Monday - June 11, 2018
New Baltimore to Schenectady, NY
Today we cruise the last 20 miles of the Hudson River past
the State Capitol of New York, Albany and a bit further to Troy, New York.
By the way, this cruise up the Hudson was not our first. We think in the fall of 1994, we took our 18-foot, Chris Craft Sea-Skiff from Tarrytown, NY up past Albany and Troy into the beginning of the Champlain Canal. That cruise was in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the Antique & Classic Boat Owner’s Association.
Anyway, back to Zoey’s Adventure. Today the captain screwed up a bit. I forgot the first lock was just after Troy and not at the beginning on the Erie Canal. This meant we were not ready with fenders in place on both sides of the boat, not knowing which side we would be asked to tie up on during the locking. So, it was a bit of a fire drill. The lock doors where open and we followed a tug & barge into the chamber. I chose to tie starboard to (right side). This was a mistake as I could not see the side of the boat from the bridge to get the boat next to the wall so Lou could get a line attached to the pipe running down the wall. To make thing worse, the tug kept his engine in gear making the water forward of us turbulent, making the process of keeping the boat straight and next to the wall a real challenge. Then when I think I have it in control, this big and beautiful 55-foot yacht pulls into the chamber right alongside us only a few feet away. Now, I not only have to keep our boat straight in the chamber but close to the wall and away from the adjoining yacht until the chamber is flooded and the doors open and tug moves out. I had my hands full. In the end it all worked out. They always say you remember your first ONE! Lou said that it was a good thing that we had marriage savers, wireless headsets, because you would have heard her yelling, RENE!!!!!! back to CT.
About a mile from the first lock we make the
left turn off the Hudson on to the Erie Canal.
Completed in 1825 the canal crossed the
state of New York from Albany on the Hudson to Buffalo on Lake Erie. It opened
up the west to both freight and passenger service. In all it stretches 363
miles, rises 566 feet and has 35 locks. Once into the Erie Canal we had to lock
through 5 locks in quick succession . Good thing there was no commercial traffic just
the big yacht we locked with previously and now he is in front of us. By the second lock
we now have the hang of it. We enter the chamber and on the walls there
are ropes hanging down each side. We now pull to the port side. I can now see
the wall, put the boat against the wall and Lou Ann grabs a line and ties it to
the bow cleat. I then turn the engines off go down to the swim platform and grab
another line and tie off
the stern cleat. As the chamber floods we both
adjust our line until the chamber is full. Once the boat in front begins to move forward we the start our engines and Lou Ann will drop the bow line then the stern line and we just slide out of the chamber ready for the next lock just in front of us.
After 5 locks in a row we decide its time to look for a place for the night. Options are few. We could tie up to a lock wall but have to do so after 5 pm and be off the wall by 7 am, when they open, or find a marina that can accommodate our size. With a little research Lou Ann finds the Schenectady Yacht Club listed in our chartbook. Quick call and the dock master has space for us for the night on the face of the gas dock easy in and easy out and a great view. This worked perfectly. We arrived at 3:30 pm both tired and happy to be tied to a dock with only memories of the first leg on the Erie Canal behind us.
While at the dock the dockmaster/yacht club commodore and pool attendant turned out to be a real character. He asked what our plans are for the next day…. not sure how far we are going he suggest stopping at the town/park dock in Canajoharie, NY about 40 miles to the west - free dock and power - this sounds like a plan. We spent the night in Schenectady, on the Erie Canal, in an area called the Grand Canyon of the Erie, a real pretty spot to spend a relaxing evening.
By the way, this cruise up the Hudson was not our first. We think in the fall of 1994, we took our 18-foot, Chris Craft Sea-Skiff from Tarrytown, NY up past Albany and Troy into the beginning of the Champlain Canal. That cruise was in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the Antique & Classic Boat Owner’s Association.
Anyway, back to Zoey’s Adventure. Today the captain screwed up a bit. I forgot the first lock was just after Troy and not at the beginning on the Erie Canal. This meant we were not ready with fenders in place on both sides of the boat, not knowing which side we would be asked to tie up on during the locking. So, it was a bit of a fire drill. The lock doors where open and we followed a tug & barge into the chamber. I chose to tie starboard to (right side). This was a mistake as I could not see the side of the boat from the bridge to get the boat next to the wall so Lou could get a line attached to the pipe running down the wall. To make thing worse, the tug kept his engine in gear making the water forward of us turbulent, making the process of keeping the boat straight and next to the wall a real challenge. Then when I think I have it in control, this big and beautiful 55-foot yacht pulls into the chamber right alongside us only a few feet away. Now, I not only have to keep our boat straight in the chamber but close to the wall and away from the adjoining yacht until the chamber is flooded and the doors open and tug moves out. I had my hands full. In the end it all worked out. They always say you remember your first ONE! Lou said that it was a good thing that we had marriage savers, wireless headsets, because you would have heard her yelling, RENE!!!!!! back to CT.
About a mile from the first lock we make the
left turn off the Hudson on to the Erie Canal.
 |
| Directions to the Erie Canal |
 |
| Motor Vessel Aslan that we followed through 5 Locks Lock E2 with a 14 foot lift |
the stern cleat. As the chamber floods we both
adjust our line until the chamber is full. Once the boat in front begins to move forward we the start our engines and Lou Ann will drop the bow line then the stern line and we just slide out of the chamber ready for the next lock just in front of us.
After 5 locks in a row we decide its time to look for a place for the night. Options are few. We could tie up to a lock wall but have to do so after 5 pm and be off the wall by 7 am, when they open, or find a marina that can accommodate our size. With a little research Lou Ann finds the Schenectady Yacht Club listed in our chartbook. Quick call and the dock master has space for us for the night on the face of the gas dock easy in and easy out and a great view. This worked perfectly. We arrived at 3:30 pm both tired and happy to be tied to a dock with only memories of the first leg on the Erie Canal behind us.
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| Views of the Erie Canal |
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| View on the Erie Canal |
While at the dock the dockmaster/yacht club commodore and pool attendant turned out to be a real character. He asked what our plans are for the next day…. not sure how far we are going he suggest stopping at the town/park dock in Canajoharie, NY about 40 miles to the west - free dock and power - this sounds like a plan. We spent the night in Schenectady, on the Erie Canal, in an area called the Grand Canyon of the Erie, a real pretty spot to spend a relaxing evening.
 |
| Locals consider this the Grand Canyon of the Erie Canal. We sunsets are perfect the rock walls glow orange. |
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