Houseboats, Power Boats, Mini-boat, Oh My!
Hiatus Day 152 of the "Statue of Liberty<>Gateway Arch Runyak Expedition
Of the 213 runyaking expedition DAYs since 2009 I’ve written a fair amount about the worst days, capsizing, wading in muck, and such. I’ve relived them more times than I want. Within all those memorable DAYs, which now stretch from New York City and Liverpool (IL), I can say DAYs 58 through 94 were the easiest stretch. Reflecting back, that stretch seemed almost dreamy. Stretches? In a journey that spans 15 years, there’s a need to compartmentalize. I see it as 6 different phases.
Flint River headwaters to Niagara Falls (2009-2012)
Erie Canal (2013-2015
Hudson River (2015-2017)
Flint River to Lake Michigan (2017-2020)
Lake Michigan (2020-2022)
Chicago to St Louis (2022- presently Liverpool, Il)
“37 DAYs on the Erie Canal,” That is the “stretch” I speak about in the first paragraph. 37 is not just the number of days I spent in Upstate New York, but also a lyric from my version of the old Erie Canal Song. I changed the lyrics of the original song to reflect Swiftee, the kayak, as opposed to Sal, the mule. Swiftee or Sal, what version is best? Hand down Sal. And, if you only listen to only one rendition you must hear Bruce Springsteen’s bluegrass rendition. It gives me chills when listening. I wouldn’t expect anyone else getting the same vibes as me, for I have a memorable connection to the historic waterway.
Many things made the canal delightful such as the quant port towns and their lift bridges.
All ports seemed to be spaced every ten mile apart, which made launching and landing a simple task.
At the entrance to the canal, off the Niagara River at Tonawanda, NY it is what you’d expect a canal to look like, much of it is walled.
The original Erie Canal must have been like this from Buffalo to Albany since mules pulled barges the entire way. In today’s motorized world, rivers were incorporated when updating the original canal. About 40% of the canal today is composed of three rivers, the Clyde, Seneca, and Mohawk, with the Mohawk being the major. But the western third of the canal, about 120 water miles, from the Tonawanda entrance to the town of Clyde (between Rochester and Syracuse) it is an actual canal.
From Tonawanda to Clyde is the section I enjoyed the the most, and where I spent the entire 2013 runyak season. It took 14 DAYs in three trips to get from the Tonawanda to Clyde. Because of the fond memories, if ever I returned the the Erie Canal it is where I would head. It is not just my choice, it seems to be where the bulk of Erie Canal tourists also vacay.
I’d like to spend a week traveling the port towns in a rented houseboat, sans kayak.
I never saw the houseboats the first 20 miles from Tonawanda to Lockport. Lockport is where Lock 35 is located. It’s the final lock going west, my first going east. Lockport is where I began seeing the green and red houseboats. They were common for the next 90 miles, until the town of Macedon, where Erie Canal Adventures, the company that rents them, is located. ECA offers itineraries that head east and west. I don’t remember seeing them east of Macedon. The westward cruise is much more popular, for it is where the charming port towns and lift bridges are.
If I have piqued your interest in cruising the Erie Canal in an ECA houseboat, take a look at he rental cost. The cheapest, is over $800 per day. For that price I’d want a captain to go along with it, for I’ve never navigated a motorized boat in my life.
I should be embarrassed saying that. Yes, in my 70 some years living in a state that is surrounded by Great Lakes and over 11,000 inland lakes, I’ve never operated a motorized boat. Some Michigander I am.
This past week I was happy for the opportunity to speak at a meeting of the Flint Sail and Power Squadron. It is my area’s chapter of the national organization, America’s Boating Club founded in 1914. In a room occupied by sailors, skippers and there commander, I spoke and answered question about my adventures of paddling a dinky 9.5 for boat. You would think the skippers who possible paid 200 times as much for their boats than I did mine, might look down upon my mini-craft. If so, you would be dead wrong. I fit right in for we do have many things in common, mainly the love of being out on the water.
I was even asked to attend the club’s June boat rendezvous in Oscoda. Maybe I will take them up on that. Possibly, some captain will let me take the helm, and I’ll end this embarrassment of never having piloted a power boat?
But, I am happy doing what I am, using manual boats, and will continue until I’m no longer able. And that is… doing things the hard way. That goes beyond the water to other life endeavors. Many times my choices aren’t the smarter way, but the harder way.
That first year on the Erie Canal, the initial 130 miles of it, there was less physical effort than any other stretch between the Statue and Liverpool. I can, and will forever talk about how enjoyable it was. 130 miles is about the paddle distance that is left before my adventure finally ends at the Gateway Arch. Would I like those miles to be as dreamy? No, and I can’t help it. Something inside me drives me to do things that are hard. So, I wouldn’t want the final miles to be effortless, as dumb as that may seem.
Good background on the Erie Canal. I, too, for all but four of my 75 years in Michigan, have never "captained a powerboat." Hmmmmm. Thanks for the update.
Someone following you adventures who owns a power boat, will let you get behind the wheel!!