Richelieu Canal System

Arriving at Canadian customs

Tom and custom's official

Buddy Boat--Carried Away
Joyce and Bill Craig

   Canadian Border sign in  French!


Sunday, June 24^th we entered Canadian waters in the company of Carried Away.  We arrived at the customs’ pier before it opened, so we tied up and made the mandatory phone call from the dock phone.  Just as Tom had received our clearance number, the customs’ officer appeared.  He asked the usual questions (Are you carrying any weapons? How long are you planning  to be in Canada?   Where are you going? Etc.), glanced at our passports and said we were good to go.  We took down the yellow quarantine flag and replaced it with the maple leaf.                                                                                                           

Putting up the Canadian reciprocal flag

The area we were traveling mostly followed the Richelieu River and used the Chambly and St. Ours Canals. At the first lock of the day, we paid our locking and docking fees.  Since we will be using locks for the next two months, we bought season passes which allow us unlimited docking and overnight stays on dock walls and Canadian parks this season.  We are accustomed to the Mississippi and Tennessee River locks, so these locks were an eye-opener.  For starters, they are very small—barely 100 feet long and 25 feet wide—a tight fit for two boats our size. 

First Lock is actually lock #9

To lock through, the lockmaster cleated lines on top of the wall and threw the free ends to people standing  fore and aft on the boat.  We then cleated the lines loosely on the boat and hung on to the free end.  As the water went down, we had to let out slack.  The normal drop was less than 10 feet.  The really interesting thing about the locks is that (other than Lock 9—the first one we went through at St. Jean sur Richelieu) the sides and doors are wooden and they are hand operated.  After securing the boats, the lockmasters crank the doors shut.  Then they crank the gates open to release the water.  Fascinating.  I kept thinking what great shape their arms were in!  The lockmasters were both male and female, very friendly and all spoke both French and English.

The traditional cranking mechanisms
still being used today.

bike path between canal and river

At times we were higher than our
surroundings.

Lockmaster preparing to lock us through

Not only were the locks narrow, the canal and the channel within the canal were also.  Check out the clearance on the sides of the opening below.  Yikes!  We kept fenders on both sides just in case, but Tom did a great job of maneuvering in the tight spaces.

Not much space to spare!

Narrow passage

We went through six locks Sunday and tied up on the lock wall above Chambly lock #3.  At times we were paralleling the Richelieu River with a bike path in between the canal and the river. This path was at one time used by horses to drag barges through the canal. This was the extended week-end of the holiday, Quebec Day (a.k.a. St. John Baptiste day), so lots of people were out bike-riding, walking, picnicking and watching at the locks. The mooring spaces at the lock walls were quite full because of the holiday, so Carried Away rafted next to us.  As you can see, Tom got in the spirit of the holiday and bought a Quebec flag!  After dinner that night we walked to Fort Chambly—a 1700’s French fort.  Back at the boat, we were entertained by the happenings at a children’s fair taking place in the park across the canal.  The culmination of the celebration had a fire theme—fire-twirling, fire-breathing, and a large bonfire.  Luckily the wind was blowing away from the boats!

Fort Chambly

Children's fair in honor of Quebec Day

In lock 6, lock 5 ahead.

Most signs are in French and English

Story of the fort
(click on to enlarge)

Monday we left Chambly going through locks 3-2-1.  The door from lock 3 opened into lock 2 and lock 2 into lock 1.  The whole process took about 45 minutes.  Carried Away went first with a sailboat, so I was able to get pictures of them going through.

Carried Away entering lock 3

Locking down in lock 3

Doors opening into  lock 2

Moving into position from lock 3 to lock 2

After the Chambly Locks we were back into the Richelieu River, so it was much wider.  Ferry boats traverse the river drawn by cables.  We had to wait until they docked before continuing so as not to catch the cable.

Waiting for the cable ferry boat to complete crossing.

The church steeples fascinated me on this leg of the journey.  We passed many little towns with these beautiful church steeples.

Monday night we stayed on the lock wall above the St. Ours Lock.  We were actually on Darvard Island surrounded by a very park-like setting.  The hiking paths had signs telling the history of the lock and dam and also identifying the native trees.  The conservation department built a fish ladder here in 2001 to provide the fish (including the endangered copper redhorse only found in this area) with a passageway around the dam in order to reach their spawning grounds.

Dam on other side of island

Tied up to lock wall for the night

Tuesday we went through the lock as soon as it opened at 8:30 a.m. as Bill and Joyce were going all the way to Montreal—about 60  miles and much of it against a current.  The St. Ours locks through by attaching the boat fore and aft to a floating dock.  We just attached lines to cleats on the boat and lockmaster did the rest.  Nice!

Easy locking with a floating dock

The wind was from the north quite strong for a while.  We pushed on and reached Sorel, an industrial port at the confluence of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Richelieu River,  around 11 a.m.  There we were met by tankers headed to and from the Great Lakes.  Carried Away scooted ahead as they had miles to go, and we left the main channel to anchor behind Le Grande Ile about 35 miles from Montreal.

Carried Away entering St. Lawrence River

We are back with the big boys!

Lake Champlain

We left Albany on Sunday, June 17^th.  We hadn’t taken time to explore Albany as there were mundane  things to take care of—groceries, laundry, etc. But we did have a nice time at the yacht club with events both nights we were there.  About 20 miles north of Albany, the Erie Canal swings off to the west and the Hudson River continues to the Champlain Canal to the north.  Since we had traveled the last 2/3’s of the Erie in the Saralynn several years ago, we chose to take the Champlain route.

Albany skyline

Historic Albany

This is where the Erie Canal splits
off from the Hudson River.

Welcome to NY Canals

We went through 5 locks that day.  These are not large lifts—the highest being  19 feet.  To lock through we cleated a line at mid-ships, ran the other end behind a recessed pipe, and held the free end.  Very simple, actually.  After lock 5 we tied to a floating dock on the east side of the canal to spend the night.  This was next to a small park that had a path leading to a dam and waterfall.  The path went alongside a section of the Hudson River that had impressive rapids.  Quite obvious at that point  why they built the canal.

Dam and waterfall

Really cool firefly sculpture in park.

Lock one on the Champlain Canal system. 

On Monday, we cast off and aimed for Whitehall, last stop before actually entering Lake Champlain.  Impressive Skene Manor, the castle on the Mountain built in 1874 by Judge Potter, overlooked us as we docked on the town wall.  In 1995 several townspeople went together to buy and restore the castle and it is now open to the public.   Whitehall claims to be the birthplace of the American navy since this was where Benedict Arnold’s ships were built that engaged the British in the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War.  A  boil water order was posted on the grounds near the wall.  We were mighty glad we saw it before we filled the tanks.

Castle on the Mountain

Locks to Lakes sign
(click on it to enlarge)

Birthplace of US Navy

You are here sign.  For all of you who wonder
"Where the heck are they?"

Tuesday, the 19^th, we entered Lake Champlain.  It is gorgeous!  We anchored in a bay just south of the Lake Champlain Bridge which is beautifully lit at night.  The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse sits on the point of the bay.  The ruins of two forts, one French and one British, can be seen on the land.  We chose to stay aboard Raydiance and enjoy them from a distance.

Champlain Memorial Lighthouse

Wednesday we traveled about 20 miles to Kingsland Bay, a well-protected anchorage by a state park. Along the way we enjoyed views of the Adirondacks in the distance to the west and the Green Mountains of Vermont in the distance to the east. It was hot and humid (in the 90’s) that day so the mountains appeared hazy.  The terrain is mostly rugged hills and forests, but several farms dot the landscape alongside moderate summer homes and the occasional mansion.   After setting the anchor we bravely took the plunge into 65 degree water.  It was extremely clear(easily seeing toes) and very refreshing! This is the first time we had been swimming since the Bahamas.  Later we took the dinghy to shore to explore the park.  Coming back to the boat, Tom decided he wanted to try to scrub the sides a bit.  So I became the dinghy captain while he planned to scrub.  Well, I have a little dyslexia with fast/slow and right/left when it comes to steering the dink.  After several failed attempts, with Tom being dumped on his behind as I rammed the dink into Raydiance (luckily it’s rubber!), we decided to give up on that plan.  It didn’t help that the whole situation tickled my funny bone and I could barely see with laughing tears streaming down my face.  That night we decided to dinghy around  the corner of the bay to watch sunset.   I drove as Tom thought for some strange reason that I needed practice as helmsman on the dink.  The sunset was beautiful and so was my landing of the dink upon return!

Bluffs beside Kingsland Bay

Sunset as seen from the Dink

Well kept farms near lake

Hazy mountains

At least the bear
was a willing subject!

Thursday we headed for Burlington and docked at the Boathouse Marina.  Burlington has a lively downtown and a real MALL!  We went to an ATT office and changed Tom’s phone to a Canadian plan, so we can be reached in Canada.  Mine will be shut off.  As for Verizon, I called three times and got three different answers about my internet device.  So I have decided to rely on the kindness of strangers and public wi-fi at marinas/Starbucks/etc.  The blog will get posted when those things are available.   That evening we had dinner at the Vermont Pub and Brewery followed by (what else in Vermont) Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.  Church Street, vibrant even at night, has several bear statues along the pedestrian mall.   Each is painted differently and sponsored by a business or organization.

Church Street at night

Linda and friend at Ben and Jerry's

A Vermont must!

I almost forgot a momentous event that occurred in Burlington.  Note Tom's picture above by the bear.  The one below was taken earlier.  Not having had a haircut since Thanksgiving, he finally decided that the long hair was going to be too hot for summer.  So he went to "The Chop Shop"--honestly, the name of the salon!  I think he rather misses the salty look (thanks for the term, Mary!).

All our guide books said a night at anchor around Valcour Island was a must.  So we spent Friday night in South Bluff Bay.  This was only about 20 miles from Burlington, so we arrived mid-afternoon and five other boats were there.  By that evening, at least 40 boats had arrived—many rafting.  This island was the site of Benedict Arnold’s “navy” encounter with the British.  Although he was defeated, the battle postponed the British invasion of the Hudson  until the following  spring giving the American army much needed time to prepare.  Bennie was still a good guy at this point.  Today, the island is a state park with numerous trails, one of which leads to an old lighthouse.  At one point the lighthouse was replaced by an ugly steel tower that used solar power for the light.  Now the lighthouse has been restored and the solar panel transferred to it for lighting the point once again.  An osprey family meanwhile has taken up residency on the tower.

Raydiance at anchor by Valcour Island

Restored lighthouse

beggar ducks

Great campsite on Valcour Island

Osprey in nest on old lighthouse tower.

Saturday, our last day on Lake Champlain, a brisk wind was blowing from the north, so the sailboats were out in force.  Avoiding  them was a bit reminiscent of crab pot dodging.  Several ferry boats still operate on the lake and they definitely have the right of way.  Saturday evening we spent at Gaines’ Marina in Rouse’s Point—the last town before the Canadian border.  We found Bill and Joyce from Carried Away in a slip close by.  We had met them our last night at anchor on the Chesapeake and again during one of our many stops at Croton-on-Hudson.   They also were heading off to Canada on Sunday so we spent the evening comparing notes on routes, customs, etc. and decided we would travel together.  Nice to have a buddy boat again for a while.  Next stop, Canada!

Great day for sailing!

Ferry boats crossing Lake Champlain