Utica & Brewerton, NY 06/26 & 06/27 - 6/28/2021

Saturday  06/26/2021

Day Miles: 21

Total Miles:  5727

Travel Days:  111

Total Days:  241

Sunday  06/27/2021

Day Miles: 49

Total Miles:  5776

Travel Days:  112

Total Days:  243

Saturday:

So we decided to split the next couple of travels up and stay at a restaurant wall that was going to be after Lock 19.  We were the 1st boat to arrive, and managed to get a spot on the wall that had a power hookup.  It was a little bit of a climb to get on and off the boat but not too bad.  We left the low floating dock for some of the smaller boats that we knew were coming in.  We tried to make reservations for dinner but they were very busy and could not get us in before 7:15.  Nothing on the menu was screaming at us so we decided to just have dinner on the boat.  More of the same scenery today on the canal.

Interesting way to make a fishing boat, just cut the top off.

Another lock, they are all beginning to look the same.

Restaurant dock wall. 

We are the furthest boat down the wall.

Sunday:

On Sunday we made our way to Brewerton, NY.  We did reach the highest point on the Erie Canal and 424 feet above sea level.  We also started going down on the locks now instead of up.  Took a few random pictures of the canal and the locks.

Really made wrong turn if I am in Rome - Sorry, had to say it.

Entering Sylvan Beach. 

As we entered Sylvan Beach the boat traffic was quite high due to it being a nice Sunday afternoon.  Was strange to see so many boats have traveling so far and not seeing any.  We also had to run the 20 miles across Lake Oneida.  

As we pulled into EssKay Marina to get fuel and pump out, fellow Looper Tom from "God Speed" met me on the dock with a cold Bud Light.  We got into our slip and will spend the next 2 nights here.  There are about 7 other Looper boats here, some who we have met and other's we have not.  We did have a birthday cake and docktails that evening for Ceci on "God Speed".  It was very Humid on Monday so outside work was not really an option.  We did share the courtesy car with another boat and made a quick trip to Wegman's for some provisioning.  Back at the boat we used the car again to go the Wild Horse for dinner.  Turned out to be 8 of us eating.  

It was a nice stop and break from all the the locks.

Tomorrow we will turn off the Erie Canal and take the Oswego Canal into Oswego, NY and then onto Lake Ontario. 

Little Falls, NY - 06/25/21

Friday  06/25/2021

Day Miles: 18

Total Miles:  5706

Travel Days:  110

Total Days:  240

We left the wall at Lock 15 on a nice morning.  We planned on a short day, only going through lock 16 and 17 and then stopping at Little Falls on the wall.  I had looked at "Nebo", a tracking app that most of the Loopers use, and I saw only 1 boat on the wall.  As we approached Lock 17 they called us on the radio and asked how far out we were.  Since we were only 1/2 mile out they said they would open the lock up for us.  This lock had a lot of issues earlier in the year.  It is a guillotine lock where the door is raised up and you drive underneath.  The gear broke and they are raising and lowering it with a crane.  As we were inside the lock they began working on it.  We heard a boat behind us call them and they said it would be down for about an hour.  This was at 10:30 in the morning.  Turns out that they did not get the lock working again until 5:00.

When we got to the wall at 11:00, it turns out that the wall was almost completely full.  A sailboat moved forward some and we were able to squeeze into the last spot that had power.  We managed to get a lot of chores done during the day, including washing the boat which it needed badly.  A few boats gathered for docktails at the picnic tables right there at the park.  It was a nice stop and I can see why some people spend a couple of days there.  Our plan is fluid for tomorrow.

A- Go to Sylvan Beach before Lake Oneida

B- Go to Brewerton, after Lake Oneida

C- Go to Aqua Vino, between lock 19 & 20

Guess we will finalize in the morning.

 

View of what most of the Erie Canal looks like.

Locks and more Locks

Old Guard Gates - 21 foot clearance 

Lock 17 - Guillotine gate being operated by the crane.

Dock wall at Little Falls.  We were tied directly to the wall.

Group from Docktails

Fort Plain, NY 06/24/21

Thursday  06/24/2021

Day Miles: 40

Total Miles:  5688

Travel Days:  109

Total Days:  239

We left Mohawk, Lock 7 with the intention of only going to Lock 10 and staying at Riverlink Park.  It was only 20 miles and 2 Locks.  It was such a nice day and we were going through the locks by ourselves, so we decided to keep moving.  After Lock 14 we called ahead to Lock 15 to see if there was room on the Lock wall to spend the night.  It was reported to have 1 power pedestal so we called the lock to see if anyone was on the wall.  The Lockmaster confirmed that no-one was on the wall and there was power.  We decide to continue on.  We got tied up and power around 2:30 in the afternoon.  We walked up into town for dinner at the The Table restaurant.  It was a nice place to eat, but you can tell that Covid had an impact.  Dinner was very good though.

Views of the Locks and Canal

They do a pretty good job of removing debris from the Canal

Marcia holding the front line as we reach the top of the Lock

We had considered moving ahead, but glad we didn't.  It was another 2 Locks and 20 miles until the next stop and we really did not have it in us.  It was a peaceful night on the wall and only 1 other boat came in.  There was only room for 2 boats so glad we got here early and got power.  

Sausage and rice soup

I had the pork chop with bacon and Marcia had the salmon.

Boat on the Lock Wall

Mohawk Marina - Schenectady NY 06/23/21

Wednesday  06/23/2021

Day Miles: 45

Total Miles:  5649

Travel Days:  108

Total Days:  238

So today is Friday, so you guys are a few days behind. We are in Little Falls, NY but I will get to that later.  We drove back to the boat on Monday and it took us 10 hours.  We unloaded the car and threw everything into the boat.  After a short break we drove to the Shop and Save for some frozen and refrigerated supplies.   On Tuesday we returned the rental car and waited for the rain to stop so we could move the boat, pump out, fuel up and be ready to leave on Wednesday.  That all happened around 3:00.  On Wednesday morning we headed out for the 20 mile run up the Hudson for the Erie Canal.  We passed through the Troy lock on the Hudson, no more tides, YEAH!.  

Leaving Shady Harbor

Erie Canal to the Port - Left

When we reach Waterford which is the beginning of the Erie Canal, we had Lock 2-6 which are stepped locks.  Basically 6 Locks in 1/2 mile.  We found out that Lock 3 was having issues so we had to tie up in Waterford.  After a 2 hour delay the lock reopened and we were on our way.

Painted horses in Waterford

1st lock had pipes that you had to wrap a line around and slide it up as the water went up.  Others just have hanging lines that you need to hold on to as the water rises.

You can see the old canal on the right as we entered the newer lock.

Bridges are low here, 20 and 21 foot so we lowered out satellite TV dome for the canal.

After lock 6 we had a about 10 miles to get through Lock 7.  We stayed at Mohawk Marina which is owned by Brian Donavan who owns Shady Harbor.  Turns out he was there to catch our lines.  Lucy was not very happy about waiting so long for lunch/dinner.  

We were exhausted after 7 locks and a 9 hour day so we just had dinner on the boat.  We did take a walk along the canal path and Marcia met a new friend.  We were reminded when Andrew and Lindsey met Captain Charlie at Turtle Creek.  We did not think that Lucy would like to share her quarters, so we managed to not bring the cat back to the boat.

We did walk into the casino that was there and had a quick beer and quickly lost $5.  

As I said, today is Friday and we are further West on the Canal, but you will have to wait for the other updates.  Cell signal and internet is not very good so I will blame my lack of posting due to that.  We are doing OK and making our way West.  If I have good internet tomorrow I will get you caught up.