Waiting in Waterford

 

 Heading up the Hudson River from Troy, New York, we encountered the first of many bridges whose low height required us to lower our mast.

 

As the Captain slowly approaches the bridge, the First Mate checks to ensure we will pass safely.

For some reason, New York does not believe in putting clearance gauges (a gauge that tells you the height from the bottom of the bridge to the water) on their bridges.

 

 

 

 

 

 The village of Waterford, New York, is the gateway to the Erie Canal.

We would end up spending a week in this delightful area while waiting for the canal opening.

 

 

 

 

 

 Upon our arrival, Loopers once again gather for docktails!

 

 

  

 

 

Spiritus stayed here at the Welcome Center in Waterford.

  Behind the bridge is the first lock on the Erie Canal, known as Lock 2. (Lock 1 no longer exists)

New York's canal system has been in continuous operation since 1825.

 

 

 

 

 

One day we walked all the way to Lock 5 on a lovely trail beside the canal.

The first five locks, Lock 2 through Lock 6, are known as the Waterford Lock Flight.

The distance of The Flight is less than two miles and lifts you a total of 167 feet.

 

 

 

 

 

The Captain's walk UP the lock stairs is a much more arduous task than Spiritus will have riding in the chamber!

 

 

 

 

 

A different perspective of the lock chamber than we've had in the past.  This particular lock only has a vertical lift of 33 feet.

The "Erie" that we will experience is the one built after 1910.

 

 

 

 

 

Standing at Lock 4, we can see Lock 5 in the background.

The water source for the eastern section of the 338 mile-long Erie Canal is the Mohawk River.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Captain discovers a new "delicacy" at the local Pig Fest!

I've always said that anything covered with chocolate has to be good!

 

 

 

 

 

This little piggy went to market  . . . . !!!!

 

 

 

 

 

A simple message says it all !!

 

 

 

 

 

Is anyone surprised that she found this????

 

 

 

 

 

Lucy & Linda set off for the Farmer's Market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A statue of the "real" Uncle Sam . . . . . . .

 

. . . . . . . and his words of wisdom.

 

 

 

 

 

Every morning in Waterford, Woody & Eddy sat on their bench, drank coffee, solved world problems, and did their stretching exercises!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took a "road trip" to see the recent flood damage that caused the Erie Canal to be closed.

Some of the gates on this dam needed to be replaced after the flooding.

 

 

These movovable dams normally regulate water flow on the Mohawk River . . . . . . .

 

. . . . . . . by lowering the gates into the river and backing up water to form navigable pools. 

 

 

 

 

  

Woody stands next to one of the "mountains" of driftwood that caused so much damage.

 

 

 

 

 

 Off the beaten track, we found a surviving section of the original Erie Canal.

You could almost imagine the mules pulling barges along the bank's tow path.