TOTAL MILES TRAVELED TODAY: 3 NM (YES THAT WAS A WHOPPING 3 NM)
DOCKED AT: WATERFORD HARBOR DOCK AND VISITORS CENTER
FREE DOCKING WITH POWER, WATER AND WI-FI
WATERFORD, NY
SUNRISE: 5:15 SUNSET: 8:33
HIGH: 66 LOW: 55
We could have done without the 4:30 AM trash truck banging the dumpsters around but other than that it proved to be a fine place to spend the night. We awoke to find a cold and drizzly morning but were pulled out of frump when the Green Island Lift Bridge elevated her huge span to allow a large tour boat to pass.
 |
| JUST LAZING AROUND WHILE IT RAINS |
 |
| GREEN ISLAND LIFT BRIDGE OPENED TO LET THIS BOAT PASS |
Now that we were on our feet and moving we decided to transit the Federal Lock, rain or no rain. As luck would have it, the rain let up and we were just dealing with the cold as we expertly entered the lock and made our first lock transit in a long, long time.
 |
| ENTERING THE FEDERAL LOCK (LOCK 1) |
Waterford is located at the junction of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. Continuing on the Hudson River will take you north to the Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain, the Richelieu River, the Chambly Canal and the St. Lawrence River. We made the turn to port that leads to the Erie Canal with its 342 miles and 35 locks between here and the Niagara River. We will only travel a portion of this before turning back and taking the Champlain Canal up to Vermont. We just couldn’t resist floating through this historic canal.
 |
| RIGHT HERE IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO DECIDE, DO WE GO NORTH THROUGH THE CHAMPLAIN CANAL OR WEST THROUGH THE FAMED ERIE CANAL? |
Approaching the Waterford Harbor dock and Visitors Center we were hard pressed to find a place for the Quest. Thankfully, the folks from Fluke gave us a hand and we eased Quest into the barely adequate space in front of them. The town of Waterford has really done it up right with a free dock, water, power, Wi-Fi and a lovely visitor’s center filled with useful information for us boaters preparing to transit the adjacent Erie Canal. With some help from the Visitor’s Center’s volunteers, we made our way into town and had a mighty tasty lunch at McGreivey’s followed by a walk to view the river and Lock 2 that is the beginning of the famed Erie Canal.
 |
| UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH FLUKE THAT IS FLUKE'S ANCHOR AND QUEST'S AFT FLAG |
 |
| WATERFORD HARBOR VISITOR'S CENTER |
 |
| THIS IS JUST HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO THE LOCK |
 |
| CHERYL, DICK AND DAN ON BRIDGE YES, THAT IS QUEST BENEATH |
While preparing for the Hanson’s to leave we were able to prolong their stay just a little to watch a tug deposit her barge into the lock for the transit. After the barge made the lift, the waters were lowered and the gates opened for the tug to enter and join the barge at the other end.
 |
| THE TUG IS SHOVING HER BARGE INTO THE LOCK |
 |
| NOW SHE BACKS OUT AND WAITS HER TURN |
Dick and Cheryl had left their car at Troy Dock and set off on another adventure to get back. The ladies at the Visitor’s Center advised us that the bus would take them from Waterford right to their car at Troy for the grand sum of $1.50. So, here go Dick and Cheryl, off on the city bus! They said the bus driver was great, the short ride only took about 15 minutes and they ended up right by their car.
 |
| CHERYL AND DICK BOARDING THE CITY BUS TO TROY CAN YOU IMAGINE??? “Docktails” were on Dick and Pat’s Gypsea with Ruth from High Spirits joining us. Such a nice civilized way for us “transients’ to spend the evening. |
No comments:
Post a Comment