July 9th 2016
Fort Ann, NY – Lock 9
After a night of rain, I awoke early to a break in the weather. I took the opportunity to pack up the tent, but then I realized I had tied my kayak off to my friends boat. They were still sleeping and I needed to get to my gear onboard still. Trying desperately to sneak onboard without waking anyone up, I climbed down the ladder and slipped into the kayak. That’s when I remembered the bell I put on there alert me if it’s getting moved for now it was jingling. Damn! I untied and slipped her away from their stern and back over to the floating dock where I packed her up and got to work on my blog.
I was just completing the blog post from the day before when they began to awake so we hung out for a bit over coffee and cinnamon raisin toast before the rain reappear. My friends packed up and headed home while I headed to Historic Grounds in Whitehall for some hot breakfast before departing in the rain. Historic Grounds is a great little place for Breakfast and I hear lunch as well. It’s an old bank building and they have done a great job converting it to this neat little restaurant. It’s too bad they don’t serve dinner too as Whitehall really needs some dinner restaurants. Service was slower than I expected, but that was because it was standing room only. Normally I would complain about that, but the atmosphere was as wonderful as the food and by the time I was done, the rain had stopped.
Donning my rain gear, I left the restaurant and headed down to the boat docks. I launched and made my way south along the Champlain Canal. It was really quiet and I imagined a time when the canal was busy with commerce as remnants of its once former center of economic resource stood erect on the banks as I paddled past. Every once in a while I’d come across a little private dock and path that would lead back to a house, but other than that the canal was quiet and lonesome except for an occasional boat that would motor past in the opposite direction.
I had been paddling slowly when I reached my first Lock for the day, Lock 11 was dead ahead. I radioed in: Lock 11, Do you copy. (no reply) Lock 11, Do you copy. I repeated it three times when I finally got a reply. Lock 11. I said: This is southbound kayaker looking to pass through. The Lockmaster replied. Did you say Kayak? Roger that. I said. The tone in his voice let me know he was a bit annoyed. Well, I’m going to have to drain it. It’s going to be 15 to 20 minutes. Roger, I replied.
Entering the canal I saw a sign that told me how long to the next lock, Lock 9 (there is no Lock 10) It was just over 9 miles away and here it was 1:41 PM. I started late, dilly-dallied and now I might not make it to Lock 9 where I could camp for the night and where I knew the lockmaster might leave early if no boats were coming through. Lock 9 was, after all, where I had previously visited the locks before starting this trip and I had noticed that they do leave early if no boats were coming through. If I got locked out of the lock on the low side, camping would be difficult as I’d have to scale a high wall to get up and off the water or I could paddle back north a bit to a clearing. I began paddling fast and digging in. Almost 10 miles needed to be done in 4 hours, less if he leaves early and the constant on and off rain storms required me to keep stopping to put on or take off rain gear as it was way to warm paddling in rain gear when it wasn’t raining.
It was 4:30 when I rounded a bend and saw the familiar bridge and Lock 9 just after it. I began radioing for the lockmaster. Lock 9, Do you copy? Lock 9, Do you copy. Nothing. I paddled a little closer and tried again. Lock 9 Do you copy? Still nothing. Damn, he left already. I began paddling more and suddenly I heard a reply. Lock 9 Go. This is southbound kayaker looking to pass through. I should arrive in 15 minutes. Northbound? He replied. Negative, Southbound I stated. Oh, there you are. He replied.
Entering the lock he came out to the rail and told me he forgot about me. Forgot about, I questions. You knew I was coming? Yes, we keep track of all boats passing through. They said you did 20 miles yesterday so we figured you make it this far today. I was relieved a little knowing they know I am here, but he did forget too. He told me where I could set up camp and he left the bathroom unlocked for me. He was very accommodating.
Where I pulled out was locally known as Daisy Beach. Daisy is a Yellow Lab that loves to swim the Canal and is an expert Dock Jumper. Daisy treated me to a show as I set up camp just before the rain started.
I headed back to the restroom to wash up and charge my devices when my friend Kristin from Fairhaven, VT who had been following the blog, messaged me that she’d like to take me to breakfast in the morning. I love meeting friends on the paddle. They give me energy and I love the company especially when you spend all day alone with the water and your thoughts.
Day 8 Done
Enjoy the pictures. video below.
Being a member of the Capital district kayakers on Meetup, I saw your initial post and just finished reading from day 1 to present. A couple of years ago I followed a bicyclist who rode from the west coast to Schenectady and enjoyed following him as he crossed this country. I plan on following your trek as well, albeit a bit envious to boot. I think it was three years ago a couple of guys paddled from Buffalo to NYC and they were from Britain or somewhere in Europe. I know a bunch of us fellow kayakers met them under the I-90 overpass in the pouring rain and paddled with them to the Albany boat launch.
If time and schedule permits I hope to meet up with you as you pass through the Albany area.
Best of luck with this endeavor . . .