Our new friends, Dale and Sandy, were behind us in Kingston, NY. We connected with them, allowed them to nearly catch up with us this morning, going North on the Hudson, and we agreed to meet at Shady Harbor Marina in New Baltimore, NY.
Our day was pretty uneventful, with temps in the low 90’s, and a light breeze. The journey was only 15.4 miles and 2 1/2 hours (yes, I’m retired and this is the new pace, thank you very much).
We saw the bald eagles again. This is the only time I wish for a high quality camera with a powerful zoom. The eagles don’t come close enough to pose for good pictures. But I am thrilled EVERY time we see one.
Shady Harbor Marina welcomed us with open arms. Most of their high season is now past as most Loopers are now in the Great Lakes. They are glad to have the business, with a nice ship store, friendly staff, a delicious restaurant, and perfect temperature salt water swimming pool. The pool is a great classroom to learn much about the Erie Canal and locking from the local marina residents.
Because of the hospitality AND the heat wave that came across this part of the country, we decided to stick around another day (Saturday). After reviewing our charts, I realized we had reached the part of our journey where our mast had to be dropped. Our air draft (height of the mast) is 22 feet. We will be crossing under bridges that are lower all through the canal. So, with assistance from my friend Dale, Amanda and I learned how to break down the mast on the Honey Queen. As simple as it should have been, it took more than 2 hours to get it down and secured for the ride. We put it back up, thinking it really didn’t need to be down until Monday. But during the Saturday night trip plan, I discovered bridges on our Sunday leg that were less than 22 feet. So, Sunday morning, we dropped it again. Thirty minutes and we were in business. We will leave it down for a week or more, until we hit Lake Ontario, which is now in the foreseeable future.
Our last little adventure here at Shady Marina was our dinghy outing, looking for eagles. With Dale and Sandy, we flew down the Hudson and turned into a creek that is home for a few eagle nests. As previously mentioned, we got several glimpses of them, but none were close enough to appreciate their beauty and grace. They sit in their trees looking for fish (I hear their eye sight is 7x that of a human eye. Oh, for the day I see one of these flying carnivores swoop down and pull lunch out of the drink.
As we go North, the water is less brackish, and reminds me of the South. 
Our dinghy and trawler partners, Dale and Sandy. 
This rugged specimen of an outdoorsman, on the search for the eagle sighting in his powerful vessel. 
White speck, right of center: eagle. 
Selfies always were our strong suite.
Good days here. Tomorrow, we head to the Erie Canal. Somebody pinch me.