WATERFORD to FORT EDWARD

On Wednesday afternoon our friend Karen arrived for a three day visit aboard Thistle. We enjoyed a walk around WATERFORD and Pebble Island. After our walk the sky got dark and we had a huge rain, thunder and lightening storm (we all agreed it was the heaviest rain we have ever seen, lasting about 30 minutes). The weather cleared for sunset and we had a great BBQ, an after dinner card game and before sleep we studied our Champlain Canal Charts for Thursday mornings departure.

We pushed off the WATERFORD dock about 9 am under sunny skies and a pleasent 67 degrees. Our plan was to complete the first 6 locks ( C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5 and C-6) on the Champlain Canal and we made it :) .....in between locks the canal banks are beautiful with farms, flower gardens, float planes, homes, trees, trees and more trees! The canal is narrow and it's important to navigate between the red and green marker buoys. We docked at the Fort Edward town dock wall about 4pm (surprisingly we are the only boat here?). It was a long and rewarding 7 hour day on the Champlain Canal.

Once in FORT EDWARD we secured Thistle and Reenie and Karen went on a SUP paddle along the River. After a short paddle the three of us explored the town of FORT EDWARD...we walked back to Thistle for a gorgeous sunset. Exhausted after a full day we decided to order take out pizza and salad for dinner. (This is our tip of the day for fellow Loopers ... Angelina's Pizza - Great!) 

Good night ... 6 more Locks planned for Friday. 

Karen and Reenie 

"Chef" at WATERFORD sunset.

Thursday's voyage WATERFORD to FORT EDWARD (Lock 1-6).

We got a great Looper Tip at WATERFORD from some Canidian travelers to "bag" our fenders! (This protects the fenders from the sometimes questionable lock walls.) 

Entering a Lock on the Champlain Canal.

Securing Thistle for the Lock lift.

Almost at the top of the Lock. 

Yeah .... Finished my first Lock :)

Along the Champlain Canal.

View from the bow.

FORT EDWARD. Jane McCrea's house. She was a young women slain by Native Americans, who were allied with the British Army during the American Revoluntary War. The story if her life and death entered into American Folfliore and was used by James Fenimore Cooper in the " Last of the Mohicans".

On a paddle.

Sunset at FORT EDWARD..... XO