Trip Planning

This is a rough chart of the planned trip. The route will be west on Long Island Sound, up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal, onto Lake Ontario to Kingston, Ontario, north through the Rideau Canal to Ottawa, then to Montreal, and onto Lake Champlain and home again via the Hudson River. If weather, health, will, and boat cooperate, it should be about a six week trip, but who knows.

The Blog has been tricked into displaying the pages in the order of start to finish, the only problem is that at the end of set, you click on the "Older Links" to get to the newer page... confusing, yes, but click on the link and you'll see they now flow in sequence.

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle
Click on any of the photos above to enlarge them.

July 14, 2011 - Pre-Departure

The plan is to leave Waquoit Bay early on Saturday morning, July 16, 2011. The boat is about 2/3 loaded but the challenge is to get the last 1/3 on and keeping the boat afloat!

Biggest question now is to bring the inflatable dinghy and motor or not. The dinghy, though nice to have about 3 times during the trip is usually a hassle and "captain" and "first mate" are at odds as to whether to bring it or not.

I'll leave it to you to decide who is who, and who's view is likely to carry the day...

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle02?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Click on any of the photos above to enlarge them.

July 16, 2011 - July 17 Waquoit Bay to "The Gulf", Milford, Ct to Haverstraw, NY.

We left the dock at the Waquoit Bay yacht Club at 9:00 am after last minute loading of additional clothes and food,...and the dinghy (was there ever any doubt?). Leaving the bay there was a pretty strong SW wind blowing down Nantucket Sound and the tide was running as always, against us. We bypassed the Woods Hole Passage and took the run through Quicks Hole and it was a good choice. From there on it was choppy and rolling seas to Pt. Judith pond for a quick lunch.

Pt Judith Light

Typical house in Milford, Ct

We then continued on to The Gulf at Milford, Ct., arriving at 4:30 pm. We have stopped here before and it has always been a bit rolly because of boat wakes until dark when the boater's wakes calm down. Tonight was the exception in that we rocked and rolled all night. Very unpleasant.

Low Tide walking to Charles Island

High Tide walking to Charles Island

Sunrise at The Gulf, Milford, Ct

We got underway around 9:00 am, destination Haverstraw, NY.The day started out as a continuation of the day before with banging into strong SW winds as we headed to "the City" (for our Boston readers, that's "New York City...). Beautiful clear day as we passed under the Throgs Neck and Whitestone bridges and headed up the Harlem River passing Margaret's summer playground (the oil yards where her uncle worked and let the kids play.)

Piloting through Hell's Gate, NY onto the Harlem River

NYC Skyline

Got rings? Derek Jeter, paging Debbie Maher...Got 3000!

The trip up the Hudson was even more beautiful than we remembered, passing our old boat mooring at the Nyack Boat Club and eventually arriving at the Haverstraw Marina in 90 degree temperatures. We discussed continuing on to Cornwall Yacht Club, another hour north, but while we were drifting  along realized how hot it was and decided to pull into Haverstraw marina to assure we would have power and AC tonight. After docking, and a quick dip in the marina pool where any doubt the USA is a melting pot has been erased we went to dinner at the marina restaurant where we meet TJ (Thomas Joseph). It is hot but calm and the AC is working fine, and after last night, a welcome change.

Tomorrow, north toward Troy, and the Erie Canal, how far we get will depend on how early we get going and right now smart money is on a late start...

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle02?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Click on any of the photos above to enlarge them.

July 18, 2011 - Haverstraw, NY to Waterford, NY

Another long day, 7 1/2 hours from Haverstraw, NY to Waterford, NY, the crossroads of the route to the Erie canal and the route to Lake Champlain. Mixed weather coming up the Hudson with intermittent rain and wind behind us, but of course against the current. We decided rather than sit in a marina in the rain we'd press on to the entrance to the Erie Canal. The past three days have been grueling, 21 running hours, almost as much as the drive to Florida.

West Point

Tomorrow we will get set up for the Erie lock system which means getting the fender boards set up. We had to go through the only Federal lock to get here today but did it with "naked" fenders, sounds sexier than it was...

The Federal Lock at Troy, NY - 1 of 100

We stopped for fuel in Coeyman, NY, and ran into some people coming back from the Lake Champlain Lake and the Champlain Canal who hit debris in the canal and destroyed a propeller, and another guy who ran aground near Champlain Lock 4 where it was supposed to be 12 feet deep and bent two propeller shafts. Both major repairs before heading for NYC. They said there was still a great number of floating objects in the Champlain canal after the lake was over flood stage this spring. Many marinas and state parks were under water in May and we're hoping that a month from now when we come through Lake Champlain and the lock system back home, things will be back to normal. The lake was back under flood level last week but  people said the water was so high during the flood stage that houses were underwater and doors and all kinds of debris were floating around.

"Blue Belle" at the Waterford, NY wall for the night

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle02?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Click on any of the photos above to enlarge them.

July 19, 2011 - Waterford to Amsterdam, NY

Short day, 5:15 hrs but many locks. We started out with 5 in a row within a mile or two and then "conquered 5 more before stopping in Amsterdam, NY. We left Waterford with "Seafari", about a 47' cruiser,  so each lock there only our two boats locked through together. Beautiful country along the canal in this region with nice homes and no waves, no threat of running aground, and lots of wildlife,... doesn't get much better than this.

Seafari headed to Lock 7

Waterfalls next to Lock 7

Homes along the canal

'Captain" at the helm

Cross on the hill

We arrived at Amsterdam, NY, Riverlink Marina, just past 3:30pm and met "Bob" who runs the marina. We pulled up and found the rate was $1/ft ($33) which inlcuded overnight dockage, electrical power for A/C, pump out if needed, modern showers (VERY uncommon these days), laundry facilities, and water on the dock, a bargain at many times the price on LI Sound.

"Seafari" questioned the rate and what was included and decided to go to the wall at lock 11 which was free. However had no amenities and to run their A/C meant running their generator all night at at least $1/hour... and it was not thought to be a safe place to stay with young adults (yoots) in a playground next to the dock.  At more than $4 per gallon and a gallon an hour to run the generator, it is tough to work the math but they decided it made sense for them... (Roy) must be parsimonious.

Weather is hot but while we are moving it is not too bad. Locks have a lot of slime on them but the fender boards absorb most of the grunge and it all washes off with a hose.
Probably try and early start tomorrow to try to get to Brewerton by Thursday where there is a pool for the 95 degree anticipated weather.

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle02?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Click on any of the photos above to enlarge them.

July 20, 2011 - Amsterdam, NY to Illion, NY

A 50 mile day which sounds short and easy but the temperatures touched 90 again with little wind and there were many locks in between.

We stopped at Canajohari, former home of Beechnut to see their Arkell Art Museum. It was well worth the stop with great art depicting the history of NYS in this region during the 1800s.

Lock 17, the largest in the NY system had a problem operating their gate system and we had to hold up before the lock for about a half hour. Met a guy single handing a brand new Back Cove 30 from Portland Maine to Toronto, quite a feat getting through these locks single handed.

Lock 17

Illion Marina

We are now at Illion, a very nice canalside marina with nice facilities and a cafe right by the dock. Met a very nice Canadian couple aboard a small trawler that they purchased through a foreclosure in Florida and are taking it home to Canada. The boat needs much work but they got it for a steal and this is going to be his "project."

We're looking forward to getting out of the locks for a spell onto Lake Oneida. One of the AC units has stopped pumping water, hopefully it is something clogged in the strainer but may have to get in the water to see if anything is on the outside. Since it may hit 100 today, sounds like a good idea. Fortunately the AC in the sleeping area is working like a champ.

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle02?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Click on any of the photos above to enlarge them.

July 21, 2011 - Illion, NY to Brewerton,NY

Looong day on the canal. The most boring stretch after we left Illion and hit several long stretches of 100 yard wide waterway, one as long as 18 miles, with a 10 mph speed limit in 90 degree temps, do the math, not a pleasant run. Only thing that made it remotely bearable was a 15 knot wind from the west.



Finally reached Oneida lake and the west wind that was a blessing inthe canal became a concern as we entered the Lake. There was a lot of room along the town wall at Sylvan Beach but no power, which would mean sleeping without AC, no way Kemo Sabe.
We needed to head west across the 20 miles of open lake with the wind right on the nose with slight whitecaps. First mate not happy camper. Got the boat onto a high plane at 17 mph and rode through it and as we approached Brewerton on the western shore, the water was protected by the land and we decided to throw out the hook and go for a swim,... best move of the day. The heat has really been oppressive, and the Lake waters were a great relief.
Stopped at Ess-Kay marina and borrowed a loaner car. Choice was automatic without air, or stick shift with air... air wins! A five mile drive to "real" stores for supplies and some light tees and dinner on the way back.

Hopefully will get a mechanic to check out the salon AC on Friday morning. The sleeping quarters are cooled nicely by the other AC but the salon was at 100 degrees when we got back from dinner.

Full set of pictures are at: https://picasaweb.google.com/golphinut/201107BlueBelle02?authuser=0&feat=directlink
Click on any of the photos above to enlarge them.