Clayton NY

Clayton Harbor Municipal Marina is right downtown beside the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel which has a beautiful patio overlooking the river. Nana and Nandad had a wonderful dinner here before going to the Opera House Tapestry, the Carole King Songbook- Tribute was playing. The show was a sellout and very entertaining. Historic downtown Clayton is a very busy vibrant area with lots of very unique stores, cafés, and many attractions including the Antique Boat Museum- which is not to be missed.

Nana and Nandad enjoyed a runabout on the River in this beautiful antique Hacker Craft. 

The Muskie , according to the plaque on the monument, is as much a part of the River history as the St Lawerence Skiff and the Gilded Age. It was once very plentiful until the population declined drastically so the Anglers began a catch and release program. 

On our return to the ABM the tall ship Pride of Baltimore  had docked beside the little tug.

Today was truly a day for the classics. Enticer - the 85 foot Trumpy is docked right to our stern.

Now before the day really began Nandad began the project of replacing the batteries for the stern thruster. The local NAPA store delivered the batteries and after a challenging few hours Nandad was successful and both new batteries are now in place and  NH now has a working stern thruster. Well done Nandad. The first picture is before the project and the second are the new ones which required some slight adjustment due to being a different make! Despite his success I don’t think Nandad will take up a new career. 

New Horizon will leave Clayton tomorrow and head to Boldt Castle which is on Heart Island. NH will stay on the American side until after July 4th.

Nana and Nandad return to NH

Well if you have ever wondered why Nana and Nandad leave to head back home take a look at this picture  and you will know why!. During our 10 day return we celebrated a first communion, birthday, Father’s Day, and a long weekend at the Cape with the gang. How lucky are we to be able to celebrate such joyous moments.

While away the bow thruster was fixed and a new zinc replaced. Due to the expectation of high winds Nana and Nandad decided to wait one more day before crossing Lake Ontario. The town of Oswego has a wonderful movie theater so it was decided an afternoon watching Top Gun 2 would be the perfectly distraction. What a movie. 

Wednesday June 29th NH leaves Oswego to stern and heads across Lake Ontario to Clayton NY. Apologies for the untidy bow however due to Nana still operating with one hand the lines have to wait until Nandad is ready to coil and put away. 

The LIGHTHOUSE guides our exit to port and NH had a safe passage across Lake Ontario. Gallo Island is a 26 mile run and from there a 16 mile trip to Cape Vincent  into the St Lawerence River. NH continues another 15 miles to dock at Clayton NY. The St Lawerence River begins at the Thousand Islands. There are actually 1800 , many of which are privately owned , some are simply tiny granite outcroppings and others are included in the national and state parks that border both the Canadian and American side of the River. Wolfe Island is the largest of the Thousand Islands and lies totally on the Canadian side which is to our port for most of the run. Noticeably are the many wind turbines on the tip of the island coming towards the entrance to the St Lawerence.

The Blue Heron takes possession of one of the docks at Clayton Harbor Municipal Marina. NH’s stern thruster decides not to work today so docking was a bit of a challenge - Nana can still only use one hand! We will stay here for two days and hopefully have somebody look at the thruster while we do some exploring. Boating is always a moving target. 

Back to Franklin

Decisions to be made but not right now. Do Nana & Nandad go to Kingston ON first or explore the NY side of the St Lawerence River and Seaway? 

Today was a very busy day with laundry to be done, car to be rented, water to be purchased by the gallons , trash to be taken care of, boat to be cleaned both inside and out - all with a one armed crew member ! 

We did it all and still managed to visit Fort Ontario and have the most delicious ice cream - finally a place was open.

Nana and Nandad will leave NH at her spot here at Oswego Marina where hopefully the diver will replace the blades of the bow thruster that broke as we were leaving Phoenix. Never the dull moment while boating. 

Nana would like to leave you all with  a picture of the sunset last evening. She thought it was interesting to catch it between the marina hut and the oil tank! She was unable to capture the full strawberry moon due to too much light pollution or an over cast sky!

Blog will return after June 27th. Then we will make a decision regarding NH’s next cruise. We feel so privileged to be able to have this unique opportunity. We are so blessed. 

NH arrives at Oswego Marina

Four hundred and fifty nautical miles, sixty hours on the engine, NH has cruised canals, rivers and lakes passing through multiple locks arriving at the entrance to Lake Ontario. Todays locks were very interesting starting with Lock 1 which has the only lift bridge. Once the lock gates open the bridge also has to rise before you can pass to the next lock.

The next lock had a pedestrian bridge right across the bow of the boat. Naturally once the lock started to go down there was no issue.

Multiple dams along the way were also a little intimidating!

A little close for comfort!Hopefully this means lots of power being generated.

Oneida Lake June 13th

In the background are Yolo and  Masquerade. It is New Horizons turn to take the lead crossing the largest body of water on the Erie Canal. The lake is twenty miles and feeds the Oneida River , a tributary of the Oswego River , which flows into Lake Ontario. Yolo is staying at Winter Harbor for a few weeks, Masquerade is going to the Thousand Islands and New Horizon is heading to Oswego. 

After crossing the lake NH continues ten miles to the three rivers junction where she officially leaves the Erie Canal and joins the Oswego Canal. The Oswego Canal begins at the junction of the Oneida and Seneca Rivers that form the Oswego River. Just before you reach Phoenix you can see four concrete bridge abutments which used to support the trolley bridge on the line that went between Oswego and Syracuse.

Phoenix Henley Park is a simply picture perfect spot. Here in this small community you will find the Bridge House Brats. This is a volunteer youth group who over the summer months care for the waterfront park and welcome boaters. These volunteers, for a small tip, will walk your dog, clean your boat, pick up provisions etc. unfortunately they don’t start until the end of June. Nana and Nandad witnessed what it is like to be a 14 year old boy ,living the dream , fishing on the dock. He told us all about the program which he is a proud participant.

Nana went for a walk across the lock which we will enter tomorrow. An opportunity to take a picture of NH, On My Time and Masquerade. 

An interesting sign along the walk. Lots of history to share.

Sylvan Beach June 12th

NH is docked at the Terminal wall at Sylvan Beach just at the entrance to Oneida Lake. This area is a paradise for lake lovers and very busy with boaters especially at the weekend. There is a wonderful park which is full this weekend with JetSki enthusiasts who are all geared up for a racing weekend. The amusement park directly beside the dock is not open until June 18th. We have rejoined with YoLo and Masquerade. 

The picture below is just a few of over a hundred skis getting ready for their race. Nana had no idea this sport existed. People came from New Hampshire, Maine, Florida, Canada and of course NY. They had their motor homes , four wheelers, campers etc ready for a fun weekend. Some of the riders looked as young as six or seven. 

Saturday June 11th Nana and Nandad joined a different boat Rincon Felize ( meaning “Happy Corner”) cruising from Little Falls to Sylvan Beach. This part of the canal is particularly muddy with lots of debris and drift wood with some shoaling along the way. This family of ducks don’t seem to mind - maybe they are geese!

The journey was a total of 51 miles with five locks. One lock took NH forty feet up - which was a little intimidating. Two locks took NH down - for the first time. At Little Falls NH was 363 feet above sea level before lock 21 & 22 NH was 420 feet above sea level and when she got to Sylvan Beach she was 370 feet above sea level - amazing! The picture below shows exactly how the canal is dredged. Muddy business !

Little Falls On the Erie Canal

An early start this morning at 7am in order to join the flotilla to make the first lock opening. Lead by Yolo, Masquerade, NH and a little while later Worthy. All boats cruised at a lovely pace 7.5 knots and by 3pm were tied up at Little Falls Canal Harbor. A total of 42 miles and 7 locks. A bald eagle spotted lurching on the tree top - too far for the camera!The locks are simple yet ingenious structures that raise and lower boats as they transit the water. NH is now 363 feet above sea level. The picture below captures Yolo entering the lock.

Now Nana was wondering what happens to all the drift wood that gets stuck at the dams. Today she witnessed the answer as she watched the working tug scoop up the logs with the bucket. She also noticed that along the canal there were stacks of driftwood waiting to be picked up.

Did you know? The 360 mile east-west Canalway Trail from Buffalo to Albany parallels the Erie Canal and is part of the newly completed Empire State Trail. Lots of cyclist along the way and of course NH continues to follow the path of the train. Many of the small villages have local museums and visitor centers with restrooms, showers etc to accommodate boaters, cyclists , walkers and paddlers. Very peaceful spots to have dinner onboard or at local restaurants and enjoy mixed sounds of nature and community. Tomorrow we will head for Rome. A European theme going on here with these town names.

Layday at Amsterdam

After breakfast this morning NH was able to move forward on the dock so Nana could finally get off the boat. There is a connecting pedestrian bridge which takes you over the railway and into town. A once vibrant place, home to the Mohawk Carpet Mills, which was destroyed by fire. Another bridge, The Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook takes you over to the other side of town where you will find a wonderful memorial to our veterans. 

This is the painted Rock where early European Americans noted the presence of painted figures on a limestone cliff at Amsterdam. 

The overlook has some wonderful sculpture, references and some great art work. 

Dimitar Lukanov’s Mother and Child depicts a mother and her child surrounded by wildlife and plants. The bridge is a pedestrian bridge and gives you the impression of a floating park. Below is Nana at the beautiful gate entrance on the other side of the bridge. 

There is also a memorial to September 11 with all the victims names on the Flag of Honor. Lots to see in this very scenic area. The perfect Layday and we are now ready to continue our adventures. Perhaps tomorrow we will make it to St Johnsville.

Amsterdam NY

So if you check out the map above you will have an idea of what Nana and Nandad hope to accomplish. You can see where Nana wrote in Troy that is where we left this morning at 9am and went through the Federal Lock after which we hung a left at Waterford which is the entrance to the Erie Canal. The Canal goes all the way from Troy to Buffalo however NH will take a turn at the Three Rivers Junction and head into the Oswego Canal. Originally 363 miles long construction began in 1817 and finished in 1825-amazing engineering.

Roles were reversed today as Nana took the helm and Nandad did the lines. Proud of Nandad with his life jacket, gloves and communication ear piece. Thumbs up for Nandad. An action packed day but we had at least one other boat in the locks with us which provided some companionship.

 The scenery is spectacular with a mix of houses along the canal ranging from modern contemporary to traditional cottages. The water continues to have quite a lot of drift wood. Nana wishes she was an artist, then she could use this wood in very creative ways. 

Today we went through 11 locks and are docked at a very pretty spot called Riverlink Park at Amsterdam. Here the elevation is 255 feet above sea level. Nana would love to disembark however she is not willing to navigate the metal stair rail due to her physical limitations. Very frustrating boating with only one active hand but grateful that healing is taking place. Entertainment is provided by the waterski school, and the passing trains. Tomorrow we may have a Layday - we will see. 

NH docks at Troy

Today was the perfect day for a sailboat however most all sailboats that NH passes have their masts down so they can cruise under the bridges. A very industrial part of the river as we cruise past Albany to Troy. It would appear that metal scrap is very prevalent.

Before passing under the Green Island Bridge Nana took a picture of Starbucks Island.

The Green Island Bridge is quite unique with its modern rounded towers that are supposed to be painted green.

Taking a nice stroll before having dinner onboard - due to the expectation of heavy rain and winds - Nana and Nandad pass by Ryan’s. Tomorrow we will tackle the beginning of all the locks into the Erie Canal.

Kingston to Coeymans Landing

After pumping out at Rondout Marina NH waved goodbye to our neighbors George & Fran on Twin Cove - a lovely Fleming 55. We will see them again along the route. Another beautiful day to continue our cruise heading along the river with the Catskills Mountains as our background while passing under the Rip Van Winkle bridge. Simply breathtaking. 

Nana has tried to capture some of the homes and scenery. The famous Olana Castle is on the hill to the east above the bridge. The castle was built by Frederick Church one of the Hudson Rivers School’s most famous painters.

 

Approaching Middle Ground Flats between Athens and Hudson is the Hudson/Athens Lighthouse 

Arriving at Coeymans Landing NH’s depth sounder read zero! Not a pleasant feeling for Nandad however moving ever so slowly we managed to get fuel and back into our dock. Nice job Captain Aedan. 

An extremely friendly place where Nandad got a ride to the grocery store and Nana did laundry.There is a beautiful kitchen, the cleanest bathrooms I have ever come across and a functional laundry room where you don’t need to use coins.  

We joined other loopers for dinner at the Half Way House Tavern which was only 7/10 of a mile walk but up  a very steep hill! Great company & excellent grilled cheeses all round.

At the end of the evening we were provided with the opportunity to take a picture of the white swam Hudson who frequents the dock. 

NH docked at Kingston City Marina June 4th & 5th

What an amazing trip from Haverstraw to Kingston. This part of the Hudson takes you under Bear Mountain Bridge, Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and Mid-Hudson Suspension Bridge ( which is now a 1.28 mile pedestrian WalkwayBridge Over the Hudson at Poughkeepsie. You cruise past the 1000-foot-tall Dunderberg Mountain, Bear Mountain State Park, West Point, and Storm King Mountain. The west side of the river has a constant flow of freight trains passing ( some as long as a mile) and the east side accommodates passengers.

New Horizon cruises comfortable at an average of 8 knots which is very pleasant and provides plenty of time to take in the awesome passage. Multiple mansions are hidden from view but Nana did get a glimpse of Staatsburgh State Historic Site/ Mills Mansion and also Wilderstein Historic Site. The Maid of the Meadows which is the Esopus Lighthouse marks  a very shallow part of the river.

Sunday June 5th was a much better day for Nana. The swelling and pain in her right hand has improved. As promised a local mechanic got the outboard engine to start so Nandad got to take it for a ride up the creek. We had a delicious breakfast at a wonderful cafe called Dolce, mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, toured the Hudson River Maritime Museum- which the grandkids would love - and took a river cruise on the Rip Van Winkle. Steam ships operated for two hundred years on the Hudson. 

We ended the evening with a truly delicious dinner at Ship to Store. Nana and Nandad enjoyed Kingston particularly watching the small boats both Sail & Motor cruising up the creek in no rush - no wakes here. Very friendly people and great dock staff. Tomorrow we will continue up the river.