Take Entertainment Where You Find It

Waterford, NY
N 42 47.259 W 073 40.823

The appple picking bounty.

Visiting John and Cheri

September Morning In Scotia

Today as we left Scotia, we were passed by three sailboats and a two-man racing shell. The sailboats were faster than we were, but the two men in the shell rowed exactly as fast as we moved under power, namely 5.5 knots. I expected them to go only a short way. I was surprised therefore when they stayed next to us for the 7 miles up to lock 7. I was even more surprised when they entered the lock with us.We started talking to the two men in the shell. They started in Tonawanda NY and had gone through 25 other locks already.

Wow! I was impressed by that. Talk about cruising with the bare minimum. They only had room in the shell for their wallets, a a camera and maybe a second pair of socks. Plus that they rowed hundreds of miles at 5.5 knots. I have to get myself a ride in one of those things some day. Lock 7 was their last lock. They were pulling out of the river after locking. They started asking us about our destination and the cruising life. Unfortunately, all that talk distracted them and in the blink of an eye, kerplunk the shell capsized and they were swimming in the lock. One of the men lamented, "Oh no! My digital camera. My wife is going to *kill* me."

Anyhow, with some help from the lock attendants, they were able to right the shell and to retrieve their oars and they finished the locking operation without incident. Their camera however, will have to join all those Mills cameras in Davey Jones' Camera Locker. We did have the idea of going to Albany tonight, but we got started too late in the day for that. We'll head for Albany Yacht Club tomorrow.