Changes Going South: Changes stuck in Amsterdam, NY

Friday, May 20
Lock 11 Erie Canal
Amsterday, NY
Distance Traveled: 33.8 nm
Miles traveled to get Home: 1933.22 nm
Total Distance Traveled: 4613.15 nm

The first thing Phil did after I left was empty out the quarterberth and repack and organize it. Then he put other things that were in the salon on my half of the V-berth. I'm sure Phil feels so much better having the salon area totally clear of objects. I wonder if he took a photo? So his first day, Thursday May 19 was kept busy and he ate his left overs from Russo's Grill (a must visit restaurant if you stop over at Lock 11) and other left overs for supper.


Back to Front, Teagan, Riley and Laura in sleep sacks ready for bed


L to R: Riley, Teagan, Lauren Smith 3 mo

Friday, May 20 while I was visiting the triplets and having a great time feeding and holding babies, Phil was back at the boat working on projects like sanding and varnishing the teak hand rails and polishing the stainless on the deck. Bad news is that the Erie Canal between Lock 2 - 15 is closed due to high water from rain. They have added 2 sections to the dam. If I had left one more day and we had traveled on the Erie Canal one more day, then when Colin arrived they could have continued. Drat! There is a lot of debris that is collecting around Changes and the dinghy that Phil has been clearing periodically throughout the day.

Colin Mills arrived before supper and provided a perfect opportunity to once again (for Phil) to visit Russo's Grill. Phil had the lasagna and we both can vouch that it's the best lasagna that we've had at a restaurant. Friday evening and Saturday, for the guys was spent talking about everything that guys talk about.

Saturday, May 21 for me was spent driving home, having lunch with Phil and Terri and then arriving late afternoon at Virginia Hill's home (my sister-in-law) who has kindly offered me to stay until Phil gets back with Changes. It's nice having someone to stay with instead of staying in a suite hotel. But then I found that I had forgotten my bed pillow at the hotel room. I call but Kamir had to wait until the cleaning person came back to ask him. Seems like he didn't bring it to the front desk when he found it so I'll call back tomorrow.

Sunday, May 22

Phil and Colin are still at Lock 11 and the canal is still closed d/t high water but the current is starting to slow down and they taken off one of the sections on the dam, so that they are hopeful to be able to leave tomorrow.

I was on the computer and had a video call with Rob and Susan from S/V Mandate. They live in Albany and are members of the Castleton Boat Club. Turns out that we missed seeing them by one day. They have a cabin close to Lock 11 so will drive up and visit Phil and Colin, which I know they will appreciate and they are getting stir crazy. Phil and I spoke later in the day and they had a great time with Rob and Susan. They have a cabin 11 miles away and the guys were able to get a shower, always a red letter day when living on the boat. No news about whether the canal has opened or not yet.

I spent my day buying 3 pair of jeans a size large than I had last fall (drat that I gained weight instead of loosing this past winter), visiting Kay Herdman and picking up a dress out of storage for Maggie's wedding, then I visited Tracy Chapin and picked up my Pfaff sewing machine and ended my day visiting Phil Waddle and Terri Pogozelski. I am finding that I'm feeling more scattered brained. I guess it's adjusting to being in the "real" world? Driving was something to get used to and the price of gas is out of this world.

Monday, May 23
Lock 17 Erie Canal
Distance Traveled: 27.5 nm
Miles traveled to get Home: 1960.72 nm
Total Distance Traveled: 4640.65 nm

I talked to Phil this morning and the power boater convinced the lock operator to let them go through so they just went thru Lock 12 about 15 min ago. They plan on traveling until 430pm and to get at least past lock 15. The current and debris is less than what we experienced traveling on Wednesday and the water has gone down a foot from what it was yesterday. There wasn't any debris that collected around Changes and the dinghy this morning, so this is all good.

I called the motel I stayed in, and they found my pillow. Now to determine if it's worth it to ask my brother to pick it up and get to Phil once he gets to Rochester area on the Erie Canal.

Today after updating the blog we'll go grocery shopping and I think I'll do some clothes. I think that tomorrow I'll go to Fairport Harbor storage to see if the clothes that I'm looking for are there and get a few other items.

Here are a few photos that I haven't been able to post earlier.