CODA New York 2025 (20).

CODA : The 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal continues. (The Champlain Canal was first and turned 200 in 2023).

17 May 2025 

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

Cohoes Falls on the Mohawk River.

Marc-  My cousin Armand Langevin came for a visit today and ended up driving us around the area.  We visited the extensive Harmony Mills complex (former textile mills and now high end apartments) and the impressive Cohoes Falls nearby that once powered the mills.  The old power canals, since 1915, lead to a hydroelectric power plant.  Currently 5 turbine generators produce 190,000 megawatts of electricity per year.  The water you see coming over the Falls is excess coming over the spillway upstream.  The Falls drop 90 feet.  The Erie Canal bypasses these Falls and several others.

This is how a 1915 hydroelectric power plant works.

The temperatures rose to the 80's today and lemonade was appreciated.

Lock #2.  One of 5 locks on the Erie Canal used to surmount a 169 foot drop of the Mohawk River in 1.5 miles.  The original canal took 27 locks to achieve the same result.

Interesting boats tied at the Waterford free docks.

Waterford flower.

   

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!

CODA New York 2025 (18).

 CODA : Mast down. Waiting for the Champlain Canal to open.

15 May 2025 

Castleton Boat Club mooring field, Castleton-on-Hudson, New York  

A Castleton Boat Club member who I saw pull in this large striped bass this morning right in front of the marina.  His six week old German Shepard puppy was very friendly.  

Marc-  The Hudson River is currently full of floated debris and striped bass.  There are also lots of fishermen out on the river.  We have also seen one cargo ship, several tugboats and several tugboats pushing barges.  

Adam caught a ride with another boater going to a large supermarket and came back with more supplies.  I spent much of the day refueling the boat and working on teak rail refinishing.  Adam refilled the water tank and helped on cleaning up the teak.  We are now out on the mooring across from the marina.  There is a nice breeze blowing so we don't miss the air conditioning.  

No news from the New York Canal System Notice to Mariners regarding the Champlain Canal Opening.  Th last message was that there was high water and may be a delayed opening.  The previously posted opening date was May 16th.

An example of debris accumulating at the marina docks.  That tire with rim caught my eye.

Adam and I have been stripping the teak and refinishing with polyurethane.  Uncle Bob would be proud of this grandson.

Looking better.

We are tucked in on the western side of the Hudson River.

Castleton Boat Club view.

Oil barge coming through (about 300 feet away from us).

 

CODA New York 2025 (17).

 CODA : Mast coming down. 

14 May 2025 

Castleton Boat Club, Castleton-on-Hudson, New York   

Coda with her mast down and ready to go north.

Marc-  We did our mast lowering work today for Coda and for another Canadian sailboat.  The Canadians are Alain and Benoit who are traveling back up to Canada.  They have been on Lake Champlain before going south to the Bahamas this past winter.  I am sure that our paths must have crossed.  They were a great help to us in lowering Coda's mast.  Our mast lowering went perfectly with no mishaps.  Unfortunately our companion boat had a runway mast situation during the lowering process.  The balance point on the mast was not used as the attachment point causing the base of the mast to swing up nearly vertical when no one was able to hold on to the base.  No one was injured and no damage was done to the rig.  All was well in the end.  We all went over for a celebratory beer at the Boat Club.  

The  Boat Club people are very nice and always offering help.  Ken took us to the market to get a few perishable items we needed.  Steve helped us move the boat.  Others just came over to see how we were doing and to share news about the canals.  Bad news for the Erie Canal people who now have a 6 week wait before repairs to several damages locks can be completed.  There has been no final word on the Champlain Canal except to say that we need to wait for flood waters to come down.  Some of the bridges have reduced vertical clearances.  I will call the Lock number 1 lockmaster tomorrow to see if there is any news.

It is a gray and dreary day with a happy outcome.  Adam is learning a lot about boats.

There is some nice architecture on Main Street.  Most of the shops and restaurants are closed.

We need to walk past this train crossing to get into town.  The trains do seem to go very fast through here.  We had no problems.  The town does have a waterfront park that has closed for safety reasons by Amtrak even though it had a gated grade crossing.

It is very hard to get a good photo of a train going 80 miles per hour.

CODA New York 2025 (16).

 CODA : Heading further up the Hudson River.

13 May 2025 

Castleton Boat Club, Castleton-on-Hudson, New York  

This is Adam's photo of the Saugerties Lighthouse.  It looks like a Monet painting.

Marc-  It was a cloudy day today with a light south wind.  Unfortunately the current was against us for the first 5 hours of our six hour trip.  That means the we averaged about 5 knots.  We dodged many many trees today and most had full root balls intact.  What kind of storm produced all of this in upstate New York.  Maybe all of debris will have left the Champlain canal by the time we arrive.

There were many fisherman out today since it is full on striped bass season.  No problems for us getting to Castleton Boat Club.  We received a friendly welcome and help in docking as well as setting up for the mast lowering.  We plan to get going at 08:00 before the rain showers come through around 10:00.

Coda is waiting.

We just need to back the boat up a little.  There are two other sailboats here.  One from Boston that is making this its new home.  The second is a boat from Montreal that was in Georgetown when we were there.  They will take their mast down after us.

CODA New York 2025 (15).

CODA : Heading further up the Hudson River.

12 May 2025 

Esopus Creek Anchorage, Saugerties, New York  

Motoring and sailing.

Marc-  We traveled 64 miles today using mostly the motor in light winds.  There were times when the winds picked up and the sails drove up steadily upstream.  The only constant today was using the tidal currents to push us for almost 9 hours.  It was like getting on a wave and riding that wave as it ran up the Hudson River.  Yesterday we missed that wave and limped along below 5 knots.  Today we averaged over 7 knots.  We did stop once for fuel and water at Panco Fuels in Stony Point, NY.

It was a great weather day to cross the Appalachian Mountains by boat.

NYC Fire boat that was first on the scene on 9/11.  It is docked at Panco fuels.

Motoring past West Point Military Academy. 

North of Storm King mountain.

There have been lots of logs and debris in the River.

Hudson River Lighthouse below Kingston.

The Mario Cuomo Bridge over the Tappan Zee section of the Hudson River by moonlight last night.

The anchorage here on Esopus Creek in Saugerties is excellent.  Be warned,  bring lots of cash if you plan to leave you dinghy at a marina to go to shore.  There is a public park just a short distance upstream to leave your dinghy and even have a picnic.

CODA New York 2025 (14).

 CODA : Heading up the Hudson River.

11 May 2025 

Nyack Anchorage, Nyack, New York 

Adam Whittier, Crew.

Marc-  Cousin Adam is here to help me get Coda back to Vermont.  We met at the Moynihan train station before dinner last night.  This morning we were up early for breakfast of French toasts before Steph returned to shore.  Coda was off to Liberty Landing in Jersey City, New Jersey to fill up on diesel.  Apparently this is the closest fuel stop.  No worries since we know the way to this place. 

 By the time we were finally out on the Hudson we had adverse current and could only manage about 4.5  knots.  We plugged along for the next 6.5 hours before dropping anchor in front of the Nyack Boat Club.  Very few boats out on the Hudson today.  It reached 77 degrees.

The Colgate Clock just outside of Liberty Landing Marina.

Containership leaving Port Elizabeth with exports for somewhere.

Iconic ferry crossing New York Harbor.

Lady Liberty!

The Battery.

Our view of Hook Mountain from the Nyack anchorage.