May 29-June 2, 2019 Croton-on-Hudson to Kingston, NY; then on to New Baltimore, NY

Since returning from Maine, we studied the tide charts. Our 11.5 hours against the current for the first 50-mile run from NYC was a wake-up call. Working with the current, we cruised from Croton-on-Hudson to Kingston, NY up Rondout Creek. We took a 2-night side-tie at the Hudson River Maritime Museum. A six-high school rowing regatta was carried out one afternoon all around us. The pencil-thin boats accommodated one, two or four rowers. Some heats were guys only, some were gals only, a few longer boats were 2 gals and 2 guys. The technique for loading and unloading each racing boat was calculated for efficiency and speediness. It was a great afternoon of teamwork and concentrated energy output. Lots of parents came to cheer on their kids and their home team. 

Friends Bobbi and Dave

Their boat... Liberty, a Pilgrim 40

To open, or not to open, that is the question… for the canal systems, that is. The Erie, Oswego and Champlain Canals had been scheduled to open on May 17. Due to heavy rains, these systems were too full and the openings had to be delayed. When we began the drive to Maine on May 16, we had high hopes that the situation would be improved by our return in two weeks. Well, it was, to a certain degree. The Canadian Trent-Severn Waterway further north and west had opened. The Erie had opened a week late; the Oswego had opened a week and a half late. Those were the canals that we needed. The Champlain Canal had not opened. In fact, it is June 2 and the Champlain Canal has still not opened. The Superintendent of the Champlain Canal reported yesterday that none of the waterway markers have been put in since the ice went out. The current has been too strong to be able to set them. They hope to begin tomorrow, June 3 and be completed by June 7. That might be more wishful thinking. 

Now we have moved along another 5 hours to Shady Harbor Marina in New Baltimore… within 20 miles of the Federal Lock in Troy, NY.  That counts as Lock #1. The “Flight of Five” Locks start in Waterford. They are Lock #2-6.  The 40 or more boats that have been waiting for the Champlain Canal to open, have claimed all the tie-up space available in Waterford. Waterford is the “fork in the waterway” town. To go into the Champlain Canal you go right, to go to the Erie Canal you turn left. We left-turning people have no place to spend a night before moving on. We must arrive in Troy/Waterford with 4 hours of daylight in order to get through 7 locks before there is a marina in Schenectady.  We plan to leave at 7am tomorrow.