Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Today we toured the Boldt Castle, a spectacular mansion designed by George Boldt as a gift to his wife, Louise.   It’s constructed on an island originally called Hart Island.  Boldt changed the name to Heart Island as a love gesture.  The Boldt coat of arms or crest contains a heart and a stag (hart).  

Building commenced in 1900 and ended in 1904, when Louise died.  It languished and deteriorated for 73 years, until the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired it in 1977.  The restoration – which is still underway – is breathtaking.  It is really special when someone with Boldt’s money also is a man of vision and taste.

There’s a series of docks on the west side of the island for pleasure craft like ours, and tour boats pull in and out on the north side docks.  

Mine is the red hull on the far right – gives you a perspective of how large this castle is – 60,000 square feet

Access to the island is only by water, so this magnificent gate is where guests would have entered.


1,000 feet across the bay, there’s a magnificent Yacht House, where we saw more antique boats from the ABM (Antique Boat Museum) collection.

Now, we’re tied up at the Thousand Islands Club, which we’re told has been a river tradition since 1923.  It’s just across the St Lawrence River from the resort town of Alexandria Bay, right in the stretch of the river called Millionaire’s Row.  And it’s about 5 minutes from the Boldt Castle.  Perfect.  

This entire stretch of river has a unique personality.  The homes are often made of stone from the local quarries, and many of the houses feature turrets.  And boy! Do they love their river!  I am amazed at the amount of boat traffic – and it’s a weekday.  

So many cute little homes too! To count as an island, the island must have one tree.

If there’s one downbeat note it is this – the Club’s restaurant is closed tonight.  From what I’ve read, I think we are missing a real treat.  But the way our luck has been running, it will somehow turn out to be a good thing.

Tomorrow we make a big U-Turn and head west – back up the river along the Canadian shore.  I apologize if you were puzzled by our last blog post … I mistakenly said that we would be heading southeast.  Not so.  WSW is the direction we’ll take toward Kingston.  

There are actually over 1,800 islands in the “Thousand Islands”.  Our course tomorrow takes us by about half of them!

TUESDAY, 7/25/23

Yesterday we crossed the eastern tip of Lake Ontario, heading due north from Oswego to the entrance of the St. Lawrence River, then turning east to Clayton.  Crossing the lake was very uncomfortable: the seas were on the beam, and the boat was rolling more than we’re used to.  

Not unsafe; just uncomfortable.  We were glad to leave the lake and enter the river.

Clayton is the gateway to the Thousand Islands and home to the Antique Boat Museum, arguably the finest collection of classic yachts in the world.  We like the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, but this is superior.  It’s an outstanding collection of one-of-a-kind gentlemen’s yachts and historic craft.  Lots of brightwork (varnish).  And an entire building dedicated to racing boats.  Remember Miss Budweiser?

Chris Craft, Gar Wood, and Elco (similar to my brother’s boat) – all classics!

Another in the collection of gentlemen’s’ yachts.

Lynn loved this small sailboat with interesting rigging and a caned seat for the guest.

Last night we had dinner at a stone “chateau” overlooking the river.

They recently changed their menu from a seven course dinner with wine pairings to a more simple menu – last night it was Mexican and it was excellent! Doesn’t look like any Mexican restaurant we’ve ever been to!

The views up here are serene and spectacular: the river is wide and deep, and the banks are wooded.  “You can see Canada from here!”8

Today, we’ll travel northeast (downriver) as far as Alexandria Bay to visit the famous Boldt Castle on Hart Island: built by a multi-millionaire for his young wife who died before its completion.  

We’ll stay tonight at the Thousand Islands Club.  Maybe have dinner in Alexandria Bay.  

Tomorrow, we’ll reverse course and head southeast along the Canadian shore to Kingston, Ontario, the beginning of the Rideau Canal.  I expect that we will have seen at least 900 of the thousand islands!

Saturday, July 22, 2023

I bought Freedom in the summer of 2020, and over the last three years, I’ve taken her from Maine to the Dry Tortugas, up the west coast of Florida, east to Nantucket, north to Lake Champlain, and across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas.

Each of those trips was easier to plan than our current journey –which I’ve come to think of as the Little Loop…folks up here call it the Triangle Loop.

We’ve been surprised by the number of folks we’ve run into who set out on this journey with only a skeleton plan – playing it by ear.  That is NOT me.  I am a planner.  I enjoy the process of planning; it is enjoyable to anticipate a trip or vacation in advance; and it increases my confidence as we depart.

But this one was tough.  I am accustomed to traveling the Atlantic ICW, where you can find everything you need in just a few documents, but this has required us to construct our own mile-by-mile guide on a lengthy Excel spreadsheet. (now 14 pages)  We had to note our allowed speed every mile of the trip, and then plug in each marina / anchorage / tie-up spot along the way. And one final complaint: despite all our efforts, the information is STILL incomplete.  We are STILL learning critical pieces of information from folks who have traveled this route before us.

We didn’t bother to stop at Uncle Joe’s Trading Post, but it might have been fun!

Having said all that (sorry for the rant) the last few days have been a PLEASURE.  The Erie Canal and the Oswego Canal were lovely, and the lockkeepers couldn’t have been nicer.  

One of the prettiest locks we went through on thru on the Oswego Canal-

there’s a dam at every lock which makes sense or it would be a rough ride!

After our stay at the Lock 22 wall, we motored on to Oswego, NY, on the shore of Lake Ontario, where we celebrated with a filet mignon dinner that Lynn cooked on board.  She is amazing. 

Today (Sunday), we took a weather delay, waiting for optimal conditions on Lake Ontario, and once again, we lucked out!  The captain on the sportsfisherman in the next slip is a Marine Surveyor!  He checked out the damage from Lock 9 and suggested some repairs we could do ourselves, which we did.  (Rod is amazing, in case I haven’t said that before!)

So we leave tomorrow for Clayton, NY, in the heart of the Thousand Islands!

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Lynn here today….

Quite a few have asked about the locks and what it’s like going through them, entering and leaving, so here’s a little of my experience with the locks,

Last summer going to Lake Champlain was my first experience with locks. We were in a marina next to a couple who talked about their experience and the woman really scared me. It is intimidating to think about being enclosed in a chamber and being moved up or down in as much as 40 feet of water. She felt it was intimidating but I found it to be fun. 

So is it like being in a washing machine or a bathtub?  A little of both. Going up can be a bit rough if the water is filling near where your boat is moored (the lines on the wall). But when you’re dropping, it’s rather pleasant. Our largest lock was a lift of 40 feet but a few were only 8 feet, very easy. 

This was particularly beautiful as we approached Lock 18

We’ve previously posted some pictures of the chambers and the gates, but here’s a picture of the wall that I get to stare at during the filling…about 12 inches away from me and the lines are also really slimy and gross. 

Lots of really creepy stuff on this wall. (You might just have to take our word for this – the photo is so creepy, it does t want to post!)

The lines that we hold during the process are really slimy too. I have gloves but they got dirty very quickly. 

Sorry for the repeat photo!

But the fun part is that I get to contribute to the trip. Sure, I can drive when we’re in a straight, calm area, but when I’m holding the mooring lines, I get to to help Rod move the boat and  steer clear of ladders with bolts that could tear the fenders or openings that could get our fenders stuck.  I feel like part of the team!

Tonight we are tied up at the foot of Lock 22 near the end of our portion of the Erie Canal and it is spectacular. Here’s a view of the lock with our friend’s boat exiting. (We were invited for cocktails once they tied up). 

Our friends’ boat coming to tie up with us at the foot of Lock 22 overnight.

This overnight stay could be one of the high points of the trip. Quiet, no trains, very nice visit aboard their beautiful boat, and a cool night with the hatches open. Lock 22 and only about 80 more to go!

Trivia question:  We completed locks 2 through 10 earlier this week. How many locks did we go through?

OUR SECOND

Tuesday July 18, 2023

That title sounds like an old Pete Seeger song, doesn’t it?  You can Google it!

Forget about all the back-and-forth about seeking repairs. This was effectively our second day on the Erie Canal, and it was lovely.  Personally, I got a complete re-set.  Slow down. Enjoy the journey.

But first, let’s look back to last evening:  We had already posted our blog from Amsterdam Riverlink, when we learned it was Practice Night for Thursday’s Ski Show!  Very cool.  Two tow boats, maybe a dozen skiers.  Here’s a great shot of them doing a pyramid.

We had arrived back at the Riverlink around noon on Monday, after our unsuccessful search for technical help on the boat.  During the afternoon, two other westbound boats showed up: Retriever and Fast Pace.  This morning (Tuesday) we left together to head west.  

The reason that it was a reset for me is that: when you move in a convoy, you move with the slowest ship in the convoy.  And that was Retriever, at 6.5 mph.  And that’s OK. It was a genuine pleasure to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the canals.  Because your speed is ultimately controlled by the locks.  You are going to hit one every 5-10 miles.  If you try to go faster than the other boats, they will catch up to you as you wait for the lock to open.  So it’s best to just SLOW DOWN.  

Another reason to go slow – lots of these in the water!

We traversed 7 more locks today.  Here’s a great shot of Lynn The Lock Queen: dirty gloves and all.  As we enter the lock, she grasps one of the long vertical cables and holds the boat steady as the waters surge into the lock vessel.  I use the engines and thrusters to hold her in position.  The lines and cable are slimy – hence, the gloves.  

Lock #17 is the biggest lock we will encounter on The Erie Canal.  Its vertical lift is 40.5 feet.  It is difficult for the camera to show the scale of this lock.  It LOOMS overhead.   As you pull in, the depth beneath the keel is 14.5’.  When you leave, it’s 55’.  Imagine filling a vessel that is 235’ x 45’ wide x 40’ deep.  How much water would that take?  And the boats simply float up as the lock vessel fills.

The people at the top give you an idea of the scale of this lock

Tonight we are tied up at a town called Little Falls, NY.  It’s a rainy evening, so we opted for KILLER Mexican food from the local food truck.  

Tomorrow we head west again, accompanied by our new boat companions.

Monday July 17, 2023

We’re back on the road.  We decided to cover the damage with duct tape and keep going.  

Here’s what happened:

On Sunday, we spoke to our home marina, and our service manager wasn’t concerned.  But we decided to seek an expert opinion on Monday

*We broke the boat on Saturday

*So, today – Monday, we backtracked east through three locks, but found that none of the boatyards in the area were qualified to help. 

*So.. we simply turned around and headed back to Riverlink Park in Amsterdam.  We will go west for two more days to a boatyard that is very highly recommended.  That will happen Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.  

And the boat is running fine.  Duct tape cures everything.  It’s like putting a Band-Aid on a cut: once I can’t see it, it stops hurting.

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Yesterday was our first day in the Erie Canal, which was much prettier than expected.  Not much industrial development.  A real surprise. 

<— this year….last year —>

The trip begins with Locks #2-6, which appear in rapid succession, roughly one-half mile apart.  The locks are imposing: the vertical lift in each lock was over 33’.  The process is simple: drive in; hook up to the wall; and ride the rise.  As the water surges into (or out of) the locks, it can become turbulent, but not dangerous.  You need large spherical fenders to protect the boat from the rough cement lock walls, and you can use your thrusters and engine to help hold you in position.  When the doors open, you simply drive out.

Here we are in the lock with the gates closed behind us

And here’s looking up at the wall with the mooring line-they’re really slimy and gross!

And here’s the same gate when the lock is full.

We shared these locks with three other boats, including two power cats with 20’ beams

Once we cleared the first 7 locks, we began to leave the other boats behind.  You are traveling the Mohawk river at this point: it’s wide and deep and features wooded shores.  The river was calm, and the skies were pretty.  The major concern was the amount of debris floating down the river: primarily logs and brush carried down by the recent storms.

This barge had a crane to pick up the debris but he had a long way to go

Lock #9 turned out to be a much bigger problem.  As we approached the lock, the lockmaster hailed us on the radio to warn us that there were strong currents and significant debris below the lock.  He wasn’t kidding.  There was a huge log almost completely blocking the lock entrance.  As we moved to avoid the log, the current slammed us into the lock wall, and we damaged the left-hand side of the boat.  

At first it didn’t look like much, but it got bigger as we travelled.

At first, I dismissed it as cosmetic damage, but I woke up this morning thinking that it may be structural.  It’s very important for a boat to have a rigid joint between the hull and the deck, and this may be compromised.  

We’ve decided to backtrack one day to see if we can get the boat inspected by a knowledgeable technician.  It’s possible that we can continue the trip, but at this point, I’d say it is equally likely that we’ll have to have the boat hauled and transported home on a tractor-trailer.   

The good news, of course, is that no one is hurt; and the damage is definitely repairable.  It won’t be cheap, but the wizards at Haven Harbour (our home port) will make it look and act like new.

The other good news is that we are not fretting over the possibility of aborting the trip.  We view ourselves as adventurers, not vacationers, and this is the price of adventure: stuff happens.  We’re not worried about completing the trip: we can always do it next year.  We’re focused on the issue in front of us: making the best decision for the safety of the boat.

We won’t be able to formulate a course of action until we have had the boat inspected.  Looking forward along the Canal, there are no qualified marine service facilities for 100 miles: that’s like 3 day’s travel on the Canal.  So we plan to reverse course and return to Schenectady for an inspection.   Unfortunately, today is Sunday, and the boat yard we want to use is closed.  Hopefully, we will be able to schedule an inspection tomorrow or Tuesday.

Until then, we are at a perfectly fine marina, at the foot of a lovely riverside park in Amsterdam NY.  Not much to do here, but the vista is lovely, and we have everything we need.

Stand by….

July 14, 2023

Lynn here today…

The trip north on the Hudson River is beautiful. It’s easy to forget how rural and unspoiled NY State is since we usually think of the busy city when we talk about New York. Small towns with cute homes along the water and some magnificent mansions on hills overlooking the river. 

We saw very little pleasure boat traffic today but we still had to keep a watch for floating debris from the recent storms and avoided quite a few floating logs. Along the way, there is still some impressive industry – passing barges, a quarry filling a barge with gravel, two huge cargo ships awaiting containers. We guess America still has some industry. 

Three cranes on the ship and two blue on the dock for loading containers

 But after a cloudy morning, the sun came out and we were in Troy by 12:45. Tied up within sight of the first lock we will go through in the morning. 

We’re hearing about some trouble with the locks due to the storms. There are closures in the Champlain Canal but we won’t be heading through them until our return trip in late August. The Erie Canal also has some mechanical issues at one of the locks. We subscribed to an email service that sends updates on issues so we’ll get notice if we need to change our plans. 

Off to Dinosaur BBQ for dinner tonight…

Thursday, July 13, 2023

We left this morning at 7:45, passing the restored / repositioned Colgate Clock just outside the Liberty Landing marina.  Colgate-Palmolive was my first job after Wharton, launching me on a wonderful career in product management / marketing / new product development / general management / consulting / startups.  The clock used to stand atop the old Colgate-Palmolive plant on Hudson Street in Jersey City.  It now stands in front of the Goldman-Sachs tower.

As we pulled out, a beautiful Viking cruise ship was pulling into Chelsea Piers.  We gave her the right-of-way and continued north up the Hudson.  The river is beautiful, and the Hudson Highlands are particularly striking. 

Each time I pass this way, I think about Henry Hudson traveling upriver in 1608/9: no GPS; no charts; no idea of where it was leading, and no idea of where they would find food or water.   The river is SO big, and it goes on for 150 miles until it’s no longer navigable.  Lynn and I will cover it in 2 comfortable days at 18 mph.  I can’t imagine how long it would take in a primitive sailing ship, beating against the tide.

Fortunately, we had ANOTHER day of smooth seas and blue skies. I decided it would be a good day to enjoy a REALLY BIG CIGAR.  Here’s a charming shot of me puffing on a Perdomo INMENSO.  

The only navigation hazard was debris from the recent torrential rains.  We kept a sharp lookout, and several times we had to slow down and alter course to avoid logs.

Interestingly, the train lines along the river were not wiped out by the storms.  Lynn counted one freight train with 230 cars!

We are now holed up in Kingston, NY, a charming little town about 90 miles up the Hudson.  They still have Soap Box Derbies here every August, and there is a boatbuilding school and learn-to-be-a-rower (racing skull) classes.  Lots of good restaurants, too.

Tomorrow, we’ll top off the engine oil, add a little fuel additive and take off.  We have to wait until the morning so that the engine cools off.  It stays hot for hours after a 6-hour run like today.

Then it’s off to Troy, NY, the gateway to the Erie Canal.  Lynn has been on the Internet this afternoon, searching for news about problems caused by the recent storms.  Several locks were closed, but they appear to be opening back up as we approach.  Also, some fixed bridges might no longer be passable if water levels are too high.  So far, however, it’s a Green Light.

Wednesday July 12

It’s my 79^th birthday today, and I am grateful.  I’ve been given the greatest imaginable gift: good health and vitality.  I am never happier than on these adventuresome boat trips.

And the last couple days have been excellent.  We ran all the way up the New Jersey coast – about 100 miles – in ideal conditions: smooth seas and sunny skies.  

We left Cape May just before 8AM on Tuesday morning.  We ran outside (in the ocean) about a mile or two off the beach, until we came to Margate, where we swooped in closer to shore for a photo op with Lucy the Elephant.

Photo op from the boat

Lucy is a 6-story-tall piece of novelty architecture, built in 1881 by a real estate developer named James Lafferty, as a gimmick to attract potential buyers to his land holdings along the coast.  When I first visited her in the 1960’s, she had fallen into disrepair and was scheduled for destruction.   Saved by a fund-raising campaign and a $500,000 grant from the National Park Service, she is now a National Historical Landmark and an AirBNB property.

Last night, we had a lovely early birthday dinner with my brother Tom and his wife Mary Jo, on the beach at their home on the Metedeconk River.  I understand that METEDECONK is an old Indian name that roughly translates as (Me) “I” (TEDE – source word for tedious) “was so bored” (CONK) “I conked out”

No reference to Tom and Mary Jo…we killed 6 bottles of wine among the four of us.  WE had a fine time!

Now – after another perfect day on the ocean – we are docked at Liberty Landing in Jersey City, with a spectacular view of the World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty. It never gets old crossing under the Verrazano Bridge, passing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and approaching Manhattan.

Here’s a great shot of the Manhattan skyline with a schooner in the foreground.

We’ll dine tonight at Liberty House – perfect for my birthday dinner.