Lock 3 Yacht Club Gives Thanks

Group picture of Erie Canal Lock #3 Yacht Club in front of Yacht Club #3 entrance

Erie Canal Lock #3 Yacht Club shirt. Front says “2011 Hurricane Irene Port of Waterford NY”

Alan discusses Peggy’s thank you letter to the Executive Director of New York Canal System with a copy to the Governor of New York which all Yacht Club members signed

It has been two weeks since Irene hit this area and then a week later Lee hit the area with massive amounts of rain. The recovery is very much in progress along the Mohawk River, but it will take many months for the locks between 7 and 12 to open on the Erie Canal.  We are told that for the 15 boats at Lock 3 Yacht Club it will be about another week before we are released–assuming no more heavy rains.  All but the Muriel June will be heading south.  We have lowered our radar arch another foot, so hopefully, once the Champlain canal water levels recede, we will be able to head north into Lake Champlain and our winter haven at the Shelburne Shipyard near Burlington, VT.  It should take us three to four days for that journey.

Last night, we gathered on the Lock 3 dock with our official Lock 3 Yacht Club shirts to offer thanks to the wonderful New York Canal Corporation lockmen and women who have helped us these past two weeks.  We have a letter written and signed by the cruisers to thank the Canal Corporation mailed to the Director (Brian Stratton) as well as their public relations person and to Governor Andrew Cuomo.  Each of these cruisers has a story.

We have two  French Canadians  and several American boats heading to the Bahamas, two nordic tub boats who were heading to the tug reunion here at Waterford, four of us were heading to Winter Harbor for the winter and have made other plans, another boat is actually going to be trucked to Connecticut and the Scottish couple are going to harbor their boat in Annapolis and head back to Scotland.  We have discussed the American and world economy, politics, and society in general throughout the two weeks at our yacht club picnic table.  Here on the Lock 3 dock peace reigns as we watch the Canadian geese land in the mornings, the two minks swim across the spillway and scurry into their hole, and yes, Edith the spider protecting her dock and her huge egg case.