Of all the places I’ve traveled, I have never had a more spectacular view from my room!
I could just sit here all day, and watch the sunlight on these famous red rock outcroppings.
Yesterday, we took an all day trip to the Grand Canyon. It was the first trip to the Grand Canyon for Lynn and me, and we thought it was just as awe inspiring as everyone has told us it would be. On the way, we stopped at an ancient Hopi ruins. Quite a contrast with a drone flying over – the National Park Service was making a digital 3D model which will be available in their website in about six months.
The Grand Canyon was just as spectacular as everyone says – even Guinness was impressed.
This morning, we watched the solar eclipse: the ring of fire eclipse, in which the moon almost totally blocked the sun, leaving a ring of fire, all around the circumference of the moon. Sorry, but the camera simply couldn’t capture it.
Then this afternoon, we took one of the famous Pink Jeep Tours: the Broken Arrow trip, a test of man and machine through some of the backcountry. We wanted to take one of their more adventuresome trips, and we were thrilled.
The Devils Staircase – a 45 degree drop over huge rocks
Another 45 degree drop – just too many great photos to share in one blog!
Tonight, will have dinner with one of Lynn‘s oldest friends from Chicago, her husband, her sister, and her husband. I’m looking forward to it: I understand that Mike has been working on the sauce for the ribs for the last 24 hours!
We are safely home: the boat is back in Rock Hall, and we are back in Hershey’s Mill. I know that I owe you an apology for not posting sooner, but things were kind of unsettled once we arrived home. I’ll offer my lame excuses below.
When we last posted, we were holed up in NYC (actually JerseyCity), enjoying ourselves and waiting for the seas to settle down.
We kept an eye on the weather apps, and we planned to leave NY on Saturday morning. We were having some nagging problems with the 240-volt electrical system and the air conditioners, so we were anxious to get home.
Our patience (and prudence) paid off! The first 2-1/2 hours of the trip from NY to NJ are in open water, as you round Sandy Hook at the northern end of NJ, but the ocean was very manageable: big rollers (swells) still lingered, but no wind waves / no breaking waves at all.
We had a smooth trip from NY to the Manasquan Inlet in NJ, where we spent two days at my brother Tom’s house. Tom and Mary Jo were in Europe, but my niece Leanne was there with her husband Jason and their new baby Dean. What a fortunate coincidence to be there together! And they are both great cooks so dinners were wonderful.
On Monday morning, we set out for Cape May. It’s a long trip: about 6 hours. The first 4 hours were inside – on the NJ ICW. You must go outside at Atlantic City, however, and the last two hours are in the Atlantic. Again, we were glad we waited. It was an uneventful trip.
In Cape May, we had dinner with my brother-in-law Jeff and his family; it’s very nice to stay connected with them. The rest of the evening wasn’t quite as pleasant, however. The marina was hosting a marlin-fishing tournament, and the docks were busy and noisy until late at night. Plus, we couldn’t simply close the hatches and run the AC, because it wasn’t working. So…not much sleep that night. Since the weather forecast called for 95* heat the next few days, we were very concerned about not having AC.
We left for home – our final day – on Tuesday morning. This is the longest leg of the entire trip: almost 8 hours. Again, we were blessed with ideal conditions. We were back in our home slip at 2:45, and the marina service staff had a technician on board by 3PM to see about our electrical problems.
Unfortunately, he didn’t make a lot of progress at first, so we opted to get a room at the Inn at Haven Harbour, which turned out to be a great way to create a luxurious ending to a lengthy trip. We celebrated with Prosecco and cheese and salami in air-conditioned comfort. It’s important to mention that our dinner options were limited, since we didn’t have a car. We had left ours at home when we departed back in July: Lynn’s daughter Iris had kindly driven us to the boat.
Wednesday, the service technicians seemed to be making progress, but we were anxious to get home, so Lynn arranged for a rental car, and we took off. We were back in Hershey’s Mill late on Wednesday afternoon (yesterday).
Lynn has been keeping two lists on her phone: 1) Highlights 2) New Foods
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP:
Lock 22 on the Erie Canal – quiet, beautiful and getting to know two new friends from Connecticut. The Erie Canal had been harrowing with debris and heavy current, so this was a pleasant respite.
Dinner at the Chateau in Clayton, NY and a beautiful sunset.
The 45 manually operated locks on the Rideau Canal (and the other 64 locks, too). 109 in total! The Rideau Canal is a living museum, built in the 1800’s and still operated the same way today.
We loved Ottawa – beautiful, clean city (and the staircase locks were a great experience).
Old Montreal was like being in Europe and seeing Cirque di Soleil was great fun.
Visiting Doug and Gretchen at Keeleys Bay on Lake Champlain and the amazing stars out on a clear night – saw the Milky Way.
The Bassmasters Elite Tournament in Plattsburgh was a hoot!
And especially visiting with family and friends: dinner Merry and Brian in Westport, NY and seeing their new tiny house, Tom and Hank in NYC on America 2.0, weekend with Leanne and Jason and Dean, and dinner with Kathy, Jeff and Jeffrey.
NEW FOODS WE HAD NEVER TRIED:
Poutine with squeaky cheese
White vinegar on French fries
Pea meal Bacon (Canadian bacon – but they don’t call it that in Canada)
Pickled hard boiled eggs (white vinegar)
Caramelized butter
Sol beer ( around since 1899 and never heard of it)
Caesar salad in Canada always includes bacon ( most foods in Canada include bacon)!
All in all, it was a VERY memorable trip. Approximately 1,250 miles and 109 locks – that’s roughly equivalent to a lock every 11 miles! It allowed us to escape the heat and humidity that defines the Chesapeake in mid-summer, and we saw sights and sites we’ve never seen before. And we were again awed by the natural beauty of Lake Champlain.
This post will be a photo essay since we have so many great photos from the last two days. We’ve been in Jersey City across from Manhattan waiting for the waves to settle down and decided to be tourists. Here we go:
A view of the super moon, blue moon rising over lower Manhattan on August 30 – what a sight!
A trip to Ellis Island – notice the tiled ceiling. During renovation, only 35 of the 17,000 needed to be replaced. But there was a lot of restoration required to get to this point. And it continues today working on the infirmaries and hospital buildings.
Lynn found this photo of people that immigrated from her grandmother’s town in Hungary. Her grandmother came through Baltimore but also moved to Chicago.
A beautiful day – leaving Ellis Island
Inside the Jersey Central terminal where the Ellis ferry leaves from – notice the iron work in the rafters.
Took the early evening ferry to Manhattan and stopped at the World Trade Center Memorial
We met Tom and Hank in Key West and he’s here at the same marina in Jersey City. Tom is training to be a captain. Was CFO of Fortune 100 company and took a package last year –
he’s living his dream.
He invited us to join him on the sunset cruise on America 2.0 while he was working last night
As we were leaving the dock, there was a regatta coming down the river.
And here’s Tom at the helm avoiding the smaller sail boats.
The cruise offered beer, wine, champagne – we had a great time. Perfect wind and weather.
Lynn, Rod, Tom and James ( his friend) aboard America 2.0. Another captain was at the helm.
The sunset was magnificent.
The Colgate clock – a landmark to our marina – but also reminds Rod of his first job out of Wharton.
Another shot of the skyline with the moon rise from the boat
A busy, but fun filled day yesterday. Today we’re cleaning the boat, the dog, and getting ready to leave tomorrow. The seas and wind are dying down so we should pull out at 7:00 am.
Several of you have expressed concern for our safety with Franklin and Idalia bearing down on us. Not to worry. We are safe. More on that later…
Last Thursday and Friday nights found us in Westport, NY, on the western shore of the Lake Champlain. On Thursday night, Lynn got us tickets for The Fantasticks at The Depot Playhouse, a repurposed railroad station, which is really holding up well. I wish I could say the same for the play…It’s as flimsy as it was when I saw it 50 years ago, but it has an enduring charm and some memorable songs. I guess that’s why it’s still the most-performed play in history. Fun, nevertheless.
On Friday night, we met up with my niece Merry and her husband Brian. They purchased a 50-acre plot in the Adirondacks, and on the day before we met, they took delivery of a “Tiny House.” They plan to spend time working from home and enjoying the spectacular view from their front yard. They joined us for dinner at the Westport Yacht Club, which did not disappoint!
Merry and Brian’s new tiny house – so cute!
Cute Interior – very nice finished. Good job Merry and Brian.
On Saturday, we continued south down the Lake to Chipman’s Point, a tiny marina featuring old stone buildings that are in the National Register of Historic Places. Interestingly, last year when we stayed there, we saw a rainbow and a spectacular sunset. This year, a repeat performance.
Sunday was a great travel day, and we breezed through 7 of the 12 Champlain Canal locks. We stayed overnight in Schuylerville, where we like the owners and the restaurant.
Monday morning, the tempo of the trip accelerated. Lynn had begun to hear about the hurricanes (she is a great co-pilot), so we decided to pick up the pace. We finished the second half of the Champlain Canal in record time, and we decided to push on through to Kingston. We usually do that trip in two days, but we easily did it in one.
This huge cleat was at the top of the wall where we tied up in Kingston. Dated 8-2 89 (that’s 1889)!
Had a GREAT dinner at an Italian restaurant in Kingston. It’s really a cute little town. The dockmaster owns a sweet little 38’ 1934 restored Elco named Speakeasy.
Again today, we put the hammer down. The weather apps told us that today would be a good day, but that things would deteriorate after that. So we figured that NY (Jersey City) would be a pretty good place to get stuck for a few days.
Quaint lighthouse we passed in Esopus on the way down – beautiful mountains in the background.
We ran the 90 miles from Kingston to NY Harbor in 6 hours. We pretty much just put it on Autopilot, read a novel, did a little cleaning, and watched out for floating logs.
Rod doing a little housekeeping while underway.
Lynn has stayed in touch with Tom & Hank, our old friends from Key West, and she knew they would be in NY.
Dinner tonight with Tom and the dogs.
So, we’re safely holed up, and it looks like we’re not going anywhere until Saturday.
I haven’t pawsted in a while and it’s NATIONAL DOG DAY, so I’m going to tell you about my trip so far along with a few selfies.
When we’re travelling, I sleep right by Rod’s feet. I even have a special blue mat – all mine. If it’s bumpy, I try to stand up and then Lynn says “ it’s okay Guinness” so I go back to sleep. At night, I sleep in the shower. If I stay there until it’s almost light, I get to crawl in bed with Rod and Lynn and cuddle for a while.
I look worried!
But my favorite thing about boating is going for rides in the dinghy. When Rod starts to take it down, I bark until he lets me climb in. Then when I want to get back in the boat, I stand on the back so they see me.
Aren’t I cute?
I love getting wet! I heard Rod say there’s going to be a “wetting” here at the marina today. I hope we get to go. When I get back in the boat all wet, Rod rubs me real good with a green towel – it feels so good!
I’ve trained Lynn really well. She makes my breakfast every day and at about 4:30 every afternoon, my tummy says it’s time to eat again, so I let her know by making chompy noises. If I eat all my food, I get a treat afterwards and if I’m thirsty, I just have to lift my paw and hit the white box with the ice in it and get a long, cold drink of water.
And I love it when we go to dinner and I get leftovers. But yesterday, the waitress played a trick on Rod when he was trying to be funny and asked for some little scraps to take back. She gave him an empty box – I was so disappointed.
Yesterday was a fun day. We visited a very cute little house that belongs to Merry and Brian, Rod’s niece. It’s way up in the mountains with lots of room to run around outside. I think they said it was 55 akers. I’m so jealous of their dog Fermi because he gets to play outside almost all the time.
Looks pretty big to me.
Merry and Brian
This is where Fermi gets to play. There are mountains too but it was foggy.
Today we left Lake Champlain. It’s so pretty – I will miss it!
This has been a fun trip. I’m excited because in a few days, we are going to meet Hank the big lab who we had Christmas dinner with in Key West. I hope Tom will be there too. I’ll be sure to take a few more selfies with them.
But before we get to that, I want to say a final word about Burlington. This morning, I came to the realization that it is arguably the most beautiful waterfront of all our travels. And I am including Maine to Florida, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and Florida’s west coast. Even the Bahamas!
The marina itself is adorable: it’s called the Burlington Boatyard, and it harkens back to the days when most of the waterfront was dedicated to shipping and commerce. Now, it features a terrific restaurant with a spectacular lakefront view, and the friendliest marina staff in our experience.
The marina and restaurant are on the far side of this cute building.
Moving toward shore, the lake is bordered by a half mile of parks and flowers and swings and benches, highlighted by a “boardwalk” featuring granite pillars, Ipe planking, and “interesting facts” historical placards. All immaculately clean and inviting.
A walk along the water with parks on both sides.
Above the shoreline, the streets climb steeply toward Church Street, a pedestrian mall that features dozens of shops and restaurants.
Church Street Mall
And of course (not to make too fine a point of it), the entire scene focuses outward onto the lake and the dramatic silhouette of the Adirondacks towering above it on the New York side.
View from the marina
I am so grateful to our friends Tony and Sigy for urging us to come to Lake Champlain last year. And I’m grateful to Lynn for her interest in returning. This year, it has taken us 6 weeks and around 90 locks to get here, but it’s worth it.
Today, in Willsboro Sound, is a perfect example of why we enjoy it. It was 65* when we awoke: clear and sunny, with a deep blue color to the lake. We made a leisurely start and cruised through Shelburne Bay (just south of Burlington) and then due east to Willsboro Sound.
We are less than 100 feet from the cliffs in over 100 feet of water.
It’s sometimes called a fjord, because the water is so deep – about 200 feet – and the cliffs rise over 1,000 feet above it.
The train tracks run along the shore – this trestle bridge looks like something you’d see in Colorado.
We’re tied up with a spectacular view of the Bay and the mountains. It’s 80* with very low humidity. Heaven.
As you recall, the dockmaster at Plattsburg warned us that there was to be a Bassmaster Elite Tournament during our stay. 150 boats and a 7AM kick-off complete with loudspeaker announcements. Of course, we said, “Hell, yes!”
The Bassmaster Elite Tournament was a gas! We learned that it costs $10,000 just to enter the competition. Plus, we priced out the bass boats on display: roughly $100,000 with the outboard engine, the trolling motor, and the Power Poles they use to hold the boat in position in shallow water; not counting 8-10 fishing rods and who knows how many lures, jigs and baits. They are all equipped with “live wells” where the caught fish are kept alive until the weigh-in.
The process is amazing: it begins with all the boats lined up in a predetermined random order. They parade past an official with their live wells open for inspection (they must leave empty, of course). Then, as their name is called over the PA system, they blast off for the far reaches of the lake. Over 400 square miles of lake in which to fish; just be back by 3PM!
They head out one at a time after being announced along with their past successes.
Each angler is accompanied by a Marshall and returns with his 5 best fish: all large-mouth or small-mouth bass; the smaller ones are released as larger ones are caught. At the weigh-in, the fish are transferred to water-filled bags, awaiting the weigh-in ceremony. Each angler is called up on stage to great fanfare, with a recitation of their past successes and their current standings for the Bassmaster title, Angler of the Year, Rookie of the Year, etc. Each angler has a moment on stage to show off his best two fish, and his catch is weighed in front of everyone, including the TV cameras. This was carried live on Fox Sports.
Bringing in their catch to be weighed on stage.
Each participant shows off two fish after weigh-in. Over the four day event, the participants with the highest weights go on to compete until there are only ten left to fish the final day for the $100,000 prize.
Lynn was wondering what happens to the fish after the tournament, and today we got our answer…We visited E.C.H.O., the interactive museum / exhibit about Lake Champlain history and ecology. Lynn was introduced to Olivia, a 26-year-old Bassmaster wannabe who served the tournament as a Marshall, riding in one of the boats to ensure the rules were obeyed. Olivia explained that the bass are examined by expert biologists immediately after the weigh-in, then rushed to the Release Boat for return to the bay. If they need extra care, they are treated immediately. It’s said they have a 95% survival rate.
What fun! And what an exciting introduction to a sport we’ve never followed!
After Plattsburg, we spent a GORGEOUS day anchored in Spoon Bay on Valcour Island, swimming, relaxing and puttering around in the dinghy with Guinness.
Guinness loves riding in the dinghy!
The boat in Spoon Harbor at Valcour Island
Now, we’re back in Burlington, with its beautiful lake views and wonderful shops and restaurants.
Enjoying the sunset from the cockpit.
Tomorrow, we leave for Willsboro Bay, a fjord on the west shore.
We crossed back into the US early Wednesday morning. Clearing Customs and Immigration is so easy now – it’s all done through an app.
So, we’re back in Lake Champlain, and it is just as lovely as we remembered.
Our first stop was to visit a fraternity brother and his wife – Doug and Gretchen. I ran into them at our 55th Lafayette reunion, and when I learned they lived on Lake Champlain, I knew we had to get together. They live on Keeler’s Bay, on South Hero Island, just off the Inland Sea. Their home is perfect: every room has a wall-to-wall view of Keeler’s Bay. The sunsets are gorgeous, and the stars at night are almost overwhelming. I haven’t seen the Milky Way that clearly since I was a child.
Here’s a shot of me and Doug and Freedom.
Doug and Gretchen took us for a Creamee – Guiness loved it!
We planned to stay in Burlington the next day, but they could take us for one night: they were hosting a big Poker Run. So we decided to check out Plattsburgh, NY and Valcour Island. Plattsburgh looks pretty depressed, but we booked an excellent bistro named Iris’ (same as Lynn’s daughter)!
View at lunch in Burlington
And the sunset – it never gets old!
Our marina in Plattsburgh is hosting a Bassmaster tournament here for the next couple of days, and it is apparently going to be a big deal: over 100 bass boats, a Jumbotron screen, and national TV coverage via ESPN2. Watch for Lynn and Guinness and I photo-bombing.
The weather has been very unsettled: light rain / heavy rain / sun, but it’s expected to clear tomorrow. Sunday we check into Burlington for 5 days; then we head on down the Lake (south) toward Vergennes and Westport.
And it was a great day! Beautiful weather, calm water, and nine locks on the Chambly canal. These locks were smaller than most that we’ve been through and you would think that makes them easier, but it’s actually the opposite. The surge of water feels stronger in the smaller locks – guess the water just doesn’t dissipate as much over a smaller area. And we were in the lock with another fairly large boat.
Quite a surge as the lock fills!
Yesterday, we commented on how cool it would be to see a seaplane take off or land. The river was wide, calm and looked like a perfect “ runway”. Well today we saw one. He took off right in front of us and then circled back overhead – really cool.
Very modern bascule bridge at lock 9.
The last ten miles on the Richelieu River were beautiful and we pulled into the marina at 2:30. The owner let me borrow his pick up truck to run to the grocery store – first time I ever drove one. But luckily made it back in one piece.
We cooked burgers on the marina grill, cleared US immigration on-line, and are now settled in comfortably for our trip tomorrow to visit Rod’s friends from college who have a home on Lake Champlain.
Rod & Guinness' Amazing Adventures 