By Elisa Nelson, Schooner Tour and Volunteer Coordinator On the calm morning of September 3, the crew of the Lois McClure took a short trip to Shelburne Shipyard for our Coast Guard-required haul-out and hull inspection. This meant, of course, that Lois had to come out of the water, so we had an exciting (but actually quite slow) morning maneuvering …
Wood is a deceptively challenging medium to work with: easy enough for a first-time builder to work with, yet with a learning curve so steep and so broad that no carpenter could ever seriously claim to know absolutely everything about it. And while the tools have improved and techniques debated and refined, the basic principles and traditions behind woodworking have remained unchanged for millennia.
Diving for zebra mussels in Chambly.
At Cape Vincent, at the upper end of the St. Lawrence River, on August 22nd, we converted the Lois McClure from a “standard canal boat,” one that has no propulsion of its own, to a sailing canal boat. With the help of a crane truck (courtesy of Rick Evans and Evans Crane) on the dock, we lifted the six spars …
The Lois McClure docked in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, and saw over 1800 people!
The LOIS MCCLURE is underway, headed back east along the canal.
We’ve reached Buffalo, and after our first day, saw over 1000 people!
by Carolyn Kennedy It seems to me that the theme of this year’s tour has got to be the kindness and generosity of the strangers we meet. While the original schedule has hit a few bumps in the road, what with the flooding and the damage to the locks, the people we’ve met so far have more than made up …
The last Captain’s Log ended on June 12th, when we had been delayed for two days in Waterford at the east end of the Erie Canal due to high water. Well, here it is July 8th, and we are still delayed in Waterford due to high water, or, at least, the effects of high water. It rained and rained (we’ve …
As a result of high water, we’ve returned to Waterford in time to celebrate the 4th of July. We’ll be open the following times: Thursday, July 4th: 10-5 Friday, July 5th: 10-5 Saturday, July 6th: 10-8 Fireworks at 9pm (in conjunction with the Steamboat Meet) Sunday, July 7th: 10-3 (in conjunction with the Waterford Harbor Farmer’s Market) Stay tuned for …