Sept 7 update

Sept 6

We are undecided whether to move or not because of the weather. Alice goes to do laundry and I try a new Isinglass cleaner. 210 is the name and it is better than the stuff recommended by Isinglass. Alice returns and we decide to chance it. We push our luck at lock 16 and figure we can make 14 and

Canajoharie. Well about a mile from lock 14 just before Canajoharie the winds start to pipe up from the west gusting to over 25. We put the boat up to 12 knots and try to make the upper wall at lock 14 to tie off until the storm blows through. We make it.

We now have to wait for the winds to die down somewhat as the west wind is pushing straight into the lock and if the crew misses her assignment we could just go out the other end of the lock. Finally the winds drop to around 15 and over the crews objection we head for the entry. Alice tags the first hanging line and cleats it off as I stop the boat’s forward movement and drop down to take her place. We make it and need to go ½ mile to tie up at the River Walk Park docks. Electric post is too far so we skip the electric and head for the showers. It was a cloudy day with a 10 mile an hour wind from the west. Nice temperature to travel at never getting over 75 degrees. We see quite a few NY canal working boats today and several big cruise boats.

 

We also traversed dreaded Lock 17 today, this springs fiasco for us. No great problems today but I was so busy the first time through I did not realize that the door on the eastern end does not open on hinges to port and starboard, but lifts up from the bottom of the lock until you can clear it with 21 foot of clearance.

 

Docked At Ilion for Saturday

                                       

A canal boat coming in to Ilion for fuel. Ilion sells this company 10000 gallons of gas a year.

Small tug and dredger tied up for the weekend as crews go home.

 

Lock 17 the deepest on the Erie at 40.5 feet. Bottom picture shows door UP.

 

 

The canal changes almost everyday.

Sept 7

Heading east again on the canal.
Uneventful stop at Canajoharie. We walked to town to try a diner listed as great only to find it closes Saturday at 5. So we head a ½ block further to an Italian place that does a great home cooked meal.

Still raining lightly but not a big deterrent.

We head out this morning to lock 8. We do not want to make Waterford until they have docks available.

They had a Tug Boat convention there this weekend so we will wait until people head home.

We just clear lock 11 when the lockmaster informs us that lock 9 is down and may be 2-3 hours before it opens again. We stop at Amsterdam where we can pump out and get internet. Not great speed but I can update the trip log. Probably will be here all night as the canal has its own timetable.

We were here before and to get groceries we need a taxi. We can wait.
Another boat arrives at Amsterdam awaiting Lock 9 resolution. We finally learn that the lock is ready at 3 pm. Both boats decide to wait it out till morning as we would only make lock 8 before stopping and we do not really know the condition of the walls there for tying up.