Time Warp

We woke up recently to the troops walking by our house in Ticonderoga! Good thing I follow the fort's Facebook page and had just read that the staff and volunteers were doing a reenactment, or else I really would have wondered what was going on. They rowed a couple of boats on Lake George and then landed and walked the approximately 5 miles down The Portage and to the fort on Lake Champlain.

They did 'cheat' a little, unlike the days of old, and their boats were trailered by truck from Lake George. Originally they had to carry their boats from one lake to the other, hence the street name "The Portage!"

Annual Hudson River Cruise

Dave and I took the Sea Fox skiff down the Hudson River last week. It was a perfect day for cruising from Catskill to Kingston. We saw many barges being towed, and in fact one tugboat was pushing 6 barges tied up together. Then we saw the barge below. If anyone knows or can even guess what this is, please let me know!

Esopus and Roundout Creek Lighthouses:

Bridges across the Roundout Creek in Kingston...I can picture a train derailing and plunging into the water:

Roundout Wooden Boat School:

Old PT Boats just sitting and waiting for revival:

Many old wooden barge skeletons are strewn along the shore. We wondered how many were below us that we couldn't see. This used to be quite an important port.

Tugs line the shore too, waiting for repairs.

Lots of barges waiting to be hauled out for restoring. It was the busiest we have ever seen it.

The whole Roundout Creek is so interesting, but the end by the falls is the prettiest.

We're already looking forward to going back next summer!

Another Horizon

Or as Dave calls it...a dry horizon. Meet Gulliver (as in Gulliver's Travels), a 1994 Dodge Pleasure Way camper van.

Although we have been wondering where we're going to stay in Daytona, now that my mother's house has been sold, this was a spontaneous decision when we were in the 1000 Islands. We saw it for sale on the side of the road and thought about all the new adventures we could have. Plus no more motels (aka bedbugs) and reservations. We can stay at so many different campsites along the St. Lawrence when we go there. Then in the fall when we head south, we can stay within walking distance of Mom's assisted care facility for a week or so before flying to Hope Town. We have a bathroom, fridge, stove, microwave oven,and double bed in the back. Plus a/c, heat, a generator, a great stereo system (cassettes lol!), and a trailer hitch for towing. Our kayaks can fit inside too.

A true miniature land yacht that we are ready to explore a new horizon with!

Start Your Chainsaws!

During yet another chilly windy day, we headed to the Woodsmen's Days at Tupper Lake. They didn't have as many events as they did last time we went, but it was still fun to see so many talented wood carving artists in one place. Below are a few examples of their finished crafts:

St. Lawrence Current

Yesterday was a gorgeous day to go kayaking from Grass Point State Park. I wouldn't want to launch a boat here though, because the water is so high that part of the docks are underwater.

The workers were trying to load up this trailer full of campfire wood onto a barge, which was quite challenging.

We struggled to go up current, but stuck close to shore where it wasn't so noticeable. Then on the way back we sure went flying with the current, eddies, and whirlpools, past the lighthouse and Dave's wreck that he wants to snorkel on. Taking photos was rather challenging too, since we were going so fast, it was difficult to maneuver and stay in one place long enough to get the phone camera out and snap the shots. All we could do was laugh as we flew by (sometimes backwards 😉).

Today we went out in Foxie the Sea Fox skiff, launching from Keewaydin State Park (there are so many beautiful state parks and campgrounds along the river). With the high water, there is a 5 mph, no wake zone, 600 ft. from shore, enforced throughout the 1000 Islands. Everyone is hoping it will help keep damage and erosion down from boat wakes. This makes the going slow for quite a bit of the time, but then we get to really see the houses along the shore at trawler speed. We went over to the Canadian side by Ivy Lea and through all the little islands where the current is at least 3-4 knots. It is a spectacular area, and we even had an excellent loon encounter. A pair of loons were feeding and diving for fish as a brand new little fuzzy baby was nearby. They weren't afraid of us at all as we quietly watched them for a few minutes. Unfortunately my photos did not come out well, but what an experience.

We hated leaving and heading home today. The weather was so nice and we want to explore more, but we will be back at the beginning of August.

High Waters

We arrived in the 1000 Islands just in time for a freighter to go by!

The river is still very high and the rain from the past several days hasn't helped (we could see flooding along the Thruway, especially around Utica). This is the public dock in Alexandria Bay.

They had to build new access ramps on top of the old stationary dock that leads to floating docks. Some of the planks from the old dock have washed away with the high water and we think the blue barrels are to help hold it down. They also alert boaters that the dock is underwater and not to try to tie up. This limits the amount of boats it can accomodate which will be an issue during events like the poker run. However, it is better than nothing and it's all about adapting during this trying time in the area. Boating may be challenging with debris, unmarked rocks that are normally exposed, and current from dumping water out of the river towards Montreal. I'll let you know soon after we get out on the water.