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| Lollygaging for a couple of days at anchor |
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| Remnants of the old Erie Canal |
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| The lower wide flat opening is where the aqueduct rested. The higher narrow path is where the mules pulled the barge across the river. |
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| They make it look easy, but underneath they are paddling hard |
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| Starting the Erie Canal to meet the Oswago Canal |
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| Basic idea of the first part of the canal The first 5 Locks are really close together - all in a 2 mile stretch |
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| Approaching Lock 7 Lock is on the left and the dam on the right |
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| Entering Lock 7 to raise 27 feet |
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| All the Locks today had slimy ropes to grab |
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| You can see the dam from the boat as the water raises |
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| We are now 197 feet higher than when we started this morning |
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| The scenery is really pretty |
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| This is a Guard Gate. In the event of a break in a canal wall, it can be lowered to isolate the damaged section. |
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| We are anchored near shore at the mouth of a small creek |
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| First Lock to pass through going to the Erie Canal |
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| Light is red and the gate is closed. You call the Lockmaster on Ch.13 and request the next northbound locking He gives you instructions about timing and position |
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When the light turns green you move in slowly and secure your boat. Locks have different ways to tie off. Some have lines hanging down that you wrap around a cleat on you boat. Or they may have bollards to put your lines on, fixed lines you put your lines around or, the hardest for me, pipes that are recessed into the wall. And you don't get many chances! |
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| Easy job once the line is attached |
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| View of the dam from inside the lock as it was raising |
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| Once the gates open, you cast off and move out slow |
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| Turning off the Hudson and heading to the Erie Canal |
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| Lollygag resting at the entrance to the Erie Canal. While she was resting, crew was busy re-stocking. |
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| A couple of transients at the docks in Troy |
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| Cotton is flying if you look close and you can see it in the water |
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| We waited for this train to cross before the bridge could open |
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| Swing bridge in Troy |
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| Friendly bridge tender |
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| Albany, New York |
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| Tucked behind this island for the night - out of the channel and isolated; just the way we like it |
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| We are 1/2 way between Kingston and Troy. Just past Troy we turn west into the Erie Canal. |
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| Lighthouse marking the shoals |
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| We saw several lighthouses today. Outside the channel, the water varied in depth with several shallow parts. |
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| Birds nesting on channel markers are common, but this condo cracked us up. |
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| Maybe it's the overcrowding in New York |
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| Pulling into our anchorage we were excited to see these two swans |
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| They were beautiful to watch |
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| We had to use zoom on the camera because the swan were near the shore |
