May 11, 2009 - Waterford, NY

Today, continuing north on the Hudson River, we see another historic lighthouse.


















We passed through New York’s capital city, Albany.












Now we reach our first New York Canal system lock, the Troy Lock. We were well prepared with fenders, lines and boat hooks, and locked through with two other boats. The first locks will raise the boat, as we make our way up to the Great Lakes. We will encounter a total of 39 locks before we reach Lake Erie.








At Waterford, we spent the night at the free town dock. Unlike the Bahamas or along the Atlantic US Coast, many towns along the New York Canal System (which includes the Erie Canal) have complimentary dockage. They are actively encouraging recreational boaters to visit, and to patronize the local businesses.













The town is not only hospitable, but charming, with shops and restaurants. At the end of the evening, we were treated to a beautiful sunset.