The Erie Canal and Probably Our Last Posting
August 10, 2026
We had been away from our boat for almost seven weeks. The boat was left at Ess-Kay Marina in Brewerton, NY. While we were back home, the was boat hauled, new bottom paint applied and new zincs attached. We arrived back to the boat on Saturday, the 8th. Rae and Steve on Barefoot Shoes were docked next to us. It was great seeing them again. While out walking Heidi about later in the afternoon, Lauren spied Lake Effect. We had met Sue and Peter in Michigan while doing the Loop. We contacted them to see what their plans were. They were off the boat at home, which was nearby, taking care of whatever needed attention. They have finished the Loop, but were going to do a bit more traveling via the boat before having it hauled for the winter. They returned to their boat late Sunday afternoon. Sunday late afternoon/early evening, Rae and Steve hosted a get together with us and Peter and Sue.
This morning we cast off our lines from Ess-Kay and headed west on the Erie Canal. We encountered only three other boats heading East. It was an uneventful day on the water. Saw numerous osprey and herons.
Just after our second Lock, we were able to get a spot on the town wall in Baldwinsville. They offered electric hook up for $10/day – can’t beat that! We were greeted by Stella, a volunteer for the town. She was very pleasant and told us about several places in town to check out; mostly restaurants. Late afternoon, we walked to Lock 24, the name of the ice cream shop. The ice cream was delicious! We will stay for at least another day, giving us a chance to walk about town. Brian took a picture of the boat from across the canal when he went for his run. When he returned, he said the bathrooms weren’t open when until 8:00am and the porta johns were absolutely disgusting. He made the volunteer of the day aware of the issue. She said that the town maintains those (apparently not). Brian told her they were full of garbage, beer cans, etc. and just plain filthy. She was disheartened to hear this, but was glad we brought it to her attention. If the town wants tourists to visit, why not take care of amenities, so that they leave with a positive review.
Brian reading: Gathering Prey by John Sandford
Lauren: Toxic Prey by John Sandford
August 12, 2026
We left Baldwinsville early morning and headed to Seneca Falls. Seneca Falls is off the beaten path from the Erie Canal. Since we are not in a hurry to get anywhere in particular, we decided to check it out. Peter on Lake Effect said it was a nice place to visit. We saw a few boats during the day, but was surprised at how little boat traffic there was. We sited one bald eagle, lots of ospreys, numerous king fishers and a couple of turtles. There were only three locks today. The second and third lock were back-to-back.
It was a calm day on the water.
We arrived and tied off to their free wall (electric was also free) about 1:30pm. Since we had not eaten lunch yet, we ventured into town; a very short walk and stopped and had a late lunch/early dinner. A few feet away from the restaurant was a museum that held a cornucopia of artifacts, pictures and information about the movie ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’ It was interesting moseying about the place. On our way back to the boat, we stopped at the Seneca Falls Museum & Tourism Center; our boat is parked right behind the building and we can access the building from the back or front.
There are three stories to the Museum. After talking to the staff for a few minutes, we decided to only check out part of the museum and come back the next day so we would be able to take our time going through it; we were anxious to get back to Heidi. About an hour after getting back to the boat, Brian realized he left his Marine hat at the restaurant. While Brian took a walk back to hopefully retrieve it, Lauren called the restaurant and asked about the hat. What a run-a-round. The person she talked to or tried to talk to just didn’t seem interested in even asking any of the wait staff about the hat. Brian didn’t have any luck either.
August 13, 2026
This morning after Brian’s run and breakfast, we went to the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. The National Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention held here in Seneca Falls, NY on July 19-20, 1848. It was fascinating! Part of the exhibits included the well-restored Wesleyan Methodist Church where a park ranger gave an engaging talk about the struggles for civil rights, human rights and equality. After that tour, we stopped by the restaurant again inquiring about the missing hat. Brian noticed several wait staff congregating by the bar and went to talk to them. They didn’t seem to want to make an effort to look for the hat even though right there in a box were items that had been left behind. Low and behold, after someone actually pawed through the box, there was the hat. Just glad he got it back. Heading back to the boat, Brian spied a framing shop. One of Lauren’s sisters gave us an Erie Canal poster. Brian went back to the boat, took down the poster and went back to the shop to have it framed; looks great.
Today we met Ron and Patty, a couple who are docked in front of us. They live in Florida, but come up here and spend summer in this area with a boat that they overwinter here. Tonight we sat on the foredeck and listened to a band that was playing rock music from the 60’s through the 80’s; they were actually pretty good. The park is a couple of hundred yards from us, so a nice distance. Every Thursday evening during the season, the town hosts musical entertainment.
Brian reading: Candide by Voltaire
Lauren: Dark Tide by William P. Kennedy
August 15, 2026
We stayed at Seneca Falls an extra day than originally planned. We were able to finish going through the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. Patty and Ron joined us late morning and took a walk across the bridge to the Women’s National Hall of Fame. It is the nation’s oldest nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring and celebrating the achievements of distinguished American women who have shaped society, culture and history. Only one floor of exhibits was open. They will eventually have three floors open to the public sometime in the future. Leaving the building, we noticed a path along the canal that had several sculptures to view. It was an enjoyable walk in the shade.
Returning from the walk, Lauren decided to do a load of laundry and discovered our washer/dryer unit was malfunctioning. Brian thinks because it sat for seven weeks without use, there may be an air bubble in it preventing the water to reach the unit. Thankfully, there was laundry just across the street in the Welcome Center. Looks like another project to figure out. For dinner we joined, Ron and Patty and Mark, another boater on the wall for a walk across the bridge to have dinner at Dewey’s. Mark said they serve fish fry dinners on Fridays. Everyone ordered the fish fry except for Lauren; she opted for a buffalo chicken wrap and said it had the perfect amount of hot sauce and blue cheese dressing. Everyone was pleased with their meals. It was a great recommendation.
This morning we left Seneca Falls heading back towards the Erie Canal. The first lock of the day was in view of our dock wall; Brian called for an opening and we got right through. About and 1/8 of a mile out, Lauren hit the button for follow route as the canal was pretty straight at that time. All of a sudden, the boat veered to port wrenching the wheel from Lauren’s hand. We almost ended up on the bank. We couldn’t figure out why it did that. After getting on course, we tried again, and again, it did the same thing, though this time we were ready for it and hit standby as soon as the boat swerved to port. Brian discovered that the compass for the auto pilot was off more than 90 degrees than what it should have been; we have no idea why it didn’t match the actual compass on the nav top. So, Lauren just steered the boat for miles. It didn’t matter, as we were poking along and swiveling our heads from port to starboard watching for wild life. We did see lots of herons, a few osprey and king fishers. Nary a turtle to be seen. We had no issues with any of the locks and even the low bridges weren’t too terrifying. In one lock, there was quite a bit of foam.
The lowest bridge on the chart and in the information in the booklets was 16 feet. With everything down on our fly-bridge we have a 14 and a half-foot air draft. There was no problem getting under any of the bridges. We stopped at Clyde; no other boats docked. Information said it would be shallow at the dock and it was – 5.5 feet. We decided since we had access to a pump-out we would use it even though our tank is only half full. Well, that didn’t work properly because the rubber collar was pretty worn, so we couldn’t get it to stick to the side of the boat to block air leaks. We took a quick look at information regarding Clyde and other than a Church museum, there was not much to hold our interest. So, we untied and motored off to Lyons. Just before reaching our destination for the day, we heard a loud bang; made both of us jump – sounded like a cannon going off. We had no idea what it was. We arrived early afternoon and again, there were no other boats here. After tying off, Brian worked on getting hooked up to electric and was having a difficult time. He couldn’t get it to work and discovered that there was no power. He walked up to the Fire Station to ask if someone there knew why. The employee said he would check a circuit breaker. We waited and waited and waited. Finally, we decided to get Heidi fed and out for her business, then we took a walk about town. Lauren taped our boat card with a note regarding the power issue to the fire station’s front door; that was locked. There’s a buzzer, but no one answered it. About 6:00pm, Anne, a harbor welcoming host stopped by with information regarding the town. We told her about our power dilemma and she said that she knew where the breaker was. Brian took a short walk with her and turned on the breaker. We have power!! As of this writing, we are not sure if we will stay another day. We heard the loud bang two more times and still hadn’t figure out what it was.
August 16, 2026
Left Lyons a little after 8:30am. A bit disappointed in Lyons; lots of vacant store fronts and mostly fast-food restaurants. Along the way, we saw so many king fishers and herons and an occasional osprey and finally got to see several turtles. We traversed numerous locks and had each one to ourselves. In one of the locks, the lock master was having a difficult time closing valves, so the water was really rolly and Lauren was having a semi-difficult time controlling the boat. She eventually got it under control enough so that Brian could grab the lines. Several of the bridges we had to travel under were listed at a height of only 15 feet. Our air draft is 14.5 feet with everything down. Lauren would slow the boat almost to idle while going under. We actually had more room to spare than predicted most likely because the water levels are down. Nerve wracking anyways. We finally docked at 1:45pm on the south wall in Fairport. From a distance, it looked pretty full of boats both on the north and south walls. We found a space between two boats on the south wall and Lauren got the boat in and docked without any issues. After getting settled in, we talked to our eldest regarding a trip we will be taking with her and her boyfriend this winter to Costa Rica. They have been there a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed their stays. This will be a new adventure for us; we are looking forward to it. After taking care of Heidi’s dinner and outing, we showered and headed to town. Dinner was at an Irish Pub (Lauren’s favorites). We both liked our meals. Afterwards, we walked back to the boat on the north side of the channel and met Fran, who is one of the canal greeters and dock masters. There is a fee to stay on the wall; minimal. He was very pleasant and gave us all kinds of information regarding the town, where to get groceries, entertainment, etc. He even picked two jalapenos off of his one plant outside of the office and gave them to Lauren – yum! Fran said there was really no limit as to how long you can stay docked on the wall. We plan to be here for at least three nights. We have a duck family hunkered down by our boat; Heidi didn’t seem interested until they started moving. Later in the day, we watched as the hen (mother duck) jump into the canal and called to her ducklings. One jumped right in, but the others were a bit flustered and took them a few minutes to get the courage to jump in. It wasn’t a short jump and they all landed with loud plops like belly flops; didn’t seem to faze them and off they went with their momma.
August 18, 2026
Well, we decided to leave Fairport after two nights and mosey on. It was a very short ride (1 hour) to Bushnell’s Basin. There were two canal boats already docked and room for our boat. Brian was given a tour of one of the boats; he liked it. The canal boats are rented out for people to travel up and down the Erie Canal. Seems like an enjoyable way to take in the sights.
We were tied off right in front of a pump out, so why not use it? Well, it was operable, but their nozzle was too large for our discharge port. Both canal boats left shortly after we arrived. Another boat came in and our boat got rocked quite a bit. At first, we thought it was from the incoming boat, but watching it, he was going very slow and not putting up any wake. This boater stopped by to use the pump out also. We moved our boat up further on the dock so he could access the pump. Lauren told him of our dilemma with the hose and this gentleman had two adapters for us to try. Unfortunately, neither of them fit; we do have an older boat. A bit after he left, we got rocked hard again; there were no other boats traveling by on the canal. Brian thinks there may have been a discharge pipe under the dock. After walking around a bit and checking out information for the area, we decided to move on. So, back off the dock at about 11:40am and arrived in Pittsford and tied off by 12:05pm. Along the way, we noticed that the bike trail gets a lot of use; cyclists, walkers and joggers. There are several boats on both sides of the canal. After getting settled and Heidi out for a walk, we took a walk across the bridge and found a place to have lunch. It’s a busy area with numerous eateries, some shops and other businesses. Brian spied a wood shop and stopped in inquiring if they stocked teak; they did. He wants to replace the windlass platform. After getting back to the boat, he took measurements of the area and walked back to the shop to discuss further details; they will be gluing several pieces of the Sapale together. It will be ready for pick up by tomorrow. Brian will have to take the windlass off the foredeck, dismantle the platform and use it as a pattern to shape the new board and for the location of the screw holes. This can all be done within two or three days. It also has to be painted. Since we will be in Troy, NY by mid-September for about 10 days, he thinks he will wait to tackle the project then. This evening, across the canal are a couple of restaurants that look busy; outside tables full, a young man singing and playing guitar for folks passing by or just sitting out enjoying the pleasant evening, lots of people strolling around, walking dogs, eating ice cream and checking out the docked boats.
August 19, 2026
Just before breakfast, Lauren met two older women walking by checking out the boats. She said “hello” and started chatting with them; Cindy and Marcy (twins). They were very pleasant and spent some time talking with us. After breakfast, we took a walk round town on the south side of the canal. Pittsford is a historic, picturesque village. We stopped at a bakery and split a muffin; popular place. Brian received a call from Kim, at the wood shop letting him know she made a mistake on our order and was redoing it; it will be ready tomorrow instead of today. We were planning on staying another day or two anyways. Late afternoon, we decided neither one of us wanted dinner, but we were in the mood for an ice cream. On the way to the Pittsford Bakery & Cafe, Lauren recognized a woman (Diana) walking towards us; she was on one of the canal boats behind our boat. We stopped to say hello and got talking; she liked the look of our boat. Brian asked if she and her husband wanted to get together on our boat after we returned. Diana was thrilled by the invite. We continued on to the Village Bakery & Cafe. They sell a variety of milk products and baked goods. Lauren opted for a chocolate vanilla custard twist and Brian chose for a black raspberry shake. Both were very good. We do try to limit our sweets to only one a day, but today …. Later in the evening, Diana and her husband, Peter came by our boat for a visit; we had a wonderful chat with them. They are renting one of the canal boats, but Peter was finding it difficult to stand for hours using the tiller to maneuver the boat (he’s in his mid-80’s), so they opted to cut their Erie journey short and turn back around tomorrow morning.
August 20, 2026
We woke to a cool morning; high 50’s – guess summer is winding down. This morning after Brian’s run, Cindy and Marcy stopped by again on their walk; they walk every day. We enjoy talking with them. Yesterday they had offered to take us to Wegman’s for groceries, but we declined because we thought we would be heading off today. We were shown pictures of their dogs and they thought Heidi was a cutey. After breakfast, we walked across the bridge to the wood shop to pick up our wood pieces. Brian chose Sapele instead of teak. It was much less expensive. Sapele is a durable, reddish-brown African hardwood. After returning to the boat, Brian pulled apart the hoses on the washer/dryer unit; no water blockage. Tried both a wash and a dry cycle – still getting error messages. Lauren called the support line and was put on hold for 15 minutes. A rep came on line and asked what department we needed and Lauren told her (she had already selected the appropriate number – 2x) and was put on hold again for another 15 minutes plus. The same person came back on line and asked the same question. Lauren told her she had already been holding for quite a while and was given a couple of excuses; was told to call back again – no thanks. Between us both, we started looking for other appliance repair companies; no luck. Either the companies wouldn’t work on the brand we have or if they were to take a look at it, it wouldn’t be for weeks, etc. Brian found a local appliance company that would be able to get us a new unit, deliver to the boat and take the current one away. Brian discussed delivery date options with Anthony (our contact) since we wouldn’t be able to get it for several days. We opted to stay here for two more days; one because we were told there would be a concert on our side of the canal near our boat on Friday evening and two, we are almost at the end of our Erie journey heading west. Since it will only take a couple of days to reach the end, we will head back out on Saturday morning, check out a couple of more towns, turn around and stop back in Pittsford to accept our new washer/dryer unit. If need be, Lauren, can wash a few items of clothing by hand and hang them in the aft deck, unless there happens to be a laundromat within steps of our next two stops. Brian had previously installed two clothes lines. The only thing they’ve been used for so far is airing out his running clothes.
This afternoon, Lauren prepped a meatloaf dinner along with mashed potatoes and carrots.
Brian reading: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Lauren: Afraid by Lisa Jackson
August 20, 2026
This morning, even though the temps were down, the humidity was on the rise; Lauren could already feel it in her head – didn’t put her in a good mood. After breakfast, we called an Uber and took a ride to Wegman’s for fresh produce. The store was about 2.5 miles from us; doable to walk to, but not back lugging groceries. While Lauren took care of the groceries, Brian put a coat of varnish on the Sapele wood; it looks great, but research shows that over time, the varnish on this wood will darken. We can always sand it down and paint it later if we don’t care for the look later on. Because Lauren wasn’t feeling great, it was a low-key day. We did take a walk to the Village Baker & Café, though for Lauren’s custard and this time Brian tried a cherry ice cream that was delicious!
A power boat is docked behind us this evening; they are here to listen to the entertainment. We thought a lot more boats would be tying off to the wall because of the concert. The canal has about 50 Canada geese and several ducks floating around. They are used to people feeding them. When they see someone start to throw food to them, they get rather raucous with their honking.
Two canal boats ended tying up before the scheduled concert. Tonight we listened to the Firemen’s Auxilary Band; they played a variety of genres; we thoroughly enjoyed the concert. We were tied off at the wall only about two boats from the pavilion where they performed. It was an enjoyable evening listening to the variety of music they performed. Lauren said it brought back memories from when she was in band in high school.
There were people on a few kayaks and on a pontoon boat hovering nearby listening to the music. It was definitely a homemade boat.
We noticed that this is definitely a dog-friendly town; so many breeds of dogs. We were surprised that Heidi was so subdued throughout the concert; he sat on Lauren’s lap and just settled in, even though she could see what was going on around us. Tomorrow, we move on up the Erie Canal.
August 23, 2026
Just before leaving Pittsford, we had a chance to say good-bye to Marcy and Cindy. We had two locks to get through and so many bridges that we lost count on our way to Spencerport. We tied off on the north wall as the literature informed us the south wall would be too shallow for our boat. A few of the Erie canal boats came in and tied off along with a boat that was tied off behind us at Pittsford. A couple (Danielle and Rich) on a Ranger Tug named Scheduled Spontaneity that was already docked stopped by to say hello. We invited them back to our boat early evening to have a proper sit down. We took a walk across bridge to the restaurant right across from us on the canal. After that, we walked around town for a bit and perused the canal museum. Brian was pleased to discover that the museum kept their restrooms open for the public fairly early in the morning to early evening. We haven’t had much luck with the pump out stops lately. Early evening, Rich and Danielle stopped by for a visit and a tour of the boat. We enjoyed our time together.
This morning we were invited onto their boat. It certainly is snug; Lauren would have a difficult time living on it because she’s a bit claustrophobic. They recently bought the boat and giving some serous though about navigating the Great Loop. They know quite a bit about this area and we talked about the towns along the Erie. It was an enjoyable time spent with them. This afternoon brought intermittent squalls and downpours with breaks of sunshine. The weather is a bit chilly today.
Brian reading: Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci
Lauren: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
August 24, 2026
At about 8:15am, Brian called the Spencerport Bridge tender to inform him that we were casting off our lines at the wall and wanted permission to pass through. We were only about 150 feet from the bridge and Lauren didn’t want to be hovering too long. In total we had three lift bridges to request openings for. It was an idyllic ride, though we noticed the winds were significantly picking up. We arrived in Brockport about 9:30ish. The lock tender thought we had a great looking boat; Brian invited him to stop by after work and he said he would. Since this will be the furthest west we will travel on the Erie, we decided to do a u-turn and dock with a starboard tie off. When we eventually leave Brockport, the boat will be pointing east; easy departure. Lauren did a back and fill with the engine to get us turned around and didn’t use the thrusters until she was at the wall because of the winds. Another boater (Vern) stopped by and grabbed a line for us. It all went smoothly. We chatted with Lisa and Vern for a bit. They did the Loop a couple of years ago and now have a smaller, faster boat and are enjoying the Erie and some of the Great Lakes. Lauren was told there was laundry just steps away from or boat; guess what she’ll be doing while here? Brian took Heidi out for a stroll and then we walked around town. Most businesses were closed on Monday, but it looks like one of the more prosperous towns that we’ve visited along the way. Lauren spied a hairdresser shop and walked in; was sat down right away and had about two inches taken off. Lauren thought her hair was looking a big shaggy, so…
August 25, 2026
This morning, we took a walk to the Brockport Diner for breakfast which was very good, then back to the boat to get Heidi out for a brief walk. After dropping her off, we walked just under mile and a half to find foam paint brushes. Along the way, we checked out architecture and yards. First store we looked for the brushes was a Dollar Store, then onto Harbour Freight, then finally bought them at a store called Ollies. On the way back to the boat, we stopped at the Java Junction; we were both disappointed in our choices. The scone was very dry and had an overly sweet topping and Lauren’s cappuccino was very bitter. Along the south canal wall where we are tied off, there are 28 placards displaying pictures and information about our American Flag starting with the Grand Union Flag and ending with the American Flag of today. It is a bit of interesting trivia.
Mid-afternoon, the sun finally peaked through. We walked about the downtown checking out a few stores that were open and found a large book store. The basement had a very large selection of gently used books and, of course, we found a few to add to our collection. Since we skipped lunch, we stopped for a late lunch at The Custom House; we both enjoyed our choices.
Tomorrow morning after another breakfast out (two days in a row – unusual for us) at Coleen’s (spelled correctly and highly recommended), we will start heading back East on the Erie Canal.
August 26, 2026
Early evening, while out with Heidi, Lauren talked to an older couple from the area. She mentioned we might go to Coleen’s for breakfast. This couple said you should call to make a reservation and that Coleen’s was an older woman who was rather persnickety. We had seen a sign on her store front stating reservations were highly recommended on Saturdays. So, this morning after Brian’s three-mile run, took a 5-minute walk to Coleen’s for breakfast without calling for a reservation; it’s the middle of the week. We arrived about 7:15am and were her first customers. She was much younger than us and couldn’t have been any nicer. We had a lovely chat with her before ordering our meals. It’s a fairly small old diner; very clean. She had signs up in each booth on the counter stating rules.
We thought they were great rules and we discussed them with her. Lauren purchased a T-shirt from Coleen with the same rules stamped on the shirt. The food was excellent; all breads listed – toast, English muffins and bagels are made by her. If we are ever in the area again, we would definitely stop in.
We pulled off the wall a few minutes after 8:00 am after requesting an opening of the bridge. The bridge master acknowledged our request, but once we were out in the middle of the canal, he said it would be a while as a basin had to be emptied before he could operate the lift bridge; wish he had let us know before untying. So, we hovered for a half hour. This morning we traveled 22 miles and it took 5 hours to reach Pittsford. The depth at the Genessee River Crossing was silty and shallow – we saw 6.8 feet on our depth finder. On our route today were 3 lift bridges, 45 fixed bridges, 3 gates (they block the water, so the canal can be drained – look like guillotines) and 2 locks. We were joined by two rental canal boats in the first lock and again in the second lock along with a canal tour boat.
After arriving in Pittsford and tying off to the wall, we met Martina and Martin, a couple renting one of the smaller canal boats. About an hour later, Lauren spied Rich and Danielle on Scheduled Spontaneity going by. Lauren wanted to hail them, but couldn’t remember the name of their boat; the name is partially hidden. She did reach out to them via texting.
The appliance center has already contacted Brian regarding our washer/dryer delivery for tomorrow; a day or two earlier than planned.
August 28, 2026
Yesterday morning after breakfast, we moved aft deck furniture, the cabinet surround on the old washer/dryer and the two recliners in the salon out of the way for our new LG washer/dryer that was being delivered that morning. Kevin arrived first and brought moving blankets to protect our teak railing from getting scratched. Two movers arrived dollying the box down to our boat. There is a big parking lot steps away making it convenient for the delivery. After the movers removed our old unit and left, Kevin stayed and helped Brian hook up the new unit. Everyone was pleasant to talk with. As soon as Kevin left, Lauren, of course, had to try it out. She found the dryer options tricky to figure out. Because this is a ventless unit, it will take much longer for the articles of clothing to dry. All went well, though Lauren was a bit freaked out at how hot the unit got; this is normal for a ventless unit. Apparently, she wasn’t overly concerned, because she did a second load. At one point during the morning, Lauren noticed that the canal boat that Martin and Martina were on was not tied off on one end and the back end was sticking out into the canal. Brian knocked on the boat; no one answered, but he was able to get a hold of the boat and pull it in and tie it off for them. A few minutes later, Martina stopped by. She had been out for a walk and when she was across the canal looking back at their boat, she noticed Brian at the boat. Brian explained about their boat coming untied. Apparently, Martin was on board, but was napping; he never heard Brian knocking. They both were very appreciative of Brian’s help.
For lunch, we went to the Village Bakery and Café for an ice cream lunch. Lauren went with her usual of a small vanilla and chocolate custard twist and Brian decided on a cherry sundae. The cherries were cut in half and very large. There were so many and the sundae so filling, that Brian couldn’t finish it and that would be a first. Returning to the boat Lauren took Heidi out for a walk while Brian talked to Martin and Martina about joining us for dinner out; they happily agreed.
We had dinner at the Alladin’s across the canal from our boats. All of the food was delicious! We were having such a wonderful time, that we didn’t really want to move on. There was music playing nearby that was enjoyable. We invited Martin and Martina back to our boat. Martina and Lauren walked around a bit with Heidi before getting back on the boat. They enjoyed their tour of our boat and stayed and visited for a while longer. We gave them a boat card and hope to keep in touch.
This morning about 6:30am, Martin and Martina left heading east to return the canal boat; onto another adventure. Brian went for a run, while Lauren took care of Heidi and prepped blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Lauren spied Cindy and Marcy walking by and poked her head out to say “hello”. We saw them yesterday, but with the delivery of the washer unit, we were unable to talk to them. It is always a pleasure chatting with the sisters and they seem to also enjoy their visit. Lauren wants to get a picture of them before we leave Pittsford; maybe tomorrow if she thinks of it. Today is a bit cooler than yesterday; warm in the sun but rather chilly in the shade especially since there is a steady breeze. We took a long walk around the neighborhoods checking out houses and yards. All of the streets were tree-lined and sidewalks on both sides of all of the streets. It was a pleasant walk. Back to the boat, Brian worked on entering expenses on the computer and ordering covers for our salon cushions; getting tired of looking at towels for covers. Lauren went through cabinets and cupboards deciding what could be taken off the boat for good on our next visit home. Then she cleaned out her spice and herb cabinets and starting a grocery list.
August 29, 2026
Well, we decided last night to leave Pittsford in the morning. Fairport is having a two-day music fest and we wanted to get through the many boats that predicted to be there, before there is a log jam. So, lines were cast off just before 7:00am. Lauren is going to miss seeing Marcy and Cindy walk by every morning and stopping to chat. There was a mist low on the water; Brian took a picture, but the picture didn’t do the beautiful scenery justice. Because it was the weekend, there were a few boats on the canal fishing. Today, we encountered five locks. At one lock, there were four couples watching and filming us come into the lock and tie off. They started chatting with us, but we couldn’t talk for long as the water level was rapidly dropping. They all liked the look of Heidi-Ho. As we were exiting the lock, they were all standing on the bridge over the canal and waving; we waved and beeped the horn – lots of smiles. It was a good day to be traveling the Erie Canal; hardly any boat traffic and lots of herons, bitterns and scads of turtles sunning themselves. It took us six hours to get to Clyde. On our eastbound travel on the Erie, we had stopped at Clyde, but didn’t stay. The pump out didn’t work and there weren’t any businesses in the immediate area. Today we stopped because it was as far as we wanted to travel for the day. There was one boat on the free wall and Lauren docked in front of it. The depths were good until we got right up to the wall; the depth sounder was reading 4 feet – YIKES! It is all silty and the boat is floating, so good news. Leaving tomorrow morning should not be a problem (fingers crossed).
During the day, Lauren touched base with Rae on Barefoot Shoes. She and Steve are still at Ess-Kay Marina in Brewerton, where we will be on Monday. We made reservations for two nights there. Rae and Steve have been doing quite a bit of work on the boat and readying it for winter storage at Ess-Kay. Lauren also contacted Grace on Saving Grace. They are working their way up the Erie and will also be at Ess-Kay early Tuesday. It will be a great little reunion. Bob and Grace are planning on wintering their boat, State of Grace in indoor storage in the Thousand Islands and renting an apartment in New York not far from their old house. They will be near family and friends for the winter.
Lauren took Heidi out for an evening stroll and was pleased to discover that we are actually docked at Lauraville Landing. It’s a nice little park with a pavilion, picnic tables, trash bins, grills and a good-sized playground for youngsters. There is also a building with restrooms on the property. The area is pretty well maintained; no littering, grass cut, etc. When we arrived, there were a couple of families having a cookout and having a pleasant day; it’s always enjoyable to listen to the little kids laughing and having a great time. We can’t see the train tracks across the canal, but you can certainly hear the trains running and they seem to be a well-used track; they trains have been constant since we’ve been here.
Early evening Lauren noticed a teenaged Amish girl walking by the boat with two youngsters. Heidi went nuts barking and wouldn’t stop. Lauren picked up Heidi and went and said “hello” to them. Heidi calmed right down while Lauren chatted with the young woman. Then the parents and with a few more young ones stopped by. The father had all kinds of questions regarding the boat and our journeys; he seemed to find it all fascinating. We had a wonderful visit with them. Their visit was cut a bit short as they needed to start back home before it got too dark; they were traveling in a horse and buggy. Wish we could have gotten a picture of them, but know that they prefer not to have their pictures taken.
August 30, 2026
We left Clyde about 7:15 am with no issues. The depth gauge stated we were sitting in just over 6 feet of water. What we failed to pay attention to was the chart; the first lock wasn’t too far up ahead – we should have been aware of this. The locks first openings start at 8:00 am. We had arrived about 7:35am. Lauren could have hovered, but we decided to tie off to the wall just before the lock. A minute or two after 8:00am, Brian called the lock master requesting permission for passage. Brian called several times with no response. About 10 minutes later, we see the attendant driving to the control room for the lock. Brian contacted him again and got a response; about 4 minutes until we could enter the lock. All went smoothly. It was an overcast day, but pleasant day on the water.
The most wildlife we saw were seagulls; lots of them. There were a few fishermen out, but again, no other boat traffic on the water. Along the way, you could see a scattering of farms.
It started raining about 12:30 pm and continued until we tied off in Baldwinsville at 1:30 pm. Pleasantly surprised to see a few boats on the wall including a Looper Boat. Spent the afternoon reading. For dinner, we walked to Sammy Malone’s. Brian enjoyed a Rueben sandwich and Lauren had fish tacos which were full of fish and delicious! On the walk back to the boat, Brian suggested topping off our dinner with an ice cream from Lock 24 Ice Cream. On our way west on the Erie Canal, we had stopped here in Baldwinsville and enjoyed their ice cream. Again, the ice cream was as scrumptious as we remembered.
Lauren spotted a free library stand and checked it out. She dropped off books we had both read and picked up a book by Joseph Wambaugh and another by Maeve Binchy.
Brian reading: The Mill On The Floss by George Eliot
Lauren: Simple Genius by David Baldacci (#3 of King & Maxwell series)
August 31, 2026
Left Baldwinsville about 8:15am floating around for about 15 minutes waiting for the lock to open. An overcast day. A few fishermen out. Saw flocks of cormorants in trees.
Started sprinkling late morning and lasted until we docked at Ess-Kay Marina at 12:10 pm. Basically, an uneventful day on the canal. Saw Steve on Barefoot Shoes just before docking. Rae invited us to their boat late afternoon for a visit. Lake Effect is still here; contacted Sue to let her know we had arrived. Hopefully, we will be able to visit with them. Tomorrow, Grace and Bob on Amazing Grace will dock at Ess-Kay. It will be great to see them again.
September 1, 2026
After a hearty breakfast, we were able to use the curtesy car and go grocery shopping. While Lauren put everything away, Brian worked in the engine room; checking out and transferring fuel. Then he sanded and put another coat of poly on his Sapele wood; the sides and one flat surface have 5 coats of varnish. This second side has the first two coats.
This afternoon, Amazing Grace arrived and are docked three slips away from our boat. We had a chance to meet and greet. Steve and Rae on Barefoot shoes stopped by to say hello also. Amazing Grace and Barefoot shoes met exactly two years ago to the day. Peter on Lake Effect had stopped by to work on his boat and came over and said hello. The plan for dinner is to get together with Amazing Grace, Barefoot Shoes and another British couple who came in the same time as Amazing Grace. We always enjoying getting together with people we’ve traveled with and meeting new travelers.
September 2, 2026
Last night we took a ride across the canal to a restaurant that served pub fare. Lucy and Tim, the British couple, were unable to join us. We sat outside and enjoyed our meals. Upon returning to the marina, Brian invited everyone back to our boat. Barefoot Shoes opted out, but Tim and Lucy along with Bob and Grace came over. We had an enjoyable evening chatting.
We were scheduled to leave Ess-Kay Marina this morning, but the winds were whipping out of the east and we were told you do not want to cross Oneida Lake heading into east winds which is the way we are going to be traveling. We stayed put and for most of the morning, we had torrential downpours along with thunder and lightning. Glad we stayed put. We could not get Heidi to calm down; she was panting and shaking and wouldn’t settle down. Lauren finally gave her a half dose of Trazadone. It took a while to take hold, but she finally calmed down. Late morning, the clouds disappeared and the sun beat down; it was like someone flipped a switch – such a sudden change. Brian replaced the fender holders with more substantial ones. Lauren wiped down the boat, cleaned the windows and screens. Yesterday, Rae from Barefoot Shoes gave us a bin of canned goods because their boat is being hauled in a few days for winter storage. Lauren made pineapple upside down cake with the pineapple rings; Brian said the cake was delicious, but he missed the maraschino cherries; didn’t have any on board; Lauren used walnut pieces in their place. She also made a batch of marina sauce. It is now mid-afternoon and the skies are getting overcast. More rain is forecasted for this evening and ending early morning. The winds are forecasted to be out of the west/southwest tomorrow, hopefully making our crossing fairly smooth. Oneida Lake is very shallow, so any significant winds will whip up the water and depending on which direction one is heading, can make it an uncomfortable crossing.
September 3, 2026
Last night after dinner, Grace invited us over for a game of Five Crowns; it’s a short game. We along with a few other boats were leaving by 8:00am at the latest the next morning, so we didn’t want a late night. While playing the game, the heavens opened up along with thunder and lightning. Heidi was left behind on our boat and we were hoping she wasn’t freaking out about the storm. The National Weather Service announced tornado warnings for our area. Thankfully, the storm didn’t last long. We enjoyed our evening with Grace and Bob; Lauren won the game. Grace and Bob will be traveling with Lucy and Tim heading west on the Erie Canal for a bit.
We untied and left the slip at Ess-Kay at 7:10 am and headed across Oneida Lake. The waters were flat and nary a ripple for the first hour. The skies were overcast all day and it was humid. An odd-looking rig passed us; had to look up what it was. It was a bridge inspection bucket boat. They are used to properly evaluate bridge structure and ensure public safety.
Two hours later arriving at the free wall at Sylvan Beach, the lake was still pretty flat. Both times crossing Lake Oneida have been pleasant. There was only one other boat on the wall; Andiamo. Grace had mentioned that they were here and she had met them. There is no electric or water hookup at the wall. We are okay with that especially if it’s only for one overnight. After getting situated and getting Heidi out for a bit, we decided to stretch our legs and take a walk about. We passed a couple heading in the opposite direction. Lauren asked them if they were on Andiamo and they were; Susan and Paul. We chatted for a bit and continued on our way. Quite a few of the businesses were closed or already shut down for the season. We bought a few odds and ends at the local Dollar General and on the way back to the boat stopped at the Pancake House for lunch; breakfast for lunch. Brian was served the biggest bowl of oatmeal that was loaded with fruit and nuts. Late afternoon, Susan and Paul invited us to join them for dinner at The Crazy Clam that was about 50 steps from the boats. Two meals out in one day is a bit unusual for us, but what the hey! Susan and Paul have just started their Loop journey this past August. They will winter their boat in Brewerton and pick up the journey in the Spring. We enjoyed their company and food. Tomorrow we will leave by 7:30 am at the latest and head to Illion; a 7-hour trip with a few locks to go through. We thought we’d stop in Rome, but the reviews state that there are quite a few homeless individuals that camp close to the boats that are docked and a few boats have been boarded during the night. So, rather than worry about not getting a good night’s sleep because of potential trespassers, we decided to pass on by.
September 4, 2026
Lines off from Sylvan Beach at 7:13 am. Brian has been keeping track of how many trips (actual travel days) we’ve made since we started the Loop journey; today was number 175. Granted some of these trips are very short. Today, our plan was to head to Illion. We traversed numerous fixed bridges and five locks. The second and third lock were drop downs. Lauren had a difficult time holding the aft line as the water was emptied too fast and made the back of the boat swing out. You can’t tie off the line as it would rip out the cleat. She eventually got it under control and was thankful there were no other boats in the locks with us. We were the only boat in all of the locks that we went through. The lock tenders all thought Heidi-Ho was a good-looking boat. As we got close to Illion, we noticed there was not much room to tie off to, so we continued on. The second to last lock before arriving at Little Falls had a door malfunction when it was time to exit. The lock tender asked if we thought we could fit through the opening; Lauren responded with “I hope so.” She crawled through the exit with two feet of clearance on each side of the boat. Of course, on approach to the opening it looked much narrower. We arrived at Little Falls after 8 hours and 15 minutes of travel tying off at 3:30pm. We saw several herons, numerous cormorants, a few kingfishers, turtles and one bald eagle. There was a cormorant hanging on the side of a green buoy; from a distance it looked like the buoy had wings. We both tried to get a decent picture of it.
It was a great day to travel east on the Erie except for one long stretch of shallow water. The scenery reminded us of the Hudson River. Along the way, we came upon a sailboat that had gone aground. They draft seven feet; yikes! Whatever possessed them to travel the Erie with such a deep draft? When we got to the next lock, Lauren notified the lock tender. The lock tender said hopefully the sailboat owner called Tow Boat to help them out. On one of the longest stretches of shallow water, we navigated an area named Spillway and Taintor Gate. When we heading west, this area was reading depths of just over 4 feet; we draft 4.8 feet. Thankfully it was silty and we got right through, but what a panic. This time, we saw a reading of 6.4 feet; so still low, but better than the last time. There was a dredger sitting nearby. Apparently they’ve been working on that area.
We will stay here at Little Falls for a day or two. Waterford is hosting a Tug Boat festival the weekend of the 11-13th. Brian would like to be able to park our boat on the wall with the tugs; waiting to hear back from the Town of Waterford hopefully giving us permission to do so.
September 5, 2026
We were told that during the tug festival, Waterford does not allow any other boats on the same wall. We will look to see if there are any walls between locks to tie off to and then we could walk or uber to the tug festival or have Lauren’s sister pick us up (if she’s available) since she lives in the area. Today, Lauren changed out the bedding, did a load of laundry, cleaned the floor and the teak slats on the doors in the guestroom/garage, scrubbed the shower stall along with the teak grate and basin. Early afternoon we took a walk into town and walked through an antique store. The second antique store that is several stories was closed. Because of the holiday weekend, most stores and business were closed. We walked a few of the side streets; there were several houses that were empty. Most of the houses were huge and interesting ton look at.
We have reservations at Trattoria Georgio’s for dinner; it was highly recommended. This afternoon, a golden looper blew by the marina wall way too fast rocking those of us on the wall. Unfortunately, we could not get the name of the boat, but Brian reached out with the VHF to basically scold him. The next lock east bound opens only every two hours. After looking at the clock to see what time it was, this boater had more than enough time to reach the lock without wreaking havoc on boaters tied up to a wall; he sent us all rockin’ and rollin’. Of course, he never responded.
Okay, so we actually had a light lunch (appetizers) at Trattoria Georgio’s because the thinking was if we had a late lunch early dinner, Lauren wouldn’t have to cook dinner; always a plus. Because the biggest antique building was closed and all other businesses were also closed, we had an early lunch. Anyway, while at Georgio’s for lunch, we made a dinner reservation for tonight as they would be closed the next two days. Back on board, Brian spotted a young deer across the canal at the waters’ edge.
September 6, 2026
So, last nights’ dinner started out with a misstep or two. When we arrived, the restaurant was almost to capacity; glad we made reservations. Two employees passed right by without acknowledging us. So, we stood there waiting to be seated for a couple of minutes before someone showed up. The first table we were shown to was not what was requested. We did not want to sit under the coat rack and where the strollers were stored. We had requested one of tables by the window; we were seated at the requested table. Once seated, a waitress came by and filled our water glasses; she didn’t look at us or talk to us even though we acknowledged her – a bit unnerving. Then it almost got to a point while waiting for someone to come by with menus, that we thought maybe we should just leave. Finally, the waitress assigned to our table came by with menus apologizing because she hadn’t been told we had been seated. She was very pleasant. The appetizer was ho hum. Brian’s meal was rather disappointing, though Lauren’s was delicious and perfectly cooked. Our appetizers at lunchtime had been very good, hence the dinner reservation. The waitstaff definitely needs to be trained better; it’s almost as if most of them were new on the job.
While Brian was out for his early morning run, Lauren got Heidi fed and out for a walk. On his run, he stopped to take a picture of the blooming mock bamboo; lovely sight.
On the way back to the boat, she met two couples on two different boats. One couple was getting ready to move on. Since it was a cooler morning, Lauren prepped oatmeal with fresh fruit and nuts for breakfast. After breakfast, Brian checked the oil and made sure we had plenty of fuel. When we get to Troy, we will most likely fill the tanks there. We are aware that the diesel prices are escalating. After breakfast, Lauren defrosted the refrigerators while Brian got a ride from the harbor master to the local hardware store to pick up gasket for around the doors on the refrigerators. Defrosting the units is a time-consuming job, though it’s a great way to do inventory. We are hoping the new gaskets will cut down or even eliminate the buildup of ice in the refrigerators. Then it was onto cleaning some of the slats on a few of the teak doors – now that’s a tedious job. After that, Lauren went on spider patrol, then gave the boat a thorough vacuuming. Before you know it, it was lunch time. Lauren noticed the two tugs that were tied off to the wall leaving and tried to get a decent picture of both.
September 7, 2026
Yesterday, early evening while out walking Heidi, Lauren picked a handful of wildflowers.
This morning we were off the wall at Little Falls at 7:40 am. The lock was about a mile off, so we timed our speed to arrive at its first opening at 8:00 am. Brian called the lock master as we got near; the lock would not be ready for a bit, so we tied off to the canal wall instead of hovering. Once in and ready to go, it was a 40.5-foot drop and went smoothly. Lauren got a picture of the doors behind the boat after the waters had dropped and a picture of the gate in front of us. The Erie Canal Lock E17 is the only lock that we have encountered in the last year and a half that has a lift gate instead of doors. It is also the highest lock in the New York State Canal System and holds roughly 6 million gallons when full.
*****pic of lift gate
Between Lock E17 and E16, there is a temporary restriction of enforcing a maximum speed of 5 MPH. The New York State Canal Corporation implemented this emergency restriction to monitor the structural integrity of an earthen embankment of Lock E16. If a boater is caught speeding in this zone, a two-hour delay is enforced before you are permitted to enter the lock.
The next lock was a 20-foot drop and the two locks after that were under 10 feet. We decided to pass by Ft. Plain as we had stopped there on the way west. We ended our travel at the now-defunct free wall in Canajoharie. The lock master told us that we could still tie off and walk a short distance into town. This is the site of the former floating docks at Canajoharie Riverfront Park. The floating docks are long gone, but boaters can still tie up for free along the remaining concrete terminal wall. We decided, to check it out. Lauren approached the wall at a crawl because we weren’t sure of the depths. The lowest she saw was about 7.5 feet right at the wall. Once Lauren had the boat was close enough to the wall, from the back of the boat, Brian was able to reach the ring embedded in the concrete wall (without getting off the boat) and run a line through the ring back to the boat and tie it off. Then he went to the bow of the boat and threw the bow line onto the wall, while Lauren held the bow in place by using the bow thruster; the wind kept pushing the bow out. Brian then jumped off the boat onto the wall, put the line through another ring and then threw the line back to Lauren who tied it off. Once secured, the boat was shut down at 12:10pm. Brian took Heidi out for a walk. About an hour later, we decided on the recommendation of the last lock master to try the local Irish Pub. On the way, Brian took a picture of what is known at the “dummy light”. It is a rare pedestal-mounted traffic signal located in the middle of Wagner Square. The “dummy” name is a term that comes from an era when inanimate mechanical pedestals replaced human traffic police officers standing in the middle of intersections. In 2021, the historic structure was knocked down and severely damaged by tractor-trailer collisions. In 2025, after being stored away while village debated safety, liability and traffic circles, the restored light was reinforced and reinstalled on a higher, sturdier concrete base. This light is one of only three historic 1925-era dummy lights remaining in New York State.
Brian took a picture the town hall and church.
Well, the Irish Pub didn’t disappoint, except Lauren couldn’t get her Irish Coffee. Being a Holiday, there was only one person working; an older woman who was doing it all – the cooking, the waiting on tables, bartending, etc. Thankfully, it wasn’t too busy. She said she just didn’t make any coffee and she limited the choices for meals as she was a one-woman-show. No worries; our lunches were filling and tasty; we had a nice chat with her – forgot to ask her name. Because this is a new stop for us, we are thinking about spending another day here. Tomorrow the businesses will be back open.
September 8, 2026
Last night was the first time in a long time that we saw a nice sunset.
We were off the wall in Canajoharie at 6:50am. We traveled 40.9 miles in about 7.5 hours; going through six locks. At three of the locks, the lock tenders were not very sociable. The young man at lock 12 never took his eyes off of his phone; literally. We were watching him as Lauren was bringing the boat into the lock. He did his whole job with his eyes on his phone. When we were exiting the lock, Brian thanked him for opening the lock for us and to have a nice day. The guy never even looked up; he just gave us a flick of his wrist; good grief! The next 2 locks had older lock tenders and both men of very few words; only wanted our registration number and length of boat. Even after saying “hello”, they just walked on by without looking at us. You would think they would want to chat for a minute or two to break up the day; it’s a lonely job.
There was a low mist on the water when we departed Canajoharie. Brian got a few great pictures.
It was an unremarkable day on the water. Some areas of the canal had huge trees; thankfully, they were outside the channel.
We decided to skip the Scotia stop. Going west, we had stopped there and watched water skiers practicing. Instead, we ended our day about 2:30pm at the Lock 7 wall in Niskayuna just before the lock. Tomorrow should be a fairly short day; about 14 miles, but we have at least 6 locks to get through to Waterford. We will spend only one night there and then head to Troy. Waterford is having a Tug Boat Fest this coming weekend and no other boats will be allowed on the wall with them.
Lauren reading: Gathering Prey by John Sandford
September 9, 2026
Brian went out for his morning run and saw the lock tender about 7:00 am. There was a beaver swimming just outside the lock chamber. The lock tender said he would have the Lock 7 gate open for us at 8:00 am and he did. We were the only ones tied off to the wall last night.
Early evening we watched a skiff with three people aboard slowly poking around in the water fairly close to us. They were electrofishing. This a highly regulated method used to temporarily immobilize fish. This method allows researchers to safely capture, study and release the fish. We weren’t able to talk to them, but assumed that this is what they were doing. Before we untied from the wall this morning, the same group of people were back trolling the waters.
When Brian got up to go for his run, he discovered the waters had dropped quite a bit making the aft line so taut that he had a difficult time getting it untied. The New York Power Authority, working with a Marine Group closed the adult fish passage and opened the juvenile fish passage. This causes fluctuations in water levels. Fish passages and dam removals on the Hudson River and its tributaries restore migratory routes for signature species like American eel, river herring and American shad. Organizations like the Hudson Valley Stream Conservancy work to remove obsolete dams and install specialized fish ladders (such as Alaskan steep-pass ladders for eels and alewives) on smaller tributaries.
It was an overcast day on the water. Saw one eagle, one heron and one egret.
Lauren took a picture of the Northway highway.
Today we went through 7 locks. Because 5 of them are fairly close together, they are called the Flight of Five. It took about 15 minutes for each lock, that included tying off, waiting for the water to empty and then releasing the line. So, the morning flew by. Lauren took a picture of the information board at our last lock of the day – Lock 2.
**** pic of Lock 2 info board
We were able to tie up at the Waterford Harbor Visitor Center at 11:00am; a three-hour day. There are signs along the dock system announcing the Tug Fest and that everyone now tied up must vacate early in the morning. We have reservations in Troy (only a few miles away) starting tomorrow morning. After checking in, we walked to Don & Paul’s Coffee Shop. It’s a diner that’s been around for quite some time. The food is good and the staff pleasant. Next, Brian walked across the bridge to buy fresh produce. Lauren worked on tidying the boat and started laundry. The skies are getting darker and the winds have picked up. Rain is forecasted for late afternoon and all through the night.
September 10, 2026
Well, we did get the rain; on and off all night. The Troy Federal Lock that we were going through today started openings at 7:00 am. Knowing the winds were supposed to significantly pick up, we decided to head out. Untied in Waterford at 7:20 am. The lock was a little over 2 miles away. When we got about a half mile away, Brian hailed the lock tender. We were told he had a boat in the chamber and once that boat was cleared and we saw the green light to go, we could proceed into the lock. Well, we hovered close to an hour waiting for the lock chamber to clear. In the meantime, a tug passed us and tied off perpendicular to the lock wall just in front of the lock gates. Even with the binoculars on the lock, it was difficult seeing what was going on. Eventually, we saw the top of a tug rising up in the lock. When the gates opened, the tug was pushing barge that took up almost the whole width of the lock. As the barge was slowly making its way out of the chamber, the tug that was tied off perpendicular to the lock wall, untied and backed off to the side. Once the tug and barge were through the gates, they unhooked and the waiting tug took the other tug’s place and connected up to the barge. It was fascinating to watch (through the binoculars). They made it look so easy and effortless. Once the new tug was tied off to the barge, they were able to proceed and get out of our way. We were contacted by that barge captain to pass on the ‘ones’; port-to-port or left side to left side. Brian acknowledged the instructions and we slowly made our way into the lock. Two other pleasure craft came in behind us. The lock tender was a chatty young fellow and very pleasant. He stated that he never seen an exchange of tugs with a barge and found it interesting to watch. The lock tender took his time chatting with all the boats and making sure we were all secured to the chamber wall. The drop was about 15 feet and was a smooth ride down. Once outside of the lock, Lauren made a bee-line to the Troy City Dock. We wanted to make sure we got on the dock to fuel up and pump the head out before anyone else. One of the boats kept going and the other went ahead and tied off further down the dock. Tom, the dock master, greeted us; we’re becoming friends (our 3rd time here). After pumping out and fueling up, Lauren took us off the dock, did a 180-degree turn into the channel passed under the bridge, then another 180-degree turn and came into the dock closer to the ramp near the dock master’s office. We were docked and tied off by 9:03 am. The dock master said for anyone leaving their boat for an extended stay, especially if they will be off their boat for a bit, he likes to have the boat closer to his office to better keep an eye on the it. We also thought that was a great idea. The boat will be here for about two weeks and we will be heading home for a few days within that time period.
After getting settled and a mid-morning breakfast, Brian took off all of the ties on the fly bridge that were holding everything that had been lowered in order for us to get under 15-foot bridges on the Erie. The canvas was taken off the fly bridge navigation center, folded up and set aside. Brian set up a block and tackle system from the pulpit to the forestay. Lauren pulled on that line from the bow while Brian lifted the mast off of the fly bridge. Once that was done, we worked together securing the forestay and the shrouds. The forestay goes to the front of the boat to hold up the mast and the shrouds hold it from going side to side. Then it was onto setting up the flopper stopper poles. Brian dropped the poles over the side, while Lauren stood below him on the side deck and secured the poles to the side of the boat with a pin that went through two fittings and also tied off two lines to cleats to hold the poles in place. Brian tied off a third line on the fly bridge. We also put the bimini back up and secured that. Brian re-attached the boom to the mast. Tomorrow, Brian will dismantle the homemade crutch that held the mast, wrap it and store it away. All that took us about two hours. By the time we were done, we were both drenched in sweat. Shower time! Next big job will be tomorrow after breakfast; Brian will scrub the boat from top to water line – it is filthy. Lauren took off the covers to the two largest fenders and will get them laundered at home.
*** dirty fender cover
While Brian scrubs down the boat, Lauren will tackle all of the fenders, giving them a thorough cleaning.
September 11, 2026
Today is a solemn day of mourning and remembrance. One should never forget the lives lost and the heroes that stepped forward.
After a hearty breakfast, Brian wasted no time and prepping the boat for a thorough cleaning. Lauren took off the buoy lines and soaked them while she lay out the six fenders on an extra-large dog pee pad; one to keep them from skidding around and two, to catch any chemicals from the cleaning products. Once Lauren scrubbed them with Soft Scrub, rinsed, she wiped them dry and then coated them in brake cleaner for a final cleaning. After that job was done, she went behind Brian and wiped down the boat and washed the outside of all windows. We spent a few hours at these chores. While on the dock, she met Will from MV Thunderbolt and Marla from Stella Maris. Brian talked to Will at great length regarding his electric boat; interesting discussion.
Finishing the boat just about noon time, we were invited by Will and his wife, Tracy to lunch. Marla and her husband, Eric were also invited. We ate at Brown’s Brewing Company. Lauren was very disappointed in her Rueben sandwich. There was no Thousand Island dressing nor sauerkraut on it. She asked the waitress about it. “Sorry, we use red cabbage instead of sauerkraut.” It was a toasted sandwich of corned beef and cheese. We did have an enjoyable time chatting with everyone. Marla and Eric are just beginning their Loop, but are thinking about heading to the Bahamas and had many questions. We along with Will and Tracy have been to the Bahamas and told Marla and Eric of our experiences there.
Back on board, Lauren did a bit of reading. Brian started dismantling the windlass platform. While in the storage cabinet at the head of the bed, Brian discovered a leak. He was in there to loosen bolts. It was just a bit damp, but still…. It probably was from using the pressure hose while cleaning the boat. Tomorrow after the Troy Farmers Market, we will tackle getting more of the bolts off from the windlass platform. Lauren will have to be in the forward storage area, holding nuts while Brian will be on deck loosening the bolts; fun.
About 4:00 pm, a line of mostly large tug boats paraded by on their way to Waterford for the Tug Fest starting tomorrow. There was one tiny tug in the parade. One tug had a drum corps entertaining the spectators.
One tug shot out a balled-up tee shirt. It landed above us on the lower portion of the cement wall. So, out of reach of anyone. Brian got our boat hook and tried to reach it with a woman at the top giving him directions; he couldn’t see what he was doing. Lauren told him to use the boat stool (used to get on and off depending on the height of the docks are). Even then, he still couldn’t see it. In the meantime, Tracy ran up the ramp with her boat hook and tried to reach the shirt from up above. Lauren should have tried to get a picture of the two dueling for the shirt; it was funny. Finally, Tracy just climbed over the wall and snagged the shirt, but then she couldn’t get back over the wall. Will came to the rescue; he climbed over the wall, clasped his hands together so Tracy could use it as a step and up and over she went. Tracy had offered the shirt to us, but we declined; didn’t need it. Will came by a few minutes later with the shirt; guess they felt since we were first on the scene.
The shirt is an extra-large, so a nightshirt for Lauren.
Brian reading: Dust To Dust by Tami Hoag
Lauren: Exhumed by Aaron Mahnke
September 22, 2026
We were off the boat for about a week; touched base at home. Back on-board Sunday and got the boat squared away with all that we brought back; groceries, baked goods by Lauren, wood and paraphernalia for Brian’s projects, etc. Once, squared away, we were invited to Lauren’s sister’s house for dinner. We had an enjoyable evening with everyone and played a game of Liverpool, teaching our nephew’s girlfriend the game.
Yesterday, Lauren was down all day with a nasty cold; she thought maybe the flu, but today she’s fine. While she was lying low, Brian worked on the windlass platform, putting it back together with the newly prepped wood. We bought and put on covers for the salon area; so much neater looking than towels.
***** pic of couch cover
This morning after breakfast, Brian crawled into the storage unit below the platform while Lauren stayed atop and worked together getting the platform tightened down. Another big project completed. Since Lauren was feeling much better today, we took a walk late morning to the Placid Bakery and got a treat, sat inside by the window and watched the world go by. A great day to be out and about; coolness to the air and warmth from the sun. As we walked around, we were admiring the cities architecture. Some of it is really ornate; they just don’t erect buildings like this anymore.
We will stay here in Troy, NY through next Sunday. Lauren’s 50th class year reunion is being celebrated Saturday. It should be an interesting day.
This will be our last posting of Heidi-Ho for a while. Every once in a while, we may post a picture or two on Face Book as we meander about on our boat travels. After leaving Troy, we will head south. Next spring we may head up the east coast to Maine or travel the Down East Loop. We have two choices once we get north; we can either travel the Hudson River then via the Erie Canal and Lake Ontario or through Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence River. We would continue past Montreal down the St. Lawrence River past New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia before heading down the Maine and New England coast.
This past year and a half have flown by. We’ve met so many wonderful people, made friends, conquered some fears, learned how to handle a trawler (to some degree) in inclement weather, mastered the lock systems and enjoyed the many places we’ve have been fortunate to visit. We are not sure how long we will hold onto the boat, but in the meantime, we intend to enjoy this lifestyle to the fullest.