Hudson, Albany & More Family!

We left Shadows Marina in Poughkeepsie at 08:30 (give or take) on 5/27 with the goal to anchor out 2 nights before reaching Albany. The first anchorage was a perfect spot (“Middle Ground” anchorage), complete with great holding and easy dinghy access to town. Two towns, really. Athens and Hudson-on-the-Hudson. Our research found that Athens, while quaint, offered limited options for a Memorial Day weekend. Hudson, on the other hand, a bit larger, did interest us. It has been called the SoHo of upstate New York. We dilly-dallied longer than intended, and squandered our afternoon until it was too late to take the dinghy over to town. Actually, we thoroughly enjoyed our quiet anchorage! Pete did some reading, I did some blogging, and we both took a well deserved nap. 

The lazy afternoon changed our considerations for our second night at anchor. We opted to get into Albany a day early (on 5/28) and rent a car to backtrack to the town of Hudson.

Albany Yacht Club (established in 1873) is a small operation with a down to earth Harbor Master named Ron who assisted us with fuel, pump out, and docking. Our only disappointment is the rule about no grilling on boats. Barbecues are offered, and pretty convenient, really, but not as convenient as the grill on our boat. Not long after settling in, Norm and Claudia arrived on their large Hatteras, “Tahawus.” We learned that this is the Indian name for cloud-splitter, the original name for Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks. I’d like to hike that mountain someday. 

We picked up our rental car early Tuesday (5/29) and drove directly to Hudson. I can see why city dwellers love this place. Upper Warren Street had chic shops and trendy boutiques, while lower Warren was more eclectic. We had a hearty lunch at  American Glory BBQ and then stopped at Verdigris Tea and Chocolates for loose leaf tea and cookies for the boat. The next stop was practical. We found a West Marine for a spare water pump, just in case. (We experienced low water pressure a few days back that seems to have resolved, but we’re prepared if we have any new problems.) 

We returned to the boat to meet Pete’s sister, Rose. After just chilling for about an hour, we prepared for a bike ride. We took Dunn Memorial Bridge over the Hudson to the Erie Canalway Trail and rode a simple 10-mile round trip. It felt good to exercise after a few days of sedentary boating. We made plans for dinner the next evening and went to bed early. 

Wednesday morning we removed out Radar Dome and useless TV antenna. We want to be absolutely sure we can get under the lowest bridge on the Champlain Canal. Next, we visited the New York State Capital building. It is stunning! We thank New York Harbor Host Mark Lauria for recommending it. The staircases are works of stone-carving excellence! We climbed the three major staircases, plus some others that took us to the attic spaces of this historical building. We also visited the Flag Room where close to 1000 battle flags are preserved. The tile work and art and murals throughout the building left me in awe. 

We met George and Rose for dinner at Plum Blossom Chinese Restaurant in Troy. Great food and service, and generous portions. After dinner we reconvened at the boat for conversation and a nightcap. Rose stayed the night to enjoy the full experience of our “Boatel.” 

We woke Thursday to overcast and windy skies, deciding another day at Albany Yacht Club would be smart. Rose took us to the Soltis-Kent yurt for “show and tell” before Panera brunch. Thank you, Matt, for the tour and education! Then we drove north to investigate some locks. We spoke to three Lock Masters but the most informative was “Ed” at Lock C9. We watched a barge lock through, and if that barge and tug can pass so easily, so can we!  We didn’t intend on seeing all of the locks, but the drive was pleasant and so we continued. When we reached Lock 12 at Whitehall, a Looper boat was on the free city wall. We boldly hailed the captain and learned that it was John and Gloria Bickford on Catalina Jack! We started our loops on the SAME day from nearly the SAME area, and I’ve been hoping to cross paths with them. We enjoyed our short visit and tour of their spacious DeFever trawler. As of this post, we’re two days behind them, but we’re likely to see them again.