June 22nd, 2013

Well, here I go again. Where do I start?

We stayed in Catskill, NY for 2 days to do some general over hauling of the boat and to get the boat ready for entering Lake Champlain and Canada. There are strict rules regarding pets and sewage. The cat is taken care of as we have with us paperwork to say that she has had all her shots, especially the rabies.
Now as to the sewage, we have to disconnect all overboard pump outs, flush out the line, cut it and put in a bung. We had the main toilet (we have 2) pumped out while at the marina so whilst on the Hudson Gary starts to work on the bungs. However, he hits a snag. While cleaning out the port toilet (the one we hardly ever use) he finds that it is full of water. He cannot get the water to drain. So, what does he decide to do - blow into a hose that he had inserted into the pump out hole and guess what happened? You are right, it blew back at him and his shoes, socks and lower half of his legs got covered with water and s--t!!!! I was such a darling wife that not even a smile crossed my lips. I didn't dare in case he threw me overboard.

Whilst in Catskill we used our bikes to bike 2 miles each way to get groceries. You would not believe how much we carried in 2 bags, 1 backpack (thanks Mum and Dad for this) 2 bicycle paniers/saddle bags plus our baskets on the handle bars. This, too did not go according to plan as Gary chain broke again. So back to the marina we went to get our spare chain and to learn how to put it on a 21 speed bike. After an hour we were ready to try again. On the way to the supermarket I took some photos of ornamental cats placed along Catskill's high street. There were a couple of dogs also but when the town is called CATSkill it should just have been cats don't you think?

We left Catskill to travel up the Hudson towards Canada. We passed a suspension bridge with three workers working on one of the cables. Rather them than me.

I am not sure what the above building is. It was certainly imposing.

There were also some interesting looking lighthouses in the middle of the river. These are for you, David!!

Further upstream we passed an old ship but could not find any info on it. We wondered if it was the ship that Henry Hudson used to sail to New York in 1609 (well, not THE ship but a replica). There was no name on her as we passed.

The blog is short and sweet or in Gary's case stinky today. We get ready to go into the Champlain Canal tomorrow with its 11 locks. That sounds like a "lock" of fun.

Oh, I nearly forgot. I have been asked what happened to my camera when I was dunked near Liberty the other day. The camera I had with me was waterproof and attached and tucked inside my life jacket. So, luckily I did not lose my expensive camera that I use mostly for my photography.

 Kingston Rover Loop Map

Catskills

First mate's loop log dated 6192013

We are presently in the Catskills having travelled up the dirty, fast flowing, wide and deep Hudson River from New York City. We passed a place called World's End which happens to be the deepest place of the Hudson River. Our depth gauge read 178 feet.I read that there is even a greater depth somewhere close by.
We spent a fun couple of days in New York City seeing the sites by open top double decker bus. Besides being side swiped by a couple of trees, the trip was interesting and informative.

        Yours truly with the Manhattan Skyline, not from the double decker bus!!!

                                        The captain in Times Square.

                                                   Times Square.

                                              Empire State Building.

                                              A very pretty scene.

 The new World Trade Center, one of four buildings built or being built as a memorial to 911.

                                                     The United Nations.

                                           Grand Central Park.

In the camera shop with salesman trying to persuade me to buy the fisheye lens (he did).

 An interesting bridge on the Hudson. I thought the ironwork was quite attractive but found out from Gary that the bridge was being built prior to the depression and the company ran out of money. They were unable to complete the bridge. The iron what you see in the photo should have been covered with granite.

               A very dull, thundery, misty day with low clouds on the hills.

 West Point, the American Army Officers' College. We were very disappointed not to be able to visit it. Since 911 the boat dock has been closed to visitors. We may stop up river and hire a car to go back and see it.

This was an interesting site in the middle of the Hudson River - Bannerman Castle on Pollipel Island. The island was purchased by Scotsman Francis Bannerman in 1900/1901 to be used as a military surplus warehouse (Bannerman bought weapons from the Spanish). You cannot visit by private boat but can by using a private company. The castle is in ruins, the last collapse happened in 2009. It still made for a wondrous looking site.
We are now in a marina at Catskill, New York. Gary is changing oil, transmission fluid etc while I am typing my blog. I am being used as the "gopher" - go for this, go for that.
An uneventful day for me - I did not get a free bath!!!

Kingston Rover Map

                     

          

         

                                                                                                                  

Here we go again for the second time. For some reason the last blog I typed was not saved.
After three rough days both on the Atlantic Ocean and the Inland Waterway we have arrived in New York. We spent last night within sight of Coney Island making it an easy run in the morning to view Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
On the Atlantic Ocean we had five feet waves causing me to seek lower ground
- my bedroom, whilst Gary did the driving. Luckily, unlike me he can tolerate the rough seas.

We had several thunder storms and saw lightening hit an antenna at a theme park. I am glad it hit the antenna and not us although Gary assures me that the lightening would pass through the boat. Passing through New Jersey we saw several homes that were either damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy last October. It made me wonder if the people had no insurance to fix their homes or they were having to wait their turn because of all the damage the storm caused.

We only live 200 miles south of this area so it made me realise how lucky we were that the storm hit further north of us. My heart goes out to the people who lost relatives or their homes or both.
This morning we motored in to New York to see Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We had to share the river with some awfully big boats, fishing boats and several ferries.

I do not know how the men avoided getting their lines tangled up or how the boat was able to stay upright.

We had a nice view of the Manhattan skyline with the new World Trade Center. It is now the tallest building in the United States being 1776 feet to commemorate American independence from the British. It made the Empire State building seem quite small in comparison.

The Statue of Liberty was still closed to the public following damage from Hurricane Sandy. We got a nice view of her from the water. We also passed Ellis Island where the immigrants of long ago had to pass through to get into the United States. Not me, I had to go through Dulles. We visited Ellis Island years ago with David and I could feel the tension, nervousness, anxiety of the thronging immigrants wondering if they would be allowed in to this great country or whether they would be sent back home because they were sick. I have had these feelings once since and that was at the Alamo in Texas. I could sense the fear and anguish of the soldiers who were defending the Alamo. It was that oppressive I had to leave the Alamo building and go visit the gardens. Now you all know I am weirder than you thought I was!!!

Railway station from where the immigrants would travel to all over the States.

Well, have I a story to tell you. My dear husband wanted a photo of the Kingston Rover and the Statue of Liberty in one photograph. This meant one of us would have to go in the dinghy to take the photograph. Guess which one of us was selected. Yep, you are right - moi, myself, me!!! Well, I get into the dinghy wearing my life jacket (I am not a good swimmer) and get cut loose by Gary. The idea is the current will take me past the boat with Liberty in the back ground. I take my photos then dear Gary comes back for me. He tells me he will tow me to calmer waters which will help me get from the dinghy to the boat. Right!!!! Well, I was towed sideways for approx 30 secs when I felt the dinghy tilting in towards the rear of the boat. The waves from the boat were hitting the dinghy and turned it upside down and me into the drink. The water was cool but not cold, my glasses luckily stayed on my head and I did not swallow half of the water around Liberty Island. Gary had seen me fall so turns around to pick me up. Unfortunately, the current was so strong it took me into the prohibited zone around Liberty so the boat could not come in and get me. I also lost an oar from the dinghy which was floating quicker than I was. "Get the oar" shouts Gary. Hmmm, his priority was the oar, was it? Well, I managed to get the oar, tucked it into my life jacket and started to swim for the boat. Have you ever tried to swim with an oar tucked into your life jacket???? It is not easy and against the current. After hours!!!!! of trying to swim to the boat where my husband is nice and dry and watching me he decides I (or maybe the oar) needs help so gets into the now right side up dinghy and with one oar paddles to me very, very slowly. We decide I would never be able to climb in the dinghy so he suggests I hold onto a rope (after he has taken the oar!!!!) and he will tow me back. Well, again the current was too strong so I had to assist by trying to swim. Anyway, we made it back to the boat safe and sound hoping the photos I took were good enough. If they were not, I told him "you can do them yourself" not in quite those words though. The photos turned out to be OK although Gary complained that some of them only showed part of the boat.

Me, nice and dry!

Me, before being cast off.

Me, after being dunked, dragged and rescued!!

All for these photos!!

Shouldn't the pilot be at the helm of his boat!

Kingston Rover Map

 

6132013

First Mate's Log Loop Date  6132013

Once upon a time in a land far away lived a King and Queen and their loyal (not royal pet, Mia). The King had ruled his Kingdom for 39 years and was now seeking places to "boldly go where no man (or woman and cat) had been before".  He decided to forsake his crown

 and travel the great oceans and inland waterway. This would mean leaving home for a year and their beloved son, David but what the heck David was grown and the house would wait for them upon their return. So the wise King and Queen doffed their crowns and donned their sailor's hats

and said goodbye to their home

and sailed off into the wild blue yonder.

OK, so the above is a fairy story, a story of make believe but we are making the story come true. Gary, Mia and I left our home in Pasadena on the 10th June to travel the "Great Loop" in a 36 foot power catamaran, "The Kingston Rover". Our journey will take us approx 6100 miles into lands we have never seen before (Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin,  and Mississippi). We estimate the journey will take about a year give or take a month or two). Our goals are to take photos, see different places, meet different people and not to get divorced. Our 4 month journey from Florida went well despite major problems with the boat. Since buying it we have replaced the generator, drive shaft, air conditioner (thanks to the help from good friend, Chuck), and alternator. So, we can now travel with peace of mind that the boat will survive the journey. I know we will as Gary and I get on well with each other, complement each other and tolerate each other.  Gary has to do more tolerating than I, unfortunately.
We look forward to sharing our journey with you. Feel free to make comments at the end of the blog as we love to hear from our friends and family.

So, welcome to the Johney Blog.

Presently, we anchored on the Toms River in New Jersey. We have had several thunder storms today requiring us to seek a safe place. So far, we have journeyed up the Chesapeake Bay, through the C and D Canal into Delaware Bay and had a rough crossing into Cape May, New Jersey where we spent our second night. At Cape May we decided to travel on the Atlantic Ocean to Barnegat Bay saving us both time and diesel (the inland waterway is very narrow, shallow and windy). The journey was rough so I took to the lower deck along with the cat and only surfaced when the water was calmer (I am a fair weather sailor). We have storms forecast for tomorrow morning so will not get an early start. If the weather allows us we will go back into the Ocean and travel up to New York. I am really looking forward to taking photos of Lady Liberty, Ellis Island and the Manhattan Skyline.


Kingston Rover Map