A Little Loopy

How a Lock Works: According to Me Ashley Hon asked me how a lock works and I had to really think about it. Here is the explanation according to how I see the locking-world: The Erie Canal will move up and down hills - like stairs. A lock has a dam on one side (constant controlled water flow for the canal) and the actual lock on the other. The lock is like a long passage with two doors: Eastbound and Westbound - big enough for 10 boats- 5 on each side. To prepare for a lock, you need to wear a life jacket and gloves and place every bumper you have on both sides of your boat (dramatic). We added two A3 red bumper balls to our collection before we left Stafford (brilliant). In MY opinion we need more of those A3s. LegaSea is traveling East going West, Westbound. When Jim calls the Lack Master, he requests a Westbound Passage and the Lock Master will open the East gate (the West gate remains closed to either hold back water in the canal above us or prevent us from flooding the canal be...

Donovan's Shady Harbor Marina to Lock E-1/Troy NY: 7.1 mph; 21.9 miles; 3:05 hours Lock E-1/Troy NY to Waterford NY: 5.1 mph; 2.4 miles; 0:28 hours Lock E-2/Waterford to Lock E-7/Scotia ... plan for the day - took a long time and you have to do them all at once. Travel was beautiful and full of surprises. The Hudson River is simply magnificent. Lock E-1/Troy NY This is the first of the Locks you will encounter and the Lock Master understands that many boaters are first timers. When you call the Lock Master to request passage, he will tell you on which side you will lock. Have your life jacket and gloves on, bumpers out, a short-line handy (just in case), and the Lock Master will talk you through the lock. Lock E-2/Waterford, NY Waterford Harbor Visitor Center sits in front of Lock E-2. The dock is free-ish ($10/night includes water and electric then $5 for the shower and bathroom key).  This is a visitor center and it's smart to pick up ALL the Lock information here. The fold o...

Kingston to Shady Harbor Marina: 9.3 mph; 40.2 miles; 4:18 hours Donovan's Shady Harbor Marina (New Baltimore NY) Great pricing; showers/bathrooms; laundry; FREE CAR; onsite restaurant; pool; gas grills; covered picnic tables; running chickens; building an outside Tiki Bar (I bet he spends time in the Keys during the winter). This marina is a playground for adults! Like summer camp! We had the best time, met the owner, Brian, had a Little Beer (a shot glass with 47 liquor topped with heavy cream to look like a little beer but tastes like vanilla ice-cream), and now we’ve been initiated into some sort of Secret Looper Club. I like everything about this marina.  Brian has developed a workplace culture so his staff helps before being asked. It's difficult to find the balance between laid-back and professional but Brian has found it. This is a GREAT place to stay for a while! I wish I had known about their events. They have a kick-off-the-season party that is thought to be a grea...

Cortlandt Yacht Club (Montrose NY) to Kingston NY: 10.0 mph; 51 miles; 5:07 hours Traveling the Hudson River is peaceful and quiet. I wouldn’t compare it to the Cheasapeake because the ecosystems are completely opposite: saltwater vs freshwater. There is so much history here ... I’ll need to come back - bypassing New Jersey completely. Kingston, NY We docked at the Hudson River Maritime Museum and met some wonderful people. July 13th was Jim’s 55th birthday and the museum was closed! While we were exploring the area, I asked a group of people if anyone thought the museum would open for Jim - being that it's his birthday and the reason for this stop. A man named Jack Weeks said, "I have a key." Little did we know that Jack, a UVA-grad-retired-doctor, was the president of the museum. I was so grateful - this was Jim’s day - hell, it's Jim's YES YEAR. Once inside the museum, you could see the thoughtfulness everywhere: every age group had something to see and do. I ...

Cape May to Rum Point/Golden Nugget: 16.3 mph; 44 miles; 2:42 hours Golden Nugget to Barnegat Bay: 11.1 mph; 45.5 miles; 4:05 hours Barnegat Bay to Tom's River: 6.0 mph; 5.9 miles; :58 hours Tom's River to Atlantic Ocean Route: 7.7 mph; 16.5 miles; 2:09 hours Atlantic Ocean Route to Sandy Hook Anchorage: 13.1 mph; 30.5 miles; 2:19 hours Sandy Hook Anchorage to Montrose NY: 9.0 mph; 57.1 miles; 6:18 hours QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Boating is 95% relaxation sprinkled with 5% terror - never a statement more true. Cape May to Rum Point/Golden Nugget Casino NJ: ANCHORAGE & FUEL DOCK DAY ONE: When we left Cape May everything was fine - both engines started up like always. We went outside the ICW and traveled the Atlantic Ocean. The look on Jim’s face was like something I had never seen - so calm and relaxed - perfect! We cut back in at Absecon Inlet to tricky Rum Point in NJ and set anchor ... or so we thought. After watching the boat swing a few times we went about our business (emai...