We decided to run in the rain this morning as the rain was not going to let up. We are cruising some of the Catskills today which is stunning to see. With this rain no pics and too much cloud. It’s a shame because this is what I remember from the last time we ran here.
No one was running today. We left behind all but 1 boat who also wanted to move on. The Perch followed us all the way. Interesting tidbit about The Perch. We’ve seen dogs and cats on board with our fellow Looper boats. The Perch has a cockatiel named Margo. Margo has a personality that everyone loves. If you say hello she will say hello back. If you wave at her she fans her beautiful white feathers on her head and waves them at you. Every time. She can say many words and walks around on a leash, with her human. He brought her to docktails the other night on Gypie’s Palace while at Waterford. The dogs sat at her feet looking up at her where she was feeling quite confident.
There was a lot of debris today on the canal. We felt like frogger criss-crossing around the channel. At times we slowed to a crawl due to the abundance of debris, especially around bends in the canal. We did manage to do 7 locks today bringing us to Little Falls, NY. The last 2 without rain. Lock 17 is a lock that lifts overhead your boat. The lock wall is cantilevered above you while you go into the lock. It drips on you and your boat. Then to close it, it slides down to close the gap and the lock fills. It is a good 41 feet. It has the most lift of a lock in the Erie Canal. It takes a long time to fill so if you have to wait for it expect a long delay.
Little Falls, NY is just after lock 17 heading west. Around the bend and past the industrial wall you will find a lovely spot with restrooms, on your honour laundry, showers, power and water. Its very convenient to a small town a short walk away. We walked to the little falls where you can see history and the buildings of the day. Some have been abandoned but some have been upgraded. Antique shops and small retail are available.
We remember this spot back 6 years ago when Apt Sea !! was here and we spent some time on the wall together. Scott and I talked about that time at length remembering the laughter of that 1 night with “the guys”.
Scott found a plaque that mentioned Moss Island and its sink holes. It would be a dingy ride and a hike through the forested area of the island, but its 7:00. Down goes the dingy and we’re off. Moss Island is just near the lock. We parked the dingy on the rocks and tied Low Voltage to the tree at the water’s edge. The small island has walking paths that lead to rock formations made by fast moving deep water. The contours are significant and easily seen. The oak leaves lay around the area in droves. Pine needles sprinkled on the ground and the damp musty smell of the rain from this morning. Glorious! Within the rock formations are “pools” of stagnant water. These pools are the “sink holes” that the island is known for. Mainly they are made from rocks and fast moving water. We leave there by 8:30 but were able to take some fascinating photos. Scott is loving the new camera and its abilities in the low light. It paid off tonight.
