I just got back from a ten day, 125 mile, 21 lock each way trip across about 1/3 of the Erie Canal. So here are some observations about the canal and what you see along the way:
I have a hard time seeing how the NY Canal Corp can afford to keep that canal running. On an average day of 25 miles and 4 locks we passed 1-2 boats coming against us. On 30 of the 42 lock passages we were the only vessel in the lock. The $50 we paid for our 10 day pass can't possibly pay for even the labor of the lock keepers, much less repairs and maintenance of the canal.
We stayed at free walls and docks for 9 of the nights and an inexpensive ($30) town dock for one night. Four of the free docks (Canal Corp and town docks) had decent access to an adjacent town- Canajoharie, Little Falls, Rome and Sylvan Beach. A couple of times we tied up in the middle of no where. We probably spent $100 on meals and groceries in those towns, but the margin on that stuff won't pay for the dock upkeep.
Basically there isn't enough traffic on the canal to justify either the canal operation or the free town docks. At least not with what we spent in the towns on our cheap cruising budget. And except for one professionally crewed 75' or so yacht, everyone else seemed to be in our financial strata. I guess I should mention a 150' canal cruise boat that probably does pay some serious dough to pass through, but I don't have a clue where they tie up at night- not the free docks I am sure.
There were some nice spots to tie up. Little Falls has a very nice free Rotary Club sponsored dock very close to town, but it is a very high 8' wall. The town was nice and a bit quaint. Groceries and a half dozen restaurants were easily accessible.
Canajoharie had the best dock- a floating one that holds about 4 boats and provides free 30 amp power, but no wifi. None of the free docks had wifi except for the fantastic free dock at the Waterford Welcome Center, but I really don't count that one since it is just outside of the canal. The Canajoharie town center was just a three block walk away from the dock and they had a free Celtic band playing on the town green that night.
Rome was kind of a bust- an industrial looking environment near the dock. Sylvan Beach was the most fun. On Saturday night there must have been a thousand boats- pontoon, cruisers, runabouts and jet skis that "cruised through the hamburger stand" that afternoon and early evening, capped off with a short fireworks show. There was a 50s style amusement park right behind the wall, a couple of decent restaurants and a nearby swimming beach on Lake Oneida.
The one paid dock we stayed at was in Scotia, near Schenectady. It was located in a beautiful town park which had a free rock concert that night. But the town itself was kind of a bust.
Here are a few pics. The first is approaching the Waterford Welcome Center on the right with the first canal on the left under the bridge. The second is a typical dam spillway and canal pair. The third is approaching lock 7. The fourth is the countryside about 70 miles up the canal.
All in all I am glad I did it once, but wouldn't do it again.
I have a hard time seeing how the NY Canal Corp can afford to keep that canal running. On an average day of 25 miles and 4 locks we passed 1-2 boats coming against us. On 30 of the 42 lock passages we were the only vessel in the lock. The $50 we paid for our 10 day pass can't possibly pay for even the labor of the lock keepers, much less repairs and maintenance of the canal.
We stayed at free walls and docks for 9 of the nights and an inexpensive ($30) town dock for one night. Four of the free docks (Canal Corp and town docks) had decent access to an adjacent town- Canajoharie, Little Falls, Rome and Sylvan Beach. A couple of times we tied up in the middle of no where. We probably spent $100 on meals and groceries in those towns, but the margin on that stuff won't pay for the dock upkeep.
Basically there isn't enough traffic on the canal to justify either the canal operation or the free town docks. At least not with what we spent in the towns on our cheap cruising budget. And except for one professionally crewed 75' or so yacht, everyone else seemed to be in our financial strata. I guess I should mention a 150' canal cruise boat that probably does pay some serious dough to pass through, but I don't have a clue where they tie up at night- not the free docks I am sure.
There were some nice spots to tie up. Little Falls has a very nice free Rotary Club sponsored dock very close to town, but it is a very high 8' wall. The town was nice and a bit quaint. Groceries and a half dozen restaurants were easily accessible.
Canajoharie had the best dock- a floating one that holds about 4 boats and provides free 30 amp power, but no wifi. None of the free docks had wifi except for the fantastic free dock at the Waterford Welcome Center, but I really don't count that one since it is just outside of the canal. The Canajoharie town center was just a three block walk away from the dock and they had a free Celtic band playing on the town green that night.
Rome was kind of a bust- an industrial looking environment near the dock. Sylvan Beach was the most fun. On Saturday night there must have been a thousand boats- pontoon, cruisers, runabouts and jet skis that "cruised through the hamburger stand" that afternoon and early evening, capped off with a short fireworks show. There was a 50s style amusement park right behind the wall, a couple of decent restaurants and a nearby swimming beach on Lake Oneida.
The one paid dock we stayed at was in Scotia, near Schenectady. It was located in a beautiful town park which had a free rock concert that night. But the town itself was kind of a bust.
Here are a few pics. The first is approaching the Waterford Welcome Center on the right with the first canal on the left under the bridge. The second is a typical dam spillway and canal pair. The third is approaching lock 7. The fourth is the countryside about 70 miles up the canal.
All in all I am glad I did it once, but wouldn't do it again.
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