May 2021 – yes dear …

Low Bridge Everybody Down

2021-05-31 admin Comments 0 Comment

01-JUN-2021 Tuesday Free Wall, Baldwinsville NY to Free Wall, Newark NY (48.3 nautical miles 55.6 statute miles)

43°02’50.9″N 77°05’41.3″W
43.047480, -77.094808
Elevation: 434 feet Rise 62 feet
States (1): New York

Locks (5 up):
Lock E25 – Mays Point
Lock E26 – Clyde
Lock E27 – Lyons
Lock E28A – Lyons
Lock E28B – Newark

Along the Way

It wasn’t enough to simply have mannequins on the dock…. Dale and Tom had to critique their skin tone and wardrobe.

Cross Lake. Exactly what we did. Head straight across the lake heading for the hole in the trees. (Cross Lake is not cross shaped.)

Farmland. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen farmland along the waterway.

Bridges…. The bridges on the western side the Erie Canal are lower than the bridges on the eastern side the Erie Canal. We made the decision to run it and see what happens. Today will tell. Some of them look like they have been built by fairies and others look like they have been built by trolls.

Checking out the bridge heights. Just because you’ve made one at 15 feet it doesn’t mean you make another at 15 feet. The pool levels between the lock might flux due to rain or other conditions.

Low bridge. Everybody down.

This guy is sitting in the weeds. Bet he’s full of ticks.

It’s looking like we can clear the bridges. It’s the electrical wires I’m starting to worry about.

High density housing. Not everyone can afford the Finger Lakes region.

Everyone has a golf cart. A guy could make a fine living here fixing golf carts.

It’s a mixed bag of landscape. Fun to see farms again. I miss the mountains though.

Cayuga-Seneca(C-S) Canal to the portside. Daymarks are always interesting where channels split.

Remains of the Montezuma Aqueduct where the canal of 1862 crossed the Seneca River.

Lock E25 – Mays Point – Fishing bobbers used for trawling 🙂 Interestingly they are painted different colors on each end.

18 foot practice bridge

OK. Cleared.

Lock E26 – Clyde

Water spider about 4 inches across. It crawled up the wall as the water rose.

This train bridge is supposedly the lowest bridge on the Erie Canal. 15 feet. Our moment has come. Take it slow.

We just saved ourselves $1,000! We won’t have to hire a captain to take our boat through the Welland Canal in Canada to circumnavigate Niagara Falls.
Through history there has been heavy competition between trains and boats for tonnage along the Erie Canal. The sneaky railroads built their bridges as low as possible to impede the boat traffic.

Lyons Lock E27

This bridge must have been made by trolls.

Lyons Lock E27

There was a time in Lyons when you could smell peppermint wherever you went in town. Hundreds and hundreds of acres of surrounding farmland was devoted to growing peppermint plants. Lyons was once a major producer of peppermint. The H.G. Hotchkiss Essential Oil Company exported its product internationally, and in addition to early medicinal uses, it provided the palate-pleasing tingle of Beech-Nut Gum.

Lock E28A – Lyons

Lock E28B – Newark. This lock was in really rough shape. One of the worst so far.

Welcome to Newark

Good Night

Floccinaucinihilipilification

On the Erie Canal it takes 100,000 gallons of water per foot of lift. AND they do it for free.

Drolleries and Yuks

Why did the cattle rancher buy a dachshund?
~ He heard someone say get a long little doggie.

Memorial Day

2021-05-31 admin Comments 0 Comment

31-May-2021 Monday Ess-Kay Marina, Brewerton NY to Free Wall, Baldwinsville NY (20.1 nautical miles 23.1 statute miles)

43°09’23.2″N 76°20’13.0″W
43.156440, -76.336933
Elevation: 372 feet Rise 3 feet
States (1): New York

Locks (2):
Lock E23 – Brewerton (down)
Lock E24 – Baldwinsville (up)

Remember all those who have sacrificed this Memorial Day.

Greater love has no one but this,
Than to lie down their life for a friend. John 15:13

Along the Way

Woo Woo. They put a sign on the women’s restroom door. It was a little interesting yesterday. I walked into one of the restrooms yesterday turned around and walked out. I figured I was in them men’s because it was painted all blue. As I went to check out the other restroom a guy stepped out of it. He’d checked both of them out and decided to use the one with the urinals. Guess the all blue one must be the women’s.

We were waiting for our neighbors to leamoove. Waiting and waiting and waiting. They are too tall to travel the western side of the Erie Canal and need to use the Oswego Canal. Lock issues on the Oswego Canal are preventing them from continuing on today. They didn’t want to move their boat…
At about 11:00am we asked them to move their boat so we could get out. The captain decided to walk the 110 foot boat back rather than start the engine.

We barely squeezed past.

yes dear… is so dirty again we look like nautical Beverly Hill Billies, especially when dragging The Mooch.

Lock E23 – Brewerton (down)

This is the Three Rivers section of the Erie Canal. We came in on the Oneida River and exited on the Seneca River. The Oswego Canal/River heads north to Lake Ontario here.

We continued west on the Erie Canal following the Seneca River.

Just down from there we found a guy having troubles with his ski jet. We dragged the ski jet back to the party for him. His friends picked him up and dragged ski jet back into the marina.

Today’s Rant
All the docks have aprons on them. I just don’t get why. Further more, why are the boards nailed on vertically? It seems to me it would be a whole lot easier to nail longer boards horizonally.

Lighthouses are a thing here too.

The thing that puzzles me most are the private marinas and private canals just carved right out of the shoreline. No way could you do that in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

These docks don’t have aprons. It’s interesting how they are cantilevered out from the shore.

Lock E24 – Baldwinsville (up)

I rarely feel comfortable tossing a line to anyone on a dock. I’d feel comfortable tossing a line to anyone of these four people. Tammy, Mary, Dave and Dom!

We headed out for summer but got stopped up at the bridge to watch the fishermen. The fishermen were fishing the river about 20 feet below. They had a custom fish net, just the right length, to net the fish.

We ate supper at the B’ville Diner. Great food at a great price!

Neighbors

We told Dave and Mary good bye again. They decided to turn around and go out the Oswego Canal. An aqueduct broke up river on the Erie Canal and they draft too deep to continue on.
Superman was their boat Starlight’s original owner. She was custom built for Christopher Reeves before he had his equestrian accident.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

The New York State Canal System (formerly known as the New York State Barge Canal) is a successor to the Erie Canal and other canals within New York. Currently, the 525-mile system is composed of the Erie Canal, the Oswego Canal, the Cayuga–Seneca Canal, and the Champlain Canal. In 2014 the system was listed as a national historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in its entirety, and in 2016 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The Erie Canal connects the Hudson River to Lake Erie; the Cayuga–Seneca Canal connects Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake to the Erie Canal; the Oswego Canal connects the Erie Canal to Lake Ontario; and the Champlain Canal connects the Hudson River to Lake Champlain.

Current status and elevation

Drolleries and Yuks

Crossing the “Thumb”

2021-05-30 admin Comments 0 Comment

30-May-2021 Saturday Free wall, Sylvan Beach NY to Ess-Kay Marina, Brewerton NY (19.2 nautical miles 22.1 statute miles)

43°14’22.8″N 76°09’01.0″W
43.239655, -76.150284
Elevation: 369 feet rise 0 feet
States (1): New York

Locks (0) yippee

Along the Way

Heading into Oneida Lake.

Looking back.

Oneida Lake is a great fishing lake. Dale checked out all the fishing boats. He’s trying to decide what kind of fishing boat he’s going to buy when we get back to Minnesota. It WON’T be a center console boat.

We were attacked by hundreds of midges that wanted lift. Dale went crazy and kicked them all off the boat.

Hangman’s island for seagulls.

Heading into Brewerton on the west side of Oneida Lake.

More unusual style buoys

Back into the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal follows the Oneida River on this side of the lake.

Brewerton’s a quaint community.

The big event for the day was dropping the dinghy and removing the dinghy boom. With the boom removed, cross our fingers, we will be low enough to travel the western end of the Erie Canal. We had thought we would have to head out the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario.

I took a nap while the men dropped the boom and nestled it behind the bikes for storage.

Neighbors

The blue boat needs to leave before we head out tomorrow morning. Hope it leaves by noon.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Oneida Lake is the largest lake entirely within New York state, with a surface area of 79.8 square miles. It is about 21 miles long and about 5 miles wide with an average depth of 22 feet. While not considered one of the Finger Lakes, Oneida Lake sometimes is referred to as their “thumb”.

Ponder This

Zebras are just horses with barcodes.

Upside of E17 and downside of E20

2021-05-29 admin Comments 0 Comment

29-May-2021 Saturday Lock E17 Erie Canal, Little Falls Rotary Park Marina, Little Falls NY to Free wall, Sylvan Beach NY (43.5 nautical miles 50.1 statute miles)

43°11’39.9″N 75°43’49.1″W
43.194414, -75.730296
Elevation: 369 feet rise 10 feet
States (1): New York

Locks (4):
Lock E18 – Jacksonburg (up)
Lock E19 – Frankfort (up)
Lock E20 – Marcy (up) peak at 420 feet
Lock E21 – Rome (down)
Lock E22 – Rome (down)

Erie Canal Day 9 – Status and Elevation

We stopped for the night at Sylvan Beach on the west shore of Oneida Lake.

Along the Way

Upside of E17. Our travel mates left at 8:00am. We hung around the marina to do laundry hoping the weather would improve before we took off. Typical Memorial Weekend, cold and wet.

Lock E18. Looks like we are going to following a cat today.

Lock E19 is a starboard tie only; another lock that’s only functional on one side. It’s a small, narrow lock that can usually only fit 3 boats at a time. We had to wait for the next lift.

Canal spillway and feeder.

Lock E20 – small peak at 420 feet

Lock E20 had a lot of toys.

The Erie Canalway Trail between Albany and Buffalo is 365 miles. 87-percent of it is off road. The bike trail closely follow the Erie Canal in many areas.

This was weird. It a bunch of old barges lashed together, just sitting here. It shows up on the navigation charts as a small island.

This was interesting. The Erie Canal no longer leverages/follows the Mohawk River at this point. Below is a picture of where the Mohawk River crosses the Erie Canal, both a spillway and a feeder.

Continuing on.

A lot has work has gone into preserving the waters edge. Many miles of it is lined with rock.

Lock E21 – Headed down! The lockmaster works doubly hard. He runs both E21 and E22 a mile away.

Bank beaver crossing the canal. A tail slap and splash.

Canadians taking flight.

Lock E22 – Down again.

Doug Griggs on Boomerang! Doug is from Madeline Island WI. We haven’t seen him since he surveyed our boat and gave us piloting lessons. It’s a small world full of great people.

Reading the signs. Whatever works.

Just keep heading west.

The town of Sylvan Beach. Oneida is at the end.

We all went out for supper one last time. Craig and Terri Calle II, Mary and Dave Starlight, Dom and Tammy Brandy Jo, Tom, Mary and Dale yes dear…

Good Night

Drolleries and Yuks

How does a lumberjack track how many trees he cuts down?
~He keeps a log.

No longer our worries. Boats have been advised E17 will only be operational through Wednesday, June 2. If they want to be locked through they must there by 4:30pm. The crane is being taken down and returned to its jobsite in PA. It’s unclear how and when E17 will be operational again. They are hoping to get another crane in soon.

The estimate is two months to fabricate a new gear.

Pretty Dam Lucky

2021-05-28 admin Comments 0 Comment

28-May-2021 Friday Lock E15 Erie Canal, Fort Plain NY to Lock E17 Erie Canal, Little Falls Rotary Park Marina, Little Falls NY (14.1 nautical miles 16.2 statute miles)

43°02’04.3″N 74°51’56.7″W
43.034536, -74.865749
Elevation: 359 feet
States (1): New York

Locks (2):
Lock E16 – Mindenville
Lock E17 – Little Falls

A watched kettle never boils.
A watched lock never raises.

Along the Way

The honey wagon is here! ~Mary
Sweet! ~Dale
Sweet has nothing to do with it. ~Mary
Ok awesome. ~Dale

Like a cat with a clean sandbox I was in there to use it. I strongly prefer the head in yes dear… to the port-a-potty.

The call came! We were given permission to leave Lock E15 and head to E17 at 10:30am.

Boats were still waiting at Johnsonville Marina for their turn at the Johnsonville Marina we passed by.

We could tell they were quite miffed because boats behind them were moving forward FIRST. They stood by their boats and glared at us.

Walled… Forty-five minutes later we were stopped at Lock E16. The first group of boats had still not locked through Lock E17. We tied off on the wall.

The lock walls were very rough and in need of patching. We fendered well.

We weren’t the only ones stuck at Lock E16. Boats were tied off on the wall above Lock E16 and also tied off waiting inside Lock E16.

The Johnsonville Marina boat were HOT and hot on our tail. Dale got on the radio and schoomzed them telling we had been sent off by the Lock 15 staff letting them know that we didn’t know they were still there or we would have waited. If Mufasa, the light blue boat, would have had torpedos, I’m sure he would have sunk our boat. Dale assured them they could go first and we would wait.

Mufasa has been a jerk all the way up the river. He was asked to move off the fuel dock at Johnsonville Marina about the same time we passed by so another boat could come in for fuel. He wouldn’t. The marina actually called the mayor of Johnsonville to come down and throw him out of the city of Johnsonville. The mayor did.

Guard Gate 3. The water was skinny through here. Brandy Jo went first, then followed by yes dear... to survey the water depth for the deeper draft sail boats. Sailboats Starlight and Calle II cautiously picked their way after us.

The infamous Lock E17. We walled-up again to wait our turn.

The GODs conversed. (Guys On Docks). The gate is open in the below picture. You can tell by the height of the crossbar it is hoisting.

Going through Lock E17 was like being in a movie set. Anticipation, exhilaration, anxiousness, drama, cold, rainy, caring, concern, cheerleading…..

Through! We are pretty dam lucky.

We rafted up to make sure everyone who wanted to could stay overnight at the marina.

Woo Woo! Hot showers and a club clubhouse!

Canadian Craig on Calle II through a surprised birthday pizza party for his wife Terri. Happy, Happy Birthday Terry!

Thanks for the pizza and wings Craig!

Good Night

I did the Dale thing when I crawled into bed. I crawled into bed with ALL my clothes on to pre-heat the space before I put my nightie on and crawled in for good. I was tooooo cold. I never got out to put my nightie on. I even wore the hood on my favorite Kawarthas pullover sweatshirt all night long.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

NYS Canal Corporation On Saturday, May 22 the lifting mechanism that hoists the lower gate at Lock E-17 (Little Falls) broke after 64 years of continuous operation. At 40.5 feet, Lock E-17 has the highest lift on the Canal system as the Erie Canal steps up through the Mohawk Valley and the seven-foot diameter gear was custom designed and fabricated by the Philadelphia Steel Company in 1957. It is one of two identical gears that operates the lower lock gate and due to the lift required, these gears are unique to this specific lock. The gears are made in two halves that are bolted onto the side of the sprocket gear that holds the chain for lifting the gate. The broken gear was disassembled and we are now developing a plan to custom fabricate the repair. While this work is underway, the lower lock gate will be temporarily operated by a crane.

Maybe Tomorrow

2021-05-27 admin Comments 0 Comment

27-May-2021 Thursday Lock E15 Erie Canal, Fort Plain NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

42°56’22.1″N 74°37’21.6″W
42.939473, -74.622678
Elevation: 301 feet
States (1): New York

NOTICE TO MARINERS
UPDATE ERIE CANAL – LOCK E-17 LITTLE FALLS
MAY 27, 2021

The New York State Canal Corporation today announced that boaters’ services are nearing full capacity on the Erie Canal between Lock E-8 (Scotia) and Lock E-17 (Little Falls). Only local vessel traffic will be passed through locks in this area until Lock E-17 reopens for navigation.

The Canal Corporation will soon announce a temporary operating schedule for Lock E-17 with instructions for mariners that will ensure all waiting to transit the eastern Erie Canal can do so in a timely, orderly manner.

Things are looking up… The E-17 lift is the highest lift on the Erie Canal. We’ve heard there are 28 boats ahead of us waiting for the E-17 temporary fix. We have also heard E-17 is in such rough shape boats can only tie off on one side the lock during the lift. IF they can cycle 4 boats through in an hour we should all be able to get through in one day. Maybe tomorrow…

Photos courtesy of MyLittleFalls.com

Along the Way

The log masters came by to pick the lock.

Another lock man was pushing smaller logs over dam.

Heading off to unload logs.

Picture perfect! Nice job trimming trees.

Thursday night car show at the grocery store.

Drolleries and Yuks

Why should you stand in the corner when you are cold?
~Because it’s usually around 90°!

Fernweh

2021-05-25 admin Comments 0 Comment

25-May-2021 Tuesday Lock E15 Erie Canal, Fort Plain NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

42°56’22.1″N 74°37’21.6″W
42.939473, -74.622678
Elevation: 301 feet
States (1): New York

We are all feeling fernweh. Fernweh, is a German word that describes a feeling stronger than wanderlust. Basically, the opposite of homesickness. We’ve to to get away. We’ve completely exhausted things to do at this lock and little town.

On the bright side we are not paying marina fees.

Along the Way

Dale just finished a moustache trim on a 45 foot boat.

The highlight of the day was a guy pumping out the port-a-potty and dropping off a second one for boaters only.

Status update

The crane has been delivered to Lock E17 and set-up. A couple of high-powered engineers are trying to identify a pick point for lifting the door. It seems there is more than just a pin that needs to be replaced. One gears is broke and a new one needs to be made. It will take about two months to do that. People are still optimistic about getting through E17. There is discussion about using the crane to operate the door until the gear is ready.

Impromptu pot luck again tonight.

Good Night

Ponder This

Waffles are just pancakes with abs.

I won’t be blogging again until we are on the move again.

Lock Life

2021-05-24 admin Comments 0 Comment

24-May-2021 Monday Lock E15 Erie Canal, Fort Plain NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

42°56’22.1″N 74°37’21.6″W
42.939473, -74.622678
Elevation: 301 feet
States (1): New York

Good Morning

Along the Way

A young Amish couple came down to the lock today for a picnic and watch boats pass through. They were a little disappointed the lock wasn’t open, but they stayed and enjoyed their picnic.

‘Craig the Canadian’ and I went up to look at the horse. ‘Craig the Canadian’ in his prior life raised and raced Standardbred horses. A lot of Amish and Mennonite people buy] Standardbred racehorses because they are so well trained.

A barge came through the lock and it wasn’t happy with the boats on the wall. In fact, he was down right mad. Clearance was pretty tight. He told us we need to MOVE.

Before he came back we worked all the boats up the wall as far and as tightly as we safely could.

Incoming barge. When he returned, the guys were either going to smooze the captain over or really piss him off.

Schmoozed. The captain was happy that we were able to give him about 15 more feet clearance.

Outgoing barge. Dang that captain is good. (I’m glad we weren’t the last boat on lock wall.)

Every lock has a powerhouse to operate the locks. The windows were so high off the ground I had to stand on my tippy toes and hold the camera as high as I could to take the pictures. I got lucky with a couple shots.

Impromptu pot luck picnic in progress.

But of course we all needed to go to Stewart’s for dessert.

Ponder this

Who ever said out of sight out of mind never had a spider disappear on the bedroom.

Waiting on a pin

2021-05-23 admin Comments 0 Comment

23-May-2021 Sunday Lock E15 Erie Canal, Fort Plain NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

42°56’22.1″N 74°37’21.6″W
42.939473, -74.622678
Elevation: 301 feet
States (1): New York

Waiting on a pin

Lock E17 has a guillotine style gate, a massive guillotine gate. A pin on the gate was sheared/broken and needs to be replaced. The gate, because of it’s weight, needs a super crane to lift it so they can replace the pin and adjust the door. It could be fixed in a 2 days or 2 weeks. It all depends on how soon they can get a crane up to the lock.

We’ve been told boats are backed up all the way down the canal. Lock E2 at Waterford has closed until the system is up and running. All marinas prior to lock are full. There is no more room on the lock wall. Boats are triple rafted with others. For the most part there no or very limited services (e.g. no pump outs, no electricity, no potable water). One marina has a pump but it is not working.

So, after everything’s fixed who first?

At least we have a town nearby and bicycles.

Along the Way

Tammy from Brandy Jo scrubbed the entire lock walkway to remove the goose poop. Bless you! You deserve a medal!

Dale elicited help from a local to fix my bike breaks.

We were off to Canajoharie. Dale and Tom on bikes. Me on the scooter. I get to see the Art Museum after all!

Arkell Museum
Bartlett Arkell, the first president of the Beech-Nut Packing Company (1899), founded the Canajoharie Library for the people of the village of Canajoharie. When it opened, gracing its walls were a dozen paintings from Arkell’s personal collection. It now holds 350 painting from the Arkell family collection.

The floor of the museum lobby was a map of the Erie Canal. (We are on the lock wall at Fort Plain)

I found the collection of ‘Beach-Nut’ paintings the most fascinating. The Beach-Nut Company/Arkell would acquire famous pieces of artwork then incorporate them into their marketing and gift box designs.

There were panting from many famous painters.

I took my time scooting back to the boat.

Spring flowers were abundant

It’s crazy how many trains pass by here.

Neighbors

Drolleries and Yuks

How do you stop Canadian bacon from curling in your pan?
~You take away their little brooms.

At 15 Locks on the Erie Canal

2021-05-22 admin Comments 0 Comment

22-May-2021 Saturday Lock E8 – Scotia NY to Lock E15 Erie Canal, Fort Plain NY (35.7 nautical miles 41.1 statute miles)

42°56’22.1″N 74°37’21.6″W
42.939473, -74.622678
Elevation: 301 feet rise 186 feet
States (1): New York

Locks (7):
Lock E9 – Rotterdam
Lock E10 – Crainsville
Lock E11 – Amsterdam
Lock E12 – Tribes Hill
Lock E13 – Randall
Lock E14 – Canajoharie
Lock E15 – Fort Plain

Today’s route

Along the Way

Hand painted aids to navigation (ATONS)

There are eight movable dams between Schenectady (Lock E8) and Fort Plain (Lock E15) that regulate water flow on the Mohawk River. Dam gates are lowered into the river to form navigable pools during the summer but are completely pulled out of the water in winter to clear the way for ice and debris-filled floodwaters. We locked past the first movable dam E8 yesterday. The rest we locked through today.

There was lots of debris around Lock E9 – Rotterdam.

Humm. There’s also painted markings on the trees?

Figured it out! The buoys are pulled for winter. The painted markers markers aid in resting them after the ice is out.

183A (186 is on the starboard side the river)

Lock E10 – Crainsville is a portside only tie-off for upriver bound vessels. Only the valves on the riverside of the lock are working. When the valves were open it felt like we were hit by a tidal wave. The whole lock is in pretty rough shape. The steel lock wall are severely rusted and blistering. The rest of the lock doesn’t look so good either. A chunk fell off gate and cut a dockworkers wrist, requiring stitches, a couple of days ago.

Defunct Mohawk Carpet Mill. It was destroyed by fires in 1992 and 1994.

You can put buoy numbers on just about everything that doesn’t move.

Amsterdam NY

Lock E11 – Amsterdam’s gates were open and waiting. The cement lock walls are crumbing. It too is in need of TLC.

VW must have better traction than I knew. Wonder how it got up there.

Remains of two original locks in Pullman Park.

Lock E12 – Tribes Hill had a lot of debris too. Their log picker-up boat is not working at the moment.

Original Erie Canal aqueduct at Schoharie Crossing park.

Holy Mountain Budha Land and Our Lady of Martyrs Coliseum Church.

Fonda
The village of Fonda is named after Douw Fonda. He was a Dutch-American settler who was killed and scalped in 1780, during a Mohawk raid in the Revolutionary War, when the tribe was allied with the British.

Contrary to Dale, Peter Fonda was NOT born in Fonda NY. However, the Henry Fonda clan is from Fonda.

The Adirondacks extend southward from the St. Lawrence River valley and Lake Champlain to the Mohawk River valley.

Lock E13 – Randall. One of the lock gates has been partially removed. The piece of equipment that lifts the gates is called a mule.

Lock E14 – Canajoharie I had hoped we could anchor here but the water in the pool was too low as the Lock E13 had a gate partially open. Canajoharie is another extra credit town name if you can pronounce it. It has a small art gallery with some 350 paintings by American artists.

We needed a new plan. We decided to head up river several locks to a small marina.

Lock E15 – Fort Plain

At Lock 15 we discovered we needed another new plan. One advantage of traveling with people very familiar with the Erie is that they are connected. Brandy Jo found out Lock E17, the guillotine lock, was not in operation. All the up river boats were jamming up with no place to tie off or anchor. We quickly decided to tie off at E15. They had room for us. We knew this was open but didn’t know if St Johnsville Marina had room. (Good call because we later found out St Johnsville Marina didn’t).

The lock was is a pretty primitive site. Limited electricity, port-a-potties and no water. Brandy Jo has solar power. They lent us their power cables so we could cobble together a line to run one of the two power banks on yes dear… The lock boss man told his staff to do everything they could to make things good for the boaters. The locked opened up their showers so we could all take showers.

Once settled in we were off to Fort Plain, but not to see the fort.

Neighbors

Callie II slid in behind us while we were at supper.

We had traveled with them earlier but they had sped up and were further up river at the Lock E17 mess. They had called to see where we were at. We said come on back. Worst case you could raft with us.

Callie II figure head made by the owner Craig using melted down pop cans.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Floc’ed out.

21 Miles on the Erie Canal

2021-05-21 admin Comments 0 Comment

21-May-2021 Friday Erie Canal Lock 2 Entrance Waterford NY to Lock E8 – Scotia NY (21.1 nautical miles 24.3 statute miles)

42°49’52.5″N 73°59’35.4″W
42.831252, -73.993161
Elevation: 224 feet rise 115 feet
States (1): New York

Locks: (7)
Lock 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – “Waterford Five”
Lock 7 – Niskayuna
Lock 8 – Scotia

Today’s route

Along the Way

The line up for the 7AM opening started before 6AM.

11AM WE ARE OFF!

The Eastern Erie Canal follows the Mohawk River most of the way. The Mohawk River is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy. It’s pretty much canals and small waterway on the Western Erie Canal to the Niagara River at Tonawanda/North Tonawanda, just north of Buffalo.

The first set of locks on the Eastern Erie Canal (E2, E3, E4, E5 and E6) are collectively called the “Waterford Five”. The “Waterford Five”, is one of the highest set of lift locks in the world.

We’ve partnered up with another Looper for the run, Dom and Tammy on Brandy Jo. They aren’t actively Looping now but they have been running the Erie Canal for 20+ years.

At 1:20pm, 2 hours 20 minutes of travel time, we had traveled exactly 1 nautical mile and traverse 3 locks.

The Lock Master at Lock E2 told us they were short staffed. The sad truth is that no one wants to work. The guy on Lock E3 was also running Lock E5 and we were waiting for him to come back to open the lock.

I’m sure it didn’t improve the situation that one of the other boaters was working hard at trying to piss off the lock master. Every 20 minutes or so he would crankily get on VHS and demand to know what was going on and how much longer it was going to be. He had NEVER had to wait so long and he wasn’t about to this TIME!

After about 2 hours the Lock Master from Lock E2 came up and opened Lock E3. THANK YOU! (His advice was never again travel on opening day.)

When the lock opened it was like a Disneyland line, the Mohawk River kept curving until we could see the Lock E3.

Continuing up the “Waterford Five”.

Lock 6 ended the “Flight of Five”. We had climbed ~170 feet in 1.6 miles.

Lift dam guard gates help to isolate sections of the canal in case of emergency, such as a break in the canal wall, accident, or extreme high water. They are also used when a section of the canal needs to be drained for maintenance or winter freeze protection.

The Lock E7 – Niskayuna NY was huge. I thought we were at Niagara Falls at first glance.

At Schenectady we encountered speed bumps. (Schenectady is one of those towns you get extra credit for being able to pronounce.)

Nemesis on the Mohawk. Crew boats. It was good for them till the Erie Canal opened

Lock E8 – Scotia is a movable dam. The dam gates are pulled completely out of the water for winter to prevent ice build up. It was the end of the line for us today. We tied off on the west side the lock.

Good Night

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Erie Canal start of construction: 1817 in Rome, NY

Canal dimensions, 1825 Original Erie: 4 ft deep x 40 ft wide; locks 90 ft long
Canal dimensions, 1862 Enlarged Erie: 7 ft deep x 70 ft wide; lock 110 ft long
Canal dimensions, 1918- present Erie Barge Canal: 12-23 ft deep x 120-200 ft wide; locks 310 ft long

Cost to build:$7,143,789
Return on Investment:10 years

Number of aqueducts to bypass rivers and streams: 18

Travel time from Albany to Buffalo, 1825: 5 days
Travel time from Albany to Buffalo by Stagecoach: 2 weeks

This is all way too Erie

2021-05-20 admin Comments 0 Comment

20-May-2021 Thursday Under the 2nd Street Bridge at Erie Canal Lock 2 Entrance Waterford NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

42°47’11.8″N 73°40’44.4″W
42.786614, -73.679012
Elevation: 9 feet
States (1): New York

This is all way too Erie (a geography lesson)

The Erie Canal was built to create a navigable water route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. It originally was 363 miles long and included 18 aqueducts to carry the canal over ravines and rivers, and 83 locks, with a rise of 568 feet from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, it was the second longest canal in the world (after the Grand Canal in China). Dewitt Clinton was Governor of New York when the canal was built . In it’s early days the canal was sarcastically called “Clinton’s Ditch”.

At the time the Erie Canal was built, bulk goods were limited to pack animals with a 250-pound maximum and there were no railways. Water was the most cost-effective way to ship bulk goods. It was faster than carts pulled by draft animals and cut transport costs by about 95 percent. The canal’s peak year was 1855, when 33,000 commercial shipments took place.

Today, the Erie Canal is 339 miles long from Troy/Waterford (Albany) to Tonawanda (Buffalo). Unfortunately yes dear… is too tall to traverse the western end of the Erie Canal. She cannot clear the 15 ft bridge height limitation. We will have to exit the Erie Canal through the Oswego Canal.

The present Erie Canal rises 566 feet from the Hudson River to Lake Erie through 35 locks. From tide-water level at Troy, the Erie Canal rises through a series of locks in the Mohawk Valley to an elevation of 420 feet above sea-level at the summit level at Rome. Continuing westward, it descends to an elevation of 363 feet above sea-level at the junction with the Oswego Canal, and finally rises to an elevation of 565.6 feet above sea-level at the Niagara River.

There are 57 locks on New York’s canal system, 35 on the Erie Canal, 11 on the Champlain Canal, 7 on the Oswego Canal, and 4 on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal.

The Welland Canal connects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie through a series of eight locks, allowing ships to bypass the 167 ft (51 m) high Niagara Falls. Due to Canadian COVID restrictions we will have to hire a captain to take yes dear… from Lake Ontario, through the Welland Canal into Lake Erie for us. More on that later when we get there…

Along the Way

Sadly, I was awoken to a search and recovery helicopter buzzing the area. An elderly gentleman with severe dementia had wondered off earlier in the week. The search and rescue teams have not yet found him. Search and recovery helicopters and boats were called in. A body floats 2-3 days after entering the water 🙁

Today’s highlight was going to the grocery store and returning the cart.

I wonder how much he donated to get his name carved in granite.

We crossed the Waterford Bridge. The location of the Waterford Bridge is where the Union Bridge was built in 1804 connecting Waterford and Lansingburgh. It was the first bridge to cross the Hudson River in its 154 mile course from New York harbor northward.

Neighbors

New Flash!!!! Fabio is cruising the Erie Canal.

The Waterford Free Docks and the wall were full of boats.

Sailboat masts have had their removed and cradled on the deck so they can clear the Erie Canal bridges. Once in Buffalo the masts will be stepped back in for sailing.

Last minute arrivals kept coming and trying to unsuccessfully squeeze in.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

A ten foot wide towpath was built along the bank of the Erie Canal for the horses and/or mules which pulled the boats and their driver, often a young boy (a.k.a a “hoggee”, for the commands given to the horses or mules: “Ho” for stop, and “Gee” for go).

“Low Bridge, Everybody Down ” was published by Tin Pan Alley songwriter Thomas Allen in 1905. The song memorializes the years from 1825 to 1880 when the mule barges made boomtowns out of Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo, and transformed New York into the Empire State

Allen chose the title ‘Low Bridge, Everybody Down’ because the canal had just ditched the mules for steam power and he wanted to pay homage to the animal so critical to canal operations. The reference to “low bridge” in the song refers to travelers who would typically ride on top of the boats. The low bridges would require them to get down out of the way to allow safe passage under a bridge.

The original lyrics were “fifteen years on the Erie Canal” and refers to the length of the partnership between Sal and his owner, while the new lyrics are “fifteen miles on the Erie Canal,” referring to how many miles the average real-life Sal would pull a barge before resting.
Fifteen miles was the common distance a mule or horse would work before resting is “a falsehood” says Dan Ward, former curator at The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse NY.

Lyrics
I’ve got a mule and her name is Sal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal
She’s a good old worker and a good old pal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal

We haul’d some barges in our day
Filled with lumber, coal, and hay
We know every inch of the way
From Albany to Buffalo

Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge, yeah we’re coming to a town
And you’ll always know your neighbor
And you’ll always know your pal
If ya ever navigated on the Erie Canal

We’d better look around for a job, old gal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal
You can bet your life I’ll never part with Sal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal

Get up mule, here comes a lock
We’ll make Rome ’bout six o’clock
One more trip and back we’ll go
Right back home to Buffalo

Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge, we’re coming to a town
You’ll always know your neighbor
And you’ll always know your pal
If ya ever navigated on the Erie Canal

Where would I be if I lost my pal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal
I’d like to see a mule good as my Sal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal

A friend of mine once got her sore
Now he’s got a broken jaw
‘Cause she let fly with an iron toe
And kicked him back to Buffalo

Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge ’cause we’re coming to a town
You’ll always know your neighbor
And you’ll always know your pal
If ya ever navigated on the Erie Canal

Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge, we’re coming to a town
You’ll always know your neighbor
And you’ll always know your pal
If ya ever made a livin’ on the Erie Canal

Low bridge, everybody down*
Low bridge, we’re coming to a town*
You’ll always know your neighbor*
And you’ll always know your pal*
If ya ever navigated on the Erie Canal*

Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge, we’re coming to a town
Hooo…

The Balls are ready

2021-05-19 admin Comments 0 Comment

19-May-2021 Wednesday Donavan’s Shady Harbor Marina, New Baltimore NY to Under the 2nd Street Bridge at Erie Canal Lock 2 Entrance Waterford NY (21.7 nautical miles 25.0 statute miles)

42°47’11.8″N 73°40’44.4″W
42.786614, -73.679012
Elevation: 9 feet — No longer have tides. Ended with Troy Lock
States (1): New York

Along the Way

All about balls. The trouble with big balls on board is that they sometimes leak. You can’t used duct tape to fix a balls problem. Dale and Tom double checked the balls and ensured we had round, plump, working balls for locking up the Erie Canal.

The balls are ready.

This must be what the boats have been hauling up river.

We are back in the land of aluminum boats. Not as many center counsels either.

Northbound into Albany was pretty ugly, industrial. I skipped taking those pictures.

Power Towers

Troy NY

Lock 1 on the Erie Canal – Troy Federal Lock and Dam. The Troy Federal is unusual. It’s angled with was catch trough under the dam fall. Water flows along the catch trough into a power plant

Good by tide! There is no more tide after crossing through the Troy Federal Lock. The lock prevents tide from traveling further up the Hudson River.

Rivers of Decision – Junction of the Mohawk and Hudson and Rivers, the junction of the Erie and Champlain Canals respectively.
The village of Waterford is the oldest incorporated village in the United States, having been incorporated in 1794.

I told a kid that if he rode his bike down the steps I would take his picture.

Impressive job Cameron!!!!!

Old Lock and Dam

Story Telling

Hurricane Irene stormed through this area in 1999. Per a local, Troy Yacht Club’s entire floating docks were dislodged and floated over the Troy Federal Dam with 25 boats still attached.

Neighbors

Olde English Morris Dancing is from the Cotswold England circa William Shakespeare’s era.

Everyone wore red socks except one guy (black socks)

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Uncle Sam is buried in Oakwood Cemetery Troy NY 1858.

Uncle Sam is based on a real person named Samuel Wilson, who lived in Troy, New York. He owned a meat packing business with his brother. During the War of 1812, he supplied food for the American soldiers. The food barrels had a “US” on them. he troops knew Samuel was sending the food and called it “Uncle Sam’s.”

No good Looper passes up a special

2021-05-17 admin Comments 0 Comment

17/18-May-2021 Monday/Tuesday Donavan’s Shady Harbor Marina, New Baltimore NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

42°27’00.2″N 73°47’09.6″W
42.450042, -73.785990
Elevation: sea level — tide 7 feet!!!! 120+ miles up the Hudson River
States (1): New York

Along the Way

No good Looper passes up a special. Shady Harbor Marina has a Looper Special. By two nights and stay the third free. We are on for two more nights! (for laundry and boat cleaning)

The hill to town separates the weak from the serious. 84 feet straight up. Puffing for breath at the top we were seriously weak.

New Baltimore is a small, nothing there town but for a few houses, a post office and a couple of churches.

It’s seriously a slow day when I talk about cooking and marina restrooms. You get both today.

Marina bathroom are seldom something to brag about. Shady Harbor Marina’s bathroom is no different. Most of them look like the shower was an afterthought where a toilet stall was converted into a shower. What I DID like about Shady Harbor Marina’s bathroom is that it had enough hooks to hang my clothes on and shelves to put my toiletries on. Simple pleasures taken for granted in your home. The only negative is that there wasn’t a bench or chair to sit on to take off my clothes. C’est la vie senior citizens need to practice their balance anyway.

LOL the marina owner has decided he wants chicken roaming his property just like Key West. When they get a bit larger he is going to turn them loose.

One of those really big boats that takes drums of oil had an oil change today. I thought it was pretty innovative to bring the crane over and move the barrels up/down the ramp rather than two wheel dollying it.

Hopefully we are at the end of pollen season. yes dear… is furry and Dale washed her down. I didn’t help.

I made supper. Pork loins rubbed wrong and marinating anger ready to toss on the grill.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Donovan’s Shady Harbor Marina, New Baltimore NY and Bellevue IA, ~27 miles south of Dubuque, IA, are on approximately the same latitude 42°27′.

Both locations are 3° shy of the 45° parallel that we used to live on in Lake Elmo MN and Larpenteur Ave in St Paul, MN.

Ponder This

Beef jerky is nothing but a cow raisin.

It’s a little Shady

2021-05-16 admin Comments 0 Comment

16-May-2021 Sunday Glasco NY to Donavan’s Shady Harbor Marina, New Baltimore NY (28.5 nautical miles 32.8 statute miles)

42°27’00.2″N 73°47’09.6″W
42.450042, -73.785990
Elevation: sea level — tide 7 feet!!!! 120+ miles up the Hudson River
States (1): New York

Along the Way

Quintessential Hudson River town

I was a little surprised at the amount of marine traffic there was on the river today.

Saugerties Lighthouse ( built in 1869). It is currently used as a B&B.

There is a lot of gunk in the water and wreck your day kinda logs due to heavy rains earlier this week up river.

Rip Van Winkle Bridge at Catskill NY.
Remember the story? “Rip Van Winkle” was written Washington Irving (as of “Legend of Sleepy Hollow”) and first published in 1819. It is about a Dutch-American villager in colonial America named Rip Van Winkle who meets mysterious Dutchmen, imbibes their liquor and falls asleep in the Catskill Mountains.

Frederic Edwin Church’s Olana Mansion from the Hudson River

Rip Van Winkle Bridge at Catskill NY was furthest north we went on yesterday’s road trip. It’s all unexplored from here up. The mountains became smaller but is is still dramatically beautiful country side.

The ‘Adirondack’ Amtrak line running from NYC to Montreal.

Hudson Lighthouse in the Hudson River by city of Hudson.

Many of the day marks are on small, man made rock islands.

Fire trucks are brought out at low tide to refill the river, creating high tide.

It’s a little shady (Donovan’s Shady Harbor Marina). Shady Harbor Marina is a Looper hangout. We are their first Loopers of the 2021 season.

Brian Donovan, the Shady Harbor Marina owner, is a displaced tropical man. Shady Harbor Marina resembles like a Florida marina.

Little Beers.
Little Beers are Looper thing. Their Looper notoriety was started here at Shady Harbor Marina.

Little Beers shooters are made from Liquor 43 and heavy cream.

Drolleries and Yuks

Why did the lawn mower quit his job?
~He was tired of being pushed around.
~He was propelled back and forth the entire time, never in the same direction.
~His boss was constantly riding him.
~The grass was greener on the other side.
~He couldn’t cut it anymore.
~His job was too turf.
~Too many ups and downs.
~He didn’t like it any mower.
~He didn’t have the gas to finish the job.
~He wanted to be left a-lawn.
~He went into lawn enforcement.
~He just wasn’t cut out for it.

~He didn’t quit…he got turfed

Why did the law mower get fired?
~His job got cut.
~He was replaced by a mooer.
~He didn’t make the cut.
~He lost his edge.
~He was caught cutting corners.

Coddiwompling

2021-05-15 admin Comments 0 Comment

15-May-2021 Saturday Half Moon Bay Marina, Croton on the Hudson NY to Glasco NY (28.5 nautical miles 32.8 statute miles)

42°01’49.6″N 73°56’30.5″W
42.030454, -73.941808
Elevation: sea level — tide 3.5 feet
States (1): New York

Along the Way

The Appalachian Trail crosses the Hudson River at Bear Mountain Bridge. The water around the bridge measured 129 feet deep.

West Point

Swimmers at the base of Trophy Point at West Point

The ‘Great Chain’ ran from here across to Constitution Island (1778-1783). The Great Chain was an iron chain built for Patriot forces during the Revolutionary War to block British ships from sailing up the Hudson River to Albany and beyond.

Constitution Island, across from West Point, was the site of a Revolutionary War fort and home of the Warner Family in the 19th century. Once the home of Fort Constitution and the Warner sisters, who wrote inspirational books and conducted Bible classes for generations of cadets.
It is the only part of the U.S. Military Academy Reservation on the east side of the Hudson River

North of the Great Chain

Bannerman’s Island, on Pollepel Island, was built to resemble a Scottish fortress and served as an arsenal for Francis Bannerman’s collection of armaments. In 1865, at the age of 14, Francis founded his own company to selling scrap metal and military surplus goods including full ships that Francis purchased at Navy auctions. Some notable merchandise sold by Bannerman included cannons from the Battle of Yorktown, unopened crates of Civil War uniforms, and relics from Admiral Perry’s expedition to the Arctic Circle. His customers ranged from the early American film industry to Buffalo Bill. It is estimated that 50% of the commemorative cannons placed in public areas throughout the United States were purchased through Bannerman’s.

The island and buildings were bought by New York State in 1967, after the old military merchandise had been removed. However, on August 8, 1969, fire devastated the Arsenal, and the roofs and floors were destroyed. It’s possible to hop a tour boat and visit the island

Newburgh-Beacon Bridge

Kisses. I was really surprised to see Kisses, a super yacht, this far up the Hudson River.

Vanderbilt Mansion – 179 feet above the river

No issue with a view here. Lawn mowing either.

Word of the Day

Coddiwomple (verb)
– to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.

On the Mary Way

2021-05-14 admin Comments 0 Comment

14-May-2021 Friday Half Moon Bay Marina, Croton on the Hudson NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

40°32’41.9″N 74°08’10.2″W
40.544963, -74.136178
Elevation: sea level — tide 3.5 feet
States (1): New York

Along the Way

On the Mary way. North on highway 9. Today’s my birthday!

After a drive by of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s home and presidential library we stopped at the Vanderbilt Mansion Hyde Park NY. The grounds were open but tours of any kind, anywhere are closed until at least mid-June.

Dale pointing out the Vanderbilt’s iced beverage cooler

We had breakfast at the Eveready Diner in Hyde Park https://www.evereadydiner.com/ It has been featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive Ins and Dives on the Food Network. Great food and a truly unique place.

First Breakfast complimentary bakery items

Next stop was the Wilderstein Historic Site Rhinebeck NY. The Wilderstein is a 19th-century Queen-Anne-style country house. It is widely regarded as one of the Hudson Valley’s most important examples of Victorian architecture. The estate was the home of Margaret (Daisy) Suckley, who was a sixth cousin, intimate friend, and confidante of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as an archivist for the first American presidential library.

The Wilderstein Historic Site was closed today so we snuck 300 feet in to peek at the house. We turned and ran when security on a bicycle started our way.

Frederic Edwin Church’s Olana Estate was check off my Bucket List today. I had seen his house from the Hudson River on our last loop and put it on my Bucket List.

Frederic Edwin Church was an American landscape painter born in Hartford, Connecticut. He was a central figure in the Hudson River School of American landscape painters, best known for painting large landscapes, often depicting mountains, waterfalls, and sunsets.

The house was closed to tours.

We crossed the Rip Van Winkle Bridge into the Catskills then headed south to the city of West Point to see the West Point Military Academy. The Academy was closed to tours.

Croton Gorge Dam. Construction began in 1892 and was completed in 1906. Designed by Alphonse Fteley, the masonry dam is 266 feet broad at its base and 297 feet high from base to crest. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest dam in the world. The reservoir now supplies 200-300 million gallons of water to New York City each day via aqueduct.

View from below.

TOM! You are not supposed to be on THAT side the fence.

Tom went dumpster diving when we got back to the marina (actually tossing trash) and found a Fender clock. Dale took it home to the boat 🙁

Neighbors

Bird in a bucket. She has five eggs in the bucket. Nothing else.

I can’t understand how Canadian geese are so ornery when Canadians have such good reputation.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

The official state flag of New York was adopted in 1901. Emblazoned on a dark blue field is the state coat of arms, which was officially adopted by New York in 1778.

The flag’s design features the goddess Liberty holding a pole with a Liberty Cap on top. Liberty stands for freedom. At her feet is a discarded crown, representing freedom from England at the end of the revolutionary war.

On the right of the flag is the goddess, Justice. She wears a blindfold and carries the scales of justice. Meaning that everyone receives equal treatment under the law. The New York state motto “Excelsior” on a white ribbon on the bottom of the flag expresses the idea of reaching upward to higher goals. On the shield a sun rises over the Hudson highlands and ships sail the Hudson river. Above the shield is an eagle resting on a globe representing the Western Hemisphere.

By action of the State Legislature, the bluebird, beaver, brook trout, sugar maple, rose, nine spotted lady beetle, bay scallop, eurypterid, and garnet officially represent the state’s birds, mammals, fish, insects, mollusks, trees, wildflowers, fossils, and minerals.

North up the Hudson

2021-05-13 admin Comments 0 Comment

13-May-2021 Thursday Great Kills Yacht Club, Great Kills neighborhood, Staten Island borough, NYC NY to Half Moon Bay Marina, Croton on the Hudson NY (43.7 nautical miles 50.3 statute miles)

40°32’41.9″N 74°08’10.2″W
40.544963, -74.136178
Elevation: sea level — tide 3.5 feet
States (1): New York

Along the Way

Tom had to check out his Chinese fortune cookie fortune before we could take off. “You will soon achieve perfection”.

We decided to travel up the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan again this Loop. Guess I will have to go my entire life without having seen the east side Manhattan from the Harlem River.

I’m only going to take two New Jersey pictures.

If you recall, in 2009 Sully ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan after both engines were disabled by a bird strike; all 155 people aboard survived.

Playing with my camera buttons. I don’t know which ones I pushed.

The awesome Dock Master Steve and Half Moon Bay Marina at Croton-on-Hudson

It was early enough in the day so we rented a car and took off.

There is really nothing out here. It looks like a hacked up piece of land not good for anything except four wheeling.

Neighbors

Catch which side the wheel he is standing on. He is backing his boat into the marina.

Good Night

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Steinway Tower, a super-tall tower at 111 West 57th Street in New York City, is the most slender tower in the world, according to the developers. The 1,428-foot tower (435 meters) is 24 times as tall as it is wide.

One World Trade Center is the tallest building in New York City at 1,775 feet (541 meters).

France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States in 1886 for its centennial celebration. The statue was shipped as 350 pieces in 214 crates and took 4 months to assemble at its current home on Liberty Island.

Ponder This

If a green has rusted to the point it looks red is it a green, a red or a mid channel (red and green) maker?

We get around

2021-05-13 admin Comments 0 Comment

12-May-2021 Wednesday Great Kills Yacht Club, Great Kills neighborhood, Staten Island borough, NYC NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

40°32’41.9″N 74°08’10.2″W
40.544963, -74.136178
Elevation: sea level
States (1): New York

Along the Way

It’s a great weather day today. We are off to NYC with Tom in tow.

The floor of the Staten Island Ferry Station is map of the route from Staten Island to Manhattan. The ‘O’ in the below picture depict the ferry route. (The ‘X’ are the social distancing markers.) The guy with the blue back is standing on the Staten Island Ferry Station.

The Staten Island Ferry Station has an AIS screen. AIS (Automatic Identification System) is a system that transmits a ship’s position so that other ships are aware of its position, to avoid collision. You can see the name of the ship and the direction it is traveling. It also shows the buoy locations.

Bowling Green Station

Looking Up. NYC has phenomenal architecture and craftsmanship. For the most part I had no idea what I was looking at but it sure cool.

We took a Top View bus tour to get around part of the town. One loop ran up Central Park West, through Harlam and back on Central Park East. The Top View bus is the highest vehicle allowed in Manhattan. You definitely need to remain seated on the top deck or you’ll get taken out by a traffic light or a tree branch.

Looking around

Supper was in China Town. The Wo Hop owned two adjacent buildings. I picked it because is had the best ratings on Google. We were ushered in. Great food. No wonder the Google ratings were so high.

Too many pictures. Manhattan is one big borough! We missed the Brooklyn Bridge, Upper East Side, the United Nations ……… Guess I’ll have to go back.

Good Night

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Times Square is named after the New York Times. It was originally called Longacre Square until the Times moved there in 1904.

More Chinese people live in New York City than any other city outside of Asia. More Jewish people live there than any other city outside of Israel.

Theaters with a house larger than 500 seats are considered Broadway theaters or On-Broadway theaters. Theaters with houses between 99 and 499 seats are Off-Broadway. Any theater with less than 99 seats is considered Off-Off-Broadway.

Drolleries and Yuks

What do you call a Gala for Opthalmologists?
~An eye ball!

Neighbors and Friends

2021-05-11 admin Comments 0 Comment

11-May-2021 Tuesday Great Kills Yacht Club, Great Kills neighborhood, Staten Island borough, NYC NY (0 nautical miles 0 statute miles)

40°32’41.9″N 74°08’10.2″W
40.544963, -74.136178
Elevation: sea level
States (1): New York

Along the Way

It was one of these kinds of days ….

The rain did break up a couple of times during the day and the neighbors stopped by.

I tried feeding him lettuce, corn and grapes. That’s what I read you should feed geese. Bread isn’t good for them.

He’d have none of it. I broke down and fed him bread, at least it was Famous Dave’s multigrain.

Now the guy below is a big bully. Another seagull caught this fine fish and came to eat it on the dock. This bully attacked him, forcing him to fly away and leave his catch.

We also had a friend stop by. Hi Tom!

Since you brought your suitcase and all from Wisconsin, we’ll let you in.

Floccinaucinihilipilification

The first pizzeria in the United States opened in NYC in 1895. Since the 1960s, the price of a slice of pizza has been roughly the same price as a subway ride, generating the idea of “Pizza Principle” among economists.

Ponder This

Bread is like the sun. It raises in the yeast and sets in the waist.