We left Tom’s River on Saturday July 6. We had spent the night at anchor in Windy Cove, across the river from Tom’s River Yacht Club. We had spent a week at the club visiting Matt and Coleen from Gemini Dream.
It took us two hours to feel our way through Barnegat Bay out to the Manasquan Inlet. The route was well marked, but very shallow and narrow. The depth finder only went to “0” once. As the story goes, someone before us was also following the channel and found a Cadillac Escalade hiding on the bottom. Supposedly they have scanned the bottom now and have found and removed things that have been there for years, so I felt a little better about the route. I don’t mind dragging a little in mud or sand, but the mahogany and steel really sucks!!
Toms River Yacht Club
By 10:30 we were in open water on the Atlantic. This time, I turned to the correct heading and THEN engaged the autopilot. Next stop around 30 miles to Sandy Hook. Seas were very good.
Dragon fly taking a rest on the sink spout on the back deck. Guess he was too far out in open water.
We were traveling just outside the main shipping channel closer to shore to avoid the large ships, but still had to maneuver some to stay out of their way. It’s interesting that a ship 900 ft long and 100 ft wide moving at 12 miles an hour, makes a lot less of a wake than a 50 ft Sport Fishing boat doing 7 miles an hour. Go figure! Plus the large ships are courteous!
By 3:00 we had rounded Sandy Hook at the entrance to New York and decided to drop anchor. We chose a spot on the west side of Sandy Hook about half way down. The anchorage was called Horseshoe Cove. Very popular on weekends by the number of boats already there. It wasn’t the calmest anchorage but did calm down after dark when the high speed ferry quit running by.
Anchorage at Horseshoe Cove
We left the next morning headed to NY Harbor and the Hudson River. We pulled anchor and got underway at around 8:00.
Ferries transporting people to the city
and from the city.
Lighthouse by the Hudson Harbor
Coney Island
We went under the Verrazano Narrows bridge (navigating around a couple of large ships) and into N Y Harbor. The harbor was abuzz with Ferries and tour boats as well as the occasional pleasure craft such as us. After all, it was Sunday and a lot of tourists were in the city seeing the sights too.
Verrazano Narrows Bridge with fort at the leg
Other End
Staten Island Sightseeing Ferry
We cruised slowly by the Statue of Liberty so Cindy could take pictures. The only thing we regret is that we didn’t have a “buddy boat” to take pictures of our boat in front of the statue. Oh well, maybe next time.
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
Train Station
Facing Battery Park
Brooklyn Bridge
One World Trade Center
Intrepid, Concord and Growler Submarine
Westside Manhattan
Grants Tomb
Sing Sing Prison
We continued up the Hudson to Half Moon Bay Marina at Croton-on-the-Hudson, where we spent the night.
Marina office
New York state on both sides of Hudson River
Monday the 7th, we travelled about 60 miles up the Hudson to Kingston, NY and spent the night tied up to a free dock at the Steel House Restaurant. Supposedly you get free dockage if you eat at the Restaurant, but it was closed on Mondays. A local boater told us how to find the 4 digit combination for the lock on the gate so we could get in and out to go look at the town. (Phone numbers are so useful).
Hudson River Valley
West Point Academy
Train Station at West Point
West Point
Kosciuszko monument
Bannerman’s Castle, Fishkill, NY
Pollepel Island
Hudson River Lighthouse 1871
Pilot was practicing on the river (or potty break?)
Roundout Creek Lighthouse turning into Kingston, NY Rebuilt 1913
We took a walk about the town and soaked up more than history! After taking these pictures the clouds let loose and poured. We had some mopping up to do on the boat, we left all the glass up.
A scull on a trailer headed to the ramp. More well preserved old buildings
Kingston reached its peak of prosperity in 1870. Made up mostly of Irish and German immigrants. The buildings reflect their craftsmanship.
In the morning we left for the entrance to the Erie Canal at Waterford N Y.
Foggy sky that morning
56 miles today, mostly against the current. The river is still tidal here, and the tide can either lessen or amplify the current. We usually end up going against the tide, but then I guess I have been doing that most of my life anyway, so why change now!
Interesting lighthouse design
“Organ Pipe” grain elevators
Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, Hudson
Albany, NY skyline
U-Haul building
Navy ship anchored
Capitol building (Red Roofs)
Next town was Troy, NY
More old architecture
Love the church steeples
Used to be a draw bridge but the mechanisms have been removed
Federal Lock
Lock Master Collecting vital information
Spillway overflowing
We arrived in Waterford for a stay of we don’t know how long. The Erie Canal is still closed. But, they have at least given an estimate of 1 week for it to be open, if the weather (rain) cooperates and nothing else goes wrong (it’s terribly hot and humid). We need to make a decision as whether to reduce our height by lowering the Radar and taking the Champlain Canal, or waiting it out and going by way of the Erie Canal as in our original plan.
Waterford, NY
Entrance to the first Erie Canal lock
Cindy’s Observations: So close but yet so far. We are just feet away from the 1st lock through the Erie Canal system. We are willing to wait 7 days. At least they are talking in days, not weeks. So that's a good sign. A few loopers left after being jockeyed around for a couple of weeks. One looper “Help Me Rhonda”, which was our crossing buddy boat, was trapped in a lock for 19 days without power. They made it through the locks to a point where it became unsafe to advance. Then the locks did close do to damage done by flood waters. “Seaglide and Barefootn” decided to take the Lake Champlain route in order to keep from going stir crazy after 21 days. Some, “Northern Spirit (came to Grafton the week we left) and Beach Quest” had been here for going on 30 days. This should be interesting.
Gateway to the New York Canal System
Olympic History
Oldest incorporated village in the United States
Signs signs everywhere are signs
We are 3rd boat back from ramp
During the flood, 18” of water was over the pavers
Notice the white squiggly paver line on the walkway. It represents the Erie Canal and rivers with all the locks and cities on its banks.
Our route would be from Waterford, across Lake Oneida to Oswego then to Kingston, Ontario Canada.
The Mohawk and Hudson Valleys are the 2 we will traverse.
Part of the original canal used as a water shed.
Traders, lumber pioneers and craftsman moved goods through the canal.
Spillway water shed
This building used to be the Knights of Columbus
Carriage house in rear
Well preserved architecture
Limestone church
Pot luck dinner with Prime Time, Northern Spirit, Tour de Loop and us
We hadn’t seen Prime Time (which will be heading up the Champlain) or Northern Spirit (cross their wake in Canada) since May. It was nice to catch up. Tour de Loop will be heading to Buffalo when they get the green light.
Sunday morning fresh market.
A group of cyclists, annually, come through Waterford on route from Buffalo to Albany. It take 8 days to complete on average 40 miles a day.
Red sky at night sailors delight
Mood lighting
Our favorite restaurant at Waterford is McGreevy's. Every meal was great. Say hi to Chef Art when you go. Don and Paul’s is good for breakfast. Yummy pancakes and veggie omelet.
A trip to the grocery store is a breeze. You can take the shopping cart all the way back to the marina, 1/2 mile. Plus you could use the cart to haul your laundry to the Laundromat to boot.
The Erie would save us a couple of hundred miles (a lot less fuel) and a couple of weeks travel (many more locks). I took the Radar down anyway in preparation for our decision. The Erie, while higher clearance than the Champlain, still has some low bridges and I don’t want to tempt fate. It’s only 8 bolts and takes less than 30 minutes to perform. The Radar still works, but doesn’t pick up close targets directly in front of the boat, like navigational markers. But, we don’t plan on travelling in the rain or fog either.
You will have to wait for the next posting to find out which way we went. Or are we still there?
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