6-16-01

A big transformation occurs as you cruise north on the Hudson River, leaving
Manhattan Island in your wake.  Yonkers looks much more industrial in
nature, and the big man-made skyscrapers give way to "natural ones".  The
Pallisades, tall forested cliffs that border the western edge of the river,
were so named because of the resemblance held to early wooden fortification
(with most apparent vertical striae).  Soon leaving New Jersey behind, both
sides of the river become the Empire State.  Tarrytown, another early Dutch
settlement so named,  legend has it, because Dutch farmers wives complained
of their husbands "tarrying" too long at the village tavern!  This country
was also the inspiration for Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow".  Sing-Sing Prison sits imposingly on the hill, though certainly not
a tourist destination.

Commuter rail (Amtrak) trains go zooming by on the riverside track.  One
fellow we met said they travel between 60-80 MPH, with plans to increase
speed to the 100 MPH range.  Though not in the league with French and
German "Super Trains", that's still moving right along (especially compared
to trawler speed).

The Fall colors on the river must be nothing short of spectacular,
considering how heavily forested the land is.

Near Haverstraw Bay is the spot where in 1780 Benedict Arnold plotted to
betray, and surrender his post at West Point to British Major John Andre.
Andre was subsequently captured, and because correspondence he was carrying
implicated Arnold, the plot failed.  Arnold went on to fight for the Crown,
and in the words of one we spoke to "kicked the Americans around" for some
time.  In fact, his army nearly captured Thomas Jefferson in Virginia later
in the Revolutionary War.  Prior to defection he had been a decorated, and
significant contributor to the Patriot cause.

Interestingly enough, following the end of  the War, certainly not welcome
in the United States, Arnold returned to England where he was shunned as a
traitor.  He went on to a pauper's death, buried in an unmarked grave.  I
guess it doesn't pay to betray.

Further north is Dunderberg Mountain, home of the legendary Dutch Goblin
"responsible" for the infamous summer thunderstorms of the Hudson River
Valley.

Passing through the Appalachian Mountains, West Point Military Academy soon
comes up on the port side.  Established in 1802 it certainly commands a
strategic view high above the river.  A train tunnel, interestingly enough,
passes right under academy buildings.

There's a face pier, designed for large ships, and several moorings that may
be available to visitors.  Numerous waterfalls tumble down high cliffs to
the river below.  West Point is spacious, as it spreads along the river
(especially compared to the Naval Academy at Annapolis).  At Annapolis
there's an electronic sign that continually flashes "Go Navy, Beat Army".
At West Point, the roof of the Athletic Building has painted in large
letters  (so it can be seen from the air) "Go Army, Beat Air Force"!

The water is deep here, too.  We picked up readings of 160 feet.

The scenery is absolutely gorgeous.  Trains wind their way along both sides
of  the river coursing their way in and out of tunnels cut into solid rock.

time ago.

Warning:  "Vent alert".  One year ago we bought both an AT&T Cell phone
(made by Mitsubishi) and contract for one year's worth of service.  While
staying at Liberty Landing the reception was so poor whether inside the
boat, on the flybridge, or dock, every single call we made, or received,
"dropped out".  Frustrating, to be sure.

Today, I attempted to place a call for two hours.  Most of the time I
received a message saying "all circuits were busy, please try you call again
later".  On some attempts I couldn't even get that message, as the call was
just "answered" with the fast busy signal.

After my two hour vigil, I called customer service at "611".  You have to
wend your way through multiple menu options, and offers for automated "help"
with your bill, etc.  If  you're patient though, eventually a real live
customer service agent may answer the inquiry.  A lady named Jeanne answered
mine.  After explaining our inability to make the call she asked where we
were calling from, and to where the call was placed.  Simple enough, right?
Wrong.

She said because it was "lunch-time" the system was overloaded and we should
just keep trying.  I again explained we'd been doing that for over two
hours.
Jeanne said she'd place the call,  but received the same recorded message.
I
asked why AT&T didn't increase their system capacity, and she said they
really needed to do just that.

The service plan we're currently using provides 400 minutes (when it works)
for $59.95 per month.  (As an aside, when we originally signed up for
service in Florida the monthly fee was $29.95.  It became steadily more
expensive as we traveled north up the Atlantic Coast.  They also will only
"allow" you to make changes in service on the monthly anniversary of your
contract, meaning you will, in effect, be "re-billed" at the higher rate for
the entire month's calls).  I asked Jeanne to credit us for the "lack of
service provided", and she refused.  I then asked her to place our call,
which she was again unable to accomplish.

It's interesting that while AT&T is not turning away new customers, and in
fact, spends huge sums to attract them, they are frequently unable to serve
existing customers.  Such a deal.

I asked to speak to a supervisor, and Jeanne became very rude.  I was left
on hold for about 10 minutes.  She returned saying no supervisory personnel
were available.  I could be placed on a "call back" list where someone
should call back within 3 hours, but interestingly enough those minutes
speaking with the  supervisor (assuming that did happen) would be charged
against our expensive purchased "400 monthly minutes"!

What a company.  Do you know, though, as soon as we left AT&T owned cellular
towers, and the phone indicated "roam" the call went through immediately?

This has not been the first instance of poor service from AT&T.  I think
it's time to change carriers.  (By the way, I mentioned that fact to Jeanne
who rudely replied "Fine, go ahead"!)  End of vent.

Newburg is the site of George Washington's Army Headquarters from 1782-1783.
Pollepel Island holds the massive ruins of Bannerman's Castle built from
1900 to 1918, fashioned in medievil style, and used as a summer resort.
Unfortunately, it was damaged by a fire in 1969 and is no longer open to the
public.  (It reminded  me of the condition of many of the ruins in the
Bahamas).

Nearby, but passing several hundred of feet below the river bed is the
Catskill Aqueduct.  This tunnel measuring about 17' by 17' was completed in
1919 and provides metropolitan New York City with 500 million gallons of
water daily.  Another tunnel is under construction to supplement this
amount, and is one of the largest multi-year public works projects ever
undertaken.

Our call to the Chelsea Landing Boat Club (the one AT&T failed to connect)
indicated a mooring may be available for the night.  Upon arrival, a very
pleasant young man came out to meet us in the club launch.  He directed us
to an open mooring.  When asked about check-in he said it wasn't necessary.
Inquiring about the cost for the evening he said there was none!  Offering
use of all shoreside facilities, including shower and water, all they asked
was that we not break anything, and return the kindness to someone else.
How about that?

The Club probably had two hundred boats moored.  A sailboat race was in
progress when we arrived.  A couple members came over to say hello, and
welcome us to Chelsea, NY.  How very kind, and totally unexpected.

During the night remnants of Tropical Storm Allison met a cold front
precipitating a lot of rain.  Weather advisories broadcast by NOAA radio are
detailed on a
county by county basis.  If a visitor is unfamiliar with surrounding
counties (as many may well be) this information loses meaning.  Inclusion of
an inexpensive road atlas in your on-board cruising library can remedy this
problem.

6-17-01

Happy Father's Day! (to me, and all others who qualify).  The morning dawned
overcast.  MOE had about 4" of water inside, requiring some sustained
bailing.  The Waterway Guide pegs the currents at about 2 knots in the
Hudson River. Undoubtedly correct for some locations, but definitely an
understatement for others.  Both at 79th Street and Chelsea I would guess
the maximum ebb easily reached 3-5 knots (especially when combined with the
run-off from the rain storm).

We waited a while to gain  favorable current, and finally dropped the
mooring about 1000.  Drizzle accompanied us for the rest of the morning.

The character of the Hudson changes somewhat again. Still wooded, but a bit
narrower, the channel meanders some from side to side.  You must follow
course to avoid an extensive network of shoals, although the main channel
remains
deep.

Several mansion estates pose serenely from high bluffs commanding
spectacular views of river valley and surrounding hills.  Evidence of former
enterprise is located in several spots.  Ruins of  factory and warehouse sit
forlornly, slowly being reclaimed by forest.  At one time this part of the
country had a large textile industry.  From cloth to carpet, it was an area
known for high quality workmanship.  Unable to match foreign competition,
though, this manufacturing is now long gone.

On a different tack, I find it fascinating how "caught up" in things we
(society) tend to become.  Like the "learned" of old, who firmly believed
the entire universe rotated about the earth, we too, tend to innumerable
minutia, fearing the consequences of being swallowed whole by those very
details.

Funny though, at the very same instant in time you're fretting about having
to stop at "another" red light, an Iguana scampers across the beach at
Allan's Cay in the Exumas.  An alligator pops up, two eyes and nostril
showing to investigate a noise at Franklin Lock on the Okeechobee Waterway.
A sailboat glides silently off the Severn River in Annapolis, while a Bald
Eagle tends its' young on the Wacamaw River.

It's a huge world out there, be sure to enjoy it while you have the time.

Hop-O-Nose Marina is located on Catskill Creek in the town of the same name.
It's a very peaceful, and quiet setting.  When calling for reservations, I
was told to just take any open spot.  We tied to the face dock near the
restaurant.

Hop-O-Nose, an unusual moniker, is named for the Native Americans who
originally lived in this area, and a geological formation near the marina
said to resemble a "proboscis in profile".

The ruins of an old cloth mill occupy the property next to the marina.  We
were told they used to weave cloth for ladies undergarments.  After the mill
closed it was leased for a number of years to a subsidiary of Madison Square
Garden where they built, and assembled sets and backdrops for various
productions.  They would then be disassembled and shipped where needed.
After some time, that effort also moved elsewhere.

The building in need of too many costly repairs was finally demolished, and
recycled, as it were.  The old brick is still being sold for new
construction.  Even more interesting,  the original floors made of  3" thick
Maple were sold and refinished for use again.  You probably couldn't even
buy that dimension hard wood today.

Kira collected a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers for all to enjoy.

A transient rate of $1.25 per ft. is a lot more reasonable than the limited
slip space closer to Manhattan. We plan to continue up the Hudson River to
Waterford, take the Erie Canal to the junction with the Oswego Canal, cross
Lake Ontario, and pick up the Trent-Severn Waterway at Trenton, Ontario.

Problem:  The height restriction on that part of the Erie and Oswego Canal
is 20' due to numerous low fixed bridges.  Our mast is just a shade over
22', so it needs to be dropped.  Sailboats generally have their mast
"stepped" (removed entirely and stored horizontally on deck).  Most trawlers
have hinged masts capable of being folded back parallel to the waterline.

Solution:  We need to have a support fabricated to keep it from "torquing",
and tearing itself apart at the hinge when the boat rocks.  The fellow at
the marina said he'd have someone over to measure "first thing in the
morning".

6-18-01

Guess what?  There was someone here first thing this morning.  Requiring a
support from the aft deck "up"  7 feet, this fellow went off to build it.
Within the time it took Matt, Lori and I  to disconnect the stays and
prepare to fold the mast this fellow returned support in hand.  Gently
lowered and secured with spare dock lines,  we're now "good to go".  Nostrum
Again looks a "little funny", but at least we'll be able to complete the
trip

The cost of the support, labor and materials, was only $20!  Matt said, "I
think they've done this before", and I think he's right.  In fact, several
marinas at both ends of the Erie Canal system offer help with masts.

The one remaining easily accomplished task is to lower the VHF antennae.
Now that we're without mast and boom we'll just leave the outboard on MOE
(we thought... keep reading; more on that later).

B and Kira went swimming in the marina pool while everyone else worked on
the mast.  (Personally, I felt the water temperature much too cool, although
they had a ball).

After a quick trip to the store for some more bottled water, we were ready
to leave.  Apparently someone had a major problem near marker "154".  You
could just barely identify the bow tip of a red boat (probably about  20' in
length) peeking out, aiming skyward.  Not good.

Uncle Sam Wilson lived on a farm not far from Catskill, NY.  During the War
of 1812 he packed beef for the Army stamped with his initials U.S. Beef.
Later on, a caricature of Sam Wilson (the one on the "I want you" posters)
came to personify the United States.

We took on diesel fuel from the Castleton Boat Club for $1.50 per gallon,
much better than the closer to $2.00 per gallon seen downriver.

Albany is not only the Capitol of  New York, but also a "deepwater" port
even though 144 miles from the ocean!  Incredibly, there's still  a 4-5 foot
tide this far up-river.

Henry Hudson sent a long boat  (powered by sail and oar) up to Troy on his
unsuccessful quest for passage to the West Indies.  That must have been
quite a trip.

Goodbye salt water, and tide as we close this chapter of our cruise.  In
early March 2,000 we steamed into Mobile Bay, leaving fresh water for salt.
Now things have come "full-circle".

The Federal Lock at Troy lifted us into the New York State Canal System.

Waterford is a lovely little town that actively solicits boater visits.
Offering 1,000' of town wall, and 300' of new floating dock in front of a
new Visitor's Center and Museum.  Lori and I took MOE across the river and
about 0.1 of a mile north to a floating dock maintained by Price Choppers
Supermarket.  We stocked the pantry, and MOE was fully laden with over $400
worth of groceries for our dusk return.

As we putted back about one hundred yards from the boat there was a loud
"thud" and the outboard stopped abruptly.  Apparently, we'd struck a "dead
head" (not a Grateful Dead fan, but a submerged log).  Afraid that perhaps
we'd damaged something, unable to check in the waning light, and fully
loaded with groceries, we decided the best course was to unload.  Once
accomplished, we looked at the prop with a flashlight, and it appeared fine.

I re-started the engine while B and I took a short ride up stream.
Everything seemed OK, so maybe we just stalled the engine and "lucked out".
Time will tell.

While we were gone B got the "low-down" on the place from some "locals".  We
were tied under a Rail Road Bridge.  Apparently, the town originally wanted
to tear down the old bridge because  it was not used, and in significant
dis-repair.  Since all structures associated with the Erie Canal have been
designated "Historic" they can not, by law, be removed.  It was estimated
the cost of renovation would approach $1 million, so for the time being it
will remain as is.

Everyone met in Waterford has been very friendly.

6-19-01

Breaking out the bikes (with B on his scooter) Lori and I  ventured into
town.  On the way in we took "Main Street" (actually Saratoga Avenue).
Waterford has lots of old Federal style (I think) houses, many in good shape
with a few in need of repair.

The older section of town has sidewalks made from large individual pieces of
slate.  Some curbs were cut from solid pieces of granite, instead of pored
concrete.

This region used to be a major carpet manufacturing area (Mohawk Mills).
Several old mills still line the Mohawk River.  Hurt by cheaper foreign
competition, and a fire, this segment of the economy is gone.

Our mission was to buy three sets of inexpensive work gloves from the True
Value Hardware for line handling and lockage in the Canals.  Lock walls can
be a bit "slimy", and gloves make this task much more pleasant.

Speaking with the clerk about our mode of transport, she suggested an
alternate route back.  A bicycle trail now exists along the original
Champlain Canal Towpath, making a very pretty ride.

Maestro, please...

"I've got a mule and her name is Sal.  Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.  Low
bridge, everybody down. Low bridge for we're going through a town.  And
you'll always know your neighbor, you'll always know your pal if you've ever
navigated on the Erie Canal..."

We were about to take a trip through history.

Trade and travel between the East Coast and Great Lakes was daunting,
arduous, and expensive in the 18th century.  The inland route involved
extensive portage of goods.  The other alternative, continuing up the East
Coast through the St. Laurence River to Lake Ontario still didn't eliminate
the portage around Niagara Falls.

Canals were initially used for transport in the US toward the end of the
1700's.  A number of small canals were constructed to facilitate trade over
short distances.  The Dismal Swamp Canal (which we earlier traveled)  opened
between Norfolk, VA and Elizabeth City, NC in 1784.  Several other small
projects followed.

The first canal in New York was the Champlain, started in 1818 and completed
five years later.  Connecting Waterford and Whitehall on Lake Champlain 60
miles to the north, effectively opening a route with Canada via the
Richelieu Canal.

Talk began of a Canal from the tidal Hudson to Buffalo, NY in the early
1800's .  In fact, a fellow sitting in a debtor's prison (with lots of time
on his hands) wrote detailed plans for a water route providing access to the
middle of the country.  His very accurate prediction was eventually closely
followed by construction.

If completed, (the sales pitch went) this route would not only dramatically
decrease shipping costs to the Great Lakes, but also open the interior of
the country to settlement, and ultimately trade.

De Witt Clinton, the Governor of New York had a vision that a Canal be
built, and is credited with spearheading the project.  Heaped with abuse by
opponents during construction, he became everyone's hero after the
successful completion.

Begun in 1817 the entire 340 miles were finished just eight years later in
1825.  (Quite a feat considering the tools and equipment available at the
time, and even more impressive factoring weather constraints which further
limited work schedules).

Incredibly, when construction commenced there were no professional engineers
involved in the project.  However, in conquering numerous obstacles the team
became quite proficient in canal construction.  The New York Canal System
was the envy of the world, until travel by rail became dominant in the early
1900's.

The original canal was much different than the one used today.  Designed as
a ditch filled with water it was a mere 40 feet wide and only 4 feet deep.
Power to move barges along was provided by horse and mule (like Sal) as they
pulled canal boats with loads up to 30 tons.  Canals and towpaths were
located near rivers, but did not employ the riverbed itself.  As technology
improved, the boats grew larger (240 tons  by 1862) and the canal was
widened, and deepened several times.

By the turn of the century most boats were self propelled, and the canal
changed from a collateral "ditch" now incorporating many rivers close to the
original route.  More, and bigger, locks and dams were added over time.

This one project was in large part responsible for the production of
enormous wealth and power to New York City, in particular.  With  its'
natural harbor, and position at the beginning and end of trans-shipment for
the majority of the Midwest, the city prospered.  The rest is history.  When
commercial traffic dropped significantly with the advent of cheaper, faster
rail transport the canal went into decline.

In a case of  "build it and they will come", or perhaps more properly
"maintain it and they will come" the New York State Canal Corporation has
been working hard to attract recreational boat traffic for the past ten
years, or so.  This effort which began in earnest in 1991 has, by all
accounts, been very successful.

The transit fee, based on size, is either payable daily or by seasonal pass.
For us, at 37' the "break-even" point is eight days.  A season pass costing
$75 entitles all lock passage, and access to free dockage along the way.
Some sites provide "gratis" water and electricity, too.

The area is beautiful with heavily wooded shoreline against a panorama of
mountain range, all  verdant green.  The canal speed limit is 10 MPH (it's a
good bet we won't be speeding!)

On the portion of the Erie we'll travel the height restriction is 20 feet.
(In the western part the height is further reduced to 15').  With mast down
we've had no problems, but it's an odd feeling to be so close to the
underside of bridges.

Stopping at the lock to buy our pass from the Lockmaster (as the Cruising
Guide suggests) so as not to hold everyone else up when locking  through is
a great idea.  (Apparently, though, not everyone reads the guide.  None of
the other three vessel's we locked with had passes.  All had to purchase
them before anyone could proceed).

The so called "Waterford Flight" is a series of closely spaced locks (#'s
2-6) within the first 1.8 miles that raise you 170 feet above the level at
the town dock in Waterford.  (Lori says we're "mountain climbing", and she's
not far from the truth).  The wind was gusty, which makes for some tricky
maneuvering in, and just outside the lock chambers.  It does keep everyone
on their toes, though!

The temperature is rising.  Today is the first day since leaving Florida a
couple months ago that it's been in the high 80's.  After an uneventful trip
of 25 miles, we tied for the night west of lock 8 on the wall.

The good news:  There's a brand new power pedestal nearby with (4) 50A
plugs.

The bad news:  The plug configuration is unlike any I'm familiar with
(certainly not a marine 50A plug.  From memory I don't even think it's like
a household dryer plug, either).  Oh Well.  (That's one way to limit
electric service use).  By the way, there are several (albeit small)
hydroelectric power plants still in operation on the Mohawk River.

We just fired up the GenSet and everything was fine.  We also used the Air
Conditioning for a while to cool things off.

The canal route is also followed by railroad tracks, and interstate highway.
One unexpected bit of fun was the number of semi-trucks tooting an air horn
"hello" to our little trawler navigating the waterway.  We always waved
back.

6-20-01

Leaving at 0845 continuing our trek west.  Winter ice is a real problem for
the Canal Corporation dictating a lot of  extra work.  Anything that can be
removed, is.  Obvious candidates like navigation markers must all be hauled
and stored, but that's only the beginning.  All lock ladders, cleats, and
light stanchions require attention.  Lock gates are reinforced with coffer
dam "I Beams" to protect against damage.  Many structures like bridges and
dams have permanently installed "ice breakers" located up stream to help
protect their integrity.  The power of moving ice is intimidating, to say
the least.  Then, come next spring it all has to be reassembled and
replaced!  A big job, and a huge expense.

The City of Amsterdam offers a new river front park that's a beautiful spot
to tie.  Although, in our case it was still too early in the day to stop.

Lock 12 is a different animal.  The approach to the lock is at an angle to
the dam and the downstream current sweeps across the entry pushing toward
the lock wall.  Being aware of this potential problem,  we carefully
entered.  Just as it appeared we were in the clear an eddy took hold forcing
us toward the north wall.  Everything happened quickly, but in "slow
motion", if you know what I mean.  I increased the RPM's on the starboard
engine in forward, and put the port engine in reverse to correct our
direction.

A long time ago and "old salt" taught me to keep my hand on the throttle
during such a maneuver as a reminder to slow the engines when appropriate.
Having done this for years, I never gave it much thought, figuring it would
be an automatic response, sort of like riding a bike and leaning to lean
properly for a turn.  Up until June 20th at 1240 it was, but then something
happened.  I forgot.  Nostrum
Again straightened out, but we were still going too fast.  Lori looked up
and yelled "Bob" just before we hit the lock wall with a sickening "thunk".
I pulled the throttles back, and took the engines out of gear.  It was over
as quickly as it happened.  In an instant the hand and rub rails received
"boo-boos", and I had a repair job!  The element most damaged, though, was
my pride.

It's like I made a silent pact with "Nostrum Again" when this adventure
began.  In exchange for my taking good care of her (doing all the
maintenance, etc.) she would keep our family safe.  She kept her part of the
bargain, and I'd let her down.  Since time couldn't be reversed, and the
deed "un-done", it would have to fall in the "good lesson" category.  But,
there was more.

Enter the lockmaster.  First he walked over and just stared at the damaged
rail.  Not saying  a word, just staring for what seemed like an eternity,
then walking away.  He was followed shortly by another fellow who did
likewise.

After we "locked up" the first fellow (a bald, unsmiling sort with a
mustache) walked back and stared once again.  Then he asked for our permit.
A season pass  is a typical government vinyl sticker which we, according to
instruction, had affixed to either side of the front  windows in plain view.
I pointed to the sticker, and politely replied "it's right there".
Without even looking up he asked for the sticker for the "other boat".
Other boat?  What other boat?  He motioned to MOE (our dinghy) tied
athwartships to the swim step.

The five of us obviously weren't transiting the canal system in the dinghy.
We'd been through 11 locks to that point with the dinghy tied as such, sans
question.  I asked where in the canal literature it stated there would be a
charge for dinghies but he ignored the question.  Summoning a most arrogant
tone "Mustache" rudely replied, "Either I issue a pass for that boat
(meaning we buy another) right now or you remove the outboard.  I'm  not
letting you leave this chamber until that's done.  Period".  I explained we
usually employ the boom to lift the four stroke outboard (which weighs 95
pounds) for storage on the aft deck.  Since our mast was lowered, the boom
was not an option.  He, unimpressed and undeterred didn't reply.  I asked if
we could at least exit the chamber and tie to the up-stream wall (seeing how
very recent events were going,  I could envision us dropping the outboard to
bottom of the lock chamber adding further insult to injury).

"Mustache" refused, signaled his cohort to close the door, and walked away.
I said we hadn't been having a great day, and asked for a little leeway, but
he ignored the statement completely and disappeared.

Lori, Matt, and I were able to very carefully wrestle the outboard on board,
and stowed MOE on the snap-davits, without further incident.  Leaving the
lock once "Mustache" finally opened the gate I thanked him for his "courtesy
and compassion", which he also ignored.

I surmise"Mustache" was training a new lockmaster, and was probably part of
management staff.  He probably relished the thought of what a great job he
was doing to enforce the "letter" of  regulation.  Thankfully, "Mustache"
was an anomaly on the Erie system.  Without exception, all the other
lockmasters encountered did their job in a courteous and friendly manner.

What's really odd about the whole episode is the amount of money New York
spends to encourage recreational boat traffic, with its' attendant positive
economic impact.  They're also working to make passage a positive,
enlightening, and educational experience for all.  It's truly a shame to
allow such a rude and arrogant individual bent on "throwing his weight
around" to come in direct contact with those who travel the waterway.  Good
luck to any of you who may meet "Mustache".  Time to move on.

We continued, stopping at the town of Canajoharie.  The only problem with
the wall tie here is a relative lack of cleats.  Only a few of the huge
barge mooring bits exist, and they're widely spaced.

Once the thriving home of the Beech Nut Corporation, the town has come upon
hard times.  In a familiar story, manufacturing has moved overseas, and this
large plant is now little used, mostly as a warehouse facility.

Lori and I took the bikes to see about buying some oil and filters for the
engines and generator.  On the way to Napa Auto Parts we passed a Pizza Hut.
Knowing Matt's eyes would light up, we ordered the kids pizza for dinner.  A
store simply called Ames, appeared as though it might carry groceries, but
upon further investigation turned out to be a department store.

We did get the oil changed.  As twilight loomed it began to rain hard, and a
large Viking Motor Yacht approached.  I went out to help them tie, and met a
very unhappy Captain and crew member.  It seems the skipper was very tired
of the 10 MPH speed restriction, while his first mate was soaked from the
rain.  (Not even the offer of dinner did much to buoy her spirits!)  Leaving
them to sort things out, I returned to the boat.

6-21-01

A sign near the town dock advertised dog grooming.  Just  a short distance
away, and with room available due to cancellation Clover was trimmed.  She
looks, and undoubtedly feels much better.  Talking to the groomers they
intend to move out of town, too, due to a poor economy.  In economic terms,
everything is inter-related.

Since the weather was still quite soggy we went to check out the Ames
Department Store.  Everybody except Matt (who chose not to go look) got some
new clothes.  It was a good way to spend a rainy afternoon.  The Viking left
for points unknown, replaced by a nice couple in a small sailboat from
Florida.  Living aboard their 25 footer for nearly one year, they were ready
to go explore, but too were deterred by rain.

Bob with Lori, Matt, Brandon, Kira, and Clover aboard Nostrum Again
new e-mail address:  nostrum@inter-linc.net

At 07:53 AM 08/21/2001 -0400, Robert Foss wrote:

    <<< snip>>>

    <<< snip>>>

REPLY
Twice I have  made delivery trips down the Hudson from Toronto. Each time I
returned  by way of the train.
It is truly amazing  to cover the same distance in a day as what it took a
trawler more than a week to  travel.
The train runs from Grand Central station to  Union Station in Toronto and
take about 12 hours.

REPLY
It is.!    I made a point of returning from one Annapolis boat show  by
driving up the  valley instead of cutting through the mountains in
Pennsylvania.

Arnold went on to fight for the Crown, < snip>
Prior to defection he had been a decorated, and significant contributor to
the Patriot cause.
<<< snip>>>

REPLY

North of Toronto  in what was then known as North Gwillimburty township  a
land grant of 12,000 acres was deeded to Benedict Arnold for "services to
the Crown"    I lived in this area  for 25 years and being a history buff
soon learned  some of the local  details.

The land grant was  parcelled out in bits and pieces; presumably  as Mr.
Arnold  required funds to support his lifestyle in England.

Died a pauper; . . .  pity!
That land is currently selling at  about  $100,000 an acres  if undeveloped
farm land. Empty town lots  sell at about $1000  a linear foot of street
frontage.

Cheers

Arild