We slept pretty well once it cooled off after the sun went down, then got moving again yesterday morning. Timing was an issue, since we were headed up the Champlain Canal, and the first two locks are on a strict schedule, to mitigate the spread of the round goby, an aquatic invasive species. We got delayed at the Troy Federal Lock, and had to step on it to make the 10:00 AM lift at Lock 1. We passed Waterford, where the Erie Canal begins, and saw this famous (to cruisers) sign on shore.
The 61-mile Champlain Canal was completed in 1823, two years before the Erie Canal was fully opened, and connects the Hudson River to Lake Champlain. It was an important route for moving raw materials such as lumber, ore and farm goods south and finished goods north. The first 37 miles of the canal are on the Hudson River, followed by a 24-mile land cut to Lake Champlain.
We made the 10:00 AM time at Lock 1 with about a minute to spare, and were lifted 14 feet with one other boat. Five miles later, we were in Lock 2, and up another 19 feet, then on to our planned stop, 12 miles away in Mechanicville, NY, which provides a free wall with water, power, bathrooms and showers. It’s a nice park, with a stream entering nearby, although it is popular with locals, who were coming and going until after 11:00 PM. Mechanicville was another bustling river town in the 19th century, and took its name from the large number of master craftsmen who worked here in various heavy industries. Map Link: Mechanicville, NY
I had some scheduled engine maintenance to do, then we escaped our 101F boat cabin and took a walk into town for a late lunch at The Ugly Rooster Cafe. There was a grocery store nearby, so we picked up some provisions, then stopped at a gas station for a bag of ice, which we spent the rest of the afternoon devouring. Probably the best $3 we’ve spent in a long time. We grilled burgers in the cockpit, and prayed for the passing rain clouds to unload on us, which they didn’t, then turned in at 9:00 PM.
Photo Journal: Random stuff on the Hudson River
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