It was a beautiful morning when we left Albany Yacht Club . . . .
. . . . and approached the Troy Lock with growing anticipation.
Spiritus waited for this barge to depart the Troy Lock chamber before she entered.
We arrived at Waterford, the Gateway to the New York State Canal System!
Spiritus was fortunate to secure the very last spot in front of the Welcome Center.
This popular place is where many Loopers stop to prepare for their journey through the Erie Canal.
Our arrival coincided with the weekly Waterford Farmer's Market!
It didn't take long for us to find the Chicago dogs and rhubarb pie in honor of Father's Day!
Sing along with us:
"I've got a mule and her name is Sal, fifteen years on the Erie Canal;
She's a good old worker and a good old pal, fifteen years on the Erie Canal..."
The mast and radar on Spiritus had to be lowered in order to get under all the fixed bridges on the Erie Canal.
Spiritus is ready to enter the first of the Waterford Flight Locks.
This flight of five locks lifts or lowers vessels the greatest height in the shortest distance of any canal in the world!
What a special treat to share this part of our adventure with our sis and bro-in-law.
It was Mary's birthday and fellow boaters sang "Happy Birthday" to her in the lock!!
Captain Eddy shows Second Mate Mary how to catch the lock line as she keeps Spiritus steady on the lock wall.
Admiral Fraser already caught his lock line! The First Mate instructed him well!
Before entering Lock #5, the sisters take time out for a hug!
Spiritus looks quite proud as she exits Lock #6!
After locking through #8, we called it a day and tied up for the night.
We slept like babies!
The next day we saw this pile of debris stacked beside a lock. It reminded us of the reason the Erie Canal was closed for a month due to flooding in 2013 when we did our first Loop.
It just keeps getting more beautiful as we travel west!
The Canadian Geese joined us for our overnight stop at Lock #16.
Spiritus is tied securely to the wall outside the lock chamber, and the Captain scopes out the park where we will have our picnic dinner.
Sip, Sip, Hooray!
A picnic table is conveniently located adjacent Spiritus and we're ready for Happy Hour!
The CanalWay Trail is an awesome way to get exercise, either on foot or on bikes.
The Captain tried to catch the flying pollens that have been raising cane with his allergies!!
The sunset over the Erie Canal this night was absolutely breathtaking!
Fog hovered over the canal water the next morning!
Lock #17 is not only the highest lift lock on the Erie Canal, it is believed to be one of only two locks in North America where the entrance gate is lifted above the boater. Yes, the crew got wet when we entered this lock!
The vegetation is lush, the hills spectacular, and the journey magical!
It's a change of scenery to see the colorful flowers and awnings on the canal cafes.
We went to Rome!
This is where the first shovel was turned in 1817 to start the digging of the Erie Canal.
The Captain is ultra interested in exploring the rebuilt Fort Stanwix,
a British-built fort that pre-dates the Revolutionary War.
Where there are cannons there is history!
The austere barracks made us appreciate the sacrifices our soldiers made.
Locals dressed in period costume and enthusiastically shared the Revolutionary War stories.
This was the fur trading post.
When in Rome, you eat at Savoy's Italian Restaurant and have the best meal ever!
A memorable highlight was finding an Auburn pennant in the restaurant. War Eagle!
We cruised by Sylvan Beach and relived memories of eating here and participating in their 2013 Pirate Fest!
We didn't stop on this Loop because we had perfect winds and seas to cross Lake Oneida.
We made it to Winter Harbor Marina in Brewerton, NY and tied up with many other Looper boats.
We are all waiting for the weather to improve before continuing our journeys.
We do plan to depart Winter Harbor Marina WAY BEFORE we see this snowplow being used!!
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