To the beginning of the Erie Canal

We enjoyed a nice ride on the Hudson on Thursday, arriving at noon to find a position on the free dock at the Erie Canal Welcome Center.   We rafted next to our good looper friends Jim and Cathy after which we rented a car with them to go to the Local West Marine store to pick up our canadian chip for the GPS chart plotter while spending another hundred not on our shopping list!  Having a free dock for 48 hours was a chance for us to stock up on groceries relax and do some boat maintenance stuff.   While here we met a 30 year old guy from Hamburg Germany who has come across the Atlantic by himself in a rather small sailboat (30 ft?).  Hinnech Weiler is doing the loop after which he will be sailing the length of South America to Patagonia (near Antartica).  He is trying to convince us that the 25 foot waves on the Atlantic are no big deal!  Knowing that it takes a freighter 20 minutes to run over you from the time you see it, he sets an egg timer to wake him every 40 minutes.  Nice guy; very brave. 
The town of waterford is right there with walking tours and bicycle trails available.  The river front is very park like.  We ate in town at a resturant which served good food at 1960 prices!
Saturday night we enjoyed cocktails and snacks on Jim and Cathy's boat while looking at pictures of their restored 1840 home and his restored cars including a beautiful red Corvette.

Along the Hudson:



Barges with crushed cars




Wating in the lock




Docked at the Welcome Center




Jayne with Jim and Cathy




Ahead of us the 1st of tomorrow's 10 locks




The Vistor's Center

 We then made plans to leave tomorrow at 7:00 AM, on a day which will take us through 10 locks; the 1st 6 locks will raise us 35 feet APIECE.