ALBANY to WATERFORD / June 10 (Day 141)

Admiral's Log:     12:55 pm, 6/10/16
                         Air Temp:   69     Air Temp:   67
                        Winds:   6.9
                        Speed:   14 mph

We did a little laundry and cleaned the boat while we waited until our guests, Bonnee and Casey arrived at 12:45. Then we headed towards the Federal Lock; the first lock on the Erie Canal, where will rise 16 foot. This is also where fresh water starts. Yay, no more spraying off the salt!

Most of these boats are lined up to enter Lock #2 the next morning. We are second in line.

The Erie Canal runs from Albany to Buffalo, is 339 miles long and has 57 locks. I has an elevation difference of 565 feet. It was originally built to create a route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and opened in 1825. If you remember in school, mules would walk along side the canal, pulling barges of goods. Today it is mainly used for pleasure craft like us. 

Excited about my first lock.

We arrived at Waterford New York at 2:45 and tied up to a wall with power, for just 10$! We are used to on average paying atleast 2$ a foot plus power. We heard that's pretty much how it will be along the canal. Just tie up to a wall and walk to the little town. Bonnee and I walked to the grocery then we joined up for Docktails with Phase II, Cutty's Ark, Lazy Suzan and a couple of new Loopers we had not met before. We fixed a delicious chicken dinner on the boat.