Saturday, May 23, 2015
The morning began with bright sun, clear skies, chirping birds, and temps in the 40's.
A wonderful night's sleep in Waterford...must be the lulling of the waves!
Waterford's name came from its location, being a colonial ford across the Mohawk River. Dutch fur traders settled here in 1630's, and the area saw great wealth from the river and canal trade. It is the oldest incorporated village in the U.S. (1794). This mule, in front of the visitor's center, is beautifully painted with pictures of items that represent the area. Footprints and hoofprints, in the cement walkway, call us back to an earlier time when young boys led the animals (pulling the barges) along the canal pathways.
Our early morning walk took us down Broad St. and over the Waterford-Troy bridge (which we will cruise under when we head north on the Champlain Canal later this morning).
Broad Street is Waterford's old main street with historical markers identifying areas and old buildings with interesting history. For example...
We passed the Samuel Stewart House, built in 1802 of Dutch ballast brick. This one was once owned by Mr. Stewart who was a sloop owner, civic leader, legislator, architect, and abolitionist. His home was know to be a stop in the "Underground Railroad". Historic visitors included: Alexander Hamilton, Gen Lafayette, Frederick Douglass, and Tom Thumb (stage name for Charles Stratton who was a dwarf and became a famous performer under P.T. Barnum). And you wondered where the name for Tom Thumb donuts came from!
The Broad Street Cafe didn't have a historical marker, but it did have a tempting breakfast: 2 eggs, potatoes, toast, and bottomless coffee for $3.68. So, we experienced a taste of the local flavor!
The Champlain Canal begins here, at the junction of the Erie Canal at Waterford and runs north 60 miles to Whitehall, NY at the mouth of Lake Champlain via 11 locks. We purchased the locking pass and stickers for the Champlain Canal system for $100 and placed them on windows on both sides of Dream Chaser. The lock masters want them visible and check them upon our entrance into the locks.
Dream Chaser is prepped to go north, and by 10:30 am, we had passed through Lock C1 in the town of Halfmoon, NY, first lock on the Champlain Canal.
Heavy dredging is happening in the Champlain Canal. After massive dredging in 2009, dredging continues to clean up PCB's from a former General Electric plant located upstream from Ft. Edward. Projected to last through 2016, boaters can expect to experience frequent barge, tug, and vessel movements in the canal. AGLCA loopers should get updated info by contacting VHF Channel 18A.
There is still a chill in the air, so we are navigating from the inside/lower helm. This afternoon, we ate lunch (lobster salads) while motoring down the canal enjoying the countryside views.
We arrived at Lock C5 on the Hudson River about 2:30 pm. We tied Dream Chaser to the north wall outside the lock and hopped out to stretch our legs and explore. This location has an old power generating house with power generating equipment from the 1900's on display. Some had patents labeled 1893. It is a beautiful, bright sunny Saturday, and people have gathered for picnics and fun in the newly developed Hudson Crossing Park. Tickets are available (at a booth near the lock) to ride an excursion boat on the Hudson River and experience the lift and drop of Lock C5. Great fun!
Shortly after leaving Lock C5, the smell of manure wafted through the air. Hey, it's the country!
Just before Lock C7, we veered to the left and followed the Hudson River to Ft. Edward, our overnight spot for tonight. Points further north, Locks 8-11, are quiet at night, but they have no services available- electricity, showers, restrooms. As we were nearing the town's dock wall, Eric (a local young teen) and 2 buddies came running over to help dock Dream Chaser and secure her. Apparently, Eric is "the man" in charge of assisting boaters when they arrive. The picture above shows Dream Chaser docked at the wall near the town's park. We found nice facilities (restrooms and showers) for boaters and a pretty white gazebo. We walked into town- not much happening- very quiet on a Saturday afternoon.
It was a quiet evening docked at the town wall. A few town residents strolled by- out for their evening walk. A handful of kids played in the park. We planned for the next few days, relaxed and listened to the birds chirp, and watched the sun go down.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
The day dawned, and we are up bright and early to prep for the leg of our journey from Ft. Edward to Whitehall, NY. After a quick omelet with onion, bacon, and steamed greens, we back-tracked to Lock C7 and locked through. After Lock C7, we entered a man-made rock cut for the next 28 miles to Whitehall. Looks very similar to the Erie Canal. Green trees and shrubs line the shorelines except for occasional spots where people are fishing or have set up a campsite.
It has warmed up to the 70's, and we have been navigating from the upper helm all day.
About 10 am, we pulled Dream Chaser to the dock at Ft. Ann, secured her, and walked about a mile to the Cornerstone Bible Church on the far side of town. The service was scheduled to begin at 10:30, but as we arrived, the service had already started and would last until noon. Prayers were offered up for the needs of the church, the community, the soldiers, and our country!
Great church service: Memorial Day recognition of service men and women, good preaching, great songs, and friendly people! Steve was hoping for a good ol' Baptist pot-luck lunch, but it wasn't on the schedule for today!
He had to "settle" for a lobster salad with Wegman's Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing (fabulous dressing with a touch of citrus). Wegman is a top-notch NY grocery store.
Our next town, Whitehall, was founded in 1759 by British Army Captain Philip Skene who built saw mills and an iron foundry. The Americans took claim during the Revolution, and the town has been declared the birthplace of the US Navy. Pictured below is Skene Manor.
NOW, the TRUE story about the manor is that it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Judge Joseph Potter's House, was built in 1874, and never belonged to Capt. Skene. The Skene Manor story will probably sell more tickets for tours of the home and bring in more people for lunch at its restaurant. We didn't stop because of the lack of docking facilities and the long hike up to the manor. It would be a great spot for afternoon tea!
Before we entered Lock C12, (over the marine radio) the lockmaster asked us how wide our boat was. This was very strange! When we approached the lock, the right door of the lock was not opened, but we were told to enter the lock anyway. This was a typical lock where the lock doors swung open in the middle and folded back against the lock wall to give boats room to enter the lock. Of course, we thought there must be a mechanical problem, etc. for the lockmaster to take a risk of operating with only the left lock door open. Not the case! The lock master didn't open the right door...because she would have had to walk all the way around to the other side of the lock to do so and it was a long way! Do you know how scarey it is to enter a narrow opening with the end of a massive steel lock door jutting towards you on your starboard side! Guess what? Same process on the way out-the left door was left shut. Our fenders on the starboard side rubbed the lock wall as we exited! Wow! I wonder how long she keeps that job!?
After Lock C12, the lake navigational buoys have changed to the red on the left and green on the right because we are closer to the St. Lawrence Seaway which opens to the ocean. We are technically in Lake Champlain, now, but it is more of a river than a lake for the next 38 miles. Also, Vermont is on our starboard side.
Nice to see people out using the river in canoes, kayaks, fishing boats, and speedboats. We've seen more boats today than during the last three days.
By 5 pm, we had reached Chipman Point Marina in Orwell, Vermont where Lake Champlain is still very narrow. After securing Dream Chaser, we walked to the office located in a quaint 1824 old stone building, registered, and learned a bit about the area.
The history about Chipman Point...
In 1805, Joseph Sholes purchased this area with its point jutting out in the lake. This spot allowed for easy docking of sailing vessels and unloading of their cargoes. By 1810, Walter Chipman constructed a four-story brick and stone structure to handle freight traffic. (now used as a rental apartment and a special events hall) See picture below.
In 1820, one of the earliest ferries on the lake was added to this location (which is now the boat launching area of the marina) and the ferry operated for almost 150 years.
In 1824, 80 ft. from the first warehouse, Joseph Sholes constructed a similar building to deal with growing trade needs. This building (now containing the marina office and boater facilities-see below) was built of only stone and remains in great condition. Besides storage of goods, a millinery shop was located in a part of the building. Chipman Point became a hub of activity servicing sloops, schooners, steamers, freight barges, and canal boats. Passengers came and went by boat or stagecoach, and this was a hub for the mail. Sholes Tavern, a massive Federal style clapboard building with a grand front porch, was constructed behind the warehouses to handle the travelers. A community developed and thrived until the railroad arrived and traffic to Chipman Point dried up. People moved on, buildings were neglected, and the inn burned down. Over the years, the Point has been used as a boys camp, a restaurant, and in 1946- a marina.
Pat Ullom and her late husband bought the marina in 1993, and now she runs it with her son, Chip. They love what they do and it shows! When we arrived at the marina, they met us at the dock and secured Dream Chaser. They provided a courtesy car, so we could visit the fort. The marina office usually has homemade treats like coffee cake and, for sure, ice cream. It's a great marina with a great location- a scenic landmark! And it feels like home!
FYI...
Lake Champlain runs roughly 109 miles south and north from Whitehall to the Canadian Border and nine miles wide in some places. Boater's need to know that overboard discharge of heads (toilets) or holding tanks is illegal on Lake Champlain. Actually, the discharge device must be disabled, and boats are boarded frequently to make sure there is compliance! This area is the water source for NYC and other neighboring areas. The water is kept exceptionally clean, so you can see 8-10 ft to the bottom. NYC thanks you!
You've probably heard about "Nessie", the Loch Ness monster, but have you heard about Champ the Lake Champlain Monster? Well, legends have been passed down from the Abenaki and Iroquois tribes about a enormous horned serpent-like creature that inhabited Lake Champlain. Champ or Champy has been reported in over 300 sightings. The creature is reported to be a long serpent with an arched back and broad, flat tail. In 1977, this photo was taken-see below (Mansi Photograph).
What do you think?
After dinner, we took a walk back behind the warehouses to where we think the large tavern and inn stood, but now it is mostly an RV park and boat storage.
Clouds have moved in, and we are enveloped in darkness...great sleeping!
Monday, May 25, 2015
We woke to cloud cover with a 20% chance of rain today. Temps in the mid 60's are predicted to hit mid 70's later today. It's cozy in Dream Chaser, as we enjoy our oatmeal and the quiet of the marina.
This morning, we left Dream Chaser docked and borrowed the marina's courtesy car for a few hours. We headed for Ft. Ticonderoga via a quick ferry crossing. The 7 minute ride from Larrabee's Point to Ticonderoga was on a Ft. Ticonderoga cable ferry. If you look closely at the picture, you will see the two cables that guide while the ferry is under its own power.
Ft. Ticonderoga, formerly Ft. Carillon, was built in 1755 by the French at the south end of Lake Champlain to defend against a British invasion. During the French and Indian War, the British laid siege and captured the fort. Then. in 1775, Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold, and some of the Green Mountain Boys, rushed the fort and demanded its surrender. The fort was handed over without bloodshed. Strategically located on the border of Canada and the US, the fort played an important role in controlling troop movement and use of the Lake Champlain waterway including Lake George and the La Chute River. The area saw many battles and skirmishes during Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
After returning to the marina and enjoying a bowl of ice cream (available in the marina office), we motored Dream Chaser away from the dock and headed north with our destination for tonight- Westport Marina in Westport, NY.
About 5 pm, we notice that Lake Champlain has widened to 2 miles, the sun is brilliant, and the water is as smooth as glass. Temps at 78- it's time for shorts! This morning we had some showers while at the fort, and now, we are on the edge of a storm, so showers will come eventually.
We have spent the afternoon listening to David McCullough's "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris". He relates the stories of adventurous American artists, writers, doctors, politicians, and architects who set off for Paris between 1830 and 1900. Their achievements altered American history. Since we have just returned from France, the stories were fascinating!
Crown Point Bridge crosses Lake Champlain at the narrows of Crown Point located on the west shore of Lake Champlain. This historic site was the location of a British fort, the largest earthen fortress built in the US. The fort was used by Benedict Arnold as a staging grounds for his navy during the Revolution. It is now listed as an historic site.
Before arriving at any marina, we contact them days in advance verifying dock space and, again, notify them when we are 15-20 minutes from arrival. We tried contacting the marina via the marine radio and cell phone, but no one answered. After docking, we checked out the office and the restaurant, but they were both closed. Everyone must be off enjoying Memorial Day Weekend. We will probably see the staff in the morning to pay our dockage fee and to pick up a package we had delivered here which contains a chip for our electronic navigational charts. This chip will be the last one we will need to purchase to complete our AGLCA loop trip.
Light rain is falling, and the dock lights have clicked on at the marina. It's another quiet evening- a good time to continue planning for our cruising during the next two weeks, and time to write this post for the blog. :)
At 9:15pm, spectacular fireworks exploded up in the sky across Lake Champlain. We are guessing that Burlington, VT was having a special Memorial Day Weekend celebration.
What a fun end to the day!
