15 May 2014

Today looked like a great day, 67F, some light clouds, we were set to head west towards Amsterdam. A few locks an a few hours, we could stop and sight see. I had wanted to do the Schenectady Science Center, but we arrived too late. So hit Amsterdam about noon, rent a car, drive back 15 minutes and tada!

Which soon became Tadon’t. The dock master said a storm was coming and we should head farther west and make an attempt to get past Lock 14 (about 40 miles). So much for our easy day and getting some Science knowledge.

So I topped off the water tanks and at 9:30 headed west. In about an hour Lock 8 was in sight. We had a good experience yesterday, so we practiced what we learned. Pick out the line to go for and make sure we talked to each other. Slide into the lock, pick up the line and 14′ feet later we were off to the next lock. It’s not really that easy since we were told not to cleat off the lines, but to hang on to them. So staying next to the wall is some effort.

At this point the wind started picking up so it was going to be a little bumpier than we wanted. At 11:30 we approached Lock 9. It was a little harder with the wind, but we got our lines and were able to hang on to them. We remarked to each other that now was the time to take this trip, we couldn’t see either one of us doing this in 7 years.

At noon we pulled towards Lock 10. On the approach I was close to the wall when a gust of wind slammed us against the lock CRUNCH. Susan scrambles for the line, I try to keep us in position. We’ve now moved into the lock and the wind tunnel takes over and we move quickly to the port (left) side of the lock. Susan lets go and we nestle into the port wall. We both grab lines and hang on.

As we get to the top the lock master is waiting for us. He said “You can cleat the lines until you get into position” Wow. That will make a huge difference. Susan can use the boat hook to get the first line and cleat it down. I can then back against it to move the stern to the wall. We do the same maneuver when we dock. The lock master says “You should do that on Lock 11, it has the same wind issues”. We thanked him and headed off.

40 minutes later we apprehensively approach Lock 11 in Amsterdam. We move into the lock. Susan hooks the line, cleats it down and yells “Tied!” I nudge the shifter and we move back against the wall while Susan walks to the stern. “Got it”. Wow. That was easy. We both had pretty big smiles as we rode up the 15 feet to the next level.

The next locks (12,13,14 and 15) went just as well. But when we cleared lock 15 it was after 4PM and we were done for the day. So we headed for the St.Johnsville Marina. Bernie the dock master soon had us tied securely to the wall. There was laundry 100 feet away, town was a short walk across the bridge, we were good to stay for two days.

We headed into town and landed in Cosmo’s Bar and Grill, a family run place. We settled in and had a good meal of burgers and chicken tenders. After dinner we went on a search for Duck/Duct tape to tape some plastic over the fiberglass to keep it from getting soaked in the rains to come. We found some at Kinney Drugs we were good to go.

Soon we were settled in for the night happy knowing that Friday would be a rest day.