Back in the Great Lakes

Good night George. Good night Gracie.

Oh my gosh! We are both so happy to be back in fresh water and in the Great Lakes. We left Buffalo, NY, this morning and started west into Lake Erie. Lake Michigan here we come!!!! :-)

Dr. Seuss wrote a book called "Oh the Places You'll Go" which does apply to our journey on Tequila, but I'd like to change the title to "Oh the People You'll Meet!" In the three years we've been traveling by water to Down East in Maine and back again, we have met some of the nicest people. I'm going to list them so that I never forget how they helped us reach our goal of a long journey on our sailboat. They (maybe you are on the list) appear in no particular order.

*Bill sometimes of Charlevoix, MI - He has patiently push, prodded, provided web sites, fixed problems on our computers, and been our go-to computer guru. We can never thank him enough.

*Bob and Camille, Bristol, RI - This year Bob called us in April to offer us an apartment in his parents' house. We would have drown in a tent this year. It was a perfect little apartment for us.

*Bob, Sr. and Betty, Warren, RI- They were so nice with us and didn't seem bothered by our odd hours. They let us use their washing machine too!

*Gary, Lockmaster at Lock 26, Erie Canal - He drove us miles and miles from the canal to a motel when we couldn't sleep on the boat because of a diesel fuel leak.

*Faith and Ron, Buffalo, NY - They drove us to the grocery store and out to dinner. Those were two wonderful stops with very friendly people.

*Norm and Chris, Littleton, CO-They gave us their battery powered little refrigerator because our refrigerator on the boat stopped working.

*Marlene and Mike, East Lansing, MI-They were "crew" for the three years of the trip. Mike was invaluable in the building of the craddle for the mast and Marlene was a great galley companion.

They gave us a 2 step step-ladder that Lou needs to put the cover on the main sail. Great!

*The Tow Truck Driver, Bristol, RI- He drove us around when our car had a flat tire. Very nice guy.

*Matt, Grand Cayman Islands-He fine tuned the boat and tried to correct all our "bad habits." He needed more than four days to get that job done, but we appreciated his advice.

Cordray Family, Milburn, NJ- They were going to drive our car and trailer back to Michigan for us in August until Matt decided to do the driving. We still appreciated them being willing to do that for us. And, Lori brought enough food on her sail to feed us for a week.

Lloyd and Sharon-They have been storing our car since Matt dropped it off in Michigan.

Marie-She's been getting our mail this summer. (A belated thanks to Lisa and Don for getting it the other two summers.)

All the Lockmasters and Lift Bridgemasters for being so courteous and friendly on the Erie Canal.

The Crews at Bristol, Hop-O-Nose, and RCR Yachts for stepping and unstepping our mast and providing great service.

Everyone who shared charts, information, and stories.

Tim and Susan, Buffalo, NY-for providing us with transportation to the rental car location so that we could get home for Brady's birth.

Everyone who reads this blog and shares our adventure.

Lou-He brought me on this journey with his pockets full of patience. It takes a special person who can give the same instructions to the "helper" who has forgotten once again. :-(

H O T !!!!

Chris and Norm Reynolds holding the lines.

We're in the middle of the summer heat wave. 100 degrees today! That's too hot. Why oh why doesn't Tequila have air conditioning and an ice maker aboard?

In the last week we've dealt with a diesel fuel leak, cleaned the bilges several times, made friends with the Lock Master at Lock 26, met our friends from Colorado (Chris and Norm Reynolds), and stayed three nights at the Peppermint Village aka Lyons, NY. We met the local "greeter", Bob, who took me on a tour and to buy ice. What service. The next day his fellow "greeter", Jack, out did himself by driving me to the laundromat and picking me up. Unbelievable.

Chris and Norm stopped for a few days on the Canal on their way to the Lake Placid area for the next seven weeks. We met them eleven years ago while going through the volunteer training for adaptive skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado. They spent 25 days on a 720 mile canoe trip on the Yukon River above the Arctic Circle a few years ago. That kind of experience makes them adjustable and flexible which is necessary for boat living. They have been real troopers with this heat. Last night Norm tried to sleep on the deck. He heard every train but kept trying to sleep until he rolled off the cushions and landed in the cockpit. It was a short night for all of us! They fit right in to grabbing the slimy lines and pushing off the slippery walls of the locks.

Lockport Tug to the Rescue

As always we try to provide a new experience for our guests. This time we found the silt shoals near the Genesee River. Stuck we were! With a 7 1/2 foot draft there was no way we could force our way through. The Lockport Tugboat came to pull us over the "bumps." At one point the depth sounder read 4 foot 8 inches. Norm sat on the bow and watched the tug pull us too fast and snap the line. He was moving back because he thought the cleat would be pulled out of the deck. Everyday is a new experience.

We've had a good time with them and hope they have stories to tell.

The Erie Canal 2011

We're traveling the 340 miles of the

Erie Canal with our mast sticking out the front and back of the boat. Sometimes it gets us in trouble.

The Canal was opend in 1825 when there were no schools of engineering in the United States. It was the Govenor of New York who could see that a canal would open up the Northwest territories (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio} for trade and make New York City the hub of commercial traffic. Every major city in New York falls along the Erie Canal except for two.

There are 35 locks between Troy and Buffalo raising the water level 338 feet to Lake Erie height. The most wonderful ones are the five at the eastern end near Troy. They are the greatest series of high lift locks in the world.

As we approach the lock doors, we must wait for the water to come rushing out the bottom before the doors open and any boat inside can exit. Then we get a green light which means that we slowly enter a long box-like chamber with lines hanging down the sides. Sometimes we are in the lock by ourselves, sometimes with a barge that looks liked it can't fit, and sometimes with several other boats. We have to hold on to the lines while the chamber is flooded with water and the boat raises to a new height. Lock 17 at Little Falls lifts the highest level ------ 40.5 feet. It also has the only guillotine type doors rather than the hinging kind.

The Canal is a wonderous water route. At times we can pull up to a wall and hear a concert and at other times we are in wilderness. Off in the distance we hear the whistle of trains and sometimes the clack of their wheels on the rails. We catch a glimpse of roads and cars and then they disappear. On the western end of the canal we will encounter lift bridges as well as locks. It's an experience that we had two years ago when Mike and Marlene Cosgrove were with us. So, this year we thought we were well prepared to handle it alone.

We entered the first lock and soon became the comedy routine for the lockmaster and spectators. We had forgotten our preparations:

*We both needed gloves to hold the lines. The lines are slimy and the walls are too. We only had one set of gloves which Lou let me use. (What a nice guy!)

*We didn't play the wind right which kept driving the bow away from the wall so I couldn't grab a line.

*Lou jumped up to grab his line and left the boat in gear.

*Donna didn't push off quickly enough and the mast hit the wall.

*We didn't have a bucket with water ready for Lou to wash his hands. He left muddy prints on the black dodger,the cokpit table, the shifter, and the tiller.

The good news is that we are getting better. We're at lock 20 with only 15 more to go. Whew!

Trial 2011

July 13, 2011 ALLEGED WIFE BEATER ARRESTED

St. Johnsville, N.Y., has the first occupant of it's jail since it's completion in 1958. Seventy-five year old Luis M. Diaz of Boyne City, Michigan, is being held pending an investigation of spousal abuse.

The incident occurred on the night of July 11, 2011. It was not reported until July 13, 2011, when fellow boaters called the local police. They were concerned about Donna Diaz and her safety.

Mr. and Mrs. Diaz are traveling on a 40 foot sailboat through the Erie Canal on their return trip to Michigan. They spend 24 hour a day/7 days a week together in 550 square feet with only one bathroom.

The prosecutors allege that Mr. Diaz punched Mrs. Diaz in the left cheek and jaw causing abrasions and bruising. Mrs. Diaz refuses to comment. Prosecutors speculate that it is too painful for her to talk.

Mr. Diaz maintains his innocence. He said, "After 45 years of marriage, I still love my wife and would never hit her. You've got to believe me!"

The trial is set for the afternoon of July 14, 2011. Witnesses are encouraged to testify at the trial so that swift justice can be found.

July 14, 2011 ALLEGED WIFE BEATER APPEARS IN HANDCUFFS

A pretty sorry looking old man took his seat at the defense table still professing his innocence while his handcuffs were removed.

The prosecutor presented a strong case against Mr. Luis Diaz. He gave numerous examples of Mr. Diaz becoming easily excited at sporting events, using vulger language, and drinking too much alcohol. On the night in question the prosecutor promised to paint a picture of Mr. Diaz "popping his cork" after a number of drinks and "hammering" his wife for not bringing him another one.

The defense maintains that Mr. Diaz is a mild-mannered patient man. In 45 years of marriage he has stood by Mrs. Diaz in sickness and in health. His habit is to walk away when she bugs him.

The first witness called was Mrs. Marlene Cosgrove of East Lansing, Michigan. It was Mrs. Cosgrove's eye witness account of the accident that brought a swift judgement of NOT GUILTY to the procedure.

Mrs. Cosgrove witnessed Mrs. Diaz stepping onto the boat, tripping on a line, and falling forward. Mrs. Diaz hit her cheek on the cockpit table which caused the bruising.

CASE DISMISSED

There is still no comment from Mrs. Diaz, but she did give Mr. Diaz a big hug.

(Donna's statement "It was bound to happen sooner or later. As falls on a boat go this was a good one. I didn't break a bone, I didn't break my glasses, and I had ice available to put on the injury immediately.)

Catskill, NY 2011

Demasting the boat at Hop-O-Nose Marina

7-11-11

What goes up surely must come down. Two years ago we stopped at Hop-O-Nose Marina in Catskill, NY, to have our mast stepped (put up) after coming through the Erie Canal. It was a good place to leave our wooden cradle. This year (with Mike's help) the men searched high and low through piles of junk and other cradles and through three buildings that were about to fall down before finding the ones marked "Tequila". Amazingly only one piece of wood was broken and that was an easy fix.

Mike and Marlene left their car at Hop-O-Nose before taking the AMTRAK train to meet us in Pt. Washington. Here are some of their first impressions of the grounds and facilities:

*It's a Pig Pen Haven. The buildings are in complete disrepair with vines and trees growing through the walls and ceilings.

*The office is a total mess. How can they do business here? There is a big barrel to catch the rain water as it drips through the roof.

*It needs a good hurricane to put order to the chaos.

All of that is true, but on closer inspection this is what we found:

*John (the owner) seems to know where everything is stored. He told Mike and Lou exactly where to find the cradle.

*It's really a "locals" marina. The regulars all rush to take lines and greet the transient boaters.

*The equipment dates from the construction of the Erie Canal, but the people step and unstep 250 masts a season with it. They know what they're doing. (Last week they unstepped a $100,000 plus mast.) Today they arrived at 8:30 am and had the mast pulled and in the cradle by 9:00 am.

*They do make an effort to keep the waterfront area neat.

*The regulars share stories and make evryone feel welcome. They think the marina runs itself because they all help in some way.

The town of Catskill is cute with decorated cats lining the main street. Apparantly it's a boxing training center where Mohammad Ali trained.

Once again we have to thank Mike and Marlene for sharing our Adventure. Mike was an valuable carpenter when it came time to reconstruct the wooden cradle. And, Marlene is just a great "boat buddy." We're all sorry that their schedule and our late start didn't allow them to come through the Erie Canal again. We did try to provide some new experiences for them this time.

*Mike got to work with tide charts and planning the course.

*Marlene learned to tie the fenders on the life lines and handle the dock lines.

*Mike got to wear my foul weather jacket during a severe rain storm.

*Marlene figured out the storage system (what system?) in the cabin.

I'd have to ask them if there was anything else, but they are already on their way back to East Lansing. I wonder when the next boat experience will happen with them.

Good-bye friends!

Goodbye New York

Lori and Ashley

New York from the water is really spectacular. The skyline, the lights at night, the Statue of Liberty, and the wake from all the ferry boats kept us rockin' and rollin'. We were happy when the ferry service stopped running every night so the boat would stop pitching from side-to-side! Lou and I were happy that Lori Cordray (our niece-in-law) could join us for a sail in the New York Habor. She brought Kristin and Ashley (7), of course, and a friend and her three boys. OH BOY.......four kids under 8 can be difficult on a choppy waterway. However, these kids were content to stay in the cockpit and wear their life jackets. It was great to sail under the Brooklyn Bridge and around the Statue of Liberty.

Then we met Gui (our first exchange student) and Christine and their two little girls for dinner. It gave us a chance to catch up with their lives and meet Lily who was born in February. Nina was a little shy (she's 4), but she warmed up to us quickly.

We squeezed in a lot in one day!

Gui and Lou

After consulting the tide charts (several times to be safe) we left NYC and headed north up the Hudson River. I was so happy to cross under the George Washington Bridge. It is the point at which we could change our insurance back to "Great Lakes and inland waters." This classification lowers our boat insurance by half!!!!! Wahoo!

The Hudson River Valley is a sharp contrast to the port of NYC. It's a wide river spotted with llittle towns making it a pleasant trip north. The Palisades on the New Jersey side are 300 to 500 foot high cliffs. We saw several freighters on anchor waiting for their turn at the docks of the city. We slipped right by Tarrytown (aka Sleepy Hollow.) According to Washington Irving, the author of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," the name came from the Dutch farm wives' complaining about their husbands tarrying too long at the village tavern. :-)

We stopped for the night (and the pool) at Haverstraw Bay Marina. When we were here two years ago with the Morris family, it was about 104 degrees. This year it was only 88 degrees but the hyumidity was 100%. Haverstraw Bay is 25 miles north of the George Washington Bridge which made it an easy day. This marina has 1,000 slips. Unbelievable.

The Cosgroves are "seasoned" crew after three summers on Tequila. Mike is learning more and more about charting, tide charts, and docking. Marlene is a valuable galley wench and is even learning some sailing knots. They've been great sports about sailing/motoring and all the related issues on a boat. They can go with us anywhere! Besides, they play Mexican Train and Farkle like champs.

Lou, Marlene, Donna, Mike

Marlene Mike

New Experiences

June 30, 2011 Matt "talking" to Tomeaka via the iphone creating a Personal Hotspot. It's a great invention and allows me to blog from the boat.

Pt. Washington is located in Manhasset Bay, Long Island. It's only 20 nautical miles from New York City. It's a well protected deep harbor with 14 marinas and 300 moorings and plenty of room for anchoring. We thought it was the perfect spot to work out a crew switch (Matt leaving and Cosgroves arriving) and wait out the 4th of July craziness in Ne w York.

All went according to plan-----Lou, Matt, and I docked and had a chance to give the boat a good wash down to get the salt water off EVERYTHING. We had some great sails with Matt with salt spray crashing over the bow and hitting the dodger "windows." Since we arrived the day before Mike and Marlene were to arrive, we decided to treat ourselves to a restaurant meal. That was a mistake! By the next morning all three of us were sick. We must have gotten food poisoning from the restaurant. Fortunately, it wasn't a long lived illness.

Picture of Lou "ralphing" Omitted

Mike and Marlene arrived without a hitch. They traveled by car from East Lansing, Michigan (2 hour delay crossing from Canada back into the US), taxis, and train to Pt. Washington. But, they made all the connections and arrived in time to witness us "feeding the fish." Lucky them!

So far they have had quiet time on the boat. Well, not totally quiet. We've heard a concert, witnessed a great fireworks, watched lots of harbor activity, seen the local fish jumping, and been boat-bound because of rain. Mike thinks this is a better protected harbor that the national highways: Harbor Police, Bay Police, Harbor Master, and the Nassau County Sheriff with 7 officers, and the Coast Guard.

The good part about being "stuck" is that Mike and Lou have had time to plot our timing through the East River into New York Harbor on the 5th. It's critical to go through Hell Gate at slack tide because the current can be up to 5.2 nm. You don't want to go against the current.

Mike and Marlene got to experience an on-boat shower for the first time in 4 seasons on the boat. (We've always been able to get to a shore shower.) That was a new experience. Four days on a mooring requires showers!!!!!

We're planning to move on to NYC on July 5th and have a couple of days cruising the harbor. It should be in the high 80's while we're there. Whew.