We took a day off traveling today. For the night we were tied up to the high wall near the junction of the Hudson and the Mohawk. About 6am one of the boats tied to the floating dock (with electric) departed to head down the Hudson. We took the opportunity to grab her slot. So before coffee(!!!!) we were taking in lines, shoving off, re-docking and plugging in.
Having gotten an early start on the day, We decided to have our coffee and then walk across the bridge to Peebles Island State Park. This island was the home of Cluett-Peabody Shirt Factory. Its claim to fame is that it had the patent on the “sanforizing process”. This process preshrinks fabrics before they are cut for clothes. As a result the finished clothes shrink less than 1% when washed the 1st time.
The factory building is still standing and part of it it used as the headquarters of the Bureau of Historic Sites and Bureau of Historic Preservation Field Services. There is also a small visitors center but from Labor Day in September to Columbus Day October it is only open weekends. There are a number of trails so we took the perimeter trail and strolled around in about an hour. It seems to be a favorite with the locals getting their exercise and walking their dogs. It’s quite amazing to see so little water in the various water courses around the island and realize that last year at this time the waters of Irene were almost topping the bridges.
After taking care of a few chores we went into Waterford village to the Sun Rise Chinese Restaurant. The food was quite good as well as inexpensive. I would recommend take-out however. Eat in or take out, the food comes in take-out styrofoam contains with rather flexible utensils.
Throughout the day numerous NY registered power boats locked east through the Flight locks. We can only guess there must have been some rendezvous or gathering up the line. Most of them cleared the locks and headed out onto the Hudson. Later in the afternoon as the docks were once again filling up, we went to explore the old Champlain Canal. Three locks of this old canal empty into the Mohawk just to the east of the NY State Barge Canal the lowest flight lock (Lock 2). The gates have been removed and the channel is used to regulate the water level in the flight locks. There is a walking trail along this old canal and numerous plaques which explain the history of the area as it relates to the canal. There are some nice photos showing the barges being pulled by mules.
Conepatus 