talk about skidding around a corner.  We even went past West Point Military Academy. Very impressive campus.

Grand Central Facade

Meeting area

Whispering Gallery

Today we took the train into Grand Central station.  This is apparently the largest station in the world based on the number of tracks.  We even went to the whispering gallery where you stand in one corner and you can hear your partner whisper in the opposing corner. 

I was impressed with the significant presence of the various police and homeland security personnel.  They were unobtrusive, and not threatening but we saw at least a dozen of them in the hall.

We then walked to Times Square after looking around the New York Public library.  Quite a building with magnificent entry hall and frescoed galleries.

Spinning for Cancer Research

 Times Square is the iconic area you might expect but it is amazing to see all of the video screens.

After lunch we decided to walk to Rockefeller center but it started to rain heavier and we finally beat a hasty retreat back to the boat to get dry and warm.

Tomorrow we are up early to move to Liberty Landing Marina near the Statue of Liberty. In doing so we will have to pass a construction area where they are building a new bridge beside the existing Tappan Zee bridge.  There was an original panic when I read the notice to mariners that the channel was to be closed completely on Saturday.  The next day they revised the notice and only ½ was to be closed so our plans stayed put. Jennifer will be flying into Newark airport and then joining us.

Waterford to Catskill, NY

Interesting light house in middle of river, not marked on charts

After spending two days in Waterford we elected to leave today and get a day trip to NYC. We were later getting away this morning than planned. Bill received an alert to say that Lock 1 was closed until further notice! Now what!! Bill went further up the wall to talk to the people that had just come through Lock 2 and found that someone had stolen a dump truck from the National Guard driven through the parking area, through the fence and into the river. Needless to say this caused quite a bit of excitement!!  The person that stole the truck lost his life.

The lock opened a bit later so by 10:30 we were on our way. We are now travelling along the Hudson River and no more locks!!! Yay!!! Bill got to wash the stbd side of the boat from the erie canal grundge.  Maybe port side tomorrow.

This is a serious lift bridge

Albany Skyline

It is a lovely wide body of water meandering along through the countryside. Unfortunately it was a dull and cloudy day so not as colourful as normal. We travelled past Albany and the Port of Albany which was quite busy and a major industrial area. Many tank farms with river unloading, plus a cement plant etc.  We even saw an ocean going freighter tied up.

We 

Independence

saw a cruise ship from The American Line, Independence along the way.

Girder for the Tappanzee?

There was also a barge with a load of steel for a bridge further along, maybe The Tappanzee.

Tied up at Riverview Marina for the evening at Catskill, NY.  Tomorrow a 60 mile day unless there is a hold up for construction on the Tappanzee.

Little Falls - Amsterdam - Waterford

Sorry to MFP for missing our blog yesterday but Kudos to him for installing the Yacht Controller on Seas the Day.  It would have been possible for Sandy and I to have done all the locks without it but with a whole lot more stress and angst.  Coming into the lock I switch to the controller and navigate from the main helm until Sandy gets the forward spring line.  Once done, I can walk (or run)

The Admiral with her communicator ready to grab the line

down the stairs to secure the stern.  In the Erie, in which they simply throw very dirty lines over (you need throwaway gloves) you may keep the engine running.  This allows me to move the bow in upon the Admiral’s command and also re-position the stern all while standing in the stern of the boat.  What a great “Toy”

We are currently tied to the wall in Waterford and will spend at least tomorrow here as well.  We will then enter the Hudson River on the way to New York.  On the to-do list is a call in to CBP as we enter a new jurisdiction (I did not think you had to do this after getting a cruising permit but I guess I was wrong) and to call the Insurance Company as this is the demarcation point for our coverage area before increased fees apply.

Yesterday we travelled 38 Nm in about 6.0 hours as we travelled from Little Falls to Amsterdam NY.  Passing from Lock 17 to below lock 9.  Here again we spent the night on a concrete wall in front of a restaurant where we had dinner.  Before dinner we had drinks with Dave and Linda and her sister Beth from Seahawk a Fairline 65.  A really knowledgeable couple, they have done the Loop in this boat living on it for a year.  They live in Ohio and take the boat to Charleston where they spend the winter.  Interestingly, he is going to leave the boat in Long Island for a month as his Insurance will not allow him to go south of Georgia before November 1.  Dinner was at a riverside outdoor patio and at least we got smarter and did not order appetizers.  As it was, we ate leftovers for Lunch. 

Mist off the  in the am

After an early morning start which was supposed to be 7:00 but delayed while Dave checked out a coolant leak, we departed in limited visibility.  It was very cool this am and the mist rising off the water made finding some of the buoy’s a challenge.  Tonight there is a frost advisory for the area.  You can now begin to see the leaves changing on the trees. Today we made 26.4 nm after about 7 hrs travelling.

The last four locks dropped us about 130 feet, all of them in the 30-foot range.  Interestingly on this stretch the guard gates upstream of this section were closed and we had to call in to have them raised.  It certainly is nice that all of the Locks have VHF so you can call them as you approach and they can give you a heads-up on the status.  Today was pretty scenery with a mixture of rock walls and cottages.  They are doing a lot of dredging in certain areas, but as it was a Sunday, nobody was working.

Waiting for lock upstream of dam

Water flowing over dam

Ocean Alexander 72 heading for Lock

We locked through the first lock with just the two boats, when the Ocean Alexander 72 that had docked just in front of us last night came barrelling up.  After that it was 3 boats in the locks.  This boat had a couple from Toronto who were taking the boat to Florida.  The owner said the boat was for sale as “there is nowhere to cruise in the Toronto area” and it interrupted their golf.  Lizzy, a person after your own heart!  They normally navigate their boat on their own but had a captain for this trip.  She drives and her husband and the Captain do the crew work.  I like the way Sandy and I do it.

Our schedule for the next few days is uncertain as we slow down in order to reach NYC for next Saturday.  We have a reservation at Liberty Landing for then, and Jennifer will fly in from Toronto to spend the next 3 months on the boat with us.  This Marina has very convenient access to Newark airport.  We will keep you apprised.

Are you sure we are not in Europe, Dutch sailboat with lee-boards

Brewerton to Little Falls

Travelling with new acquaintances in a 65

workboat beside dredge

It was an earlier start today.  We joined up with a 65’ "Seahawk" with Dave and Lynda that has done this trip many times before and he felt that given the distance today we should start at 7:30  Weather was not great, 18 and overcast but what the heck, a bit of a relief after some of the hot days.  We started out crossing Lake Oneida which is about 35 miles long and then spent the rest of the time in the canal. We did around 62 miles and 6 locks.  Most of the time we and Seahawk were alone but in one lock there was 4 of us.  No problem as these are large locks.  Along the way we saw dredges that they must use to keep the canal clear.  They could still do some more work as we saw lots of toppled trees laying in the water as well as a few deadheads and floating branches etc.

  work boat on the hard

Dredge

There are still some sailboats heading south,  two of them appear single handed and going to the Bahamas. The most interesting was a couple  who were in a 20 foot with no mast and apparently a broken retractable keel.  He said the boat did not come with a mast.  He was on his way back to Lake Champlain and has given himself a month.  Next year he is moving up:  a 23 O’Day.  He lives in Maine and wants to trailer it.

We arrived in Little Falls about 4:00 and got settled in.  A little cleaning as we had to move our fenders from port to stbd and back and boy what a mess you get off the lock walls.  Easy goes it, as we have a booking in New York city for the night of October 1.

Cape Vincent to Brewerton

Approaching Lock 8 our first lock on Oswego canal

We left Cape Vincent by 8:30 and travelled on plane to Oswego. By the way, when we checked into the customs at Cape Vincent, we noticed that the previous day a familiar name was on the sheet: Jim Duff.

Barges parked on canal

No vibration!  Seas were 1 – 2 feet but not uncomfortable at 24 Knots.  Thus we really began our journey, entering the Oswego canal.  Locks operate a little differently than the Trent-Severn.  Only one lockkeeper and they are all motorized and quite large.  There are weighted lines, which you grab on to and hold.  Good thing I brought my contractors gloves.  We took the precaution of covering the large inflatable fenders that Chuck lent us in heavy-duty garbage bags.  These save the fenders, but you still make a mess of the side of the boat.  Guess I will be doing some cleaning of topsides along the way.  Sandy, always the one for a neat and tidy boat brought the fenders in after one lock.  No more, there was grunge etc. all over

Bascule bridge before Lock 1

They make extensive use of spillways

We proceeded through 7 locks on the Oswego and then turned on to the Erie Canal for one more lock before arriving at our destination for the evening; Winter Harbour Marina in Brewerton. In total we did 70 miles. We will be staying for two nights as we are not in a rush and need to provision etc.  They lend you a car to go out and do your errands.  Will also be refuelling.  Looks like some of the least expensive fuel we will see: $2.21. The interesting thing here is that they have credit card enabled fuel pumps.  Just put your credit card in and pump your own!  The marina seems to specialize in indoor storage for boats for the winter.  One of the boats we met in the Trent had this location as their destination.

Extensive dock with a boat lift

As all we are going to do today is shopping, do not expect an update later today.  MFP please take note.