Suggestions for 30th anniversary trip ...

[wannabe owner]

Hard to believe but Sioux and I will have our 30th wedding anniversary this June 7. Taking her to Thailand (my preferred option) was nixed by her due to the frail nature of her parent's health and not wanting to be so far away for a long period. Sooo ...

I got to thinking about two years ago we rented a canal boat and cruised the River Thames around Oxford, England. We really liked this as we love rivers (I spent a lot of years as a white water raft guide) and Sioux loves birding and wildlife watching. (I just like to watch Sioux watching birds.) We also really enjoyed docking at little towns, messing around shopping and dining out and then jumping back on the boat. Sooo ...

Is there a comparable experience available in the States? We only will have June 4-9 of in-transit time between the Dominican Republic (where we live) to Kansas City, MO. (Where Sioux's parents live.) Or possibly a longer period later in June. It would be nice to be near a city on the East Coast or Midwest where we could do an "three way" ticket with American Airlines.

Also we would need to rent a canal boat/ houseboat as contrary to my profile I do not yet have a C-Dory. But I am absolutely smitten by both the boat and the fellowship among this group. Please forgive me for introducing an "off-topic" to this site but I thought who better to advise me on wildlife cruising than the C-Brats.

Thanks in advance for your advice,
Steve Toburen

P.S. I don't suppose there is any place who actually rents out C-Dorys? That would be ideal as we could do a C-Dory trial run at the same time. Money is not a big object. After all, you only have one thirty year anniversary!

[starcrafttom]

There is a place that rents c-dorys but its in alaska. I would have to search the web to find it again. I have not boated the east coast since i was 15. That was with my folks on the chesapeake bay. there are lots of towns to visit on the east coast of the bay that were fun, but that was in 76. Your best bet is to ask bill and el or the retired army guy with the 24ft cat. sorry forgot your name... freebyrd thats it . see my minds is not gone just slower then my hands.

[El and Bill]

Steve --
An idea --- there will be a Gathering of about 15 C-Dorys at Lankford Bay Marina on Chesapeake Bay June 3-5. This is just across the Bay Bridge to the east, and not too far, from Baltimore/Washington Airport (BWI). This would be an easy stop for a triangular flight for you and your wife. We rented a Hertz car there a few weeks ago for under $15 a day. You could fly into BWI, rent a car and head over to the Gathering, where you would see lots of C-Dories. There is a good bed and breakfast nearby, according to locals, that might make a nice romantic spot for your Anniversary -- Terraplane/Tom, organizer of the Gathering and local resident, can tell you the name of the place, or you might find it on a google search. You could partake in the pot luck, the crab bake, and surely hitch rides on C-Dorys during the day. That area is a marvelous spot for a little driving around -- to St. Michaels, Oxford, Chestertown, and other marvelous spots -- with good sights, good restaurants, and excellent birding. El and I are gung-ho birders, and I'm sure other local C-Dory folks are also, and they could steer you two to the birds.

Now -- to take the idea a little farther -- Terraplane/Tom might also suggest a local place where you could rent a boat (probably not a C-Dory) if you wanted your own boat to cruise in company with the C-Dory folks. (Tom -- does Gary at Cutter rent boats?) There is talk of a cruise after the Gathering -- we would be anchoring out, I think, but there are many marinas in the area for overnighting.

Suggest you get in touch with Tom via a personal message on this site to follow up the ideas if they appeal. Maybe others who read this have ideas also. Good Luck!!

[El and Bill]

Steve --
Oxford, England to Oxford, Maryland ??

[wannabe owner]

Thanks Bill and El. I'm honored you would take time to reply. You both are a legend in your own time.

Re: the Gathering June 3-5 I would love to come. (We still haven't seen a C-Dory in the flesh, much less ridden in one.) But timing may doom us here as it would be difficult for us to pull out of the D.R. before June 4 and with transportation being what it is I doubt we would get there till the night of the 4th. Will there be anything fun going on Sunday, June 5?

Steve

PS I've also been googling under "canal boats" in the US and find the Erie Canal has some of these for rent out of the Syracuse area. Does anyone have any experience in this part of the coutry or would you have other ideas? Remember we're talking wildlife viewing, scenery and occasional fine dining/cool shopping in approximately that order. (And ues, I know that is a tough list to fulfill.) Thanks again.

[El and Bill]

Steve --
We have cruised a portion of the Erie Canal and found it very enjoyable. You are in the Mohawk River Valley much of the way and the bird watching is good -- there's a variety of habitat along the riparian course of the canal and June is a wonderful month (a little late for the migrants, but the nesting/singing birds are in full swing). We've seen the 'canal boats,' long and narrow like in Europe, on the Erie Canal, and they look charming. Never chartered any and don't know anyone who has so can't speak from experience with them. You could 'google' the routes of the rental boats and check out the towns bordering the canal.
There will be a party the night of June 4th at the Chesapeake Gathering and plenty of boats to see that evening and the next morning. There's talk about cruising out sometime on the 5th, but no definite routes or tacked down plans yet, that we are aware of. If you had a rental boat you could certainly cruise along with, and if not, we'd (and others, I'm sure) would happily give you a ride on the C-Dory.
I'll post something on the link for the Gathering and see what comes up, so you might want to check that link as well. Meanwhile, whether you join on the Gathering or not, you might want to check rental boats near Oxford MD (maybe stay in a b&b, do a few day trips on a day-rental boat, and drive around to the sights and bird-watching the other days). The Eastern shore of the Chesapeake is a marvelous area.

[terraplane]

Steve,

I am helping to organize the c.dory gathering here on the Upper Eastern Shore of theChesapeake. If i can be of any help to you, please ask.

We will be here Friday June 3, Saturday, and most people will be departing on Sunday about noon.

I don't know of any rental boats in our area, but if that is your interest, let me know on my private email and i'll work on it.

tom/terraplane

[Salty Dog]

Steve,
My wife and I spent our honeymoon on one of the Canal Cruisers on the Erie Canal. Very nice time. We used the company MidLakes Navigation out of Syracuse and rented one of their 34' boats. These boats have pretty much everything you'd need. Just bring along some food, drinks and your personal stuff, and you're all set. There's a grocery store about 2 miles from where you pick up the boat. That's where we bought all our provisions for the week we spent on the boat. Very easy and nice company to deal with.

http://midlakesnav.com/

I highly recommend this as it's just fun to cruise down the canal, stop at any town you desire and take your good old time. You especially need to head down the Cayuga/Seneca canal to a town called Seneca Falls. This is especially interesting because you go into a double lock to get to the town. Two 33' lifts, back to back. You get raised 33', then drive right into the next lock to get raised another 33'. Definately an interesting experience.

Here's some other links with useful info on the Erie Canal:

http://www.canals.state.ny.us/
http://www.nycanal.com/

We plan on taking our C-Dory down the canal for our anniversary in October of 2006. I can't wait to do it again on the C-Dory.

Let me know if you have any questions about the canal cruisers on the Erie Canal. I'll answer them the best I can.

Jack