The Erie Canal Experience

Friday, June 23, we left the Albany Yacht Club and continued north up the Hudson River through the Troy lock to the Visitor’s Center dock in Waterford, NY, the beginning of the Erie Canal.  By the time we arrived, there was no room on the east dock with electricity and water, so we rafted to Legrace.  That night Jim and Sue on Water Dancer III and Bob and Lynn on Legrace came over for drinks and dinner.  We shared our plans for moving through the Erie Canal and expressed relief that the big open waters of the Loop were behind us until we reached Lake Ontario.

The first "road" sign we saw while cruising the waterways!! -- 6/23/06 

Sunday, June 25, we left early to lock through the Flight of Five, the highest lift in the shortest distance in the world. We were lifted 169 feet within 1.5 miles! After this initiation of locking, we were exhausted and relieved to cruise for 11 miles before the next lock. Since our “locking routine” was working so well, we decided to travel as far as we could that day. It started raining at Lock 11, so we called Jim and Sue and found that they were between Lock 13 and 14 at Riverfront Park, the free village dock in Canajoharie, NY, and there was room for us. When we arrived, there was no space left on the dock so we rafted to them. We joined the rest of the boaters for dinner at Tony’s Restaurant.

Monday, June 26: We decided to tour the small gallery containing 350 Winslow Homer paintings; after all, this was the one of the reasons we wanted to stop here. To our amazement, the librarian informed us the gallery was closed for renovation. Since it was still raining, we decided that locking in the rain was not fun, and we would just putter around doing stuff on the boat. A few boats on the dock departed leaving Palmetto Moon and Water Dancer rafted together. We were joined shortly by Gill (and dog – Tucker) on a trawler named Patience, Wendy and Bob Ellen on trawler Pelican with Mary Lou Hunt and Joan Gordon on sailboat Catnip Too (and Toby and Genny, their cats) rafted off of them, and Bill and May on sailboat Loon.

Tuesday, June 27: more rain, so once again we puttered around on the boat and walked over the bridge to the small town of Palatine Bridge. By evening, all of us started getting really concerned about the rising water level. After several rounds of drinks and dinner on Water Dancer, we got really, really concerned and disconnected our shore power before it was completely under water. After a discussion on the dock, it was decided that some of us would take two-hour shifts during the night and keep watch on the situation. Although this was reassuring, Jim and I still woke up several times during the night as the thumps on the bottom of the boat from debris became louder and more frequent. Looking out the window at the river, running around 10-12 knots, was very scary.

Wednesday, June 28: Jim woke me before 6 AM and told me to start packing as we are to be evacuated. He also said that he didn’t think we would ever see Palmetto Moon again so take everything we value. Well that was quite a statement – how could I pack and what should I pack and what’s not important! The firemen arrived with an air boat to take us off our boats to land – we were an island in the Mohawk River!!! Eleven people, three cats, a dog, and a parakeet were evacuated to the pavilion and then taken by ambulance to the Mid-County EMS Center in Palantine Bridge. Fortunately, the center had a large meeting room, bathroom with shower, powder room, and a complete kitchen. Several times during the day we walked down to the bridge and stared down at our floating homes still secured to the floating dock that continued to rise as the water rose. The pavilion with picnic tables, where we sat early that morning, was now under water. Everyone we encountered said that they had never seen the water so high. The village of Canajoharie was flooded. The homes and restaurants now had basements filled with water along with two feet of water on the first floor. Our hearts went out to these people who had been kind to us for the last several days when we dined in their establishments.

All of us were in awe of the kindness shown to us. The EMS crews were working around the clock yet they had time to keep us informed of local news about the flood and to make sure we were comfortable. People stopped by the center bringing food to us and asking if there was anything else we needed. Cots, sheets, blankets, and towels were brought in later in the afternoon. We assumed we would be there awhile! So, we go from the privacy of our boats to a giant bedroom with 11 cots.

Jim and others brought to the pavilion by the air boat. Eleven people, three cats, a dog, and a parakeet were evacuated off six boat in Canajoharie, NY. -- 6/28/06 

This was our bedroom at the EMS Center: Jim in purple shirt, Jim and Sue from Water Dancer, and Wendy from Pelican in the background. -- 6/28/06 

The six boats tied to the floating dock at Riverfront Park in Canajoharie, NY; taken from Palatine Bridge, NY after our evacuation. -- 6/28/06

Thursday, June 29, Sue (the other one) and I took a walk up to Lock 14 and were amazed at the damage. Someone had painted lines showing how high the water had reached on the road leading down to the lock and the time intervals. The railroad tracks were under water with trains abandoned but repairmen were working on the tracks. The lock doors and walls were totally under water, and the only way one knew there was a lock there was the second story of the lock house with a large 14 painted on its side! A reporter from The Leader-Herald comes to the Center to interview us – this was big news in NY State.

Friday, June 30, the water actually started dropping and the debris started building. It was hot and sunny and we were able to walk down to the Riverfront Park to take more pictures of our boats. We stopped in the Cumberland Farms to buy the newspaper and quickly found our story with pictures. We howled at the quotes as not one of them sounded like the complete answers we had given to the reporter. Hillary Clinton came to Canajoharie to check out the state of emergency that had been declared. The flood became known as the 200 year flood and the Red Cross Disaster Relief trucks arrived.

The Canajoharie 11 -- Back row: May & Bill, Jim, Jim, Donna (EMS volunteer), Sue and, Joan in door; front row: Bob & Wendy, Me, Gill with dog, Tucker, and Mary Lou -- 6/30/06  

The water is receding -- the grass around the pavilion and the crossbars of the wooden swings are showing again!! -- 6/30/06  

At times, all of us shopped at Rite Aid Pharmacy and Dollar General, the only two stores, to purchase things that we had forgotten to take with us. The items needed were too numerous to list; however, we all enjoyed showing our latest purchases and discussing why we didn’t think to buy that. Oh, well, tomorrow will bring another opportunity to shop as there was not much else to do. All of us had brought books to read and our laptops although no one had the ability to really concentrate at this point.

Sitting at the picnic tables outside the EMS Center having our evening cocktails, someone suggested that we form a yacht club. After much discussion, Joan came up with the name EMS YC standing for the Evacuated Motor & Sail Yacht Club. She offered to design the logo, burgee, and t-shirts. It was decided by all that Jim serve as the Commodore since he has served as spokesperson with the town officials, and Jim Brown of Water Dancer III was elected Vice Commodore, in charge of vice!! Also, the Canal authorities have been in touch with Jim, our Commodore, as they are aware of the stranded boats stuck. It appears that there were 35 boats at various docks on the NY Canal System. Our friends, Bob and Lynn on Legrace, were moved from the Visitor Center in Waterford up to Lock 3, and that group has formed the Locked in Lock 3 Yacht Club. Everyone asks how we keep our sense of humor but really what else can you do but make the best of the experience.

The water has receded back to a normal level by Saturday, July 1. The tree debris was everywhere with much caught under the boats and the sidewalks were covered with mud at Riverfront Park. We decided it was time for more shopping at Dollar General and Rite Aid!

Sunday, July 2 was spent hanging around the EMS Center reading the newspapers and, of course, walking down to check on the boats. Bill and Bob were down at Riverfront Park clearing debris and mud from the sidewalks and walkways.

Monday, July 3, Sue and I were driven by Amy, an EMS volunteer, to Fort Plain, NY to get manicures and pedicures. It seemed a relaxing way to spend several hours. It was still very hot and humid; however, we needed to get ready for our big outing. The EMS personnel were taking us to Fort Plain’s “Fourth on the Third” celebration which included food, bingo, and fireworks. Brian allowed us to use his “official” SUV but made Jim and Jim promise that they would not use the siren, blue flashing lights, loudspeaker, yelper (my Jim really wanted to use this to get cars to move out of our way), or radio. Sue and I just rolled our eyes!!! Paul Tonka, NY State Assemblyman, was introduced to us by Amy. Jim and Jim had quite a lengthy discussion with him about what help was needed to get us back on the water. The bingo was a lot of fun as we used bits of paper and rocks for markers and both Sue and I won prizes. The fireworks were incredibly extravagant for such a small village, and we learned later that the owner of a local car dealership had underwritten the expenses.

July 4 – 7 we spent at the EMS Center discussing when we should return to the boats as we could now get to them but had no power or potable water. All of us needed to replace the contents of our refrigerators as no one’s batteries had lasted that long. The Canal authorities stayed in contact with us and were not sure when the canal would open westbound; they had to remove the navigation aids as they were not in the correct places and remove debris from the dams. We also started having doubts that we could continue on the Great Loop schedule or make the July rendezvous in Penetanguishene, at the end of the Trent-Severn Canal in Ontario, Canada. July 7 marked our first anniversary of living aboard Palmetto Moon but we couldn’t celebrate on the boat!

Saturday, July 8, Jim called me and said, “bring your camera down here now” to take pictures because one of us, Water Dancer or Palmetto Moon, is going to have an insurance claim. I said “what”!!??. The Canal authorities had taken the water level down so far for repair work that Water Dancer III was aground and leaning at a 30 degree angle on Palmetto Moon. It was heartbreaking so see this and we now heard local people say “we have never seen the water this low; even in the winter, they don’t take the water down this low”. We went from extremely high water to extremely low water!!!! Will we ever leave Canajoharie?

Now the water is soooo low that Water Dancer is completely aground and Palmetto Moon is barely floating!!! -- 7/8/06 

Palmetto Moon with Water Dancer from a different angle, Jim and Jim are on the "floating" dock -- 7/8/06 

Canajoharie -- 7/9/06

Sunday, July 9, Sue and I decide to do our nails so off to Rite Aid to buy supplies as our stuff is on the boat.  We are soon joined by Joan and then Mary Lou, who didn’t do her nails at all and started filing away.  We declared this “Salon Sunday” and Sue and I painted with glitter polish while Joan used dark blue on her toes and pale blue on her fingers.  Mary Lou said “none for me”!

"Salon Sunday" in the meeting room (or the Canajoharie 11's bedroom and living room) at the Mid County Ambulance Center in Palatine Bridge, NY -- 7/9/06

While the women worked on their nails, Jim napped in the crew room with Sneakers!! -- 7/9/06 

Canajoharie -- 7/10-7/14

By now everyone was anxious and ready to move back onto their boats; however, there was still no power on the dock.  Early in the week of July 10, Carmella Mantello, Director of the NY Canal System, came to visit us down at the town dock.  She was very apologetic and asked what was needed.  The reply was power; she asked one of her assistants to get a mobile generator here immediately.  She also said that the repair work was progressing, and we should be on our way by Saturday, July 15.  After taking inventory of food needed, we borrowed Amy’s car and headed to the supermarket to stock up.  Grocery shopping becomes a major event as almost every time one shops, it is in a different store with a different layout.  We learned that it is easiest to way is to go down every single aisle and even then items are missed or not where we think they should be located.

Wednesday, July 12, Amy’s daughter, Laura, turned 16 and she wanted to celebrate with “the family of boat people”.  All met at the pavilion where we first were introduced to Amy and Laura.

Thursday, July 13, we attended the Board meeting of the Mid Country Volunteer Ambulance.  Jim spoke and presented them with a sealed envelope containing donations for all of us, since they had done so much for us.  The local press had been invited as we wanted the locals to know that we had made lifelong friends, and we were grateful for the generosity and hospitality shown to us.

Friday, July 14, Carmella Mantello held a press conference at Riverfront Park to announce our departure scheduled for the next day along with an update of progress of work on the NYS Canal System.  All the major network television stations and all the local newspaper reporters are present combined with the 11 of us standing behind her.  She stated that the villages along the Erie Canal will lose about $30 million in revenues this summer from the closed canal and that it will take about $50 million to repair the locks and dams.  She asked the mayor of Canajoharie speak, asked Jim, our Commodore to speak, and then presented all of us with “I Love NY” t-shirts and sun visors.  Also, the scuba divers from St. Johnsville Fire Department (the ones who rescued us) came back to clear the rest of the debris under the boats.

Jim speaking the the press conference at Riverfront Park in Canajoharie, NY -- 7/14/06 

Carmella Mantello shaking hands with the Canajoharie 11 at the press conference at Riverfront Park. Gentlemen in the background are the mayor of Canajoharie and John Callahan, a NYS Canal employee -- 7/14/06 

Leaving Canajoharie

Saturday, July 15 was a day of celebration.  We woke up and looked out over Water Dancer and saw a banner hanging on the pavilion saying “Best Wishes Boat People”.  The Mid County volunteers brought coffee along with boxes and boxes and more boxes of doughnuts from the local bakery.  Although everyone was sad to leave, everyone was also anxious to get moving again.  Amy and Laura were very excited because they were riding with us on Palmetto Moon to Little Falls, NY.  Tug #7 arrived and each of the boats fell into line behind him going a slow speed as the sailboats don’t travel very fast.  Every train that went by us blew its whistle at each boat and the engineer waved to each of us.  After all, they had stared at our boats for weeks.  Slowly we made it through the locks with the canal personnel driving from lock to lock.  Lock 17, our last lock of the day, is the highest lift on the Erie Canal – 40 ½ feet.  This is a greater lift than any single lock on the Panama Canal.  All boats lock on the port side and all of us needed to get in for one lift.  Water Dancer rafted off Palmetto Moon, what a change.  The Little Falls newspaper carried our travel as the headline with the title, “Eleven Boaters Stranded in Canajoharie Finally Set Sail”.

This is why we needed NY State Canal Tug #7 to lead the way from Canajoharie to Little Falls! 7/15/06  

Palmetto Moon entering Lock 17 on the Erie Canal in Little Falls, NY. This lock is the highest lift on the Erie Canal -- 40 1/2 feet. 7/15/06 

Little Falls to Oswego

After staying two days, we departed on Monday, July 17 and headed to Sylvan Beach on the eastern shore of Lake Oneida.  The Great Loop rendezvous started today, our discussions continue about whether we can continue doing the Loop this year.

Wednesday, July 19, we crossed Lake Oneida, about 20 miles wide, and all boats docked at Winter Harbor Marina in Brewerton, NY.  Each boat was hauled out of the water to check for damage underneath – two boats ended up major damage and stayed on the ground – Water Dancer and Catnip Too.  We knew we were very lucky that Palmetto Moon’s only damage from this experience was a broken antenna!!  Our intentions were to stay here until Lock 23 on the Erie Canal and the Oswego Canal reopened.  On Friday, July 21, we celebrated Joan’s birthday with a surprise dinner at a local restaurant.  All of us borrowed the marina loaner cars to run errands and do some real shopping again.  Jim got a quote to enclose the fly bridge and decided that this made sense as a mobile crew would be able to complete the job within three days.  After this was finished, we needed to wait for the winds to calm down on Lake Ontario, and we liked where we were so why not wait here.  On July 23, we held a farewell dinner for Bill and May on Loon and Bob and Wendy on Pelican as they are going to leave and head across Lake Ontario.

Friday, August 4, we left Winter Harbor and cruised to Oswego, NY.  The locking through on the Oswego Canal was difficult because the wind was blowing hard.  After those seven locks, we were very happy to dock at the Oswego Marina.  We had traveled 160 miles on the Erie Canal – locked up 420 feet and then down 57 feet; traveled 24 miles on the Oswego Canal – locked up 118 feet.

Saturday, August 5, we strolled around the village and toured Fort Ontario, built by the British in 1755 and destroyed by the French and rebuilt by the British and destroyed by the Americans and rebuilt by the Americans.  Our final, final, final farewell dinner was held with Mary Lou and Joan on Catnip Too and Sue and Jim on Water Dancer.  Mary Lou and Joan will cruise into the Georgian Bay and complete the Great Loop after thirteen months.  Sue and Jim decided to continue on the Great Loop as they were originally from Michigan and didn’t need to spend much time touring.  We decided to turn right and do the Triangle Loop which will be in the next blog.

View of Lake Ontario from Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY -- 8/5/06