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When I noticed someone standing on a bridge in this rural area, I suspected it might be Bob, a person I’d never met but . . . click here to see how many posts he’s already contributed to.
Anyhow, I was not surprised when later I received the following photos…
… all taken between Clyde and Lyons by Robert Stopper.
Thank, Bob, and great to meet you.
Johnston Brothers of Ferrysburg, MI, built Urger in 1901. The boat below–Ronald J. Dahlke, was built two years later as Bonita. A few days ago, the two boats passed each other in Lyons . . . or to be more accurate, we passed the ex-Bonita.
I posted pics of this blue tug last year here . . . scroll through. Unconfirmed report is that the boat is about to enter a new chapter in its life, after being the tool of someone with truth issues, as explained in the story here.
What I find even more remarkable is that an even older Johnston Brothers boat–Sea Bird–is still active. Anyone know others?
Some areas along the NYS Canals evoke tropical forests . . .
Some bridges are so low even today that we approach dead slow, jackstaff–our measure of minimum clearance–ready to signal full astern.
Many places along the canal offer a parallel path for the railroad like
this automobile train pulled by Union Pacific locomotives.
If it seems I have paid more attention to these canal banks than others, it’s true, because these are in the county where I grew up and first caught a fish. Click here for close-ups of this former Agway and beet refining complex.
These abandoned scows lie within 250 feet of Rte. 31, but I’d never seen them until I took the canal.
Click here to see the large number of posts I’ve done on this 1912 tug I call Grouper.
When this creature stands at the end of a dock like this, I’m happy to comply.
So far, west of Palmyra, I’ve seen the most fabulous bike trails.
More trains and
And finally, just east of Fairport, I love this garden with repurposed metal “sculpture” that includes two harps.
All photos taken by Will Van Dorp.
Here’s a view from the oldest of the fleet–Urger–heading through the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge.
Grand Erie and Tender 4 (?) heading west almost three weeks ago.
SPS 54 (?) tied up above lock 1 of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal. By the way . . . SPS expands to “self-propelled scow.”
Earlier this week, Urger meets Grand Erie near Clyde.
Seneca in Lyons. It was built by Electric Boat in 1932, and in 1960, was sold from the USN to Canal Corp.
Another SPS,
a derrick boat and a tender.
Syracuse, a heavily loaded scow, and a derrick boat.
And finally . . . can you tell by the foliage color? Urger and buoy boat 109 with external fuel tanks in late August.
All photos by Will Van Dorp, who recently with one erroneous click, lost about 200 photos. Ouch and we move on.
Click here and then scroll to the last three pics; you’ll see a sixth boro version of the photo below, taken just east of Lyons.
Near the Montezuma, these passed twice, and they were certainly not the mute type.
Lots of herons hunt for fish from the locks, but they fly away as a boat appears. This one, however, may have thought himself fleet
footed enough to play ostrich.
The parrot that share an apartment with me stretches each morning before flying; ospreys . . . it appears . . . do the same, especially
if they transport meals like this.
Final shot for today . . . the four-point buck here just about to find footing and camouflage on the north bank.
All photos here taken by Will Van Dorp, who has access to wifi AND a more contemporary computer tonight.
Some of you who write . . . yes, the fresh water canal might not be as exhilarating as posts about saltwater vessels and power assist tugs, but here is a good story: hat’s off to Antonio Varracalli, a canal worker who died saving a life. Then, Antonio’s name gets forgotten when–three decades later–someone writes a screenplay changing the names. But Seneca Falls equals Bedford Falls, and this Ruth Dunham . . I wonder what she did with the life Antonio helped her live . . . at great cost.
Tomorrow we move farther west.
All photos here were taken between the east side of Oneida Lake and Seneca Falls. In the row of buildings behind the boat in the photo above, there is wifi, as well as laundry machines and clean hot showers. I counted about a dozen eagles–of all ages–along the waterway.
I hope you enjoy these somewhat random photos taken over two days on about 80 miles of canal lifting about 235 feet above the pool level above the Troy lock. With limited wifi, I’m not sure when next I’ll post.
Back in Trinidad, what is NEC Pride escorting in . . . along
NEC Spirit?
It’s Global 1200.
It’s Sea Strength . . . part of the A. R. Singh fleet.
Also in that section of the port, it’s Falcon Explorer.
All photos come thanks to my sister.
When the dawn colors look this good, why stay out with the camera beyond 0800 hrs?
It looks that a lot of the signage on Neptune is in Spanish . . .
All photos on the weekend by Will Van Dorp, who has returned to the Canal.
tugster: a waterblog 
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