WE ARE A SAILBOAT AGAIN!

Monday, September 13 we arrived at the Waterford NY town docks, traveling through(again) locks 3 and 2. They have a do it yourself pump out that you feed quarters into. One has to get an adapter from the office and then you pump and rinse until it’s clear. 3$ is the usual amount. What fun but so handy! We stayed there and caught up on all the usual stuff you always have to do when at port. We me a couple Eric and Patty in a trawler from LA and another couple in a power boat named Jolly Rodger from Galveston. In the evening we all enjoyed happy hour together. It was cool to hear about other people’s adventures on the waters! We all left Tuesday am for different parts. In Troy there is a Government lock that used to be part of the Erie Canal. This was our final lock, and it was a doozy!
Instead of ropes to grab, we had to put one of our lines around a pipe which was much different than all the other locks. Mutual Fun went in and then our trawler friends. The gates did not close for the longest time, and soon we could see why. A huge, and I mean huge tugboat came in. Both boats had to move up to the very front to allow the tug lots of space!!
Randy and I headed down the Hudson and traveled to a creek where we could anchor for the night. The next day we left and as we were getting back to the Hudson, a large barge being pushed by a large tugboat went by us. We followed behind for 15 miles @ 4.5 to 5 knots all the way. We finally reached our destination to Riverview Marina in Catskills NY. This a very nice place and the staff were all very helpful. So the mast went up on Thursday and everything done but the head sail the because the rain came. We will leave in the later am after all the rest is done. While at the marina, we caught up with Bill and Sharon on Simple Pleasures friends from Saginaw Bay who also were getting there mast done. We met a wonderful couple Sylvie and Michael who had their mast taken down, to head home to Quebec. They are both from England and we enjoyed listening to them as they spoke. Loved the accents! So that evening all 6 of us walked to town for pizza and beer. We have met some wonderful people along the way and that really makes our travels even better! So as we leave sometime on Friday am we will travel a short distance and anchor. I told my niece we would be to their town by next Wednesday or Thursday but as we sat here tonight, we realized we are only 60 some miles away. Now I got to break the news to Linda that we will be there a lot sooner! Okay Linda you do not to clean for us!! It is getting cold here and hard to get out from under the comforter in the am!! Oh I should tell you that Randy cut my hair last Saturday. Yes I asked him to! Not a bad job at all for his 1st time. I will probably ask Linda to fine tune it when we get there. She does air. Well that is all the news to report now. I have to add that Andrea and Cody are having a boy in January!! We can’t wait to see all our friends in Annapolis! As always, R and J of S/V Mutual Fun.

In Waterford But!

Well Jeannie and I made it to Waterford but only to find out that they have a tug boat fest this weekend and no one transients are allowed to stay on the docks at the town center. So we are hanging out back up between lock 3 and 4 for 3 to 4 days. Now backing up some here. It has been a wonderful trip thru the locks and what an experience we have had. There is so much to see and yes it is boring at times I will say. One thing we did find out is how lucky we were. Less then 2 weeks prior to us going thru the Mohawk valley.The lock were all shut down in this section of the canal due to heavy rain in the valley. Who ever was in the lock system you were stuck for 5 days and could not go no place. only between what locks you were at. It does show that the water level was up about 4 feet higher then what it usually is. All the lock Masters have been very nice and very helpful. They seem to want to make your trip go well and will give you suggestion where to stay if you ask. Usually we would stay on the down bound side so we could get going by 6 or shortly after as the locks do not start till 7 am. One of the locks we stay below had an Irish fest and we listened to
Irish music all night and then got to see fireworks which were right over the locks, Very cool. Getting into the Mohawk valley one can start seeing how it all flows into the Hudson River, it is very interesting if you read up on it and some of the early settlers that came through here. With the past flooding that had taken place just prior to us being here is that there are logs and trees everywhere and you do need to keep a look out for floating trees and logs, but they were out working as fast as they could to clean as much of it up as they could. One of the mornings that we got an early start we were faced with fog in the valley, something that is totally different on a river then

being on lake that is big and wide. Radar does help some, but the river twist and turns so fast that we were basically at an idle for many miles. But it was breath taking what we were seeing. It only lasted about 2 hours but that was long enough. It is interesting to see the country side change as we progress


thru this section of the country as to me it is different being on the water and looking back at the landscape. As we were setting on the lock wall for the night we had a rather large Hatters pass us and it was from Bay Harbor Mi, the name was Ziggy. We waved and she waved back and smiled. Well knowing me I had to find out who owned it, So google here I come. As it turns out it was Zig Ziegler whom was from Kalamazoo Mi originally. He is a motivational speaker.

Now that we finally, well almost finally got thru the locks we can slow down a bit and start enjoying the sights and what comes along our way. I know it will be different for us now getting into the tide system as never having to deal with it, but hey we all learn right. Life is a life long learning lesson.

Hello All

Today is Saturday, September 04, 2010. We have been out on this leg of our travels, since Monday, the 23rd of August. Our starting point was Jefferson Beach Marina, on to Put-in-Bay, Ohio, Fairport Harbor, Ohio, Presque Isle, in Erie Pennsylvania, Dunkirk, New York, and on to Buffalo. Buffalo was the stop where we had the mast stepped by RCR Marina. They came highly rated, and they delivered! They were very helpful and friendly, helping to make this job as pleasant as it could be.
We stayed in the well Sunday night, August 29th as there were no slips available in the marina. Randy and I worked all afternoon long and into the evening doing all the prep work. It was soooo hot that day we were soaked when we finished. That evening we took showers and relaxed. A couple came by on their dinghy, inquiring if we were from Michigan. To our delight, they were from Saginaw Bay, and they were going down the Erie Canal also! Bill and Sharon stayed and talked and we exchanged our experiences on the water. They were familiar with the North Channel, and even Whitehall, our home port!! After Mutual Fun was all ready to go, Randy said we were going to head out to the canal. Bill and Sharon were next in line to have their mast taken down. We left the well and went on to our next leg of our journey! The little towns and villages along the way are beautiful! We travel every day about 30 to 35 miles. We are now Mutual Fun, the power boat. Bill and Sharon are about 2 days behind us but we are sure we will catch up somewhere along the way or maybe in Annapolis. Since The 29th of August it has been unbearably hot.

I have a hard time dealing with that much heat day after day! I was close to heat stroke one day and that was not fun! Randy has been keeping close tabs on me every day making sure I am okay. What a sweetheart!
Tonight it will cool off and we will probably get rain for a day or two. We plan to be in Waterford, NY on Thursday September 9th to do a mail delivery. Everyone we have encountered along the way, from Lift Bridge tenders, to Lock tenders, to the townspeople have been fantastic! They all really want to make sure our trip on the canal is a good one. As far as Randy and I, we have done well. Randy has really been suffering horribly with his ragweed allergies, and I feel bad for him. He is handling it like a trooper. I continue to deal with my poison ivy, but it is clearing more each day. I took my last steroid today. I am thrilled about being able to text our girls and our friends! I am just a stay connected person! I have been able to get on facebook when we get WiFi. Life is good! We ate out Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and that was a real treat. Air conditioning is a real motivator! School starts September 7, and that means our grandson J will be starting 1st grade! I can’t wait to hear how his 1st day went! On Thursday, the 9th, Andrea and Cody will find out what sex their baby is! That day is Cody’s birthday also! Thanks for following along with us. We have very good friends and family! Oh yes, thank goodness we have a portable ice maker! When we are under power we make ice every day!! Due to the weather we are setting a day in Baldwinsville NY to wait out some high winds as we have to cross Oneida lake. As it is shallow and the waves do kick up from locals telling us. So Monday we will cross it which is 29 miles for us. I am sure Randy will want to do the next posting. If I have any info I can pass onto the ladies I will post also. Enjoying our travels, S/V Mutual Fun R and J