6/29/24 - layover day 2 in Waterford NY - uh oh and double uh oh

Well….owning and cruising aboard a big 38 year old boat don’t always go as planned; today was one of those days.   We rose to a windy and rainy morning.   After relaxing for several hours and watching the weather maps we decided at about 9:30am that it looked at the maps and forecast and decided that we would move onto the Hudson River and head toward Kingston with a possible stop in Troy across the river to carouse what was said to be a good farmers market.   

Pre shove off checklist completed and port engine running we were that close to departure…uh oh, starboard engine would not start.  It wouldn’t even turn over.   An advantage to having twin engines can be redundancy.  If one fails we normally can at least limp along on one for a bit.   In todays case the redundancy of the twin engines turned out to be that Erik would manage to mess up the other engine while in the process of pilfering parts from the port to test components on the starboard by process of elimination.   

Battery switched out ✔️  ballast resistor switched out ✔️ coil switched out ✔️ solenoid switched out ✔️ unfortunately none of these tests made the starboard engine run.   Double uh oh….in the process of changing components back Erik managed to cross two of the multiple wires to the coil and ballast resistor causing a short which now had the port engine also inoperable 😖.  While Renee rode to the hardware and auto parts store to get some 20A fuses Erik stayed back and continued getting things back together correctly.  We were now down to believing it was likely the starter that was bad on the starboard and now no idea what we had done to the port 🤪.   With a sore back from bending over engines all morning and into the early afternoon Erik conceded that we need the help of a REAL mechanic,   A fellow boater who was heading out, up the Hudson, recommended Lock 1 Marine in town saying that their mechanic (Steve) was very good.   A call to Lock 1 and speaking with co owner, Larry, had Steve headed down our way to the wall.   He was very nice and obviously knowledgeable.    After an hour or so of diagnostics he confirmed that the starter (likely original…38 years of starts isn’t too bad!) was shot.   With another hour or so of testing and diagnostics it was determined that the igniter on the electronic ignition of the port engine was bad; likely toasted by Erik’s accidental wire cross and short.   After removing the bad starter Steve left us stating he would need to get the starter into the shop to see if it is rebuildable on Monday or whether we will be able to get a replacement new one.   He was very uncertain where/when he would be able to procure the igniter needed for the old school Mallory distributor system 🤔. 

We know it was a challenging day when our photo roll consists 99% of engine and component pics
🤓

Discouraged and tired but trying to keep our spirits up we made multiple calls to cancel upcoming slip reservations at Shady Harbor and Kingston.  We also got on the horn with Erik’s Dad who was scheduled to be leaving McConnelsviile with Felicitas tomorrow morning early to head to Kingston to meet us and spend a few days aboard before bringing us home.    Unsure of timing and where, if anywhere, we will be going from here dad agreed to hold tight and wait to hear from us on Monday.    

We paused, had dinner, and then loaded up our dirty clothes and towels to bring up to the nearby laundromat.   While walking through town with Riva waiting for the washers to finish we did get a message from Steve stating that he found the needed igniter for the ignition online and that it should be here on Tuesday….maybe.  🤞.    So, here we are in Waterford for what will likely be at least 3 days, maybe more.   Bottom line is that there could be worse places to be “stuck”!   There are many things we can see and do here still and friendly people have been welcoming.   We will definitely make the best of things and figure/revise the plan as we go through the next few days.  

Lots to see and do in this beautiful area

“Plans are nothing; Planning is everything”…Dwight D Eisenhower 

6/28/24 Layover day in Waterford - Yes Darling!❤️

A fun evening at a great show!

We began the day going for a walk/hike on the “flight trail”.  The trail started at lock #2 and we followed a short path to a road.  We ended up following several roads and saw very little of the locks, canals, or views we had expected.  We gave up on the hike as the sights were not getting any better and headed back to the boat to make some lunch.  Erik had a meeting/call he had to be on at 2 so we doddled around the boat for several hours on odd jobs and relaxation till his meeting.  

Couple additional looper boats came in in preparation for their rise up to the Erie Canal

Beautiful flowers and girls adorn the sidewalks along the wall where we are docked!
Hydrangea is apparently the bush of Waterford….tons of them everywhere 

Some sites from our walk 

We had an early dinner grilled on the boat and took Riva for another walk before heading out on our bikes to attend a 6pm meeting held at the combination library/senior center across the canal in Cohoes.  It was a good meeting with about 30 local folks, some of which we stood around and chatted with after the meeting for a while before heading one block over to the historic Cohoes Music Hall for an 8pm show.   Erik had found online yesterday that there was a production, ‘Yes Darling’, that looked pretty entertaining.   The show proved to be just that…very fun and entertaining with outstanding music and talent from the small cast.  It was a comedic and somewhat improv musical show that did not disappoint.  Renee was fortunate enough to be seated directly next to a very drunk and belligerent lady who felt the need to sing loudly and shout out random noises continuously for the first half hour or so before she was first escorted by the theatre staff up to the balcony and then about 15 minutes later escorted from the theater by the police.  The  shows stars did well in utilizing their improv skills to handle teh interruption.  In the link below is a video of a previous show that is slightly different but the same basic content….very good stuff!   You have to go to the 24th minute on the video to get past the pre show silence and to the actual show.  Take a watch if you want some laughs.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiAT8GkfwPI  

 Gorgeous old theatre 
Signs inside indicating some of the many famous acts that have taken the stage over the decades 

The show lasted over two hours and we rode home in the dark after the show not arriving back to the boat until about 10:30pm where we took Riva for a quick walk and bathroom break before heading off to sweet dreams of today and thoughts of what tomorrow may have in store! 

6/27/24 - Amsterdam to Waterford - Locked Down

Waterford NY claims to be the oldest incorporated village in the US

Awoke to our usual coffee, Erik up before sunrise,Renee slept till after 6 😊. Erik made omelettes and toast for breakfast while our dock neighbors all shoved off heading west.  We called the lock about 8 and he said he could be ready for us in about 5 minutes. So off we headed for our first lock of the day.  The first of 10! The locks were 5-10 miles apart most of the day.  Again we were passing several loopers as we traveled eastbound.  The locks started off as about 8-10 foot drops at lock 11 and then gradually increased to about a 20 foot drop at lock 7.  Unfortunately, the wind was increasing too 😖.  

Some of the many AGLCA member boats we passed or encountered today

We arrived at a guard gate a little after 1pm.  This guard gate was closed and there was a pretty serious dam and waterfall the other way.  The wind tossed us around while we tried calling the guard gate on the radio and phone, then lock 6 with no answer. Finally a car drove across the guard gate and down by the wall in front of it.  When we saw he had a blue shirt on we assumed he was with the NY canal system.  After taking our boat information he said he would open the gate then drive to lock 6 to meet us there and lock us down.  We waited a few minutes for him to fill the lock then headed into the first of 5 locks (this system is also referred to as ‘flight of five’ just as the old, now not used, series was called way back in Lockport).  Each lock would be about 33-34 feet of a drop and now the wind was gusting and pushing us all over in the locks.   We have both commented that of all of the 100+ locks we have navigated in our travels some of these on the Erie Canal are the most challenging.   The main reason, in our minds, is that the majority of the ropes that are used to hold a boat to the lock wall while descending/ascending are not secured at the bottom of the wall.  With some of these ones today being 30+ ft drops by the time we were toward the bottom it would be difficult to keep the boat snug to the wall with such long ropes only secured at the top.  Long story short is that our arms, backs and shoulders got quite the workout today.   

Riva got a little surprise shower as we passed through the just lifted guard gate

Top left: awaiting the gate to open at the top
 Bottom left: view from inside lock at top of the flight
Top right: about midway down in one of the short channels between locks
Middle right: 3/5 way down in the channel
Bottom right: 4/5 way down in the channel

The system is really quite incredible.   Each of the five chambers dispels over 3 million gallons of water in less than six minutes as it lowers vessels down to the next river level.    There are short channels of only .25 - .5 miles between each of the five locks.  It took less than 1.5 hrs from the time we pulled into the chamber of the uppermost lock until we were down to Waterford NY at the confluence of the Hudson River.   165 feet lower in just 1.5 miles!   The other stressful part of the afternoon was that our starboard motor was acting up and stalling at idle speeds (we need to get this addressed….likely a timing adjustment needed).   It made for a couple of dicey moments both while exiting one of the last locks and especially while docking at the bottom in Waterford.   The engine stalled (could only be re started from lower helm with parallel switch engaged 🤪) just as we were pulling up to a very high concrete wall with the wind roaring and pushing the boat in different directions.   We bumped the rub rail on the wall before managing to back off of it, restart the stalled engine from below and come back for a second attempt.   Fortunately, there were several Army Corp of Engineer guys on the wall who saw us struggling a bit who came over to assist in catching and securing lines.   We were HAPPY to be tied off and able to relax and take a breath!

        Doors opening and preparing to exit after the first 33’ drop of five…welcomed by beautiful view 

After checking in at the visitors center and walking Riva we took a walk up into town where we had our first full look at the Hudson River, saw a few historical sites and had a nice dinner at McGreivey’s (very yummy).  Even though we had split an appetizer and main dish we still did not have room for dessert…no fear…we got the bread pudding “to go” to enjoy later.  We dropped off our leftovers off at the boat and snagged up Riva to venture out to attempt at hiking off some calories at the nearby Peebles Island State Park.  We enjoyed the 2 mile loop of the entire island that had great views of the confluences of the Hudson, Mohawk and Erie Canal including some more tranquil waterfalls.   At the conclusion of the hike as we were preparing to exit the park we had a good conversation with a local young woman walking her two dogs (Riva was ecstatic!) who gave us good advice on what to see in Waterford and the surrounding area.   

 We will soon be in tidal waters
Sign talks about the Hudson being the river that flows both ways

 Views from hike at Peebles Island State Park
Last pic is a cheat on this blog and is the sunrise over the Hudson tomorrow morning 

Back at the boat we enjoyed a nice sunset, coffee and our bread pudding before retiring for the day.  We had a wonderful time exploring the entire Erie Canal and many of its offerings and are looking forward to a full day here in Waterford tomorrow followed by a trek south on the Hudson River over the last week of this years trip.   

Sunset on the Watertown free wall
Good nigh!
💤 

6/26/24 - Little Falls to Amsterdam NY - ‘Power Down’ and Ski Club

Erik’s new routine is to find new ways to get Renee and Riva out of bed.  This morning he unplugged the boat and everything went off.  Once out of bed, Renee saw he was moving the boat so the loopers in front of us could get out easier.  We drank coffee and watched everyone else shoved off, one after another.  Most often loopers move in “floatillas”. This makes it easier to get through locks and such. Shortly after a quick breakfast of cereal Renee called the lock and he said he would be ready for us in about a half-hour.  We disconnected electric, untied and shoved off to head for our first of six locks today.  The first was a big drop of about 41 feet, and was different in how the lower gate lifted on big chains instead of doors opening.

First lock!

As we started to drop in the chamber a weep hole in the lock wall was spewing water onto the gunwales and into the galley window that we’d left open…oops

Shortly after the first lock we had planned to stop at a historical site that supposedly had a dock.  Unfortunately the dock was not in the water so we were not able to stop at Herkimer Home.  This was the home of a notable revolutionary war General, Nicholas Herkimer, and was built in 1764 https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/herkimerhome/details.aspx . We were bummed that we were not able to stop and see it 😟 Maybe next time!

View of Herkimer Home from the river

Beautiful fluffy cloud day

We had debated on stopping in Canahoharie which was only about 20 miles from our days starting point but instead decided to motor on to Amsterdam which was a slightly larger town.  Our thinking is that this will give us two nights in Waterford (at the confluence of the Erie Canal and Hudson River) which we’ve heard really good things about.   The cruising was smooth and uneventful for the most part as the lock masters at each of the locks would call ahead to the next one to let them know they had a vessel heading eastbound their way.  The majority of the lock doors were open and ready for us to enter as we approached.  All of the lock masters along the canal have been very friendly and helpful; always nice to see folks enjoying their work.  We did have a minor snafu while exiting the last of the locks of the day for our trip.  Erik let go of the rear rope that he was holding that keeps the boat stationary against the wall as he always does and went up to the helm to start the engines and exit the lock.  It was rather breezy so the rear of the boat quickly began to drift off the wall when, of course, the starboard engine failed to start.  Ugh….he managed to keep the boat from turning sideways in the chamber working with the one engine and utilizing steering wheel/rudder but this is much more challenging than utilizing both engines and the controls only (think zero turn mower).  Renee went below and after a couple moments was able to start the engine from the lower helm by utilizing the battery parallel switch.  We need to investigate further why the starboard engine starts much harder than the port side (particularly when hot); Erik believes it is an engine timing issue.   With both engines now running and the boat righted we were back on our way headed the final few miles to Amsterdam.   

More of the many loopers we passed today
ALL still gong the wrong way 🤪 

We were securely tied up on the free wall at the top of the lock at 3:15pm concluding the 39 mile days trip.  This free wall again had power so we plugged in and turned on the AC before unloading the bikes to head off into town.  We rode over to the Riverlink Park, below the lock, which had been our other option for mooring for the night.   Here we would have had to pay $1 a foot though so we decided the free option was for us leaving more money for ice cream! 😂. Had we been a day later we would have been able to see the water ski show that is put on every Thursday evening.  Instead, we were impressed and entertained  by watching a youth ski club have their turn on the water.  Speaking with the grandfather of one of the young ladies, we found that the club is made very reasonable for the kids. They only have to pay $50 a year to cover an insurance policy and everything else is taken care of for them. They ski multiple days a week. The club is largely funded by donations from the community….very cool!   They were a good number of kids, probably about 15, Who were all taking turns getting pulled behind two different boats. For the first half hour or so it was apparent that it was the beginners taking their turn. Soon, though, many of the more advanced skiers had their turn on the water. It was very gratifying and entertaining to see these youngsters showing off their talents. Some were skiing up to four at a time behind the boat, others were doing trick  skiing and knee boarding, yet others were actually even even going over ramps…how fun!  We both decided that we wanted to join the club but alas at 29 years old we’ve both long since aged out of the age requirement 😝 

      What a great program Amsterdam has for their youth…hard to be on a cell phone while in the water 

                                                                               Fly high!

When we made our way back to the boat there were now several other boats that had come in to tie up on the free wall.   A couple were loopers but the most intriguing one to us was a fellow Marinette.  It was a 1989 Marinette 32 Sedan (exact same model and year as our previous boat ‘Aquqholic’).  However, ten years ago the owner  had repowered his boat by removing the two big old Chrysler 318’s and replacing them with a single Honda 60hp outboard.  In speaking with the owner he shared that he cruises at about  7-8mph while achieving 3-4mpg….quite impressive.  Could be a struggle in the maneuvering department or if ever going against a strong current though.   He left Maryland on the Chesapeake a couple of weeks ago and is headed to Toledo Ohio on the far western basin of Lake Erie for the annual Marinette Rendezvous; a slightly longer journey than we will be making this year but in the opposite direction and with ~1/4 of the fuel bill.  Not to shabby a way to go! 

     Trains roaring by along the Erie Canal have been a very regular occurrence almost all of our journey

‘Power Down’
❤️ 

   Speaking of powering down…
After another fun but exhausting day Riva and Erik had no problem doing just that!

6/25/24 - Brewerton free wall to Little Falls NY - On belay

A peaceful nights sleep was had tied to the Brewerton free wall after the winds died down.  Erik awoke and heated a leftover cup of coffee in the microwave before starting a fresh pot of coffee.   He quickly discovered when the coffee pot turned itself off that we had apparently utilized too much juice from our battery bank the afternoon/evening before and throughout the night.   We had not been plugged in to shore power and were running off our inverter to warm food in the microwave, utilize the induction burner, make coffee, run fans, and we had watched TV before going to bed for an hour or so; apparently more than we should have 😬.   Fortunately, the generator was now operating as it should and we were able to start it up briefly in order to make our all important pot of coffee as well as turn on the battery charger to give the house bank a quick charge.   The house bank would continue to charge once we were underway as it also charges off of the engine alternators.   The starting of the generator awoke the two sleeping beauties (Renee and Riva) from their slumber.   We had talked the night before about having an early departure to take advantage of the minimal morning winds to make the run across a calm Oneida Lake.  Since we were all now awake before sunrise we quickly prepped the boat and departed at 5:14am.   The dawn departure rewarded us with a very peaceful and nice cruise across the lake.  

Good day sunshine 🌞 

Erik sped things up to a very fast (for us) 17mph, 21 mile cruise across Oneida Lake after sunrise

                                                                       Smooth waters

                                              Accompanied by a beautiful sunrise and moon set

At 7:05am we pulled into Sylvan Beach and tied up at the free wall.   Multiple other loop boats were preparing to shove off to make their lake crossing in the direction we had just come from.   Now that we are on the eastern portion of the Erie Canal and the many loopers are heading west, mostly just a bit more before they head up the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario, we were again amazed at just how many AGLCA members we encountered.   Throughout the day Renee was snapping pictures of them, as we cruised eastward.    By our count we crossed paths with 26 boats actively on the loop today alone 😮.   Together with the ~18 we saw just at Winter Harbor in Brewerton yesterday that makes at least 44 loop boats we’ve seen; this does not even count multiple others that were down the canal at another marina (Eskay Yards).   

  20 of the 26 AGLCA boats we saw today
If you’re one of the 6 we left out please CashApp funds to us to invest in more robust photo editing app!
We are still trying to figure out why y’all are GOING THE WRONG WAY?!?
😜 

Arriving at Sylvan Beach early allowed us to break the rules and take Riva for a short walk on the very nice beach stretching along the towns waterfront before we came to the sign that stated “no dogs allowed….$250 fine”.   This sign detoured our beach stroll up onto the streets of town where we walked another mile or so enjoying the sites of a throwback to the 50’s looking town.   Being Tuesday and early in the day virtually nothing was open.  We did discuss for a moment about going into a classic pancake joint but instead decided to move on.  

Sites of Sylvan Beach

Back aboard and continuing east we slowed our roll considerably to a still healthy 10+ mph cruise.  It was another 45.7 miles and 5 locks including one that would be our last lock to ride UP.  For the remainder of the locks on the Erie Canal we will be getting lowered down while descending to the Hudson River.  The landscape did change noticeably and was much more hilly and mountain’ish for most of the remainder of the day.  

There’s diamonds in them there hills

We came into Little Falls at about 3:30 completing the 66.9 mile day.  We were greeted and helped to tie up by several loopers who had arrived a bit earlier in the afternoon.   After greetings and some pleasant exchanges we rode off on our bikes to explore the town.   The town is set in a very cool and scenic valley with many pretty views of cliffs and small rapids of the Mohawk River.  Like many of  the small river towns that we encounter the depressed nature of the area was somewhat evident even though we could also tell the residents were proud of the charm of their town.  We biked over the bridge where we could see the canal on one side of a small island and rocky, descending creek that created some small water falls.  We biked past a hotel with a theater in it. Down a Main St with some really neat architecture, but closed or empty store fronts.  After riding around for a while we found our way to the island.  We passed a popular restaurant, some historic looking buildings that now housed some shops and businesses, but none of the shops were open.  Erik was on a mission to find the “falls” of “Little Falls”.  

Some of the falls of Little Falls

Many cool old buildings from the towns hay day

Biking down the island we found a couple of spots with some beautiful views and some of the smaller falls.  We came to an area that had large cliffs on either side.  Along the path we were riding were a group of people rock climbing on the face of the cliffs!  Very cool! At the end of the island we came upon the hydro electric power plant(this is where they directed the falls to harness their power!) and the lock that we would pass through in the morning.  This is one of the biggest drops we encountered on the Erie Canal so far(about 41 foot drop). We biked back into town for a meeting, then back to the boat.

Mural on wall at nice, clean park where we were docked
And 
Rock climbers….On belay!

    Most of the climbers were part of a club who were training and practicing for a trip to Maine 

6/24/24 - Brewerton to Brewerton NY free wall

The winds howled throughout night creating a poor night of sleep for Renee as she worried about the noises and movement.   Erik’s sleep was unaffected as he rested well.  We awoke to continuing light rain that was still blowing hard and temperatures had fallen considerably.  A mostly lazy morning was spent in flannel PJ’s.   The rain was supposed to start clearing out around noon and winds were projected to subside some in the evening.   Our plans were to make an approximately 24 mile run across Oneida Lake which is the largest lake totally within the state of New York spanning 80 square miles.   We had heard that with it being a relatively shallow lake it can kick up some nasty waves when windy.  Checking our ‘Windy’ app we discovered that the winds were creating 4-5’ waves throughout the morning and into the early afternoon.   Renee made arrangements with the marina staff for us to be allowed a delayed departure from our slip until noon (10am is the standard time).  We filled the water tanks, prepped the boat for what could be a fairly rough and bumpy ride, and shoved off at noon.  We first pulled over to their fuel dock to top off our gas (only took on 48 gallons but was worth the time given their prices were $1 or more less than anyone else on the canal).   We motored out the 1 mile of canal to the edge of the lake and chose to tie up to the towns free wall for a few hours to wait out the still gusting winds….we were in no hurry.   We cooked up hot dogs for lunch and napped for an hour or so after lunch.   Hung at the wall for a while longer listening to music and chillaxing.   

Another gold looper moored on the free wall behind us that we chatted with
They’re  also headed west, like most everyone but us 😝

From our spot on the wall we watched with our binoculars this 53’ vessel coming across the lake late afternoon and although much larger and more stable a vessel than us they were getting knocked around pretty good…..maybe we’ll stay put for the day ☺️

Though the winds finally started calming down and the sun came out we decided to wait till morning to cross the lake.  We made some BigMac salads for dinner then headed out for a nice long walk.  We walked toward the lake hoping to get some views.  We saw some beautiful homes, a marina, and walked out one of the marina walkways for a bit of a view.  Riva found a new friend who followed us for about 10 minutes but ran when Riva tried to “play” 🤣😂 Back at the boat we had ice cream cones and coffee ❤️❤️❤️

Brave kitty
Playmate for Riva?
Not so much

Gorgeous home out on the very tip as the Oneida River met with Oneida Lake 

Marina out on the point 
Waters calmed late evening as the winds finally subsided

Mom, dad and two young children were fishing on the wall where we were docked 
Mom and little daughter with their prize winning catch
🐟 

6/23/24 - Layover day at Winter Harbor, Brewerton NY - Oh Lord won’t you loan me a Mercedes Benz

Renee started the day with a load of laundry, and Erik cooked omelettes with more shish kebab leftovers.  Then we borrowed the “vintage” courtesy car, a 1990 Mercedes, to make a trip to Walmart for a few groceries.  Erik kept singing the “Oh Lord Won’t You Buy Me A Mercedes Benz” song that Renee had never heard.  

https://youtu.be/Qev-i9-VKlY?si=zY1TZhLXDKdhjoTE

Complete with no AC, several dash lights on including check engine, crooked Mercedes hood ornament, and instructions posted on how to deal with all the quirks 😂 

After shopping we relaxed on the boat for a few watching some loopers head out heading west on the canal; most of them likely turning off shortly onto The Oswego Canal to head up to Lake Ontario.

Loopers heading out

We decided to head out for a bike ride before the storms moved in. Erik had found a beach park on Lake Oneida.  So off we headed.  You will notice there are no beach pictures 🤦🏻‍♀️.  First of all the beach did not allow dogs, so we walked along the edge of the beach then through the campground.  Then after the walk and some sightseeing we realized as we were pulling out on our bikes we hadn’t gotten any pictures.  We decided not to go back for pictures and headed back towards the marina with a side trip to the free wall where we had seen some more loopers!

One of the looper boats we saw was a very interesting one.  Erik had talked of converting one of our Marinettes into outboards, and there was a Carver that had been converted.  We talked to the owner about the interesting set up.

 Outboard motors replaced the inboard engines
The owner says it now achieves ~4 mpg at hull speed (6 mph)…quite good for a boat like this!

We talked with a few other loopers on the free wall until it started raining and we decided we better head back to Happy Destiny

The thunderstorms that were forecasted for a good part of the day never did materialize but rather it remained a warm, muggy, breezy day with an occasional spit on rain.  It was an overall relaxing day and we got the opportunity to meet and chat with several other looper couples while sitting in the shade under the marinas very nice shelter house.  One couple aboard ‘Pearl’ are from the UK started their loop a month or so ago from Maryland after a several year delay because of Covid.   They were fun to talk with and compare European with American ideas and attitudes about boating, vacations/holiday etc.  In talking with them about their suggested stops as we continue to head east and on the Hudson River we were enlightened with the knowledge that Hyde Park would be just about 10 miles or so before our final destination for the year in New Hamburg.  This was exciting information because Hyde Park is home to the CIA.   What is so intriguing to us about the Central Intelligence Agency one might ask….the answer….NOTHING.   Fortunately, the CIA that we will likely get to encounter is the Culinary Institute of America.   We’ve heard and read about the experience there of being able to tour the supposedly beautiful campus as well as the opportunity to dine at one of their several  ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ restaurants for a very reasonable price.  They informed us that reservations were sometimes challenging to get and had to be made early.   We were able to go online and secure a reservation for 4 at Restoranti Caterina de Medici (authentic Italian fares) for Wednesday July 3rd.  Assuming all goes as planned we will have Erik’s dad and Felicitas aboard at that time to travel and enjoy the area with us for a few days.  

We also talked quite a bit with a couple, Mike and Ann, who are here aboard their boat that they completed the loop aboard a couple years ago.   They also have a houseboat where they reside a good portion of the year in Lenoir City TN at Ft Loudon Marina.   Small world….that is the marina where we purchased and kept Happy Destiny at several years ago.   Turns out we have some mutual friends and acquaintances at the marina and that their houseboat is on the far end of the same dock we were on.  

We finished the day with a late, quick dinner of roast beef sandwiches because the time had gotten away from us and hanging out around the boat for the remainder of the evening.  A nice day…for certain beats working!

At sunset Erik was taking some pics when Wayde and Mary aboard ‘Lady Gov’, the exquisite 55’ Fleming Yacht beside us invited him onboard to get a better angle from their bow of the sunset as well as to take a quick tour of the boat
Quite an impressive and beautiful vessel!  

6/22/24 - Baldwinsville to Brewerton NY - Lots of Loopers

Pic of the day 🦅 
Finally got a good shot of one of these magnificent birds

There was some rain in the forecast today, originally forecasted to start early morning, but after we woke up and had some coffee the maps and hour by hour was indicating not much rain until later in the day.  The guys in the boat  on the wall behind us started prepping to shove off so we decided we may as well get ready as well.  We were on the water at 8:20 and immediately into the lock being lowered down a short 10’ drop or so.    We decided to take it slow and easy today since we only planned for a 20 mile day.  We ran on one engine almost the entire time except for when we were headed into the two locks we did today; better to maneuver with both engines.  We cruised along between 5.5 and 6 mph which allows for more time to notice the small things.  

Many of the lily pad fields are now getting their large white flowers 

We’ve seen quite a few swans the past few days
This couple had a youngster 

High school graduation party getting set up for on the banks
One of many we’ve seen the past couple weeks 
We’ve learned NY schools typically are in session until mid June

As we cruised we came as close as we would to Syracuse.   The original Erie Canal actually went straight through downtown Syracuse while the current, newer canal utilizes portions of the Seneca River and is routed North of Syracuse.   We could tell by looking at the now many nice homes lining the banks that we were likely near a city with residents having more money.   

Large homes, beautiful yards 

At a spot on the canal where a small side canal branched off that looped around and had several nice homes on it there was a dead tree coming out of the water that we spotted a bald eagle perching on top of.  We slowed and turned back around to see how close we could get.  Idling up closer and closer, Renee was driving and got us to within about 50 feet while the bird remained sitting atop the limb not appearing to be fazed by our presence and allowing us to get some good pictures and a video.  

We had hoped that it would spread its wings and fly off for the video but it remained content to sit.  Renee even gave a couple toots on the horn in an attempt to get it to fly….nothing.   We are now considering setting up a GoFundme to bail Renee out of jail where she’s facing protected animal menacing charges 😝 

It did rain for about 20 minutes pretty steady making us happy that we’d put the upper enclosure panels back on last night.   We arrived in Brewerton and got docked up at Winter Harbor Marina just after 12:30pm.  It was again sweltering with oppressive humidity.  The spot that they put us at did not have an available electric pedestal close enough to us because the boat in front of us, a 55 foot Fleming yacht, was utilizing the pedestal for our slip. The owners were off at the store so we had to wait until they returned to be able to move their electric up to an alternate pedestal and allow us to hook up to the electric, however, just the opportunity to give our now functioning generator a good test. It passed with flying colors!  The air conditioner and our conduction cooktop ran perfectly fine off of the generator for a little over an hour while we cooked lunch, Omelettes from our leftover shish kebabs and sausage.

For the afternoon, we enjoyed walking around the marina. Some of the many loopers are currently here. We counted 18 boats in the water flying great loop flags, doing their first loop and others on their second or third time around. There are also several boats up on the hard awaiting service That are flying looper flags. It is always amazing to us. The variety of people that we meet from all walks of life and all areas of the country of the country.  Whether it be a couple of self-described vagabond’s from Cabo San Lucas aboard an old 32 foot motor sailor or a successful, professional couple traveling and working aboard their 55 foot Fleming yacht everyone is always friendly and have great stories to share 😊

 The many Great Loopers here at Winter Harbor 
6-8 others at a nearby marina and/or on the downtown free wall as well!

By the time that we walked all the docks and met with many of the fellow loopers, we were hot and hungry. We put Riva into the now cool boat and headed off on our bicycles into town to get dinner at a small Italian café. We were happy that we decided to split a delicious trio dinner of manicotti, lasagna and chicken parm given that the portions were very large.  By the time we had made it back to the boat, prepared a few things for what was expected to be a rainy night before heading in to relax for an hour or so before going to bed with still full bellies.  

6/21/24 - Seneca Falls to Baldwinsville - on to the Central Erie Canal

Small barn across from the park path where we tied up to the wall in Baldwinsville 
Good advice

In an attempt to beat the heat we rose and prepared to take off pretty early.   We were visited briefly just before shoving off by Joe (new AA friend) and his dog, Loki.  At 7:06 we pulled away from the wall and cruised up to the double lock where they had the chamber prepared for us.  Within only about 15 minutes we were through both locks and on our way continuing back up towards the confluence of the Cuyuga and Seneca canal with what would now be considered the Central section of the Erie Canal.  By about 9am we had made the turn and were again headed east.  We paused for a few minutes to take time to put up our Bimini top for the first time since we had entered the canals.   According to all information we have seen all of the bridge clearances from here forward on the canal and Hudson River will be high enough for us to clear with it up; this made us happy and immediately made a noticeable difference in body temps by not having the sun blaring down on our heads.  

Last remaining small section of a very old aqueduct system that used to carry water to towns over the Erie Canal 

It was a smooth and uneventful cruise today of just over 37 miles that we covered in just less than 6 hours.  There were a good amount of homes with docks and boats as well as an occasional marina that we passed which had us slowing down to a minimal wake speed (~6mph) often.   More waterfowl, deer and what we believe was an otter was spotted swimming across the canal throughout the morning.   As we were nearing our destination in Baldwinsville we passed a couple of other looper boats heading west.   One was a large 60’ cruiser and the other was a small 27’ or so center console with a single large outboard motor and 4 guys aboard.   The boat was skinned out with vinyl indicating ‘The Great Loop Challenge’.   We didn’t have our phones ready to get a picture of it….hmmmm, will have to do some research later.   

Couple deer along the way
And 
Renee says squirrel 🐿️ Erik says otter 🦦 
Swimming across canal

Several of these contraptions were in the canal/lakeish area as we approached Baldwinsville scooping up weeds along the banks and loading into dump trucks on shore 

“The Great Loop Challenge” boat we saw
Pic from their website
Turns out upon internet research that Mr. Scott “Red” Flowers and crew are attempting to set a Great Loop world record completion in 30-40 days total and are fundraising to support pediatric cancer research
They’ve raise 240K of their 1 million dollar goal!
https://nationalpcf.org/the-great-loop-challenge-2024/

We pulled into Baldwinsville and got tied up to the free wall which was located immediately at the base of the next lock entrance at just before 1pm.  Hooked up to power, turned on our beloved AC units, and grabbed a bite for lunch before heading out on the bikes to see what the town had to offer.   Well, it turns out that in our eyes, not a lot (at least not today).   There was a nice amphitheater just across the canal off our bow, but, the live entertainment for the week was last night :-(.   We rode through and around town looking at many very well kept and maintained old homes before stopping in at a small museum that was open.   The lady at the small visitor center booth where we had tied up forewarned us that it was less than spectacular, if even open, and her assessment proved to be spot on.  We rode back to the boat to relax, nap, and chill with Riva for a couple hours before we headed back out to attend a 5:30pm meeting at a clubhouse located less than a mile up the road.   The meeting had about 30 friendly folks with a nice mix of men and women of all ages.   We stopped at the local dollar store and Ace Hardware to look for and get a new collapsible garden hose (one of ours had broken a couple days ago).  The grill was put into service again to cook up a mother load of kabobs that we had prepared and marinated earlier in the day while cruising.   LOTS of leftovers today so looks like kabob filled omelettes will be on the menu tomorrow 😋

6 or 7 boats moored on the free wall by sunset

Yes…yes we do!
On the wall at the local AA clubhouse 

Several boat chores made up the remainder of the evening.  Engine fluid level checks ✔️   Water tanks filled with new hose ✔️ Put flybridge enclosure panels back up ✔️ Adjustment to air flow screw on generator carb ✔️.   While cruising a couple of days ago in the heat, we had started the generator up to see if it would run properly. The generator did run, however, something was askew And it did not seem to be putting out enough juice to run the air conditioner…..not good.    At the AA meeting yesterday evening in Seneca Falls A gentleman that we met, who is a boat mechanic, suggested that we attempt to adjust the airflow screw on the carburetor.   After the adjustment was made, we started her back up and turned on both air conditioners, and it seemed to work perfectly…..yay!

The girl is topless no longer! 
Tune in later to see if Renee is still topless 
😝 

We concluded our day, enjoying splitting the second Robert Redford dessert. We had purchased back in Seneca Falls last night while hanging out on the deck drinking our coffee.