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| Just a few miles above Waterford we're all alone on the Hudson. Could the area have looked much different in the 1800's? |
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We share the ride through Champlain Lock 1 with the tug Margot.
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Lock 1 is around a tight bend, so you don't see it until you're about a quarter mile away. When Nellie is a mile out Bicki calls the lock on the VHF. She's told that the tug Margot and her barge are transiting the lock and to expect a 45 minute delay. No sweat we think; that's a lot better than the two hour delays common on the Mississippi. Rounding the bend just before the lock we see three things: the lock is in a narrow canyon; its doors are open and; Margot isn't in view. "Ah, Lock 1, this is the Nellie D., where's Margot?" Before we hear a reply we see Margot under full steam rounding the bend behind us. We're in a bottle and Margot is the cork. There's no room to starboard so Nellie moves to port and hugs the wall just outside the lock. The lock master advises us to stay as far back on the approach wall as possible so as to give Margot room to pass. We do and Margot easily slides by--death and destruction averted--whew. The whole event was a comedy of errors. The lock master thought Margo was pushing a barge and we thought Margo was infront of us. For her part, Margo was just amused by the episode and invited us to join her in the lock for the ride up.
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| The approach to Lock 2 is wide open. |
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| On the wall in Mechanicville. |
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| Eight miles between Waterford, NY and Mechanicsville, NY. |
Safely tied to the free wall in Mechanicville, NY. DBH
