The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...

Fred, we walked the couple of blocks to Broad Street and had some fine stuffed pizza (man does not live by ice cream alone). We'll get the bikes down this morning and wander around some more. There is a refurbished boat, Day Peckenpaw, that will be coming in for tours today; we'll ride across the bridge to the island to check that out.

Ed & Collette, we know that our neighbors to the north are good folks. Like you and the Texans and Arizonans, we've enjoyed our travels and the people in Canada. This guy behind us is just over his head with this boat. As we tied off and the Harbormaster here saw that guy maneuvering, he said, "Oh, this is gonna be trouble." :wink:

Herb, glad to hear you two are home. Hope Wilma's recuperation is progressing well. Before they started flooding that area along Hwy 48, it seems that it was always a "shifting dune". Rain there would be good.

Speaking of rain, the water here continues to rise. There were Flash Flood Warnings on TV last night for quite a few communities. Jimmy, the Harbormaster, told me, "We don't go into panic mode until the water touches the green in that marker over there," pointing to the marker across the water. There were several inches under it last night. And this morning...

MarkerE.jpg

:shock:

The floating docks are pretty close to their upper stops.

For something prettier, here's the evening sky after the rain went away...

SunsetE.jpg

Today is supposed to be warm, sunny, and dry. More thunderstorms and rain Sunday and beyond. These folks here could use a break.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Beyond the 30 minute limit, but thought I'd correct something in my previous post. The Day Peckinpaugh isn't just a refurbished boat, it's the last working canal freighter. (Got my original info here on the docks). Should be an interesting tour.
 
Jim,
Have you decided yet if you're going to do the uphill locks back , or head North, or pickup out of NYC ?

Ask the folks in the visitor center to show you the pictures of the 06 flood.
 
Hi Dave,

We plan to do a week or so in the big city, then get a rental car (Amtrak won't let us take a furry family member) to retrieve the truck/trailer. Not sure if we'll head north then or go finish the western Erie Canal. Both are on the agenda.

How are things going with you three?

----------------------

We met another C-Brat this morning. While standing out on the dock, a gentleman came up to the Blonde and said, "Hi, Joan." Then introduced himself... Hugh has a CD-16 and a Rosborough. We had a nice visit with him, then his phone rang and he took off before I could get a photo.

The lady from the big boat from Texas that we locked through with a few days ago came by. "We really like your little boat. Can I ask you a few personal questions?" Her name is Cindy and I have her the whole nickle tour... this would be some SERIOUS downsizing, but she was impressed with how tidy Wild Blue is... they have the space to "spread out and stack things" (her words :wink: )... this would take a new mindset. When she heard all the places we've been with this boat, I could see that she was considering how to make this work.

Then, it was off to the Post Office and grocery store. Easy by bike... they even make a decent "delivery van" to get the groceries back to the boat, as long as you have enough bungee cords. 8)

We'll have some lunch on the boat, then it's off to see the canal freighter.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Ah, weatherwise, you should have headed west instead of east! After a truly crappy winter here, we have been having the best, warmest and DRYEST summer on record...I doubt if it has rained more than one day in the last three months! But we are following your adventures in the canals and locks, something we definitely intend to do ourselves in a few years!
 
Waterford is an interesting little town - the oldest incorporated Village in the United States...

OnTheRiverE.jpg

We pedaled our bikes all over town, across the bridges, into the next town. Mother Nature gave us beautiful weather today, and we took advantage of it. Besides some errand running (Post Office and grocery store), we did plenty of sight-seeing. Great architecture all around. Beautiful parks. We did go check out the Day Peckinpaugh canal freighter...

DPeckinpaughE.jpg

Not the prettiest boat I've ever seen, but it was purposefully built. It carried freight through the canals and was built to take advantage of every inch in the locks. We were told there was about 6" on either side when this vessel entered the locks. (They never had to worry about getting sideways in a big wind! :roll: ).

We also pedaled by Lock 2. This is an interesting perspective that boaters don't get to see...

LockPerspectiveE.jpg

You can see the side of the lock where the blocks are built up. That water at the left side is how far down you go in this lock. The river runs around this left side, making for some turbulence and current just after you exit the lock. You feel it when tied to the waterfront dock.

And speaking of the waterfront, here's a shot from one of the bridges...

WaterfordE.jpg

It's a beautiful area; a brick promenade, shade trees, and, of course, the dock and wall for boats to tie off. If you get to the area, you need to check out the bricks along this walk.

And at one point this afternoon, we met up again with Hugh. Here's a shot of Hugh and his friend Carson, in front of Hugh's Rosborough...

HughE.jpg

Hugh lives right by the waterfront here - a real ringside seat.

There is a farmers' market on the waterfront tomorrow. We plan to pick up some fresh fruit and see what else we can't live without before heading south on the Hudson River.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim B.

It looks like your friends from TX with the Ranger have made it to NYC. I was looking at a blog that I read all the time on the 6th Borough (NY Harbor) and lo
and behold, there they were headed south by Poughkeepsie. If you have their e-mail address. they might like to see the picture of themselves.

http://tugster.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/meditations-w/

Enjoying your posts. Some day we will get to do the Canal but first, I have to finish up the rebuild. Making progress. The windlass went on today.

Jim
 
mcc272":1x1xnlta said:
...

It looks like your friends from TX with the Ranger have made it to NYC. I was looking at a blog that I read all the time on the 6th Borough (NY Harbor) and lo
and behold, there they were headed south by Poughkeepsie. If you have their e-mail address. they might like to see the picture of themselves.

http://tugster.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/meditations-w/

...
Jim
Click to expand...

Hi Jim,

When we saw Leonard and Doris in Baldwinsville, they had already been in New York City. I haven't heard from them since we saw them there, but they were heading west in the Erie Canal. It was a very special treat to chance meet like that. Leonard does look in on this thread on occasion, but I'll send him an e-mail with the link.

Thanks.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Jim: Glad yall got some sun and thanks for the pics. Wonderful.

Now Pat.... in all that dry ...too dry of weather....think about your old friend Roger....and his crops in the field... Too much or too little of anything is a battle each year. Their crops looked good when I left about a month ago...but, man...did they need rain...

Back To Jim: Had a blast at Nashville's Farmers Market with the Brigner's (C-Pearl) and Mamma Byrd... Yes...we talked much about our C-Brats and travel.... Please keep the pics and post coming. With you in spirit.

Byrdman
 
We haven't decided yet what we're doing either Jim. Now sitting in Palmyra - the West end IS much more enjoyable than the East end was - to us.

You'd better batten down for additional rain' it's really coming down here this morning. We're running the Wallas and that big ugly thing on the roof ( :twisted: ) to keep it dried out in the cabin. I spent yesterday drying out the bilge - the first REAL sun (all day) we've had this trip.
 
Hello folks and Izzy,

The post from another cruiser in Palymyra matches our feelings that the Western end of the canal system has a lot to offer.

We sure hope that you get to enjoy that end of the system before you leave thew NE.

Thanks again for sharing your cruise with us.

Fred, Pat, and Mr. Grey(the Cat)
 
Rain, rain, go away. Come again some... aw, just stay the hell away! We're heading south in the Hudson and have been getting rained on since the Troy Lock. Sometimes heavy, sometimes light... we decided to stop in a marina along the way. Apparently, these folks haven't heard about the free, $5, or $1/foot routine in the Erie Canal. :disgust But, we have cable TV, wifi (faster than our broadband), and the restaurant Hugh told us about (No, Hugh, I didn't have the calamari!).

We bought some fresh bread, muffins, etc. at the farmers market in Waterford and decided to hit the road... um, waterway... before the rain started. Reasonably good timing. Guess we're just not going to get more than one day in row with nuthin' but sunshine. :wink:

We met a guy on the dock yesterday who is from the Buffalo area... he thinks the Western Erie isn't as interesting as the eastern. Looking at the charts, I think he's likely going to be wrong, but you know how familiarity breeds... well, you know.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a rain-free day, but I'll believe it when I feel the sun's rays on my fading tan. :mrgreen:

Best wishes,
Jim B.

RainE.jpg
 
Hudson sunrise...

I was up before sunrise and found that we were shrouded in fog when I looked outside. As the sun came up, it burned through the fog, making for a very pretty, diffused sunrise.

HudsonSunrise1E.jpg

HudsonSunrise2E.jpg

Nice way to start the day.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Byrdman":1z0hfwxl said:
Awesome Sun Rise Jim.

Your gonna miss this some day.

Thanks for the pics this morning.. and good luck with the weather.

Byrdman
Click to expand...

You know something I don't, Pat? :wink:

Sunny and warm today. We're down for the day in Kingston... the first state capitol of New York. One of only 3 deep water harbors on the Hudson. I've only had a glance, but we'll be off in a bit to check out the town. Damn, I may need my sunblock today. 8)

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Jim... looking back at my post... it was not a health realated statement, but rather a song playing in the back ground here.... and me thinking how long it has been .....too long....that I woke up on the water and got the real view you enjoyed this morning.... Even with all the rain of late on your trip.... some day you'll be back to land...and miss that sunrise on the water.

Hope you have not spent much mental work on this in the sun today. Grin.... :smiled :thup :teeth

Byrdman
 
Byrdman":1hz4hxat said:
Jim... looking back at my post... it was not a health realated statement, but rather a song playing in the back ground here.... and me thinking how long it has been .....too long....that I woke up on the water and got the real view you enjoyed this morning.... Even with all the rain of late on your trip.... some day you'll be back to land...and miss that sunrise on the water.

Hope you have not spent much mental work on this in the sun today. Grin.... :smiled :thup :teeth

Byrdman
Click to expand...

Hey Pat,

Mental work? Again, you must know something I don't! :mrgreen: It's getting close for a glass of "mental floss."

We are now in Kingston... the first state capital in NY and one of three deep water harbors on the Hudson. What an interesting ride today... we passed many large homes on the bluffs above the Hudson (reminiscent of the prosperous water shipping days), three lighthouses, and many marinas and boat clubs.

A fleet of about a dozen go-fast boats blew by us the other direction... probably doing 5 times the 15 knots we were doing... but we were getting 3 mpg instead of their .3 mpg! :shock:

Interesting city/geographic names along this stretch: Coxsackie, Esopus, Catskill. The hillsides are a very lush green, as you'd expect. More boat traffic than we saw on any day in the Erie Canal, but still not what I'd call busy (we've been in Friday Harbor on an August weekend).

We did the walking tour of Kingston; some great old buildings here. A Hudson Marine History Museum. Quite a few of the buildings in the old town section are unoccupied... I'm guessing victims of the economy.

Izzy has been checking out the ducks from the security of the cockpit.

Now we have a tough decision to make: Mexican or Italian for supper. 8)

Best wishes,
Jim
 
We're down in Fairport for the next couple (?) of days. Leonard and Doris pulled into Palmyra as we were getting ready to leave, had a good visit, then locked thru 29 with them, then we stopped and they didn't. He said he wished that you & he had worked out a deal to handle the trailer logistics but guess that's water under the hull or is it still bridge?? Maybe we all are going to get a day or two of vitamin D !
 
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