May 31st to June 1st - Catskill NY to Waterford NY

We left Catskill heading north toward Waterford, which is the beginning of the Eire Canal.  During today's trip we went through Albany and Troy NY.  Along the way, a good sized tanker started overtaking us on a narrow part of the river.  We decided that discretion was the better part of valor and pulled off to the side and allowed him to pass us.  We later caught up when he was manuevering with tugs alongside to dock.

Today was also the first of many locks we will traverse during the next few months.  We actually stayed in Waterford for a couple of days to replenish some food and to host Connie and Betty Lange, friends from Florida who live in the Troy area,  for dinner onboard GREAT ESCAPE.
 
Waterford is the beginning of the Erie Canal, which was originally completed in 1825, connecting Lake Erie with the Hudson River.  The present day version of the canal was completed in 1903 and has 34 locks which raise a boat 565 feet above sea level between Troy, NY and Buffalo, NY. (We can't go through the western section of the canal as it has a fixed bridge with a clearance of only 15 1/2 feet).  At Waterford, the first five locks, known as the "Waterford Flight" raise the boat 169 feet in less than two miles.  There is also an old section of the "original" Erie Canal locks here.

One problem with boating is that it is often difficult to take pictures of  your boat "in action," so I have included some photos of SONATA locking through the first lock at Waterford.

Another lighthouse on the river

This is the ship that was rapidly running us down

One sees all kinds of vessels on the Hudson River

The "monster" passing us

We pass the "monster" as she has tugs alongside and
is getting ready to dock

The entrance to the Federal Lock, Lock #1 at Troy, NY

GREAT ESCAPE entering Lock #1

This is water cascading down what were the original Erie Canal
Locks at Waterford

SONATA, on the left, entering Lock #2, the first lock at Waterford

Halfway up

At full elevation



SONATA heading toward the next lock

Connie & Betty Lange
 (We forgot to take a picture at dinner, so this is one from a previous get together)