Erie Canal East part 2

After Utica we entered the Mohawk Valley at the base of the Adirondacks. Here the flatish shoreline is replaced with sloping banks and a backdrop of distant hills. We had hoped to tie up to a dock outside of Rome which would’ve allowed us to explore restored “Fort Stanwix” only a short walk away. But as we approached, we ran aground onto an unmarked shoal and immediately altered our plans. After many fruitless attempts to dislodge ourselves, I came up with the brilliant idea of bouncing all 200 lbs of myself up and down on the prow of the boat. Aside from providing entertainment for the small group fishing off the dock, this tactic actually worked and, as I continued to bounce, the boat slowly eased back out of the mud and into the canal. Apparently there are some benefits to having a heavy wife! As we pulled away from the Fort Stanwix area and back into the wide expanse of the Mohawk River it was easy to imagine ourselves back in 1777, at the height of the Revolutionary conflict, drifting along past trees and bushes where Indians and soldiers could be lurking, ready to attack It helps to have an active imagination when mile after mile the only signs of life are herons and lush vegetation.

We stopped at Little Falls—a delightful town nestled at the base of steep cliffs and filled with lovely old buildings. We had an incredible steak dinner here and enjoyed learning about the Burrell family who were responsible for building the magnificent public edifices and stately homes which dominate the landscape. Canajoharie was an interesting stop if only to see the devastating effects that last years floods had on the town. In the local delicatessen we found turkey and hams jockeying for space with rooms of second-hand furniture as the proprietor sold whatever was necessary to make a buck to keep from going under. Another unexpected experience was motoring past the village of Fonda—the family hometown of Henry, Jane and Peter.

Twenty-two of the thirty five locks are in this eastern stretch of the canal and we spent several hours of each day locking down as we neared the end of our journey. In between, the placid green waters carried us around hills and through valleys with little sign of human activity. At the very end, five connecting locks above the town of Waterford provide the highest lift (150 feet) over the shortest distance of any canal in the world. Our hearts were in our throats as we entered these last locks and negotiated the massive drop. When the final gate opened, we gingerly eased the boat past a line of cruisers into the last space left at Waterfords crowded docking area and let out a sigh of relief. Eighteen days, thirty-five locks and 345 miles marked the end of the first leg of our journey. We made it. Now, after a few days rest, we’ll head south onto the Hudson to begin the second.