We spent the morning doing laundry and I got my hair cut and colored. After lunch we had to send Mary Lou to the Albany Airport to catch her flight back to St. Louis. A visit from Mary Lou is , to quote my mother, “like a shot in the arm”! It was great visiting and sharing! We will miss you! Au Revoir!
We traveled 1 hour and 57 minutes and went through one lock to get to Waterford Visitor Center. We did receive a notice that one bridge is inoperable in the down position on the Erie Canal. This will impede our travels in that direction unless the bridge can be repaired in a reasonable time frame. Our boat was supposedly 17.5 feet tall and this would prevent our travel via the Champlain canal due to bridges requiring an air draft of less than 17 feet. Mike and a fellow looper, Russ, measured our boat from the waterline and came up with 16 foot. We can go the Lake Champlain route (passable if boat is under 17 foot tall from waterline!), if the Erie is impassable. We are at Waterford, NY, and have met many loopers. Our plans are to hang out until the holiday weekend is over and wait for word from the canal system before we make a decision. The town has been very welcoming and even invited all of us to a BBQ!
Below : loopers at Docktails in front of No Agenda
Below: Cohoes Falls
The area has lots of green spaces bike and hiking trails. We have been riding our bikes a lot. There is a bike trail in New York called the Empire Trail, it is 750 miles long and parts of it are along the Champlain and Erie Canal. The trail connects New York City with the Canadian Border via the Hudson River Valley Greenway and Champlain Canalway Trail and Albany with Buffalo via the Erie Canalway Trail. We met lots of bikers in Waterford doing the trail. The bikers were able to camp near the visitors center and use the same shower facilities that were available for boaters. I thought of my friend Pam and am wondering when she is going to check this one off!! We are trying to do parts of it along the way. The old locks are interesting and you can imagine a mule pulling a barge through it.
We have met so many interesting and good people! It is so nice to have a sense of community on this journey. Everyone helps each other! Pictured above left in pink shirt and shorts, Carol from Spirit, she and Russ finished the loop in 2019 and continue to cruise, they are from Houston, Texas and are really knowledgeable regarding all things boating and mechanical. Mike and Russ talked a long time about their similar hobbies like woodworking. Next to Carol in clockwise order is Joy and her husband Will from Canada. They had a mechanical failure in the lock and their friends from Serenety Two, David and Susan were able to maneuver them out of the lock and tow them back. They are waiting for a mechanic. Standing is Lisa, she and her husband are traveling on “My Old Kentucky Home”, they own a marina in Cadiz, Ky! Small world! We will check it out for wintering No Agenda! Next is Marietta from “Sweet Dreams”. Marietta and her husband Ed live in Key Largo, have sailed for 25 years and are now doing the loop on a beautiful Trawler. She is such an inspiration and genuine person, full of love and grace. Marietta worked as a marriage counselor and Ed is a retired attorney! All good resources for the loop! You won’t meet Marietta without getting one of her SMILE cards! SMILE: Spirit Magnifies Incredible Loving Energy! The lady in pink next to Marietta is Lisa’s mother who is traveling a few days with them. She is on her way to see her grand kids in Rochester. The far right picture shows Ed (Marietta), Greg (Lisa), Russ (Carol) and Mike (Jody). Thes kind of gatherings happen frequently, it is nice getting to know other folks. Everyone shares their boat cards with contact information.
Happy Memorial Day! Below is a picture of my brother Mike. He is holding the flag for our father, Oscar Okenfuss Jr., who served in World War II. Mike served on the Kitty Hawk in the Vietnam War. Proud of my Dad and my Brother!
Love see yous sometime on the journey
Pam, you need to check out the Empire Trail!!