Comments from Jim

We have made it through the 12 locks and I have to say that Brenda has become quite proficient at locking.  In her earlier post, she described the state of the locks.  Very slimy and dirty.  But with gloves and the right attitude we made it and are now a short hop from our next destination.

Tonight at Lock 12 Marina and tomorrow a two night reservation in Westport NY.  I think this will give us ample opportunity to be done with cruising for a bit and actually have some time to see what is around us.  After Westport we go to Burlington VT for a few days.

It might be interesting to know about the canal.  In some places it is quite wide but it narrows a lot as you get closer to Lake Champlain.  Northbound it is Red Right.  We were told that the markers tend to move in the kind of storms we had for the last two days but we did not have any issues with the route.

Needless to say it is quite verdant.  Particularly with the enormous rainfall.  I am a bit surprised about the silty nature of the river. 

Along the route we went past a major dredging project that actually is a superfund project to clean up the river from the discretions of General Electric.  Brenda read somewhere that the toxic stuff being removed is taken on Barge somewhere and then to West Virginia for final storage.  The WV folks seem to want it as it creates badly needed jobs and the environmentalists don't want it anywhere.  Glad I am not trying to figure out where to put the stuff.

Alone the way we met a boy scout troop who were canoeing along the river.  I think that Watson posted a picture of the troop.  I just can't imagine how awful it must be to be out camping in the torrential rain of the last two days.  My hat is off to the scout leaders.

We have met a number of folks and all have been so friendly.  Last night and tonight we are tied up next to a couple who have been on their boat since coming from Florida.  they said they where sailors for 30 years and have now switched to an American Tug 42.  A very nice couple (Russ and Margo Zinc (or Zink or Zinque.)

Met a couple traveling with their beagle on a Munk 42.  They were traveling along at 8 knots and had a short travel day since they set out at about the same time we did and quit for the day after about three hours.

It is now about 6:25PM and we are meeting the Petersons and Herrons for dinner in five minutes so I will sign off for now.  Maybe more tomorrow.