Several cruisers have reported problems on the Erie Canal in the past few days, the result of heavy rain and flooding in the areas of Locks 9, 10 and 11 near Amsterdam, NY.
Locks 10 and 11 were closed for a while at the start of the Memorial Day weekend, although they have reopened. And one captain reported on the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association blog that “the swirling current going 9 was vicious.” Another, Clay Logan on SaSea Sally, a Mainship 43, said he encountered “LOTS of logs and debris” in the area.
On Seasons, a Tayana 42 trawler, John Cobb said he escaped damage in Lock 9 on May 31 only by “the grace of God and PVC across fenders.” Cobb said “the dam gates were open near the lock side and water was boiling out. Logs swirled in front of the lock entrance, and a large counter-clockwise eddy first attempted to drive us 30 feet starboard into the wall, then rotated the bow and moments later the stern to the port side entrance wall. We entered the lock at a 45-degree angle, bow to starboard. Yikes.” Yikes, indeed. Be careful out there.
