Safely docked in Waterford on Thursday, we had two lay days before our public hours to recover from our tense trip down the Mohawk. The rain didn’t lessen, remaining fairly steady through much of the weekend. We watched the lower docks near the Visitor’s Center slowly disappear as the Mohawk continued to dump out into the Hudson. The level rose steadily from the 16 feet we experienced when we came through in July, up to 21′ 8″, sending some water into the Visitor’s Center and covering the concrete dock.
It was quite the sight. There was a current in the water over the pier, with cleats and bollards having a wake. The normally placid water at the foot of the Mohawk was roiling and foaming as the river dumped out the rain. The Old Champlain Canal locks, now utilized as a spillway for the modern locks, constantly was roaring as the Canal Corporation dumped the excess water out of the system.
Through all this, the Lois remained safe and sound above Lock 2. We had a good day on Sunday, with visitors braving the weather to come learn about how boats such as the schooner traversed through the old canal locks still visible. Monday saw school programs in the morning, eager school children acting out a living map of the canal system under the expert direction of Erick Tichonuk. Monday afternoon, some of the kids brought their parents back during our public hours, despite the continued questionable weather. Overall, Waterford once again provided us with a fantastic visit. We’re looking forward to coming back again!
Tom Larsen
AB Crew