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On the river north

The CAP’N LEM waited out a storm at anchor off island Ogden in the Saint Lawrence River.  No lightening this time, just a lot of wind and hard rain.  I watched the patterns made by the raindrop hitting the river from my safe haven under the hard dodger.  The wind sweeping from bow to stern left the opening to the hatchway in a little rain shadow yet let to cool delicate smell of the clean air curl back in to cabin.  These are the moments the cruising sailor cherishes, the moments he knows he has experienced something astounding in its simplicity and beauty, something he would have missed had he stayed home.  Such was this little summer storm that moved on and gave up just before sunset.

I came awake to the sound of a loon’s call on the port side and cow’s mooing on the starboard.  Time to go get Tiny.  I need him to go with me through the locks on my way down to Montreal.  It will be a long trip mostly by motor and I was told at the Iroquois Locks I must have two people onboard to transit the other locks down river.  We meet at Waddington New York.  Tiny’s delighted to be on the water and his help and good spirits are always welcome. 

We take turns steering and make our way to the American Locks as the Eisenhower and Snell locks are known because they are the only locks on the River on the U.S. side.  But before going to the locks we take the time to duck in behind Murphy Island for a shallow water swim.  It’s the first time I’ve swam off the CAP’N LEM and most likely the last.  There is a difference between being on cold water and being in cold water.  Clearing the locks, nightfall caught us and we took anchorage in a tributary just to the east of the Snell locks at Lat 44° 57’ 48.0”N~074° 41’ 42.1”W.  Tiny made a bunk aft between charts and raingear.  Tall-ship sailors can sleep anywhere.

It rained

It rainedThe Eisenhower Locks looking east.

 

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 at 7:47 pm and is filed under Saint Lawrence. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “On the river north”

  1. Matthew Parker says:
    July 3, 2009 at 11:31 am

    FIANLLY! It seems I have been waiting forever to hear from you. Glad things are still going well. The folks have been complaining about horrible rainy weather in Maine, you must be getting a taste of that. We are hoping things clear up before we arrive July 22. Still sounds like the time of your life. Great to hear! Have a great 4th and know we are still watching and waiting for the next bit of news. We have been at the beach the last two days, very sunny and warm. We took our first dips of the season yesterday and the day before in lake Cresecent and you can be sure it was as cold as ever. Brrrrrr! Be careful! We love and miss you. Matthew for the Parker’s. The kids say hello and send warm hugs.

  2. JoAnn says:
    July 3, 2009 at 12:29 pm

    I got to work and read our “thought for the day” and I just had to pass it on! Just perfect for you. This is attributed to Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

    love you! –J

  3. capt bruce says:
    July 6, 2009 at 3:25 pm

    keep it up tommy!
    you’re giving the gift of adventure to your fans.
    just remember that while a tall ship sailor
    can sleep anywhere,the size of the sailor may not fit the space.
    greetings to the crew of the THUMPER.

    capt bruce

  4. Richard in Clayton says:
    July 6, 2009 at 8:17 pm

    Glad to here you are doing well going down the river.
    It was a great pleasure to meet you and chat.
    Hope your venture goes well, most sailing adventures are taken by people with a positive outlook on life
    will come out ok.
    Richard in Clayton