LOOP Report 06/02/2005

June 2nd, 2005
Trent Severn Canal System,
Peterborough, Ontario
Canada


The Chinook and crew have now been hustling up the Hudson River leaving behind a grand Atlantic Ocean adventure.

From Washington and Annapolis we headed into the large waters of Delaware Bay and on to Cape May. Here we headed out on a fine calm day at 6:30 AM into the Atlantic and headed for Atlantic City on the coast to arrive at noon. We beat the winds that were to come up in the afternoon. We carried on into the inland waterway and headed for a little marina in Forked River (pronounced fork…ed) New Jersey.

Weather turned windy so rented a car and went back to Atlantic City to see the Boardwalk and Casinos. The ocean was rough but the city boardwalk was sunny and busy with weekend sightseers. The Tropicana Casino Complex was interesting but mostly just a big slot machine made to relieve you of any spare change you have accumulated. They were out of luck with this crowd as our pockets are quite empty now. What quarters we have are needed for laundry machines and newspaper when you can find them.

The ICW behind the outer coast is incredibly shallow showing anywhere from 0 feet to 1 foot at some edges and turns in the path they’ve cleared. The rest of the channel was 1 foot to 5 feet. We went very slow and took our time while other locals just roared on by.

Weather showed a good window next day so got rid of rental, fueled up and took off to see what the coast waters looked like by heading out the inlet jetty at Manasquan through some big waves created by sportsfisherman boats coming and going…Quite the ride out…all was tied down secure….Hey… the ocean was calm so we kept going.

Turned out nice all the way,… with a large ocean swell rocking us gently and a 1to 2 foot wave at times,… we kept on going all the way to New York City….Then as we approached the skies opened up and the ocean came down from above and we rode it out right past the Statue of Liberty hardly being able to see her through the deluge.. felt like being on an ark…same for the Manhattan skyline as it was hard to see for the rain. All the while David and I were getting soaked on the bridge cause we didn’t want to miss anything.. It still was an exciting time just to be entering such a magnificent active harbour…so toughed it out right into Liberty Marina which was just across the Hudson River from New York City in New Jersey and within a kiss or stone throw of the Lady. She’s outstandingly pretty and I prefer the kiss as a thought.


Next morning after being docked for a quiet night within sight of Manhattan we left to head north up the Hudson but made the quick decision to head back to the pretty lady as the sun was out for a great photo opportunity. Got our photos and they are super and all was worth the diversion.

Then on up past the city on our starboard to see what was no longer there now, no thanks to some maniacal madmen. It gives you strange emotions to past by the scene of such a horrible moment in our current memory.

Onwards up the Hudson River past the urban noise and now passing by pretty hills and very green landscapes. As we proceed we see trains and highways heading into New York City. Could be a great ride by train, Toronto to New York. As we past West Point Academy and other great places of historical interest we are now counting the few places left before arriving back in Lake Ontaio. One neat Marina did have a hot tub which finally made a very long day a pure joy.

Well, there is lots more let me tell you, as this system is old but new. Each little town is getting their waterfronts cleaned up with parks and docks. One such place we stopped for a free night dock where I met a guy fishing for pike off the dock. He had a great hat and looked interesting. As we talked he wanted to know if in fact I’d rather live in Canada still and of course I said yes. He said he liked the Canadian way. Being he was an Amish person he mentioned they like our medical system as they go up to have things corrected much easier and less expensive. Anyways I ended up saying I’m a guest here in the US and was not into discussing his or their politics. Got a nice photo of his horse “smoke” and the austere and simple carriage though.

Dammed if the next morning we aren’t just going under a bridge headed for our first lock and somebody shouts at us from the bridge above. It’s Mr. Amish and his horse and carriage headed across at great speed. Quite the coincidental experience.

Couple hours later an Amtrac High Speed Train headed for NY also toots his horn at us and waves from the cab.

Interesting traffic on the Hudson.

We are facing the daunting task now of going through many locks and getting closer to Lake Ontario. Starting at the Town of Waterford and lock #1 we head into the New York State Erie Canal. Much history here as the canal was opened October 26th 1825 and the “Seneca Chief” and a boatload of politicians headed by Governor Clinton, took two barrels of water from Lake Erie and emptied them ( the water not the politicians ) into the Ocean at New York to be know as the “Marriage of the Waters”. Some marriages work well and this surely is one of them.

The rest is lock after lock and canals with trees after trees, not much sign of wildlife except bird calls in the trees along side…. and Canada geese with babies everywhere along the shores.

Finally arrived after countless days of locks at the entrance to Lake Ontario which lies just off the inlet to Oswego, NY. Will soon be back in clear fresh waters of our Canada.

Crossed the Great Lake Ontario early AM to Main Duck Island and into the protected harbour of Picton. It was a good crossing so we were lucky with weather again, just a small roll on our beam because of west winds of 5-10 coming at us with the full fetch from Niagara way. We were out of it and in the lee of Prince Edward County as it began to build more after 12:00 noon. Crossing over that border line in the middle of the lake was sweet.

Oh….Canada…our home and …….you have to know after many months away that this is one highest of the highs of this trip. Beautiful fresh clear water. Next,…will be back with family…soon.

Tomorrow we face one of the most impressive of all locks in North America, The Peterborough Lift Lock, 65 feet. Completed in 1904

Closing in the loop

Loopers…Ted, Pat, David and Susan