Erie Canal

Travelers you see on the Erie Canal. 

Top left corner-picture above-man swimming in the canal. 

After lock 22 on the Erie Canal we crossed Lake Oneida. We locked through  # 23 this morning (7-4-14). Now on to the Oswego Canal and more locks. 

NYC to Half Moon Bay Marina

After eleven great days visiting New York City, first by ourselves, then with my cousin Cindy and her husband Mark, and then with Sara's daughter Erin and her children John, Ben and Katie, we pulled out of Liberty Landing for a short trip up the Hudson River to Half Moon Bay Marina. I wonder, do we still know how to drive the boat after so many days off?????? :-)

It was a cloudy, rainy day as we approached the George Washington bridge in the misty haze. This was one of the rally points we used to coordinate our presidential trips into New York with President Reagan. Depending on the number of aircraft involved in a particular lift, we would either circle the George Washington bridge or the Statue of Liberty waiting for the other aircraft to land and off load their passengers before Marine One would land at one of the downtown heliports.

A picture of the top of President U. S. Grant's Tomb, along the east bank of the Hudson River.

Though difficult to see, this is a picture of the high cliffs along the Hudson River north of New York City. The Hudson River, at this point, is a true fjord. Similar to the fjords of Norway. It is the only true fjord in the entire United States.

Croton on Hudson side trips

We moved on to Half Moon Bay Marina in Croton on Hudson approximately 38.6 mile above NYC. We stayed two nights, rented a car and drove to see the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and tour West Point.

The CIA, located in Hyde Park, NY, is the premiere culinary college for preparing students to assume roles as chefs in some of the finest restaurants in the world. There are three restaurants on the campus featuring the distinctive cuisines of France, Italy and America, as well as an Apple Pie Bakery Cafe. The three main restaurants are reservation only and are staffed by the students who serve in all the roles of restaurant personnel, from the kitchen help, to the waiter, to the chef. Sara and I ate at the French restaurant, by the name of Bocuse and we were not only impressed with the service, the presentation of the food, but by the small portions. Guess that's why there are not many fat Frenchmen. 

While traveling to the CIA, we also visited the United States Military Academy at West Point. A school to train and educate the Army Officer Corps of the newly founded nation was something George Washington wrote and spoke about but did not live to see it started in 1805.

Located on the most defensible piece of terrain along the entire Hudson River valley, a fort was established here during the Revolutionary War to prevent the British from coming south along the Hudson River to attack New York. The America Military was so concerned about this possible attack that a huge chain was created and stretched across the river at its narrowest point where the river makes a ninety degree bend below the bluffs. The weight of one link of that chain weighed 100 pounds. It was never tested against the British ships, because Benedict Arnold, a traitor to the U. S. cause, gave the plans and location of the West Point defenses to the British before they were to launch their offensive south into New York.

Pictured above is the narrow ninety degree bend in the Hudson River where the huge chain was located to stop the British ships that never came.

Some of the major buildings of West Point are built in the style of Military Gothic. It is intended to look like a fortress or castle,

The main chapel at West Point that seats 1500 cadets.

Above is the main alter of the chapel. It is carved out of white marble. It was donated by the family of President U. S. Grant, who graduated from West Point and who was the General of the Army of the Potomac that was victorious over the Confederate Armies of General Robert E. Lee during the Civil War. General Grant's son and Grandson also graduated from West Point. 

Memorial at West Point honoring all the West Point graduates who died during the Civil War. Only the Union Officers who died are listed, not the Confederate Officers, many of whom had also graduated from West Point.

The Story of the Balls

After one day on the Erie Canal we decided we needed some ball fenders to protect Ithaka from the rough slimy lock walls. There are many, many, many, locks ahead.

While we were in Schenectady we visited the West Marine Store and purchase two 15" round Taylor Ball Fenders. We wanted 18" or 24" balls fenders. They only had two 15" ball fenders. One white and one orange (ugly orange). 

The decorative mismatch makes me crazy. 

The story of the balls...

We took our two mismatched, inappropiately sized balls back to the boat. Next dilemma, how do you blow these suckers up? We tried a bicycle pump. Didn't work. We tried a Taylor Made hand pump. Didn't work. 

We googled looking for a solution. We found only one entry. "How in the %$#@" do you blow the "&$#%" up? At least we aren't the only folks with the problem.

Time to try something different...

We called Taylor Made Customer Service. The girl was very sweet and happy to help. She would email us instructions. What a great idea, instruction! Alas, the instructions did not solve our problem. They clearly state that their fender balls can not be inflated with a regular hand pump. You need a maximum volume pump. Hmmm, where on the boat had we put our maximum volume pump? Oh, now we remember. We don't have one of those.

Time to try something different...

A trip to walmart to reprovision and purchase exercise balls and heavy duty laundry bags. The idea is to put the exercise balls in heavy duty laundry bags and tie the bagged balls to the boat as protection from the lock walls. (Thanks Bob and Catherine for this great idea.) The Super Walmart in Amsterdam NY may be the only Walmart in the nation with no laundry bags. So, instead, we bought a small compressor to use on the Taylor Fender Balls previously purchased at West Marine.

Time to try something different...

Back to the boat. Take the plug out of the undersized, mismatched ball fenders and inflate them with the new compressor. Easy Peasy. Problem solved, you say. Oh, no, not so easy peasy. It is not humanly possible to remove the compressor nozzle and insert the fender ball plug without losing at least one third of the air. With the right compressor head you can inflate the balls through the plug. But, of course our new compressor did not come with that type head. Now what? 

Several variations of pumps, needles, and compressor attachments were tried. Adult beverages were served. It may have been the adult beverages that inspired the solution. We used the compressor  to put as much air in the fender balls as possible. Then, we used the needle from the Taylor Made hand pump and attached it to the new super dooper foot action bicycle pump (it's needle did not work on the fender balls). This pump was purchased while on another trip to Walmart (We now have four pumps and a compressor on board.)

Today, 6-27-14 we passed through 8 locks using our undersized, mismatched white and orange fender balls. They worked great!! Don't you love a happy ending!!!

6-27-14

Moved today from Riverlink Park to Ilion Marina/RV Park. Who knew you could get both in one location. It was a good day on the Erie Canal. A little hot (84 degrees and no wind). We completed locks E-11 thru E-18 (8 locks/52 miles today. Big day! On the water from 7:40am - 4:48 pm. Big Day! Lots of debris. Big Day!

Third Outing in NYC - Intrepid

One of the "tourist" things I wanted to see in New York was the USS Intrepid museum. The Intrepid was one of the major carriers that participated in many of the island campaigns of the Pacific during WWII, such as the battle of Midway Island.
Since the Intrepid was decommissioned after Vietnam, the city of New York acquired it and turned it into a floating museum.
My connection with the Intrepid goes back to my days as a flight student and becoming "Carrier Qualified" or CQ'ed as a Marine aviator before graduating. The normal training carrier, the USS Lexington, was in drydock for repairs when it was time for me to CQ. The Navy, not wanting to hold up training classes, ordered one of its Fleet carriers, the USS Intrepid, CVS-11, to the Atlantic off the coast of Florida so it could stand in for the Lexington. So in January of 1970, I became a Carrier Qualified Marine Aviator by making five "traps" and take-offs from the deck of the USS Intrepid. The aircraft I flew was a modified fixed wing aircraft, the T-28C, which was similar to some of the WWII fighter aircraft, only a little more modern.
Since I only landed and took off from the deck of the Intrepid, not really walked around on the ship, it was surreal to walk the flight deck and go below to the maintenance deck where the aircraft were kept and maintained.
You know you are a "mature, retired, aviator" when one of the ships you operated from is now a museum and three of the helicopters on display in that museum are helicopters you flew but are also no longer in the active fleet!! :-)

There were only two fixed wing propeller driven aircraft that I wished I would have had the opportunity to fly as an aviator, and they were the WWII fighter aircraft, the F4U Corsair, and the A-1D Skyraider. The Skyraider, used extensively in Korea and Vietnam was famous for its load carrying capability of bombs or rockets, its ability to stay on station, without refueling, for up to 12 hours and its ability to survive multiple hits and still bring the pilot home safe. Here is a picture of the mighty Skyraider.

 

After leaving the Intrepid, lunch was the next item on our agenda. Sara picked the place for lunch. 

On our walk along Wall Street, Jack took a picture of Charles Schwab's NYC office to send to his broker.

 

Across Wall Street, I spotted Tiffany's and took a picture to send to Jack's broker. 

Perry, the Finacial Advisor at Taylor Payne Wealth Management, responded by saying " Let us know if you spend anything other than your time in Tiffany's. We may need to rework the cash flow!"   

Entering the NY Canal System (Erie Canal)

We entered the canal on 6-23-14

Loopers must decide at this point which route to take. We will take the Erie Canal to the Oswego Canal, then cross Lake Ontario into Canada and pick up the Trent-Severn Canal to proceed into Georgia Bay. 

Full Circle Day

When we left Rondout Yacht Basin at 7:25 am our plan was to go to Waterford Harbor Visitors Center and tie up for the night. Waterford Yacht Basin is located very close to the Inlet to the Erie Canal. Waterford Yacht Basin does not take reservations but, assured us there was no cause for worry. There should be a place for us on their free wall, when we arrived. 

About an hour away from Waterford, Jack called to confirm that we should continue on to our place on the wall at Waterford. He was told "Very sorry Captain, the wall is full". What to do??? What to do????

Our planned was to get fuel at the Troy City Dock, right before tieing up at Waterford for the night.  So, we called Troy to see if they had a place for us to spend the night. They did have dockage space available so we tied up to their fuel dock and got 40 gallons of diesel fuel. What we needed was 80 gallons. But, they ran out of fuel after 40 gallons. 

With no space for us in Waterford and not enough fuel at Troy, we turned around and headed back to Albany. We passed Albany NY about 8 miles back. We retraced our path back to Albany. They had fuel and a good place to dock for the night. 

Albany saved us so they get their skyline picture in the blog. 

NYC - Erin and her kids

Erin (my daughter) and her three children (John, Ben, and Katie) came to visit us on the boat on NYC on 6-14-14. 

Here we are on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. 

Ben and Katie in SERIOUS discussion!!!

A sad and quiet moment at the 9/11 Memorial. 

Rockefeller Center 

Top of the Rock

View from the Top of the Rock

Tour Guides

M & M World

The M & M machine is evaluating Katie, so it can suggest her M & M color choice based on her personality. 

And of course mother had to try it too. 

A pedi-cab ride around Central Park.  Erin, Katie and John in the first buggy. 

Jack, Ben and I are in the second buggy. The guy featured  below was pedaling the second buggy. He had his work cut out for him. He earned a very large tip!!!

Lunch at famous "John's Pizza" in NYC. 

Back to the boat for some down time. 

A night shot taken on the dock at Liberty Landing Marina. 

The "I ❤️ NY" Gang standing on ITHAKA'S bow. 

Time for them to go off to see Philadelphia.