West on the Erie Canal - Day #1

We rose early in the morning. As I came up the companionway and slid the hatch open, I could see the lower end of the mast hanging over the stern. The grogginess was replaced with exhilaration.  We will reach the canal system and fresh water today.

Emma was onboard. So, the first priority was to take her for a walk before the long day on the boat. I had to carry her up the companionway and off the boat to the dock. She does not like being carried. At home, she starts the day with an hour-long 3 mile walk. I was hoping to spend half that much time. So, I let her sniff about for a little while. Then, I started running her up the hillside road. When we came around a bend in the road, we both stopped dead in our tracks. There, in the middle of the road, was a doe and two fawns. This may be Emma's first time seeing a deer. She stood still, only her nose moved as she sniffed the air. The doe was equally still; keeping a close eye on us. After what seemed like 10 minutes, but was probably only one, the doe urged her fawns across the road and up the steep hillside. As soon as the deer were out of sight, Emma ran to the place where the doe had stood and sniffed the ground very intently. Then she was off to follow their scent. She didn't go far. The hillside was too steep to be worth the effort.

At 0600 on July 16th, the air was cool. The golden cast of pre-dawn light was brightening as the sun rose to start the new day. The tide was low but rising. We slipped our lines and departed Hop-O-Nose Marina.

With the rising tide, the current would favor us for several hours. Our trip to Troy was about 35 miles, which meant it was nearly 7 hours away. Tides change roughly every 6 hours. So, the current may be against us before we reached Troy.  I say may, because there is a period of time when the current is slack; meaning it is  effectively not running. The tide must stop before changing direction and so does the tidal current.

Once the engine started, Emma wasn't too sure about her new environment.  I wasn't sure she wouldn't jump.  She loves the water, and didn't seem to have the same affection for the boat. So, I had a safety line attached to the boat and Emma to keep her in the cockpit. The safety line is 6 feet long. So, she could safely move about. Instead, she just curled up by the companionway door.

Emma... a bit unsure of her new environment

The trip north towards Albany was uneventful. The scenery was nice, the temperature was rising. It was sunny enough for a sunburn but overcast with a splash of blue sky.

Hudson River scene, south of Albany

Much of the scenery on the south side of Albany was very industrial: factories, shipyards, barges moored. That improved dramatically as we went through the city.

Albany, NY

Albany, NY

Until now, we were a little concerned about Emma. We were second-guessing our decision to bring her on this trip. However, she had adjusted to a level of tolerance before we reached Troy. I'm not saying that she's spoiled, but you can see she has her blanket (from the car) and her pillow from the couch at home to provide some familiarity to her new surroundings. Emma would get up and move about, going to the other side of the cockpit to see Grace, or come to me to have her butt rubbed. She still moved very cautiously. There was no need to have her tethered to the boat.

A happier Emma!

At 1300, we made it to Troy! Lock #1 in the canal system is not part of the New York State Canal System. It is a Federal Lock; run by the Army Corps of Engineers.  Federal Lock #1 is where tide and tidal currents end. Once through the lock, we would be in fresh water running from the Mohawk River and Lake Champlain. This would be Distant Horizon's first fresh-water experience.

We went directly to Waterford, NY where Lock E2 is located. I called the Lock Master and inquired about the proper location to purchase the permit. He said he would do the paperwork after lifting us. So, we went directly into the lock and did not stop in the village of Waterford. I like Waterford. It's a nice little village. However, we were moving the boat to Lake Ontario not cruising the canal system and there was plenty of daylight remaining.

The fee was $35 for 10 days. We would need far less than the 10 days to make it to Oswego.

Locks E2 - E6 are all in very close proximity to each other. As a group, These locks are referred to as the Waterford Flight. The 170' lift over 1.5 miles is the highest lift over such a short distance compared to any other lock system in the world.

Entering Lock E3

The Lock Masters were all very friendly and courteous. Some took extra care and provided a slower smooth lift. There are three critical factors that effect sailboats in the locks. They are rounded on the sides; so there is not a flat surface to rest against the lock wall. They have the keel hanging down under water, which is greatly effected my the currents of the flooding lock. Their mast is horizontal and over-hangs both the bow and stern of the boat. The mast for Distant Horizon is 50' long; sitting in cradles on top of a 35' sailboat. That's 15' of mast hanging over; 8' in front; 7' behind. Swinging from side-to-side too much, could cause significant damage if the masthead hit the lock wall. We always appreciated a gentle lift!

Our plan was to make it through Lock E6, and stay at the bottom of Lock E7 for the night. I thought this was an aggressive schedule. However, Distant Horizon was enjoying the fresh water and made it through Lock E7 and Lock E8 before dark.

Aaron, the Lock Master of Lock E8 told us that Lock E9 did not have a suitable place to tie-up below the lock. So, we stayed the night at Lock E8.

One problem we had, was the boat's fresh water still had a taste of anti-freeze to it. So, I had brought gallon jugs of water for cooking and drinking. We only used the boat's water for washing. We were running low on the fresh drinking water. Aaron said it was several miles to walk back to town. So instead, he allowed us to refill our containers from his office's water cooler.

We arrived at a great time to experience an amazing sunset. I apologize for the lack of photos. You see, we took turns walking Emma to ensure she had enough exercise. I experienced the sunset on one of those walks and the camera was on the boat.