Treading Water

You know how I keep saying we don't make plans because plans change?  Well we broke our rule, and guess what?????

This trip started with one thing in mind and three possible outcomes.  

The thing in mind:  Head North for the summer.

The possible outcomes:  Long Island Sound, the Hudson River & Lake Champlain, the Great Loop.

We slashed Long Island Sound when we got to New York because of the incessant SW winds, the size of the sound and the miserable time we'd have rocking and rolling....when we reached NYC we were "with the tide" so it just makes sense to let the current and tide sweep you along.  Went fine.  That left Champlain and The Loop.

The Loop was at the bottom of the list until we reached the Hudson and thought, "gee we're almost halfway", why not just do it.

This map shows the loop route in black.  We are at the top of leg 6.  To finish the entire Loop you must cross your wake (where you started).  Many do it in a year and others do it in segments and take 2 or 3 years. Some go to the Bahamas, some do the Michigan Shore, some the Wisconsin shore.

Since we love to keep moving and see different things we decided now is the perfect time. So,

here we are so excited, ready to go, thinking, " this is it we're going to do the big one, the loop, we may never get another chance."

Turns out we may not get the chance period.  We have been at the Albany Yacht Club with about 20 other "Loopers" ( with hundreds at marinas south and north of here) waiting to start transiting the Erie Canal and because of  high water and flooding the locks  have been closed for three weeks.    

Looking at the weather the entire East Coast is in a dismal weather state.  So what do we do, wait, turn back, who knows.

Taking things day by day is the only plan of attack at this point.  Whatever happens, happens..

Albany Yacht Club...reasonable rates and great people.  Seems the yacht clubs are very welcoming to transients....and there is a camaraderie amongst the staff, yacht club members, and slip dwellers that  is easy going and comfortable. There is even a higher up in the NY canal system here so every day we get an update.  "Canal will open on Friday, no wait maybe Saturday, ummm, might be Sunday.  With the way it is raining right now may be June 2014!!

 

 

Tie a Knot beyond the green top on the pontoon boat.
 

Ozel and Maryann's Belgium Water Dogs
 

 

Gary on Broadway in Renssalaer
 

Downtown Albany from the bridge walkway.
 

This building was so fabulous.  We thought it was the capital building (Albany is the capital of New York State) but it was SUNY, the State of New York University headquarters. It was originally owned by the Delaware & Hudson Railroads.  It is a fabulously restored building.

 

 

 

The Capital Building...completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million dollars.

 

 

Home of the best corned beef sandwich I've ever had...melt in your mouth tender!

 

USS Slater museum in Albany
Canon Class Destroyer Escort  from WWII
Out of 563 Destroyer Escorts the USS Slater is the last remaining Destroyer Escort afloat today.
All of the D.E.s were named after sailors killed in the early years of WWII.


 

The Rensselaer Amtrak Bulding