Great Loop Overall Statistics to date:
Statute Miles: 2109.7
Average Miles/Day: 49.1
Total Hours Underway: 290.8
Average speed (mph): 7.5
States Transited: 9
Total Days: 107
Travel Days: 43
Locks: 31
Fuel Purchased: 472.9
Miles / Gallon: 3.4
Nights at Extra Days
Marinas: 26 59
Anchor: 13 3
City dock: 2 0
Free Wall: 3 0
Mooring: 0 0
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We left Waterford after a great 4th of July celebration at the Visitor's Center. The first set of locks were on a 7:00AM start time, so we left the dock just before 7, after having called the E-2 lockmaster for clearance.
Lock E-2 was an easy lift and lock E-3 had a bit of swirling immediately after the valves were opened. We really like the locks with cables or pipes to attach to while being raised. For our boat, this means a single, tight line to our mid-ship cleat, which is well balanced to keep the boat from spinning too wildly as the swirling water catches and pushed on the keels.
A well-balanced midship cleat right next to the helm position is a real boon when locking through with pipe or cable connections. I had made up two 12ft lengths of three-strand with an eye at one end for this midship cleat and the bitter end left for the wrap-and-hold on the pipe or cable. These were now working really well.
We did the "flight of five" locks and then 4 more on this first day out of Waterford, and we felt it by the end of the day.
Arriving at the free wall in Amsterdam was nice with the Riverlink Park right at the wall. However, just prior to arriving there, we had to backtrack a mile or so to tow a group of five people in a disabled boat over to a nearby dock. They seemed very appreciative of our time.
The rainy weather continued, and we watched front after front come through the areas ahead of us and dump inches of rain. There was a waterski practice team that ran right by the dock for much of the day, but the wakes were not too big and SCOUT took them in stride.
We were up and underway early again and transited 5 more locks on the way to Little Falls. Lock 17 just prior to Little Falls is a high lift and has only ropes for holding onto. Attached only at the very top of the 40+ft wall, the ropes do not allow much side-pulling force until the water level is near the top of the lock. Plenty of fenders are in order here. We have noted that the worst turbulence is the first 25% of the lock filling. After that, there is enough mass of water in the chamber that the additional flow is much more gentle.
Just after Lock 19, we saw some shallow spots on the depth sounder - as low as 6.8ft. The two 25ft down-locks were easy, and we were in-and-out in no time.
Approaching Sylvan Beach, the shoaling to starboard listed on Active Captain (which also has a note that it is no longer there) ---- is still there. Heed the red can buoys - they are marking 3ft or less to starboard. We arrived at the free dock (no power) mid-afternoon.
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Great Loop Travel Days (GLTD):
040: Amsterdam NY from Waterford NY
041: Little Falls NY from Amsterdam NY
042: Sylvan Beach NY from Little Falls NY
Map of our Overall Great Loop travel:
GLTD040 Amsterdam NY (from Waterford NY): We left at 7:00 am and were the first vessel through the Waterford lock E2. We have started our navigation of the Erie Canal!
We will leave the mast down for the entire canal route to allow us to pass under the numerous low-clearance bridges. Most have around 17-19 feet of clearance, but some have less. With the mast down, our “air draft” is 12.5 feet -- well below the “lowest bridge height on the Erie Canal” of 15.5 feet. We will put that to the test later.
This diagram (from a sign in Waterford) is a good summary of the whole Erie Canal running east-west. The Oneida River junction is the dividing line for what is generally referred to as Western Erie and Eastern Erie.
Lock E2 is the first of 5 consecutive lift locks, known as the “flight of 5”, that will raise us 170 feet in only 1.5 miles!
Here, you see Lock E4 – open and waiting for our arrival from Lock E3. The lock operators usually call ahead to the next lock to let them know how many vessels are heading their way.
Most of the locks in the “Flight of 5” lock up/down about 35 feet. Below, SCOUT is inside the closed Lock E5, ready to be lifted.
Here is a little animation and drawing of how a lock typically works.
This short video shows the turbulence that builds inside the lock chamber when the water level begins to change.
We finished the “Flight of 5” in about 1.5 hours. Beyond those first 5 locks for the day, we were now in the Mohawk River, which is surrounded by high cliffs. This makes for some interesting dock configurations.
We enjoyed pretty scenery and a little wildlife. The gleaming green lilypads made heron-spotting difficult.
These are just a few of the “whole mess of geese” that Ray pointed out. 😊
Some of the dams beside the locks are pretty, but they contribute to a strong current near the lock gate that makes steering tricky.
🔷 Boater Tip: Having a sturdy cleat mounted at the midship balance point of the boat is VERY handy for the locks which have a rigid pipe or cable attached both above and below.
Wherever pipe or cable is available for attachment in the lock, we usually wrap a single mid-ship line around the pole or cable to hold SCOUT steady.
With plenty of fenders at the bow and stern corner, a short line wrapped around the pipe/cable makes holding the boat fast to the wall fairly easy -- especially if there is helm access to the mid-ship cleat location.
🔷 Boater Tip: Some locks provide only ropes which must be held by hand.
We each have a pair of suede-palm work gloves to grab the slimy lines that spend a lot of time underwater.
We chose to hold 2 lines – one at the bow and one at the stern (rear). As Ray drove into the chamber, I retrieved a line at the bow. Then Ray maneuvered SCOUT so he could grab a line at the stern.
Our “rope-only” locking process was not as smooth as when we could wrap a pipe or cable -- mid-ship, but we managed to lock through with no issues.
🔷 Boater Tip: Lock E10 currently allows passage only on the south wall (port side for west-bound traffic). Apparently, the configuration of that lock creates a strong side current which pushes boats against the south wall.
A port-tie proved to be a little challenging for us on SCOUT. The helm is on the starboard side of the boat, and the only doors we have are starboard and aft (rear).
Once I had retrieved the bow line, Ray had to maneuver SCOUT a little aft toward a line at the stern and close to the wall to port, then quickly walk out to the stern to grab the line with the extended boat pole. It took a couple of tries, but we finally managed to secure a hold on lines at bow and stern.
“Tow” Boat: As we were nearing our destination in Amsterdam, we came upon a small pleasure boat with about 5 occupants waving towels and t-shirts to get our attention.
As we got closer, they asked for a tow a little way back to their dock. They had hit a rock and their propellor was “toast”.
We managed to get them somewhat close to their dock; because with SCOUT’s draft, we could not move too close to shore there. They were very appreciative and kept saying how awesome we were to help them. (This time, we were the people helping people. 😊)
We docked at Riverlink Park in Amsterdam NY around 3:00 pm.
Milestones:
Most locks in a day: 9
Highest lock: 35
Most boats in a lock: 3
We were pretty tired, so we just had dinner on the boat and called it a day -- early.
The next day we went sightseeing. We did a lot of walking – over 6 miles!
Kirk Douglas Park: Kirk Douglas was born in Amsterdam NY, and there is a park with his namesake, right uptown, with a pretty waterfall.
You can probably tell from this view of the city from Kirk Douglas Park, Amsterdam is another hilly city.
Pedestrian Notes: Like most of the villages along the Hudson River, the railroad runs alongside the north side of the river in Amsterdam. To get to the Kirk Douglas Park, pedestrians must use the skywalk, conveniently located near Riverlink Park, to go up and over the railway.
St. Ann's Episcopal Church: The present church, built in 1851, is gorgeous.
Not to Miss: Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook Bridge: This bridge felt like an outdoor museum, gallery, and memorial park.
The structure is curved - not straight - to harmonize with the natural shapes of the river and valley. The textured, colored pavement reflects not only the swirls and eddies of the river, but also of history. Twelve stopping points along the north and south ends are marked with icons representing major topics in the history of the valley with an explanatory text.
The Wheel of Life is a 12-foot-diameter glass mosaic on the Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook bridge that is inspired by an even larger mosaic that can be found at the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in Manhattan. In the years right before World War II, Mohawk Carpet Mills, based in Amsterdam, was commissioned to create a carpet replicating this Wheel of Life that would be placed over the mosaic in the Waldorf Astoria’s lobby. It took 16 weavers eight months to create the carpet for the hotel!
Today the replica sits on our beautiful bridge. It is made with a specialty-made glass made in Venice using old world recipes and techniques and is completely handmade.
South Side Veterans Memorial Park: On the south side of the Mohawk Valley Overlook Bridge, this memorial is impressive. It was originally built in 1946 to honor the nearly 200 residents who served in World War II. Plaques were later added to honor those who served in the Korean, Vietnam, and Cold Wars. Thirteen trees were planted around the park in memory of thirteen men who died in war.
🚫 Post-COVID Miss: Amsterdam Castle Hotel: Once a National Guard Armory, New York's Amsterdam Castle was built back in the late 1800s. We had hoped to have a drink and dinner in the bar, but both are still closed due to COVID. 😒
This is a common scene, post-COVID -- empty stores, streets, and parking spaces. It is sad to see so many businesses temporarily or even permanently closed. 😢
9/11 Memorial: A few steps from where SCOUT was docked, this memorial was impressive, with an actual remnant from the World Trade Center.
There is a Flag of Honor for the victims of the World Trade Center attacks on February 26, 1993, and September 11, 2001. There is also a Flag of Heroes honoring the fallen 9/11 emergency responders.
X-Squad Water Ski Team: During the summer, a local youth water ski team performs at Riverlink Park on Wednesdays.
The team was started as a traveling youth water ski club by Joseph Serth about 15 years ago featuring area kids learning to do tricks and perform on the water. […] The team now consists of city kids who receive lessons free of charge and perform in weekly shows over the course of the summer and during special events put on by the city.
The state Canal Corporation has issued an alert advising boaters using the Mohawk River and dock at Riverlink Park during scheduled performances this summer of excessive wakes generated by the X-Squad’s water crafts. A ski jump ramp and auxiliary dock will be located within the navigation channel during the events.
Boaters should reduce speed, stop all forward motion, and proceed at a “No Wake” speed when approaching event participants and vessels should not exceed 5 miles per hour under any circumstance.
We had seen the Canal advisory about Wednesday performances, so we had already planned to leave on Wednesday morning. However, we were not aware of the Tuesday practices. We were rocked a little from the wake of the 2 ski boats running up and down the river, but it was tolerable.
The ski boat was running almost all day, training kneeboarders and many levels of skiers. I loved water skiing in my youth, so I’m sure these kids were having a blast!
Some of the “acts” were impressive! No hands? And arms-length apart? 😮
I’m glad this duo were wearing helmets!
Milestone:
Fewest Restaurant Outings: 0 – zero!
You may notice we didn’t highlight any restaurants for Amsterdam. Most of the few restaurants still operating, post-COVID, were closed on Monday & Tuesday – the days we were there. So, we ate all meals on the boat.
Marina: We paid a small dockage fee, which included electric. We took the opportunity to empty the holding tank with the do-it-yourself (DIY) pump-out station (free with dockage).
GLTD041 Little Falls NY (from Amsterdam NY): We left Amsterdam early and got to lock E11 for the first opening at 7:00 am.
Beyond lock E11, it seemed like we were on top of the world.
As we passed by these interesting buildings, high on a hill, it was apparent we were still not at the top of the world: Holy Mountain Buddha Land, and Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs.
After lock E13, we began seeing debris in the river.
This drone video shows SCOUT going through the E12 lock lift. With the stability of the pipe attachment option, I was able to hold SCOUT steady in the lock and drive out of the lock while Ray flew the drone.
And, we are still not at the top of the world.
At 40 feet, lock E17 is the largest single step lock on the Erie Canal. We will transit taller locks on the rivers after the Great Lakes, but they will be lowering us down, not lifting us.
This short video shows the turbulence at the gate as the chamber is being drained for our entry from the lower level.
🔷 Boater Tip: Lock E17 currently allows passage only on the south wall (port side for west-bound traffic).
Lock E17 is cavernous! This is the boat ahead of us entering the chamber.
After exiting Lock E17, we passed by the beautiful cliffs of Moss Island.
We docked at Little Falls Canal Harbor and Rotary Park before the predicted rains. We passed through 7 locks today, including E17 -- the tallest, so far, at 40 feet.
I was a little tired, but we were both ready to get off the boat and walk. After checking in and showering, we walked uptown for dinner.
Along the way, we noted some old buildings. The old Masonic Lodge, c. 1914, is eye-catching from the outside, and stunning on the inside (based on the photos in this article).
The white stone building across the street from the old Masonic Lodge was built in 1900.
We started with happy hour at The Renaissance Pub.
Then, we walked next door for dinner at Ruggiero's Trattoria. We ate at the bar and shared one of their specials for the evening -- steak and mashed potatoes. It was delicious and filling.
Watching the weather channel at the bar, predicting severe storms in the area, we joked that the town of Butternuts, shown on the TV screen, was about to get squashed. 😉
Not to Miss: On Wednesday night, at Ruggiero's Trattoria, “Ody” sings and plays guitar for a friendly game of music trivia. Ray & I did OK; we took 2nd place. (No need to say how many couples were there. 😊)
One of the locals even got me up for a few dances.
Pedestrian Notes: Little Falls is a “little hilly”. 😉 But the village is more compact, so it didn’t seem we were walking as many hills to get the stores, restaurants, and brewery.
This photo is probably representative of the steepest climb.
If you would prefer to avoid the climb, or if it’s raining heavily (as it was for us one night), you can call the local taxi.
We got Jerry’s card from the marina staff, and he was nice and reliable for us.
Marina Helper: Allison, from the Rotary Marina, provided a tour of the marina facilities, which are housed in a 100-year-old canal barge terminal building. (She was my original source of information about the old Masonic Lodge building, above.) She provided information about the famed “potholes” on Moss Island and “Little Falls” (or Herkimer) diamonds.
She showed me the Little Falls diamond (in the boater’s lounge), still embedded in the rock.
Allison is real gem! 😊
Moss Island Potholes: The City’s third major natural feature, in addition to the Mohawk River and steep cliffs, is Moss Island, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and owned by New York State. It has been designated a National Natural Landmark due to its unique geological characteristics and natural resources. Moss Island contains one of the best and the largest collections of “potholes” in the United States. Potholes are unique geological abrasions formed by an ancient waterfall that flowed when the ancestral Mohawk River drained the Great Lakes.
One day, we went searching for the famed potholes --- between rain showers.
We crossed over Lock E17 to Moss Island using the pedestrian walkway over the lock gates.
We followed the “trail”, trying to find our way to the center of the island to make a right turn toward the potholes. We never found them. The better “trails” seemed to keep taking us toward the left, where rock climbers climb the cliffs. This doesn’t seem very steep, but it was very steep. 😮 I should have worn hiking shoes.
Prospecting for Little Falls Diamonds: On the hills, north and south of the gorge forming the Mohawk Valley at Little Falls, NY, you might find a small, clear, sparkling stone called “the Little Falls diamond.” This semi-precious stone is not a real diamond, but is a member of the quartz family which includes opal and amethyst.
The term Herkimer diamond is based on the nearby Herkimer Diamond Mine in Herkimer, NY, about 15 miles from Little Falls, NY.
One day, we hiked to a waterfall near the Rollaway Cliffs, to “pan” for “diamonds”. Again, we didn’t find them, but the waterfall was pretty, and probably a little bigger from all of the rain the previous few days.
Holy Family Parish, c.1878: The beautiful Catholic church (on the left) was built in the Gothic style. The stone used in construction was mined from local rock quarries.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, c.1835: Emmanuel (on the right) is an even older stone church.
Not to Miss: Canal Side Inn is an excellent spot for dinner. We immediately felt welcomed into this cozy rustic bar by all of the staff. My cocktail was excellent. Chef John was exuberant and described an outstanding list of specials for the evening.
Though we shared an entree, Chef John personally presented our 2 dishes superbly plated. The special entree of surf & turf was delicious, as was the mile-high cheesecake!
🛑 Weather Delay: While we were out exploring the hills, the canal “pool level” continued to rise. We watched debris flowing past SCOUT for several days. Lock 17 -- which we had just traveled through – had to be closed to oncoming boaters, due to the excessive runoff. The lock stayed closed off for several days.
Some of the locks we would need to transit, further upstream, were also closed for a few days. We ended up staying a day longer than we had planned.
🔷 Boater Tip: Subscribe to any helpful forums, notices, and alerts applicable to your cruising area.
We had subscribed to the “Notice To Mariners” emails through the NY canal system management agency. The instantaneous information about conditions up and down the entire canal system was very useful.
It is difficult to comprehend how difficult this travel would be without the connectivity we have today.
To plan our departure, Ray also monitored the USGS river flow rate information, online, for the Little Falls area. You can see the spike in flow rate from the days of rain. Yes, that is 11,000 cubic feet of water PER SECOND coming through the area.
Since we were “stuck” in Little Falls for at least another day, there was time for one more outing.
Ironrock Brewing was a happening spot, just a short walk from the marina. We heard a great local country band. In addition to their beers, they offer cider, wine, and bourbon and moonshine from local companies.
Not to Miss: Little Falls NY is a fun and convenient stop on the eastern Erie Canal. There is a “full-size” grocery store and a Saturday farmer’s market within walking distance. Little Falls Canal Harbor and Rotary Park has nice restrooms and showers, and a pay washer/dryer.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Little Falls. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful.
GLTD042 Sylvan Beach NY (from Little Falls NY): We waited for some indication that the river flow rate would subside before leaving Little Falls to head upstream into the current. We wanted to leave (really) early but had to wait until 7:00 am when some low fog cleared. This heron was making use of the debris to fish.
We spent the first 2 hours of travel, dodging stumps, trunks, and branches. We were also slowed to 4-5 knots of boat speed due to the current in the river.
The Erie Canal work boats look like “members of service” dressed in the company colors.
After lock E19, the river seemed to be narrowing and flattening – no longer surrounded by huge cliffs.
We transited 5 locks on this day, and most offered ropes only, so they required both of us (on bow and stern).
The last two locks for the day, E21 & E22, we were locking DOWN 25 feet (instead of locking UP). They bring the water level down to the high-altitude Lake Oneida.
Because SCOUT’s bow is tall, I had to extend the boat hook in order to retrieve the rope that was about 10-12 feet below where I was standing.
Most of the lines have floats at the top, as in the image to the right, which cause the ropes to “hang” 1 or 2 inches away from the wall, allowing room for a hook to snag the line from behind.
When locking down, I had to hook the line below the float and then raise it to my hand.
Below is the link to a short time-lapse video of SCOUT going down in Lock E21.
💲 Free Dock: We arrived at Sylvan Beach mid-afternoon and docked on the free wall – with no power. Fortunately, we were cool enough without air conditioning, and our solar panels covered the non-HVAC needs.
In her dreary berth, SCOUT appears to be smiling. Despite all the debris we’ve plowed her through and all the slimy locks we bathed her in, she still shines high and proud. 😊 (I should learn something from her.)
🔷 Boater Tip: The free dockage on the walls of the Erie Canal typically do not have cleats. Instead, you secure your boat by running your lines through the metal rings and back to the cleat on your boat.
We were both “starving” by the time we arrived, so we walked, right away, to Canal View Café -- just a couple of blocks away, where I had Gluten Free pasta!
Sylvan Beach reminds us of some of the small North Carolina Beach towns; it even has a small amusement park. I was tempted to walk through, looking for cotton candy, but I was ready to relax on the boat.
My sisters are probably worried about my condition, as they are reading this. They have never known me to pass on cotton candy. However, I had just made half a recipe of “green stuff” (lime congealed salad with pineapple), and I had been looking forward to that for dessert. 😊
We turned in early to get an early start the next day for the predicted rainy travel across Oneida Lake.
What’s next? We will cross Oneida Lake and start transiting the western portion of the Erie Canal.
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