Left PYC at 10:50AM facing another flood current. We left with the intention of gong a few hours to Marlboro, with the thought of going on to Croton if the weather stayed fair (which it did.)

Of course the tide changed during the trip and by 4:15 PM at 2625 rpm with the usual 6.2 on knot meter we were 'flying along' at8.3 SOG at Peekskill NY.

We stopped for fuel at Haverstraw Marina and took advantage of a free pump out.

After fueling we crossed the Haverstraw Bay and anchored just of Croton Point in 9.5 feet of water on a rising tide. The new electric windlass is a real marriage saver and we let out lots of chain and got a good set in the mud bottom. Forecast for a fair night and light winds. Still set a couple of anchor alarms. One n the iPhone is called 'Drag Queen'. LOL.

We had a visit by the Westchester County Police to check our papers. Everything was in order, but they suggested we get a cruising permit to supplement the Decal we have from US CPB. They advised that in Georgia, for example the local police may not know what a Decal is.

Had a nice dinner and are enjoying the peaceful anchorage. There are train tricks next to the river on both sides and the whistles can disturb a good nights sleep. We can only hear the trains on the far (west side of the river so iris nice tonight.

A hot and steamy morning after a night with thunder showers. The sail was still in the sail cover on the deck and was dry, but I laid the cover out on the dock to dry. The sail went on with no trouble and I got the reef lines in and the sail cover back on because we didn't think we'ed be sailing.

We had a swim to cool off and still managed to leave by about 12:30. On the way out of the Catskills Creek we stopped for fuel and put in 9.3 gal at Riverview Marina. Averaging between .65 and .75 US gallons per hour running between 2200 and 2650 rpm.

At 1:20 we were being overtaken by a large barge beng pushed by a tug boat. Ir had been visible on the AIS, which alarmed because of the close point of approach. Talked with the Kimberly Poling and they will overtake on our port side. 

The wind was favorable, so at 3:00 we raised the sail - on almost a dead run. Had to gybe because of the winding nature of the river and the changing directing of the wind caused by the high river banks.

A large storm popped up n the XM weather radar just onshore off our port side. We dropped the sail and motored in to The Poughkeepsie YC to meet Bill Spenser the owner of Lionheart. Bill had made the mast/boom cradle for his boat and was kind enough to let us have it. We received many positive comments from lock masters and other boaters about the quality of the cradle.

We were able to use a letter of introduction frm June Moyle, the MCC Commodore for our stay at PYC.

Took Bill out for dinner at Porofino's, near y and had a great meal.

During the previous evening two seaplanes took off from the Hudson River, just outside the mouth of the canal at Waterford. Lots of surprises on this trip.

We left Waterford at 6:57 AM and ventured out onto the Hudson River.

At 7:29 we reached the Federal Lock 1 Troy. The wait was 10 minutes as the lock chamber had to be filled for us. No hanging ropes to hold onto, only pipes which we looped on of our ropes and held about midship. We used boat hooks to fend off the wall. A fish was jumping in the lock.

At 7:58 we were on an ebb tide at Troy giving us a boost os 1 knot. (hard to imagine a tide n the river 250 km from the ocean. At 2250 rpm we saw 6.4 SOG (Speed Over Ground) with 5.8 on knot meter through the water

10:00 just passing Castleton-On-Hudson with slack tide. 2250 rpm 6.1 SOG 5.8 on knot meter - still some favorable current.

10:41 I increased to 2600 rpm with a SOG 5.8 and SOW 6.2

We arrived in Catskill NY after lunch and decided to go to 'Hop-O-Nose' Marina about half a mile up the creek. The had been heavily damaged by Hurricane Irene last year, but had rebuilt.

Vida had a swim in the pool and I got the mast ready for stepping.

The crane they have is over 150 years old, but works like a charm. Very
low gearing, so lowerng the mast ican be a slow as a mm at a time. Very smooth. The rain started during rigging, so that wasn't great. Got the boom hoisted and hung on the new hanger lines. Me cordless dremel tool cut the old stainless lnes off quickly. It is grat tomhave the right tools for a job.

The sail will wait for tomorrow.

Locks 12 - 2

We were the only boat on the dock at the Riverlink. It seems that it has been a slow season. No one seems to know if it is the economy or why there is a lot less boat traffic this year.

We took advantage of the shower facilities again and filled our water tanks and pumped out. We cast off from Riverlink at 8:07 AM, hoping to get to the Hudson.

11:20 AIS showed first target in canal Bodyguard, MMSI 24462186, from Netherlands

2150 rpm for 6 kts GPS, but knot meter shows 5.5 through water for .5 current.

11:38 lots of PWC, small boats - fishing etc. First time for this much boat traffic. Nice day and Sunday.

Skipper of Xanadu - Rick and his wife Katy - were at Schenectady YC leaving some T-shirts with the dock master. Rick commented on our boat name, but new about Mercator Projection and how long to get to Bahamas. I explained about cat boat naming. He left SYC and was E/B and caught up with us at Lock 7. Said he was perhaps going to Albany, however they welcomed us when we arrived in Waterford at 4:30 PM.

Jim at Welcome Centre was very hospitable.

Bella Stella was also docked at the welcome Centre before us. Apparently they passed us yesterday afternoon when we were moored at Amsterdam and they stayed at lock 8 for the night. We had been told that due to the reconstruction after the damage from last year's Hurricane Irene that came through last September boats could not moor at the locks.

We went out for supper at Mcgreivey's in Waterford. The food was like homemade, with huge portions. Vida had salmon and I had the prime rib.

We met Jeff and Mary Pernick from SV Echo Beneteau, hailing from Detroit, MI, were kind enough to let me access their Internet.

Went to bed early and decided to sleep in tomorrow and perhaps take a day off.