CODA New York 2025 (19).

CODA : The fork in the road. Moving on upstream while waiting for the Champlain Canal to open.

16 May 2025 

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

The old Champlain Canal in Waterford.

Marc-  We made the decision to move upstream to Waterford based on the theory that the Champlain Canal would soon open and on a tip from a fellow boater that there was one more spot on the Waterford free wall to dock.  We followed our Canadian buddy boaters Alain and Benoit who cast off their mooring at 06:00.  We actually followed them at 06:30 and we arrived at the Federal Lock in Troy at about the same time (Coda is fast).  Beautiful weather all day.  I called the Federal Lock Lockmaster on the cell phone and asked him for an opening and that there would be two boats passing through.  It all went very smoothly with a green light and open lock doors.  The Lockmaster is from Randolph, Vermont.  

We arrived at Waterford about 15 minutes after passing the Federal Lock.  Our friends were greeted by a grey Zodiac who helped them slip into the space at the wall.  We followed and tied up alongside their boat (again guided by the man in the grey Zodiac).  This mystery man had tried to tie up in the space but his Beneteau 50 would not fit.  Lucky for us.  

The Waterford docks were alive with preparation for a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal.  Waterford is at the beginning of the Erie Canal just after the split with the Champlain Canal Route. 

Big ship traffic just south of Albany this morning.

The fork.

Waterford is one of the oldest cities in New York.  It is located at the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers.  Both Rivers began parts of famously successful canals.

Detailed woodwork on one of many 19th century homes.

Television Channel 10 News reporter took a photo of us and interviewed one of the nearby Canadian boaters. We tried the French fries from the food truck and they were excellent (better if the had Cabot cheese curds).

Band playing in a nearby Park.

There is a Hannaford's supermarket nearby that allows boating customers to take a shopping cart back to the waterfront (the store comes and picks up the carts once a week).

Beautiful sunset looking out over the Mohawk River.

News:  The Champlain Canal is reportedly opening this coming Wednesday!