Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-21 (Part III - returning North)

 Point Bay Marina Moorings, Thompson's Point, Charlotte, Vermont:  June 15, 2021

https://www.google.com/maps/place/44°16'24.0%22N+73°16'53.0%22W/@44.2733238,-73.2835667,544m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x4cca812312d8d1cf:0xb994001068940e78!2sCharlotte,+VT+05445!3b1!8m2!3d44.3098476!4d-73.2609928!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d44.2733199!4d-73.2813779

Sailing on the last day of our cruise under spinnaker and mizzen.

Marc-  We had some nasty thunderstorms that came through our first night in Vermont and you can get an idea from the radar photo below.  Heavy rain and lots of lightning.  Today the promised coffee and blueberry muffins were available at 08:00 when we made our way to the Chipman Point Marina Store.  Pat was there to greet us and to wish us well on our journey.  Her son Chip came over to assist in getting  fuel on the boat.  We motored about three miles and then set the spinnaker and then the mizzen sail.  We were soon doing 7 knots in a 15 knot breeze from the South.  Unfortunately this wonderful scene ended as we reached the Champlain bridge and we had a 180 degree wind shift.  Down came the sails and we motored on.  The first rain / thunderstorm hit us off of Westport, New York.  The second waited until we arrived at our mooring.  Nothing very serious in terms of storms.   Todd Smith came out to help us and welcome us back to Point Bay Marina.  John and Mindy came over and took us to their home for a fantastic dinner.  We will be staying on the boat for a few days to do some projects before Sue and Sara come up on Friday.

Good prices eh?

Yummy blueberry muffins.

Maple syrup.

Passing French Fort Carillion ( later Fort Ticonderoga under the British).

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-21 (Part III - returning North)

 Chipman Point Marina, Chipman Point, Orwell, Vermont:  June14, 2021. (day 2)

 https://www.google.com/maps/place/43°47'57.8%22N+73°22'32.2%22W/@43.7993869,-73.3778037,548m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x4cb55254fcd13181:0x5796dec6bd8053b2!2sOrwell,+VT!3b1!8m2!3d43.8039502!4d-73.2978936!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d43.7993834!4d-73.3756151

Facilities at Chipman Point

Marc-  We waited out turn to have both masts raised this afternoon.  Somehow it seems to take longer to get this done each time we do it.  We did improve the mizzen rigging and lubricated all of the turnbuckles.  No issues with reconnecting the mizzen systems (radar lights and VHF radio).  We used the handheld to test out the radio at distance.  Despite skipping lunch it took until 18:30 to get the rigging all tuned and the masts sealed against the weather.  Tomorrow we will raise the sails.  Expectation is for an 08:00 departure for the fuel dock.  

We have done two loads of laundry here and the gas dryer (in the far left of the photo above) is amazing in that it has huge capacity and can dry everything in 15 minutes. 

The marina also provided two tee shirts for returning customers. They promised us blueberry muffins and coffee for tomorrow morning.

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-21 (Part III - returning North)

Chipman Point Marina, Chipman Point, Orwell, Vermont:  June13, 2021

 https://www.google.com/maps/place/43°47'57.8%22N+73°22'32.2%22W/@43.7993869,-73.3778037,548m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x4cb55254fcd13181:0x5796dec6bd8053b2!2sOrwell,+VT!3b1!8m2!3d43.8039502!4d-73.2978936!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d43.7993834!4d-73.3756151

Arriving at our first landfall in Vermont

Vermont here we come at Chipman's Point Marina.

Marc-  Today started out with a hike up to visit Skene Manor after breakfast.  The view from the top is excellent seeing most of downtown and the canal.  The minor house is flawless.  Impressive stone construction that holds up to the elements.  After descending to the canal level we boarded Lucy III and headed for the dock along with an 81 foot Burger aluminum motor yacht.  We met the nicest lock tender yet at Lock 12. She was most helpful and kept her lock in impeccable shape from white nylon lines to grab when going through the lock to the landscaping around the lock.  (All of the other Champlain Canal locks had greasy grimy nylon lines to hold on to when transiting.  

Skene manor

Biking through Vermont on our way to Mt. Independence.

Lots of dairy farms in this area.

Sun setting at Chipman Point Marina.

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-21 (Part III - returning North)

 Whitehall Municipal Dock, Whitehall, New York:  June 12, 2021

https://www.google.com/maps/place/43°33'14.8%22N+73°24'08.2%22W/@43.5541059,-73.4033613,275m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x89e0094e74a10aa7:0xd465d1816041a26a!2sWhitehall,+NY+12887!3b1!8m2!3d43.5556231!4d-73.4037234!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d43.5541043!4d-73.4022669

Whitehall Municipal Free Dock

Marc-  We left at 07:00 this morning after contacting the Lock  #3 Lock Operator and getting a green light.  We then proceeded to pass through 8 locks in 40 miles.  We decided to stay at the Free Dock since it provides 50 Amp. power and has newly redone bath facilities all in a Park setting.  We made one run to the local market for bottled water and a stop for soft serve ice cream.  Steph convinced me to cross the river and play some tennis on the nice town courts.  She won both matches.  

Notable event today was Steph bringing the boat into two Locks on her own.

The boats at the Municipal Dock tonight.  The large power boat is 105 feet long and created a standing one foot wave in the canal when he came up to the lock we were in.  It was strange to have the boat rise up a foot and then drop while holding on to the side lines in the Lock.  The wave went over the forward lock gate. We strongly dislike them (-Steph).

Steph- Some interesting architectural features on old structures here. A remnant of Whitehall in its heyday, which was probably sometime in the 19th century.  I thought it was interesting to see the past through this town that is pretty much an archaeological dig.  

Whitehall is at the Southern tip of Lake Champlain and the Northern end of the Champlain Canal.  Note how Lake George is only a mountain ridge away.

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-21 (Part III - returning North)

 Mechanicville Terminal free dock, Mechanicville, New York:  June 11, 2021

https://www.google.com/maps/place/42°54'13.3%22N+73°41'02.5%22W/@42.9036869,-73.6862177,611m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m13!1m6!3m5!1s0x89de17b4e3936831:0xeafdf98840b6910d!2sMechanicville+High+School!8m2!3d42.9024689!4d-73.6996076!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d42.9036831!4d-73.6840293

Our destination for today.  We did a short travel day of sorts but we started at 06:00 and ended at 13:00.

The literal fork in the road when you decide if you are going West or North.

We decided on going North to Lake Champlain.

Marc-  We left Shady Harbor early and had an uneventful trip up to Troy and the Federal Lock.  Fortunately for us two boats had been waiting to go North and we just joined in finding plenty of space in the lock.  There was quite a bit of turbulence going up but Steph and I both held on and did fine.  Several miles later we came to the Erie Canal cutoff and we saw some of our fellow Loopers tied to the wall.  We followed a Canadian powerboat head up the Champlain route.  Locks 1 and 2 were a breeze with lines hanging down the lock walls and less disturbance when filling each lock with water.  The Champlain Canal locks fill from the center and push the boats over to the wall (except for Lock 12).  Mechanicville was an easy tie up with electric and very clean bathrooms and showers.  Steph and I walked up Main Street a short way to the Price Shopper supermarket and returned with a stop at O'Reilly's Auto Parts. 

Steph is working on another internship application and I have been doing boat projects (they never end).

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-21 (Part III - returning North)

 Shady Harbor Marina, New Baltimore, New York:  June 10, 2021

Heading up the Hudson with horizontal masts.

Marc-  We were up at 06:00 this morning to prepare for the mast lowering.  The first step was to go over to the docks new the most crane.  Other boats had come in overnight and only one spot was left.  Steph and I brought the boat over to the open slip and started getting things ready.  We met a couple that was very upset tied near us as their mast had fallen over the side (partially) when a large motorboat had passed them creating a large wake.  They were awaiting the marina crew for help getting the mast back on its proper supports.  When they arrived at 08:00 the crew rebuilt the supports and retied the mast more securely.  We had to wait for one more boat who was having a mast raised.  Finally at 10:30 they called us over and started in.  The boat had to be aft in to the dock for the mizzen mast and then bow in to the dock for the main mast.  Luckily ll of our mast supports were where they had been left in the storage shed last September fully assembled.  Steph will be adding some new drawings on the mast supports.  All was secure by 12:30 when we departed Catskill.  

Nothing eventful on the Hudson today.  We passed several large oil barges going South and saw many trains passing on both sides of the river.  We arrived at Shady Harbor and went to the fuel dock where we were greeted by two students that were very helpful in getting us taken care of.  The Marina is really well maintained and especially caters to "Loopers".  Steph and I enjoyed a swim in the pool and a light dinner at the marina restaurant.  There was also a Looper's Happy Hour under the tent where people BYOB.  

Steph admiring the Catskill architecture.

Our Belgium fried headed for Vermont.

Saugerties Light

Lounge at Shady Harbor

Steph's birthday cannoli.

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-21 (Part III - returning North)

 Catskill Marina (owned by Hop-O-Nose Marina), Catskill Creek, Catskill, New York:  June 9, 2021

https://www.google.com/maps/place/42%C2%B012'50.0%22N+73%C2%B051'51.0%22W/@42.2138981,-73.8658974,642m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x89ddb7b1db0d63db:0xffd68949778267ab!2sCatskill+Creek!3b1!8m2!3d42.3628598!4d-74.0703909!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d42.2138953!4d-73.8641554

Esopus Meadows Lighthouse (at a bend in the Hudson River in front of the Mills Mansion).

Saugerties Lighthouse with Catskill Mountains backdrop.

Marc-  We dropped our lines this morning at 10:00 for a leisurely motoring trip up to Catskill before the afternoon thunderstorms set in.  The river is scenic here with handsome lighthouses and awesome views.  We encountered some barge traffic which Steph handled well.  I spent most of the trip preparing the boat for lowering our masts.  We are 99 % ready.  Apparently it was too hot to work and the marina has put us over to tomorrow morning at 09:00.  That works for us. 

Steph found us an ice cream shop on Main Street and it was very good in 90 degree high humidity weather.  We also spotted the traditional artistic cats on both sides of Main Street.  Very cool cats.

"meals on wheels"

Chuckie

After seeing all of the cats we went for a walk down to the other marina in Town to look for some of the boaters we had met along the way.  We found a young couple who were from Belgium who had sailed across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and then straight up to New York City.   They were on a 30 foot sailboat and were very interested in speaking with us.  I hope that we will see them again as we head up the Champlain Canal.  They will have their mast lowered tomorrow.  Note:  they speak English, French and Flemish perfectly.