On September 12, 2020, the Admiral (Val) and I made way on a one week journey to Buffalo, NY. Val wanted to get me started and make sure that everything was working on the boat for the first week. She opted to let me Captain the boat with other crew members for the remainder of the trip down to Florida. Wyatt had a lot to do with this decision. Eric joined me in Buffalo and we traversed the 370 mile Erie Canal with 32 locks for one week. Matt flew into Albany to traverse the Hudson River for the next week to Jersey City, NJ.
It was a great 3 weeks traveling down Lake Erie and the rivers and I am blessed to have been able to spend that much time with them. It is not all fun by the way, some days were 13 hours long and then there is always cleaning the boat every day. It is fun work I must say. The history of the water ways are humbling to me, and to think that they created this 100 years ago is amazing.
Put-In-Bay was our first stop in Lake Erie. Named for the decision of Hazard Perry in 1813 to put a defeated British Fleet in the Bay Hey who is that photo bombing us? Why it’s Rick and Keren Kogelschatz.
What a coincidence that we arrived within an hour of each other by chance. We enjoyed lunch and dinner together and survived Rick’s golf cart driving.
How many of you remember the good times of getting on the Boblo Boat at this location? For you younger folks, it was our Cedar Point in Canada.
Sitting at Park Place, Put-In-Bay next to the US fourth Largest and worlds most massive Doric column Memorial Monument for Perry’s Victory and International Peace.
Getting an early morning start.
Sitting in Buffalo, NY. We had to make a 209 mile run from Vermillion, OH and bypass a lot of ports on the Eire because the weather was going to turn bad for the next 5 days.
A nice family enjoying a boat ride during the Covid pandemic.
Eric and I set out September 19th for the Erie Canal. 370 Miles and 32 locks to do in the next week.
Some days we ran from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, 13 hours. It was challenging to go 100 miles in one day.
Most locks were 50 foot and one was 70 foot.
At times, the Erie Canal was higher than the farmland we were going through.
Most of the towns had free walls to tie up to. Some were better than others.
Town, then farmland, then town, then farmland…………
Crew change in Albany, NY on Val’s Birthday, Happy Birthday Val.
Matt and I headed out on September 27th down the Hudson River.
We had some nice days to travel and see all the history on the Hudson River.
This is what 30 MPH looks like.
Who would of known?
Passed up many of these light houses on the Hudson.
A beautiful morning start.
Sometimes we tied up to a restaurant for the night.
Everything is old and historic.
There were dozens of these river boats that people we traveling on.
West point Museum was open for a visit.
West point view from the river.
Another Sunset
The scenery was getting better as we approached the end of the river.
West Point from the river.
Yonkers, NY. I heard of it, never saw it, there it is.
A rainy morning coming into NJ and NY.
There she is, the Statue of Liberty that my parents saw when they immigrated to the US in the 50’s. Yes, Matt is a Ham. The sun came out 1 hour later.
Diane Perykasz came to visit us and we went out for a sunset ride.
Cousin Diane came out the next day to spend more time with us. What a view of the city from Liberty Landing Marina.