The Return

We are getting ready, once again, to begin the cruising.  Heading to Buffalo NY to ready the boat with several 'to-do' items on the list (install new davits, hull buff and shine, etc) and to reload the boat with clothing, electronics, basic food items and our new bicycles.  Return home, schedule boat to be put back in the water, rent a car and head back to Buffalo.

The Erie Canal is repaired and open!

Erie Canal.......yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NEW YORK TO GREAT LAKES & GREAT LAKES UPDATES 22 November 2011 NY Canal System - Erie Canal, on scene observation Reported By: WG Staff Many thanks to Fred Wehner of Tug44 for this very informative report. Sunday I took a car tour thru the wrecked area of the Erie Canal and was amazed by what I saw. All the dams where the ribs were bent or sprung have been fixed, not just jury-rigged as I expected, but new ribs are already in place. Sighting down the line of each of them, they're all straight now and they are working as designed. The moveable steel plates that hold the water back are once again suspended from the chains so the dams are fully functional. The locks are all working already, and traffic is moving down the canal as before. The grounds of most of those locks are ruined, but the locks are working. It all looks bad still, there are huge piles of logs and debris, some piled 50 feet high, covering much of the lock grounds. Most guard rails are torn away, including many at the tops of dams, and temporarily replaced with construction netting. Several Lock Operators offices and other buildings were destroyed, but replaced with temporary structures. Overnighting at some locks may be restricted in the spring, but there is a good chance that they will be available by then. Some locks had new river channels gouged out thru their parking lots, making them into islands .. those now have causeways built to access them. All the fill and buildings and cars and trucks that were washed away all went into the river, and major dredging operations are already in progress. All floating debris is already removed from the river, in fact it's now cleaner than normal. Local marinas are also all in good shape now. At Lock E-11, the beautiful historic William Johnson house (1742) looked close to collapse last month, but it has already been reframed and much new concrete for foundations has already been poured, and the original stones from the walls have been collected and it will be rebuilt shortly. There's still a lot of work to be done, mostly cosmetic, plus a few thousand more truck loads of fill are needed, but there is now no question that the Erie Canal will be open normally in the spring. This is an extremely impressive performance by the new Canal Corp management, and employees and contractors. These guys really know what they are doing, and no wonder they all look tired when I see them lately! It is now safe to plan your canal trip shortly after the May 1st opening. Fred Tug 44 Click here to comment on this Navigation Update

Things are looking up!

"The canal is projected to re-open on Nov. 24 and close on Dec. 8 to allow transient marine traffic to reach their destinations this season. Two large tour boats are among the many vessels that have been stranded on the Great Lakes since Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee devastated parts of the state. Those boats will now be able to complete their journeys".

This is a quote from Gov Cuomo of New York. But spring is a long way away.

Return to Buffalo

Decision made to return to Buffalo to shrink wrap the boat versus hiring it done.  It's like going to see an old friend.  And is it a coincidence that the boat show in Annapolis is happening the very same weekend?  I think not.   Mark and good friends Brian & Joel are making the road trip, shrinking the boat and will take in the boat show.

Update from Waterway Cruising Guide

NEW YORK TO GREAT LAKES & GREAT LAKES UPDATES

23 September 2011

Erie Canal status - a first hand report

I received this info from a friend in the area.
"Jim drove by the canal today (Sept 22 Ed.) all the way to Albany. After lock # 17 there is no water in the canal, let's say two feet to 3-1/2 feet, and many complete dry spots in the middle and sides. I spoke to Lock 15 and he stated Lock 11, 10, 9, 8, & 7 all have damage. I asked if the lock system would open before November 15th the closing date. Lockmaster stated he didn't see how. Time will tell but it does not look good."
Robert L. Wilson
National Accounts Manager
Waterway Guide Publications

Affirmation we made the right decision.

Thoughts about Fellow Cruisers

We had a home to come home to. We met fellow cruisers who had sold their homes and cars to move aboard their boat for their adventure. They too were headed for the Erie Canal, now closed due to flooded and broken locks. Tonight we think about them as they have thought about us. For each of us, our excitement of the cruise was dashed by this turn of events. None of us gave up! One re-routed from the Erie Canal to go south through Chicago. One trucked their boat. One is waiting for the okay to truck their sailboat to the East coast. Due to the flooding in NY and PA, trucking permits are not being issued. They sit in Tonawanda NY waiting. It's a nice place to be but waiting for weeks is tough. Great people we met along our short journey! We think of them, wish them the best and look forward to meeting up with them again somewhere on the cruise next year.

Home

Arrived home early afternoon with everything in order on the home front. Unloading the rental car seemed like it took forever. Then came the unpacking: clothes, electronics, food, books, dog. Chester jumped out of the car and ran around happy to be independent once again.

The lists continue with things to "undo" since we are home again. Stop mail forwarding (we still chuckle that we had to rent a car in NY to get our mail), TV/Internet, trash pickup, reinstate auto insurance, etc. Here we sit at McDonalds in Holland for their wifi just as we did in Tonawanda NY! The good part is it involves ice cream.

Weary & whipped but ever so thankful to be home safe & sound.