CODA Vermont 2025 (31).

CODA : Home at last.

28 May 2025 

Town Farm Bay, Point Bay Marina Mooring Field, Charlotte, Vermont 

Beautiful Town Farm Bay with Mount Philo on your left and Camel's Hump at Center.  Point Bay Marina is deep in on your left.

Marc-  It felt so good to be back in Lake Champlain with clean water, green mountains and blue skies.  Coda was first in line for mast raising this morning at Chipman Point Marina.  All went well with the experienced Chipman Point crew doing the heavy lifting  and Will and I doing the rigging details.  I also added 10 gallons of diesel since it has been three days of travel since our last fill up.

One little problem came up on arrival.  We could not find our mooring.  Fortunately Todd dispatched Ray S. to come save the day mounting our necessary attachment gear called a mooring bridle.  These are well made and have the chafe protection built in.  All I will need to add is our pick up buoy.  Will Patten was a fantastic crew who even helped me mount the boom after we had arrived.  Sue, Kathleen and Nell (Will and Kathleen's dog) were there to greet us at the dinghy dock.

It has been a great trip and enjoyable for me to do this blog to chronicle some of it.  I will continue to blog about summer travels.  

Coda in her preparation slip at Chipman Point Marina.

Champlain Bridge and Lighthouse.  Lake Champlain broadens considerably after this point.

CODA Vermont 2025 (30).

CODA : Vermont at last:  the last of the Champlain Canal.

27 May 2025 

Chipman's Point Marina, Orwell, Vermont

Vermont symbol still stands after many decades.  This farm refuses to die. The roof made of Vermont slate is incredible.  I have been going by this barn for 50 years.

Marc-  We had a wonderful day overall.  It started with a fantastic breakfast with fellow boaters at "Mama's" restaurant.  It is a family place with great rustic decor (farm boards).  Coda, and most every other boat left Fort Edward today in two flotillas.  The first flotilla of 9 boats left very early (6:30) for an expected 08:00 opening.  The second flotilla (including Coda) left the docks at 09:00 expecting to find the first flotilla long gone.  They were still waiting to get through the locks when we arrived.  It was much calmer in the second flotilla of boats locking through.

All went very well in the Canal until our engine overheated after going through Lock 9.  One of the small powerboats, following behind us from Pennsylvania and doing the Great Loop solo, offered to tow us.  He towed us from Lock 9 to Lock 11 until we could tie up to the entry wall.  Will and I then set to work replacing the impeller on the water pump and blowing out the water intake line.  The intake line was completely blocked.  Everything worked great afterward.  We had a beautiful trip 20 miles up Lake Champlain to Chipman's Point.

The long face dock at Fort Edward after the second flotilla left.  Our friend Dorothy's Beneteau 423 sits all alone where there were 15 boats only a few hours before. 

Will at the helm.

Coda being towed up the Champlain Canal.

Arriving at Whitehall.

20 miles north of Lock 12 at Whitehall is Chipman's Point where we hope to have the mast raised.

Chipman's Point Marina main building.

CODA New York 2025 (29).

CODA : Waiting for water on the canal portion of the Champlain Canal.

26 May 2025 

Fort Edward free docks, Fort Edward, Hudson River, New York  

The canal portion of the Champlain Canal above Lock 7 is really low.

There are 15 boats tied up at the Fort Edward free docks.

Marc-  It is a waiting game here in Fort Edward.  Everyone is trying to guess just when the next 10 miles of the canal will open up (this section is at the highest elevation and its water comes from the Glens Falls Feeder Canal nearby).  The town is a good place to stop with a train station, supermarket, a variety of restaurants and even a brewery.  The sun is in the forecast.

Elevation Chart of the Champlain Canal.  The Canal is mostly in the modified Hudson River until Fort Edward.

Canal above Lock 7 still needs 3 feet of water at 14:00.

Fort Edward Amtrak Station from much earlier this year.

All sorts of Canadians in town.

We caught the small Memorial Day parade.

We kept watching the parade while eating ice cream in the shade.

One of our boater friends lost his cellphone overboard.  Other friends helped with scuba gear.  Unfortunately the phone was not found.

Will and I went on a 16 mile bike ride on the Champlain bike paths.  We went from Ft. Edward to Glenn's Falls and back.  It was mostly uphill along a feeder canal for 12 miles to the falls and really easy to glide back.  The feeder canal was also a small navigation canal at first.  Unfortunately the Champlain canal had to be stopped when the feeder canal was in use.

BREAKING NEWS:  The canal above Lock 7 has enough water to open tomorrow morning.  We will move onward to Lake Champlain.

 

CODA New York 2025 (28).

CODA : Moving on up the Champlain Canal.

25 May 2025 

Fort Edward free docks, Fort Edward, Hudson River, New York  

Will at the helm of Coda during a period of sunshine.

Marc-  We are at Fort Edward tonight.  This is the head of navigation on the Hudson River.  There is a Scotties tissue factory nearby but our free docks are courtesy of the town of Fort Edward.  Yesterday 27 boats came up the Hudson River from Waterford.  It was a mad rush to get out of town after 2-3 weeks of waiting for the NY State. Canal system to open.  Most of those boats came up here to Fort Edward and filled every available space.  Luckily I befriended a few of them so we had a few possibilities to raft up with them here.  Coda left Waterford this morning at 07:00 and we went to wait at Lock 1.  There were a 3 trawlers and one sailboat with us.  We traveled together in a calm travel day up through 6 locks over 30 miles to Fort Edward.  We were greeted by our new friends at the docks were we rafted up.

The current state of affairs of the Champlain Canal is as follows:  It remains closed due to low water from Lock 7 through Lock 9.  Will and I walked over to check it out and the water level seems to half of what it should be.  The channel markers are high and dry.  The Canal Authority will make a statement at 08:00 tomorrow morning.  They have 10 miles of the canal yet to fill with water.  A rise of 2 feet was expected today and it only came up 2 inches.  

On the bright side, there were sunny periods during the day and the temperature went up into the 60's.  It is grey and rainy again this evening.  Tomorrow has a sunny forecast.  

Passing through one of several locks where you can look over the wall and see a Hudson River dam waterfall past the canal wall.

Looking over another Lock wall.  Note the hydroelectric plant and dam.  

Many more trees in the river.

Small white tailed deer Will saw on the banks of the Hudson.

Tug with barge filled with concrete protectors to cover the underwater power cables laid in the bottom of Lake Champlain.

Final part of the Hudson River.  Note the small plane landing in a farmer's field.

CODA New York 2025 (27).

CODA : Will arrives to do the Champlain Canal.

24 May 2025 

Waterford Visitors Center free docks, Waterford, Erie Canal, New York  

Nice hat eh!

Marc-  The canal waiting saga continues.  Will arrived at 15:00 today and moved right aboard before the next in what seems a never ending series of rain showers.  We heard from friends that had left earlier that 9 boats were locked through this morning, then 2 barges, then 9 more boats.  Now they are all rafted up at lock 4.  A very slow moving day for them.  We will leave tomorrow morning early to wait in line at Lock 1 for the 08:00 opening.  

Will and I celebrated his arrival by going to a great little Mexican restaurant in Town named Rosas.  Will says that it was authentic Mexican.  It was delicious Supreme Chicken Tacos and Supreme Pork Tacos.  We then went for a three miles hike in the nearby Peebles Island State Park.  It's about twice the size of Burton Island with nice trails.

Newly arrived boat that does tours at Fort Ticonderoga.

Will arrives by Ethan Allen Express (Amtrak).

Mural at Rosa's Restaurant.

Into the forest trails at Peebles Island. 

Harmony Mills in Cohoes.

One hungry blue heron looking for his next meal.  

CODA New York 2025 (26).

 CODA : Opening announcement for partial Champlain Canal.

23 May 2025 

Waterford Visitors Center free docks, Waterford, Erie Canal, New York 

An overview.

Marc-  It rained again most of the day.  Coda has been in Waterford for over a week awaiting the opening of the Champlain Canal.  Today at 14:01 the New York Canal Authority issued a statement that the canal would be partially open tomorrow morning at 08:00.  Boaters scrambled.  Boats started to leave the Waterford docks with actually no place to go.  They somehow wanted to be sure that they would be first in line in the morning.  It will be mayhem at lock C-1 in the morning.  All that these boats can do is anchor in the narrow Hudson River below the lock.  There is no place to tie up to an available wall.  According to the announcement locks C-1 through C-6 will be opening.  No passage further on is allowed until further notice.  In a footnote mention is made that the canal from dock C-7 through C-9 may open on Sunday for shallow vessels only.

My new crew, Will Patten, is coming tomorrow afternoon.  There will not be any time to head upstream.  We will leave early Sunday morning for Lock C-1.  I moved over to a new space on the wall until our departure.  This will allow our Canadian buddy boat to depart tomorrow.  

The main event of the day was a visit of very good friends Janet and her dog George.  They felt their friend Marc need a list and they were absolutely correct.  The reunion was fun even on a grey and wet day.  We toured a local State Park (Peebles Island) and then we had a fantastic lunch at McGrivey's Restaurant (a very dog friendly place).  It was a very happy time.  Thank you so much Janet and George.

Welcome George and Janet.

Now we just need to get our guests aboard.  Coda is rafted up to another sailboat that is tied to the mooring wall.  Luckily Janet brought a set of expandable stairs.

Demonstration of the stairs.

These same stairs allowed George and Janet to easily board Coda.

Sailor George reporting for duty.

What do I do Captain Marc.

Time for you to take the helm George.

A hawk watched us on a hiking trail today.

 

CODA New York 2025 (25).

 CODA : More boat chores / maintenance.

22 May 2025 

Waterford Visitors Center free docks, Waterford, Erie Canal, New York 

This little bird (maybe an oriole?) came to visit me in the morning and stayed around Coda all day even when I was cleaning and refinishing some teak trim.

Marc- Not much new to report.  The navigation buoys have been replaced in the Hudson River as far as Lock 5.  That leaves about 6 more locks to go since there is no lock #10.  There is still no definite start date.  Maybe Monday both Erie (partially) and Champlain will open.  

The morning warmed up enough to work outdoors even though it was overcast.  I was able to clean the teak trim and then I had time to get 2 coats of polyurethane on before it rained.  Luckily I used super  fast drying polyurethane.  

I need a few supplies at the hardware store.  It's 2 miles away down the old Champlain Canal trail.  Very  nice walk with lots of birds singing a flowers along the canal.  The only hard part was walking across the busy State highway.  The road is only 2 lanes, and there is a crosswalk, but the drivers don't stop even when you are in the crosswalk and there is plenty of traffic. Eventually a light turn red up the street creating a gap to cross.

Flowers all along the old Champlain Canal.

Od Champlain Canal locks.

Really nice smelling wildflowers.

CODA New York 2025 (24).

CODA : Exploring the Waterford area.

21 May 2025 

Waterford Visitors Center free docks, Waterford, Erie Canal, New York 

Sal the mule is back from his winter hiding place. 

(The elementary school kids lobbied heavily for his return.)

Marc-  The sun peeked out early this morning to start warming things up here but it didn't last.  It was long enough for me to finish cleaning and putting one coat of polyurethane finish on my teak gunwale.

The clouds moved in but the rain held off all day.  I took out our bikes and went riding on the Empire Bike Trail that goes from Albany to Buffalo.  I so much wanted to see Niagara Falls again but that's 350 miles away.  My boat neighbor Benoit and I biked out about 10 miles to a park on the Mohawk River then returned when I received a call that we needed to move our boat for a tugboat.  A second call ten minutes later spelled relief since the tugboat operator changed his plans.  We did visit the Harmony Mills (textile factories that Armand had showed me a few days ago) and the impressive Cohoes Falls.

We returned just in time to get Vermont friends Fred and Dorothy settled in as the now empty tugboat spot on the wall.  We will get together for dinner tonight.  Our total miles was about 25.

A Mastodon was found here when building this textile mill.  The Mastadon is now at the New York State Museum in Albany.  I went to visit this museum with the Sara Lou and Stephanie when we were here about 18 years ago.

Benoit on the Empire Bike Path.

Champlain Canal buoys coming down for installation.

All of the buoys should be installed in the next three days (they work long hours).