We have a lock pass and a mooring pass for Canada so we can tie up on all the lock walls and on the islands that are Parks Canada
most of our trip this summer will be on canals and finger Lakes
anchoring out will mostly be in Lake Champlain, Georgian bay and the north channel. These same places are where you would be able to sail because the canals and finger Lakes are much too narrow to sail on
Many of the lock walls are in a park like setting out in the country with trees, picnic tables and grills
We put the boat in this morning about 1030 and are now at Fort Edward New York on their free public wall that has electric and water at no cost
Hope all goes well for you!
On Friday of (05/27/22) our trip South we got pummeled by a really strong storm front in Virginia such that there was zero visibility due to the intense rain, wind, lightning and hail. (Fortunately there was an exit handy to get off the Interstate.)
We checked the radar weather app map and saw that this same front was reaching up into NY and thought of you in transit with the Jill Kristy in tow. We hope you were able to miss the worst of it!
After spending the night in Ft. Edwards we motored 4 hours, passed through 4 locks and arrived at Whitehall NY. There is one lock about 200 yards from our spot on the Whitehall free town wall to the last lock, #12 which is the final lock on the Champlain Canal that lowers us 15 ft to Lake Champlain. There are really nice restroom/showers here also plus free electric. The Champlain Canal gets a lot of traffic when it first opens from Canadian power and sailboat folks. Most have spent the winter in Florida or the Bahamas. There were two with us on the lock wall last night, one from Quebec and one from Montreal which was the PDQ Catamaran.
We entered lock 12 that lowered us down to Lake Champlain at 0700. Forty miles later we anchored in Bulwagga Bay located on the west side of Crown Point where there is a NY State Park and the remains of Fort St. Fredrick built 1737 by the French to raid the British settlements in New York and New England. The British captured it in 1759 and built Crown Point fort. We then captured it from the British in 1775 took some cannons and other stuff and left it to the British to reoccupy until the end of the Revolutionary War.
Anchored in 6 feet of water about 75 yards offshore. Here is a picture from Aquamaps showing our anchorage.
Not sure where we are going Friday but will visit the fort some more tomorrow and then motor north.
OverEasy we did not hit a bad storm the day you had one.
ris wrote: ↑Thu Jun 02, 2022 6:14 pm
Not sure where we are going Friday but will visit the fort some more tomorrow and then motor north.
You're not far from Basin Harbor and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum...both worth a visit. They're maybe 10 to 15 miles north of you, on the Vermont side of the lake. Basin Harbor is worth a stop, but you can also moor out in front of the museum for much less $.
Starscream that is our plan for Sunday or Monday depending on the wind. To visit the Museum. Either Sunday or Monday we are also going up otter Creek to visit Vergennes Falls. Today which is Friday, 3 June we are anchored in Arnold Bay which is where Benedict Arnold burned his ship and several others to keep the British from taking them. Arnold and his remaining men escaped Over land down to the Fort Crown Point which is where we spent last night and this morning. We walked the remains of the French Fort St.Fredrick and the British Fort Crown Point this morning. We also did some birding, seeing two birds for the first time. A yellow warbler and a Warbling Vireo. The picture below is the yellow warbler.
While we were at Crown Point my wife took this pic of the boat. Water depth 3 ft. at the dock.
So Saturday afternoon the wind was going to get up to 16+ mph over the evening so we needed to do a little laundry, and a hot shower would feel good after 4 nights without one, so we headed over to Westport Marina for one night. We are used to 80+ degree water so this 60 degree water in Champlain is just to cold to bath in. After starting the laundry took a walk and came back to the boat. Sitting across the dock from us is another Mac 26X. Josh and his wife came back about 30 minutes later. We had a nice time checking out each others boat and then later that night we had sundowners together. Great times. The next day we left and headed for the Maritime Museum as Josh was putting his sails on for the first time this year. Spent almost 3 hours in the museum. Very interesting as Starscream said it would be. We anchored in 6 ft of water close to one of the mooring balls that cost $20. It was Sunday and no other boats so we were not encroaching on the mooring field too much. Here is a replica of Benedict Arnold's gun boat.
After leaving the museum we traveled up the Otter River to the town of Vergennes Vermont. They have a free city dock alongside a park with waterfalls about 200 yards away. So it was a nice day and the sleeping was great with the noise from the falls all we heard as we slept.
Thanks Jimmyt were are having fun. We left Vergennes VT and traveled 40 miles north to Valcour Island on 6 Jun. The reason for this was a two day wind event with winds to 25 mph. We entered a small bay on the west side of the island as the winds were going to be from the SE to E to ENE. We anchored in 5 feet of water with 50 ft of scope. (30 ft chain + 20 feet of 3/8 line) the trees were so tall near shore we never even had ripples around the Jill Kristy. In fact the chain just layer on the bottom and the line was never tight. We hiked all the way around the perimeter of the Island, 6 miles. Then did some bird walks on the interior trails. A very pretty Pacific Sea Craft of 25 ft. Anchored out from us and we asked for a tour. Very pretty boat inside and out. They use the boat for Lake Champlain. The picture below is with 18 mph winds and the Jill Kristy is just chillin. Also a pic of the Pacific SeaCraft.
After two nights at Valcor Island we made a 12 mile run to Deep Bay just north of Plattsburg NY. There were many mooring buoys but they were not set up so we went to the end of the bay and anchored in 4 feet of water. We were all by ourselves the whole after noon and evening except for 3 bass boats. A loon came in right up to the boat and we got a good pic. We did dinghy ashore and do some hiking out to the point. Late in the evening the wind died down and it got calm.
We only stayed the one night and we had plans to meet some friends in Plattsburg so we went to the Boat Basin Marina. Took care of shopping, gassing up, laundry and then went out to eat at the Twisted Carrot. Our friend bought our lunch so we do not know what it cost but everyone claimed their meal to be a 5 out of 5. Turned out a good time to go to the marina as it rained until about 3 that afternoon. We did fuel up on as we left on 10 Jun and that was a bit painful. 21.45 gal cost $160.86 We have averaged 8 mpg. Those two 12 gallon tanks were almost empty. We went north turned east through the (gut) and went to Burton Island VT for the night. Picture below is Burton Island VT.
After reading and doing the procedure for entering Canada we had to cook some chicken as it is not allowed raw across the border. While we were in Plattsburg we gave some stuff to our friends that are a no no in Canada. So now we are hopefully legal as we enter Canada tomorrow morning. We are spending the night in Catfish Bay just south of Rouses Point NY. We just missed seeing kmclemore. Maybe in the fall we will drive up before we go back to Florida to see you. Our plan is to be in Montreal on the 20th of Jun for a few nights.
ris wrote: ↑Sat Jun 11, 2022 1:13 pm
We just missed seeing kmclemore. Maybe in the fall we will drive up before we go back to Florida to see you. Our plan is to be in Montreal on the 20th of Jun for a few nights.
I am sorry we missed each other. As it happens, we are JUST NOW finally getting up to the lake house after several delays… I’m writing this as the wife takes her turn at the driving on our way north. Hopefully we will see each other at some point!
Kevin gonna try real hard to see you when we get back maybe in September. We have been in Montreal for this is our third night and tomorrow we head to Sainte Anne de Bellevue and then work our way to Ottawa by Monday or Tuesday. Just started meeting other loopers. Two are from Florida. Only one Mac person so far.
Bermuda Breeze.
