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Cruising America's Great Loop and other inland routes

Update on the Erie Canal?

fred@tug44.org

Tue, Aug 30, 2011 1:52 PM

Unofficial Notice to Boaters on the New York Canals:

Things are looking pretty much OK on the Champlain Canal, though they are
still dumping water as fast as possible. The eastern Erie Canal is looking
less good, and the destruction is pretty bad.

There is nothing official on either canal yet.

If there are any boats still stuck on the Erie, I would expect that Canal
Corp will make arrangements to get them out if at all possible, much as
they did after the flood of 2006. In that year there were boats stuck on
the Waterford Flight for over a month, though they were in perfect safety
and well cared for. Right now there are 9 boats stuck above lock E-2 and
10 more at Lock E-3. All of those boats are perfectly safe.

The upper management of Canal Corp and Thruway are excellent folks and
die-hard boaters, who will do everything humanly possible. Boater safety
is their first concern.

The Canal Corp folks do have their hands full at the moment and info is
very hard to come by. Most informational websites such as the Waterford
live cameras, and the federal water level site are overloaded or down.

I just made some calls, and the unofficial word is that the lockhouses at
Erie Lock 9 and Lock 11 are gone and the one at E-8 is not doing so well.
Several dams in the E-12 area are being inspected now.

Champlain Canal Lock C-12 is running on generators, and the entire lock
area is filled with giant hay bales flushed into the Canal from some
farmer's field.

Near Albany on the Hudson, south of the canal system, there are some 30
boats in a big pile on the east side, some capsized. These came from one
of the boat clubs on the Hudson River, below the Federal Lock.

The Village of Waterford is completely flooded. The Waterford floating
docks are still a foot above the concrete wall which is under water.

7 or 8 boats which are stuck on the Champlain Canal above Lock C-7 right at
my house, may receive permission later this week to move to the Fort Edward
Yacht Basin where there is electric and water and access to the village's
services. The water level there is now around 123 feet, which is about 2
feet below the pier, allowing safe docking once again. Conditions at Fort
Edward appear OK at the moment as water levels there are dropping. Those
boaters are welcome to contact me if they need transport to the supermarket
or other locations. I'll check on them periodically when I am able.

My personal guess is that the Champlain may open in a week or so, and the
eastern Erie will remain closed for some time, though I caution that this
is NOT the official word. Water levels are dropping everywhere.

I will post more updates as info becomes available.

Fred
Tug 44
Fort Edward, at Champlain Lock C-7

From: "Paige Caldwell" mpongolden@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 8:08 AM
To: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com
Subject: GL: Update on the Erie Canal?

Can anyone (Fred?) provide an update on Erie and Champlain Canal? I know
from the little bit of information I can find online that the Erie got hit
hard again - just check out the picture at http://tinyurl.com/erie-irene .
Any estimates of damage? Closure periods? Thanks!

Paige Caldwell

Email: mailto:MPonGolden@gmail.com MPonGolden@gmail.com

Website: http://www.GoldenTrawler.com www.GoldenTrawler.com

Unofficial Notice to Boaters on the New York Canals: Things are looking pretty much OK on the Champlain Canal, though they are still dumping water as fast as possible. The eastern Erie Canal is looking less good, and the destruction is pretty bad. There is nothing official on either canal yet. If there are any boats still stuck on the Erie, I would expect that Canal Corp will make arrangements to get them out if at all possible, much as they did after the flood of 2006. In that year there were boats stuck on the Waterford Flight for over a month, though they were in perfect safety and well cared for. Right now there are 9 boats stuck above lock E-2 and 10 more at Lock E-3. All of those boats are perfectly safe. The upper management of Canal Corp and Thruway are excellent folks and die-hard boaters, who will do everything humanly possible. Boater safety is their first concern. The Canal Corp folks do have their hands full at the moment and info is very hard to come by. Most informational websites such as the Waterford live cameras, and the federal water level site are overloaded or down. I just made some calls, and the unofficial word is that the lockhouses at Erie Lock 9 and Lock 11 are gone and the one at E-8 is not doing so well. Several dams in the E-12 area are being inspected now. Champlain Canal Lock C-12 is running on generators, and the entire lock area is filled with giant hay bales flushed into the Canal from some farmer's field. Near Albany on the Hudson, south of the canal system, there are some 30 boats in a big pile on the east side, some capsized. These came from one of the boat clubs on the Hudson River, below the Federal Lock. The Village of Waterford is completely flooded. The Waterford floating docks are still a foot above the concrete wall which is under water. 7 or 8 boats which are stuck on the Champlain Canal above Lock C-7 right at my house, may receive permission later this week to move to the Fort Edward Yacht Basin where there is electric and water and access to the village's services. The water level there is now around 123 feet, which is about 2 feet below the pier, allowing safe docking once again. Conditions at Fort Edward appear OK at the moment as water levels there are dropping. Those boaters are welcome to contact me if they need transport to the supermarket or other locations. I'll check on them periodically when I am able. My personal guess is that the Champlain may open in a week or so, and the eastern Erie will remain closed for some time, though I caution that this is NOT the official word. Water levels are dropping everywhere. I will post more updates as info becomes available. Fred Tug 44 Fort Edward, at Champlain Lock C-7 ---------------------------------------- From: "Paige Caldwell" <mpongolden@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 8:08 AM To: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com Subject: GL: Update on the Erie Canal? Can anyone (Fred?) provide an update on Erie and Champlain Canal? I know from the little bit of information I can find online that the Erie got hit hard again - just check out the picture at http://tinyurl.com/erie-irene . Any estimates of damage? Closure periods? Thanks! Paige Caldwell Email: <mailto:MPonGolden@gmail.com> MPonGolden@gmail.com Website: <http://www.GoldenTrawler.com> www.GoldenTrawler.com

Paige Caldwell

Tue, Aug 30, 2011 2:56 PM

Thanks so much, Fred! That's really helpful, and very much appreciated.

Paige Caldwell

Email: mailto:MPonGolden@gmail.com MPonGolden@gmail.com

Website: http://www.GoldenTrawler.com www.GoldenTrawler.com

From: fred@tug44.org [mailto:fred@tug44.org]
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 9:52 AM
To: mpongolden@gmail.com; great-loop@lists.trawlering.com
Subject: Update on the Erie Canal?

Unofficial Notice to Boaters on the New York Canals:

Things are looking pretty much OK on the Champlain Canal, though they are
still dumping water as fast as possible. The eastern Erie Canal is looking
less good, and the destruction is pretty bad.

Thanks so much, Fred! That's really helpful, and very much appreciated. Paige Caldwell Email: <mailto:MPonGolden@gmail.com> MPonGolden@gmail.com Website: <http://www.GoldenTrawler.com> www.GoldenTrawler.com _____ From: fred@tug44.org [mailto:fred@tug44.org] Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 9:52 AM To: mpongolden@gmail.com; great-loop@lists.trawlering.com Subject: Update on the Erie Canal? Unofficial Notice to Boaters on the New York Canals: Things are looking pretty much OK on the Champlain Canal, though they are still dumping water as fast as possible. The eastern Erie Canal is looking less good, and the destruction is pretty bad.