From the Land of Rip Van Winkle . . .

. . . To the Not-So-Frozen North

In Washington Irving's short story, Rip Van Winkle slept for 20 years in the woods around the Catskills. He woke up to a changed world. The Revolutionary War had been fought, and his children were grown. In reality, Washington Irving had never visited the Catskills when he wrote the story. He later moved there and wrote about Ichabod Crane and the headless horseman.

Now, there are statues, town names, and even bridges, such as the Rip Van Winkle bridge to the right, based on Washington Irving short stories. 

The 11 days we were in Catskill, N.Y., seemed like a long time, not because of the village or the people, but because we are used to being on the move. Our friends, Sid and Bonnie, made the stay better by getting us off the boat.

One Step Closer

We finally traveled 15 miles north to Shady Harbor Marina near New Baltimore, N.Y. Other Loopers were there, too, deciding whether to wait out flood damage-repairs to the Erie Canal or take the much longer Champlain Canal route. 

Many boats left a couple of days before we did for the Champlain. Others stayed because they were too tall to go under Champlain Canal bridges. We let the lines loose from the dock and headed north again after three days.

On the Road to the Champlain Canal

We passed by Albany, a city that has preserved its history. Our friends took us to beautiful downtown Albany where we saw its beautiful capitol building. Its State University of New York campus is stately and very European in looks. The city has renovated many of its older buildings and Victorian homes. However, you can't see all that beauty from the Hudson because they chose to build highways next to the river. Our hometown, Chattanooga, may not have the historical beauty of Albany, but has the advantage of the riverfront and greenways.

Past Albany were signs of the floods in the area. Debris was on top of docks, locks, bridge walls, and floating in the water.

North of Albany was the first lock, the Federal Lock at Troy, for both the Erie Canal and Champlain Canal. At this point, we have no more tides to deal with!

Carina stayed on the Hudson River, following the right arrow up the Champlain Canal. 

Life on the Hudson

The annual gathering of steamboats was taking place at Waterford, N.Y., as we went by. When we first heard about it, we imagined "Life on the Mississippi" steamboats with paddle wheels. These were even better. Every boat is different and made by hand. The similarity is the steam engine in the middle. Almost every one has a calliope whistle. You could call them "Life on the Hudson" steamboats.

If this water level is on the Champlain Canal route, we can only imagine what it's like on the Erie Canal. The water levels were still high after a week with no rain.

We stayed overnight at several towns along the Champlain Canal that offered free docks with free electricity and water. Fort Edwards was next to Lock 7 (of 11) on the canal where the natural Hudson River became a creek with rapids and the man-made Champlain Canal began. It was also the home of Fred (above) on Tug 44, the rock star of the New York Canal System (in our opinions). He lives near Fort Edwards and traveled along the Erie Canal reporting to Loopers the condition of the locks on a daily basis. He was our feet on the ground that we all needed to make a decision to go on the Champlain or wait for the Erie. His Web site -- www.tug44.org -- is a virtual tour of all the canals, lock by lock, for anyone interested in seeing what it's like.

The Interesting History of Whitehall

The village before Lock 12 on the Champlain Canal is Whitehall, N.Y. The Skene Manor, a Victorian Gothic home built in 1874, is high on a steep mountainside overlooking the town and the river.

The manor was built by a local judge and named after the founder of Whitehall, Philip Skene. The town was originally named Skenesborough until the Revolutionary War when it was renamed. You see, Philip Skene was a loyalist. It wouldn't do to have the town named after a supporter of King George.

He did have a manor named after him though that dominates the countryside.

The manor is three stories tall. The good folks of Whitehall  recognize what a gem they have in Skene Manor and are working to protect it for future generations.

Whitehall is another town along the Champlain Canal that gives boaters free docking, water and electricity. Carina was the only boat on the dock when this photo was taken from the porch of Skene Manor. We were later joined by two brothers on a trawler that had just started their Loop.

The tiny speck beside Carina is Kent waving. Whitehall was an industrial town in the Rustbelt that has struggled to provide jobs for the people that live there. While we were there, we were warned about packs of older teens who vandalized public buildings and -- threatened is too strong of a word -- let's say, made visitors uneasy. That made us sad for the village that has so much history and has so much potential.

Remains of the USS Ticonderoga are displayed under a shed in Whitehall. (Note Skene Manor on the hillside.) The Ticonderoga crew fought the British near the northern end of Lake Champlain and eventually was laid up at Whitehall. She was the first of many great U.S. Navy ships named Ticonderoga. There's not a lot left of her.

Whitehall is also the birthplace of the U.S. Navy. We bet you thought it was Annapolis.

Before he defected to the British during the Revolutionary War, Colonel Benedict Arnold had a fleet of ships built in Skenesborough (now Whitehall) Harbor for the Continental Army.

North into Lake Champlain

In spring and summer months, typical Lake Champlain water levels are high. This year they've been higher than usual because of the rains. 

Lake Champlain also has fierce weeds that trap the water in slews. Here a New York version of a weed whacker clears a trail for the water to drain into the lake.

Although built by the French, Fort Ticonderoga was captured by the British and was a key fort in its move west. During the Revolutionary War, Ethan Allen of the Green Mountain Boys and Colonel Benedict Arnold captured the fort for the Continental Army, moving all of its cannon by snow sled to Washington, D.C. where arms were desperately needed.

As Lake Champlain grew wider, we could see the Green Mountains of Vermont to the east, here with the very, very early morning fog among them.

To our west was the much-taller Adirondack Mountains. Fog was on the water on that shore.

When the sun finally came up, it was a wonderful day for sailing on Lake Champlain -- if you only had a mast up. Dozens of sailors were out during the day.

Fort Blunder

The U.S. Fort Montgomery, close to the Canadian border, was built over a 30-year period in the mid-1800s. Construction was well along when a survey showed the fort was actually on Canadian soil. Building stopped until a new survey showed it was on U.S. property. However, its purpose had been to prevent attack by the British. By the time of completion, there was no need for the fort. For all of this, it earned the nickname: Fort Blunder. Oddly enough, Canadians have a similar fort to prevent attack by the States, named Fort Lennox.

Gun-Totin', Anti-Smokin' Teetotalers

That's us. Or we believe that's what Canadian Customs agents thought. Two agents greeted us on the dock. One processed passports, while the other stayed with us and talked about Chihuahuas. (He has three.) They usually ask about weapons, cigarettes and alcohol. Not with us. They asked several times whether we had weapons. Bear spray on board didn't bother them, but we couldn't be carrying mace. Go figure! No question was asked about smokes or drinks. 

ToTo, We're Not in Chattanooga Anymore

We entered Canada in Quebec, the French-speaking province. That's all anyone speaks. But us. After 24 hours, we are coping well and have found the people here to be kind and helpful. We're still stumbling through the language. Our next goal is to learn the French word for restroom.