Cayuga-Seneca Canal: Watkins Glen

Our destination today is Watkins Glen, New York which is located at the southern most tip of Seneca Lake. Upon departing Seneca Falls we were a little concerned that, when allowing for the TV antennae, the Lolligag would be too tall to pass beneath several of the fixed bridges in this area of the canal system. Our first test came almost immediately upon departure with a fixed bridge at the west end of the city dock area in Seneca Falls. It was the duty of this Deck Monkey to stand on the bow, with headphones in place and relay to Captain Mark the approximate inches (not feet) of clearance we had as we passed under the bridge. According to the waterway chart, we should not have cleared the bridge but again Neptune was watching over us (or more likely the lock master was maintaining a lower water level) and we cleared the bottom of the bridge with a good 10 inches to spare.

We were looking forward to venturing into the heart of the Upstate New York Finger Lakes Region known for the internationally famous Watkins Glen race track, fantastic vineyards and breathtaking scenery. As the day wore on, the humidity increased to the nearly unbearable point to where I was not sure if I was sweating or melting – I was just one constant dripping soul. Captain Mark did offer to run the generator and the air conditioning for me but I decided it was more fun to just moan and groan. So I sat outside on the bow to capture what little breeze we could make by traveling a the whopping speed of seven knots (8 mph). However the day was hardly a disappointment because while sitting outside I was able to truly enjoy the rustic wetlands that are unique to this area of the New York canal system. Then, what to my wondrous eyes should appear…? But an alpaca farm!





Aren’t they just the cutest critters ever?! Not only are they friendly, adorable, cuddly and truly lovable but there is no fiber that I enjoy spinning or knitting more than alpaca. Mark my words…someday I will own at least two of these wonderful creatures.

Our route was leisurely and the only other water traffic we encountered was kayaks and canoes. As the day wore on, the humidity increased and just as we entered Seneca Lake we could see the dark thunder clouds approaching from the south. As we were headed in a southerly direction it was just a matter of time before we met the storm head-on.



However, the clouds looked worse than they really were and when the rain came, it was a steady rainfall that was heavy in spurts but there was no wind. It was a little tricky to enter the Seneca Harbor as there are large submerged granite rocks on either side of a very narrow entrance channel. The water was extremely clear so even in the rain I was able to assist Captain Mark by letting him how close we came to the underwater boulders. We were lucky that we came through the harbor entrance when we did because shortly after we were secure, the wind picked up and the strength of the storm increased immensely and continued throughout the night.

I just love sleeping in the boat during a rain storm. There is something very relaxing listening to the rain fall upon the boat immediately overhead. Of course the rocking of the boat caused by the wind just lulls me to sleep. So we both slept in on Saturday morning and instead of breakfast, we had lunch at the Seneca Lake General Store. The store has a wonderfully nostalgic atmosphere and tons of fun merchandise. The mercantile lives up to its name as a General Store – what a charming place. It is full of fun toys and games that brought back childhood memories. The best part was the old-fashioned soda bar and candy shop. I ordered what has to be the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had. In addition, there was a cooking demonstration by Chef William, a local TV celebrity, who was giving away very generous samples of his Italian Wedding Soup. So I had soup and grilled cheese for lunch – just like I did when I was kid. Captain Mark left with a full pound of homemade fudge and me with Chef William's cook book.

Watkins Glen is home to Watkins Glen International, one of the premier road racing tracks in the United States. The first Watkins Glen Sports Car Grand Prix, however, was held in 1948 on public streets in and around the village. Organized by local resident Cameron Argetsinger, it was the first post-WWII road race held in the United States and it marked the revival of American road racing. The streets used for the original course remain intact today and a checkered flag marks the original start-finish line on the village's main street. In addition, the street signs are adorned with the cutest little race cars.

As we walked around the town, I came upon Finger Lakes Fibers. A very nice shop that just happened to have the exact Addi Turbo Lace knitting needles that I just happened to need at that very moment.

We were going to walk the mile or so to one of the local wineries, but it was just too hot and humid to hike up the huge hills. So we opted to purchase a few bottles from a store in town and enjoy it in the wonderfully air conditioned Lolligag.

We had originally planned to only stay one or maybe two nights in Watkins Glen, but we ended up staying three. A funny thing happened each time we paid the harbor master – the price per night got cheaper by five dollars. We laughed and thought that if we stayed a month eventually we would be staying for free.

Hours on the water: 5.25
Nautical miles traveled: 37.5
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Time spent waiting at bridge: 0
Number of locks: 1
Next Destination: Waterloo, NY
What we are listening to: Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Lesson for the day: Its okay to just hang out and relax when it is hot
Obligatory knitting report: Finished the Navy Blue Sweater for WK Madeline

Seneca Falls: Gal Pals and Me

Seneca Falls – here we come and I could hardly wait. When discussing our plans for this summer and we decided to fully explore the NY Canal System, I informed Captain Mark that a stop in Seneca Falls was vital to this Deck Monkey’s continued nautical servitude. As an Anthro major and a Women’s Studies minor, I knew the importance of both the town site of Seneca Falls, NY and its women as movers and shakers in the birth of the women’s movement within the United States. I wanted to see firsthand and walk the same streets as my feminist heroes. In the above photo I am hanging out with Amelia Bloomer as she introduces Susan B Anthony to Elizabeth Cady Stanton on the street in Seneca Falls.

Even the rain did not daunt my feminist zeal as we headed out early from Baldwinsville. In order to reach Seneca Falls we needed to exit off the main Erie Canal route into the off-shoot Cayuga-Seneca Canal which allows access to the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. This meant 3 locks. Did I mention that it was raining? All day long! Immediately before reaching Seneca Falls are two consecutive locks Nos. 2 and 3. AND to make matters worse, there were these creatures living on the lock walls that spit at me!! It was only in these lock walls that we saw these nasty little spitting varmints. Thank goodness I was wearing my foul weather gear…



Almost like magic as we exited the last lock and rounded the bend, the sun came out and the town of Seneca Falls lay before us. We easily found a spot along the City Dock Wall and settled in for what would be several days of serious touristy exploration.

Even though it had rained, the humidity was thick and the temperature was in the 90’s. Normally this would put a damper on the amount of walking around that I could do in the heat however, the City Dock is located so conveniently to all of the historical sites, restaurants and grocery shopping that we were able to make short bursts of exploration and then retreat to the boat for cool comfort.

Due to its location along the Seneca River and the abundance of local natural resources, Seneca Falls quickly attracted forward thinking entrepreneurs and the necessary immigrant workers to man the mills that took advantage of the falls to provide water power for the working flour and woolen mills. Very quickly distilleries, tanneries, saw mills and general merchants settled along the river making Seneca Falls a vital industrial town in upstate New York by the mid-1800s.




It is my contention that behind every successful man, there are at least two equally bright, motivated and unsung women. Most often, these two women are HIS mother and HIS wife. Now here is where my theory begins…my thought is that inventive, driven and prosperous men tend to find life partners that are inventive, forwarding-thinking and driven women – something like water seeking its own level. Thus we have the citizens of Seneca Falls, New York in the early to mid part of the 19th century which formed the intellectual and cultural climate that gave birth to the Women’s Movement in 1848.

My personal favorite is Elizabeth Cady Stanton. At their wedding, Elizabeth Cady refused to promise to "obey" her husband in the vows, later writing "I obstinately refused to obey one with whom I supposed I was entering into an equal relation.” Throughout her marriage and eventual widowhood, Stanton took her husband's surname as part of her own, signing herself Elizabeth Cady Stanton or E. Cady Stanton, but she refused to be addressed as Mrs. Henry B. Stanton

Often overlooked but certainly as important are Amelia Bloomer, Lucretia Mott, Mary Ann McClintock and Jane Hunt who with Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the first Women's Rights Convention, held in 1848 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel. A "Declaration of Sentiments" was adopted, drafted by Stanton and McClintock which included support for women's suffrage. Frederick Douglass, a former slave and publisher of a Rochester New York abolitionist newspaper, attended the convention. His eloquent support for the women's suffrage resolution was instrumental in its passage.




On a fun side note, the term “bloomers” referring to underwear also came about during this era in Seneca Falls. Even though she did not create the women's clothing reform style known as bloomers, Amelia Jenks Bloomer became associated with it because of her early and strong advocacy.


Created in 1969, The National Women's Hall of Fame is located prominently in the heart of Seneca Falls. The mission of the National Women's Hall of Fame is "to honor in perpetuity those women, citizens of the United States of America, whose contributions to the arts, athletics, business, education, government, the humanities, philanthropy and science, have been the greatest value for the development of their country." We spent an entire afternoon visiting the museum. Even though the museum was undergoing a remodel, the display was easy to follow and the inductees were comprehensive and impressive in their diversity and life accomplishments.

I could not even consider leaving the museum gift shop without purchasing this pin for Wunder Kid Madeline and all of my female cohorts. It seems to capture the spirit of a Deck Monkey…



Seneca Falls also is thought to be the town of inspiration for the Frank Capra movie It’s A Wonderful Life. As we walked around the town, we just knew that any minute Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed were going to round the next corner.




A major change to both the town and C-S Canal occurred in 1915 when the re-structuring and routing of the Seneca River eliminated the “falls” and rapids by flooding a portion of the town. This was done in order to build a pair of locks to replace the three smaller locks making it possible for boat traffic to pass through the village. So today, there are no falls in Seneca Falls…

Hours on the water: 5.5
Nautical miles traveled: 33
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Number of locks: 3
Next Destination: Watkins Glen, NY
What we are listening to: Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Lesson for the day: I took great pride in visiting Seneca Falls
Obligatory knitting report: Navy Blue Sweater for WK Madeline

Erie Canal: Brewerton and Baldwinsville

We left Utica early as it would be medium long day in order to reach Brewerton’s Ess Kay Yards and still have some day left to scope out the area. This is one of the places Captain Mark wants to consider for winter storage.

We will have three locks today before we enter the open waters of Lake Oneida. The Canal pace is leisurely and relaxing and then all of a sudden we round a bend and there are all sorts of boats, homes and activity which means that Lake Oneida lies immediately before us. For the first time since leaving the Atlantic, Captain Mark is able to crank up the Lolligag to a galloping tug speed of about 10k (11.5 mph) on the wide expanse of Lake Oneida. We smiled and laughed as we commented about how impressed Mare Soleil Captain Bob would be if he were only here to witness the Lolligag not lolligagging across Lake Oneida.

We were warmly greeted by Kim, the owner of Ess Kay Yard and then were delighted to see our friends David and Lenore of Mr G. They welcomed us and caught our lines as we took our place in the well next to Mr G. We went to dinner with David and Lenore and had a wonderful time chatting about family, boating plans and life in general – once again reaffirming that boating friends always have lots in common.




Ess Kay has a courtesy vehicle which was wonderful as Laptop Kurt and I needed to visit the Geek Squad for some serious R&R ASAP. We also needed to receive some packages, so we decided to spend a week in Brewerton. This gave Captain Mark ample time to look over the marina and chat with Kim about winter storage. Mark liked what he saw and it is our hope that Kim will be able to accommodate us this winter. We much prefer indoor storage, especially when one considers the amount of snowfall this area receives each year. Neither of us is comfortable in thinking of the Lolligag being outside covered with six feet of snow…





We took the dinghy up and down the Canal several times to explore some of the little coves and inlets. We also saw two of our Nordic siblings: Valentine from California and Pennywise from this area as she came and went several times. This now makes three Nordics that we have seen while on the Erie Canal which is the most that we have seen in one locale since leaving of the rendezvous in Virginia. These, combined with the five other Nordics that we have seen since leaving Chicago that brings our total of Nordic sightings to eight.





After a restful and rejuvenating week for us and a total make-over for Laptop Kurt complete with a new hard drive and operating system, we were all ready to head out and go westward.

Baldwinsville




Just two locks and less than twenty miles west of Brewerton is the charming town of Baldwinsville. Again we have free dockage at the city dock on the west side of Lock 24. We had all sorts of fun trying to scare each other with stories about the creatures that we just knew were living in cemetery adjacent to the city dock.



This is a popular town for visiting and has several nice restaurants and a great diner which we found well worth the walk. Unfortunately, we arrived several days too late for the final concert of the season but it is obvious that this definitely is a great venue for entertainment on the water.



There is a visitor’s center located conveniently to the docking wall that is staffed by cheerful and informative volunteers. While there is no charge to stay on the lock wall/city dock, there is a $5 per day electricity fee. Currently there is no pump out facility or fresh water, but it is hoped that the funds for these items will be in the town’s future budget. Nonetheless, Baldwinsville was great place to stop and visit. I am sure that we stop here again when we travel back east on the Canal.

Utica to Brewerton

Hours on the water: 6.75
Nautical miles traveled: 43.8
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Number of locks: 3
Next Destination: Baldwinsville, NY
What we are listening to: Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Lessons for the day: We loved staying at Ess Kay Yards & Thank Goodness that Laptop Kurt has been given a second life
Obligatory knitting report: Navy Blue Sweater for WK Madeline

Brewerton to Baldwinsville

Hours on the water: 3.75
Nautical miles traveled: 18.9
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Number of locks: 2
Next Destination: Seneca Falls, NY
What we are listening to: Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Lesson for the day: It was great to be on the move again
Obligatory knitting report: Navy Blue Sweater for WK Madeline

Oh My Beloved Kurt

I think, no I know that my computer is dying…my trusty friend Kurt (as he, the laptop, has been affectionately named for the love of my fantasy life Kurt Russell) has been acting out for the last couple of weeks. It started by his passive-aggressive behavior whenever I wanted to view pictures. Kurt would wake up, yawn, stretch and after about fifteen minutes he would maybe open a photo. If I wanted to edit the photo, that would not take quite as long – say only about five minutes before Kurt would show me see my picture.

When I was not daunted by this childish behavior, he would simply hiccup several times, make his screen turn all sorts of crazy colors and then return to whatever task I was performing at the time. While this was irritating, I continued to pretend that all was well in the cyber world.

Still not giving him the attention that he thought he deserved, Kurt then pulled the mother of all temper tantrums…he simply chose to turn himself off whenever he pleased. I would be happily working on an extremely important email or engrossing blog entry and without so much as a “see ya later alligator”, Kurt would just shut down.

So before he faded into the sunset forever, Kurt did allow me to back up all of my data files and copy my pictures onto CDs. I am eternally grateful that Kurt granted me this final task as I would have been most upset if I had lost my photos. To thank him for his act of kindness, Kurt and I will be spending some quality time at the luxurious laptop resort at the BB Spa (aka Best Buy) to be fondled and pampered by the Geek Squad.

Erie Canal: Waterford to Utica

As we travel on the Erie Canal for the remainder of this boating season, I am going to revamp the way the blog entries are configured to correspond to the different sections of the Canal. It is our plan to travel west on the New York Canal system to Buffalo with a few side trips off the Erie Canal. Then we will turn around to return east to wherever we will dry dock the boat. At this time we are not yet sure where that will be so part of what we will be doing as we travel west is looking at and meeting with marina owners to see where it will be best to leave the Lolligag this winter.


Technically Lock 1 is the official start of the New York Canal system and we passed through Lock 1 when we left Troy and before we arrived in Waterford. Lock 2 impressively sits at the west end of the Waterford City Docks. As a respectful and constant reminder of how far we have technically advanced in almost two hundred years is the structure of the original Waterford locks that has been saved and sits side by side to the current Lock 2.



The adventure truly starts upon leaving Waterford. Immediately the elevation begins with a set of five lift locks known as the Waterford Flight. We must pass through all five in one continuous trip. There is no place to stop in between as the five locks follow each other almost simultaneously. When we came through the Waterford Flight we were the only boat going in either direction and it was very exciting to approach each lock to have the massive steel doors open magically just for us.



Then almost immediately upon setting in and attaching the Lolligag to the lock wall, we hear the unmistakable loud thunder-like rumble as the doors close and lock. Then the mini whirlpools of water quickly start to form as the water enters the lock to lift us anywhere from 33-35 feet each time.

Sometimes the lock doors leak...









Amsterdam

We could have stayed for free at the lock wall in Amsterdam but we opted to stay at River Link Park instead. Our reasoning was because a young couple recently became the operators of the dock and café and we wanted to support their spirit and enterprise. They could not have been friendlier or welcoming so the $32 per night that we spent in dock fees was money well spent.



The park at River Link is very well maintained, unusual with clever art designs/displays and very convenient for walking into the downtown area.


In walking to the downtown area, we noted the Professional Wrestler’s Hall of Fame which brought back all sorts of traumatic childhood issues for Captain Mark. Growing up in the Midwest, Captain Mark took great pride in a professional wrestler of his youth by the name of Cowboy Bob Ellis. He would never miss watching Cowboy Bob each Saturday on the 10” black & white television and knew in his heart that somehow they must be related. Sadly, Captain Mark was crushed when is parents informed him that even though he had an uncle named Bob Ellis, he was not related to Cowboy Bob Ellis.


Beautiful and stately homes remain as testament to the thriving carpet mills that once drove the economy of this area. Unfortunately, the mills have long since closed. After climbing a huge hill (small mountain) we found a waterfall in a small creek that leads to the canal.




Canajoharie




We continue to be impressed by the natural beauty in upstate New York. Our travel along the canal is peaceful and the scenery is some of nature’s best. Again today we will have multiple locks so this Deck Monkey will be quite busy.

We docked at the free city dock which is located within two blocks of downtown. Having arrived early in the day we had enough time to take a walk around town to scope out the area before most of the businesses closed for the day.

The Beechnut Foods Plant is the primarily employer in town. Canajoharie is taking great pains and pride to maintain the original look of this canal town. Buildings have not been modernized so one gets an authentic feel of what this town looked like over a hundred years ago.





Neither of us could remember when we last saw a stop light in the middle of an intersection like this one in downtown Canajoharie.

We did not have enough time to visit the Arkell Art Museum but plan to make time when we return next Spring.

Utica

Between Canajoharie and Utica is one of the most unique locks that we have encountered thus far. This lock’s east door opens like a garage door by raising rather than opening inward or outward. This means that one can get wet when entering the lock from the dripping gate. Only two locks in North America have lock doors that open in the manner. The other lock is located on the Ottawa River in Canada and we will pass through that lock next year. Lock 17 is also the largest single step lock on the Erie Canal with a lift of 40 feet.

It was a long day today as we made our way into Utica. We were very pleased and excited to see our friends from Mr G who greeted us and caught our lines. The Utica city dock is now maintained by Aqua Vino which makes sense since the dock is located immediately adjacent to this wonderful eatery.

Our 42nd wedding anniversary was officially celebrated on August 12th in Canajoharie but I convinced Captain Mark that we needed to celebrate with another anniversary dinner at Aqua Vino. We had joined the crew and guests of Mr G upon arriving in Utica for drinks and we found Aqua Vino to be one of the best restaurants that we have found this side of Tavern on the Green. With an impressive wine list to choose from, the staff recommended an upstate New York Riesling by Vinifera Wine Cellars. This proved to be an excellent wine that we enjoyed very much for our second celebratory anniversary dinner.

We were delighted to meet the crew from Tug Digby, a Nordic 37, which docked in the spot vacated by Mr G. Also while in Utica, our friends and fellow Loopers Lynn and Bob aboard Legrace passed us as they travel east on the Canal.



There is a grocery store in Utica which is about a mile from the dock. Normally a mile is not that far for us to walk but since the temperature was at least 93 degrees with a heat index of 209 degrees Fahrenheit, I thought I would melt before we got back to the boat. The weather has been rather comfortable for most of our journey this summer so I think that made the heat more difficult for me. So in order to escape the heat, I decided to spend the remainder of our time while in Utica comfortable with the air-conditioning inside the Lolligag catching up with blog entries.


Waterford to Amsterdam
Hours on the water: 7.5
Nautical miles traveled: 32.8
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Number of locks: 9
Next Destination: Canajoharie, NY
What we are listening to: Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Obligatory knitting report: Purple Lace Shawl for BFF Linda

Amsterdam to Canajoharie
Hours on the water: 3.5
Nautical miles traveled: 19.7
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Number of locks: 3
Next Destination: Utica, NY
What we are listening to: Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Obligatory knitting report: Finished the Purple Lace Shawl for BFF Linda

Canajoharie to Utica
Hours on the water: 6.5
Nautical miles traveled: 34.9
Number of bridges to be opened: 0
Number of locks: 6
Next Destination: Brewerton, NY
What we are listening to: Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Obligatory knitting report: Finished Brown & White Alpaca socks for Captain Mark