ETOT ERIE

The following is part of a text conversation between Looper vessels "Southern Cross" and "Velsignet." It initiated continued conversation over a lovely dinner at Aqua Vino, a fine Italian Restaurant along the Erie Canal in Utica, NY:

Dave (a Naval Academy Graduate):  I vote for late lunch at the Italian place and RON at their dock.

Brenda (who doesn't know a lick of Naval radio messaging lingo):  We vote yes to the late lunch.  DKNA RON.  NAE. (she just made all of that up)

Penny (who can figure out almost anything):  LOL -- RON=rest of night.  What is NAE?

Brenda:  NAE...needs an explanation!

Dave then adds:  This would be a classic Navy radio message:

FM:  SOPA/Southern Cross

TO:  CO Velsignet

SUBJ:  OPORD

REF: A)Phoncon Penny/Brenda

1) Take Ref A FORAC.  Keep ALCON informed. DIRLAUTH.

BT

Brenda:  OK.  New language education has begun!

We just went through Lock 20 (of the 34 total) and have completed 110 miles of the 165 miles we will cruise on this amazing and peaceful 363-mile waterway (from Albany on the Hudson River to Buffalo on Lake Erie).  There are small towns located along the Erie (in reality, sometimes we're on a man-made canal, other times we're on the Mohawk River...together they makes the Erie), and the ones we've made stops at show signs of decline from an industrial age that no longer exists.  This is a National Heritage Corridor recognized as one of the most important works of civil engineering and construction in North America.  Opened in 1825 for a commercial shipping industry that has long since retired, the canal today is used primarily by recreational watercraft. 

We expect to arrive Thursday (tomorrow) at Winter Harbor Marina which is located on the canal west of Lake Oneida.  While Mike is in Seattle this next Sunday through Friday, Brenda will be on Velsignet at the marina.

This is Lock 17 located near Little Falls on the Erie Canal.  Lock 17 lifts 40.5 feet and replaced four 1925 locks, making it the largest lock on the Canal.  Also unique to this lock is the guillotine-style door whereby boats enter under the door and then the door is lowered to close the chamber.  This is Southern Cross entering the lock chamber.

This is Velsignet meeting a Canal Cruise Ship as it came out of one of the locks.

This was our traffic sign on the Hudson giving direction.

It's beautiful and peaceful cruising on the Erie...in between its many locks, that is!

This was taken from Velsignet of Southern Cross inside Lock 17.

The rock, the trees, the water...we never tire of it.

What you're looking at is one of many dams on the Erie.  The structure that looks like a bridge serves the dam control gates.

Unlike the locks on the Tennessee-Tombigbee canal system, Velsignet enters the lock and there are lines that hang along the edges for which we grasp and hang onto to help keep the boat stable in the filling process.
We've learned it's important to ask the Lockmaster if there is a side in the lock chamber we need to hug.  In Lock 19, we were prepared to grasp ties on the port side of the boat (meaning, we had fenders on the left side of the boat to prevent scraping along the lock's concrete wall).  As we entered the lock, the lockmaster informed us "a starboard tie only," which required fast moving on deck and slow moving on the helm to make the last minute accommodations!

This photo was taken and shared with us by Loopers Tom and Kelly, MV "Paddy Wagon"; it is of Southern Cross and Velsignet as we were tied on "the wall" near Lock 17.
It was an eye opener for all of us:  Mike, Brenda, Dave and Penny....
The big guy is "Southern Cross" and the little baby boat is "Velsignet."
We've so enjoyed our reunion with Southern Cross and these few days of traveling along the canal with them!

Velsignet was docked along "the wall" in front of "Aqua Vino" restaurant behind a 38-foot Catalina sailboat, "Green Voyage."  While Mike tended to PSMW business, Brenda enjoyed coffee time with Letisha Green.  Their conversation included time for Letisha to produce a quick watercolor of Velsignet!

While the light isn't the greatest, this photo gives you an idea of what is meant by docking to "a wall" (bollards and rings are along the canal for which the boat can tie up to, as well as obtain water and electricity) and what the Italian restaurant, "Aqua Vino" looks like from the water.

This is a dredging vessel on the canal.  The depth of the Erie Canal is controlled at 9 feet between Albany and the Oswego Canal.  In addition, several bridges cross the Canal, most with a minimum clearance of 21 feet (Velsignet requires clearance of 17 feet).