Hop-o-Nose

Another foggy morning, but much less than the previous morning. We leave pretty much as planned. Remaining fog dissipates fairly quickly and we have another warm sunny day. We have left a week later than our trip south two years ago, but the weather has been much nicer, especially once we were in the Champlain Canal. We get close to the next Lock and I get on the radio asking Lock 3 for an opening, but I get no response. I wait a minute and call again. Then it dawns on me we are approaching Lock 2, not 3. The Lock operator is probably out of range and could not hear me, but the Lock 2 operator must of thought his radio was working especially well this morning. I apologize and properly address the correct Lock operator. Shortly after Lock 2, we arrive at Lock 1 and are finished with the Champlain Canal Locks. But there is one more Lock, the Federal Lock at Troy. Not sure why this lock is not part of the New York State Canal system. This is the most modern lock we have been through, hydraulic doors, no rack and pinion gearing systems here.

 Leaving the Federal Lock

We pass by Troy, NY which has a nearly mile long wall which was for commercial traffic back in the olden days. The town had a very long floating dock for recreational traffic, but Hurricane Irene destroyed most of it. A few remaining pieces are there for supplying fuel for boaters.

Just south of Troy a barge with 3 huge I beams with a side tow Tug boat pulls away from a dock and is heading down river in front of us. Once we get to the dock we see a large fabrication facility making these huge I-beams. Then it dawns on me. They are making these for the new Tapanzee Bridge, north of New York City. The barge had timed the departure to catch the maximum amount of tidal current in their favor.

By late afternoon we reach Catskill Creek and Hop-o-nose Marina. This is our fourth time here with Mañana for their mast services. This is the first time there are other sailboats here. Two boats ahead of us. I guess we have been lucky, previously. Tomorrow we will see how long it takes to get to us. We have dinner at the Creekside restaurant at Hop-o-Nose and the food is excellent as always.