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Day 200

6/23/2010

5 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:30 AM - Little Falls, NY
Finish: 5:00 PM - Utica, NY (Lock 20)
Time: 10:30 (2:30 spent in town w/ Otto and Larry)
Daily dist: 24 miles
Total dist: 3700+
Companions: Otto
Weather: Mostly cloudy, high of 80, west wind 7-10 mph
Notes: Very nice camping at lock 20
As I was working my way north along the Atlantic Intracoastal from April through late May, one of the biggest challenges I faced at the end of many days was finding a suitable camp site at which to spend the night. With a fair dose of creativity I did manage to come up with fairly decent places to camp most nights. Sometimes, however, things didn't go so well and I got downright desperate to find a place to land for the night. Regardless of how desperate I may have been, a camp spot had to meet two simple criteria:

1) It had to be far enough above the water so that a large wake at high tide wouldn’t flood it out.

2) It had to be at least as big as my tent.

Those seem like simple enough stipulations but many times I had to stretch one or both of those rules in order to call a spot of land campable.

Picture
The Ikkuma tied (and locked) to the dock for the night
Ever since I began my run north on the Hudson River last week and now my travel west on the Erie canal, the bar by which I judge camp sites has been raised considerably. Now instead of viewing a 20’x30’ sand spit barely above high tide as home for the night, I have lock masters apologizing for not having hot water in the showers while I set my tent up on a lush grassy lawn. Last night promised rain so instead of paddling a few miles further Otto and I opted to camp under a picnic shelter. Tonight, rain is again predicted so I’m set up under a large park pavilion complete with a freshwater fountain a few yards away and an electrical outlet within reach of my computer’s cord. Those tiny sand spits seem like they’re a million miles away.

Picture
My tent on the stage of a large picnic pavilion out of the impending weather.
Before arriving at this great camp spot I had a great day of paddling that started with Otto just outside of Little Falls below Lock 18. It had rained all last night and the ground was soggy wet and squished water as we carried our dry gear from the gazebo under which we camped to our boats waiting at the boat ramp a few yards away. After launching (earlier than Otto would have preferred) we made our way west toward an eventual rendezvous with Otto’s day Larry Herrmann at the Ilion Marina eight miles away.

Picture
End of the line for Otto. The Ilion Marina
In lock 18 I found a bullfrog treading water in a notch in the lock wall. I scooped the tired critter up and placed him on the deck of my boat which is exactly where he stayed and watched me as I paddled. It was almost an hour later when the frog was either rested or figured he’d had enough of tolerating my boring stories and jumped back in the water. One can only imagine how much Otto may have wished he could do the same.

Picture
This frog rode with me for almost an hour.
Like clockwork Larry was just arriving in town to pick Otto up as we pulled up at the boat ramp in Ilion NY. While Otto emptied his boat, I shuffled gear around in mine to make room for the goodies that had been sent with Larry and Otto from my friend Alicia in San Diego. Once I knew I could get everything in the boat without standing on the hatch covers, I joined Larry and Otto for a ride into town. There we found the post office where I mailed some gear back to Wisconsin and stopped a the Mohawk Diner in the adjacent town for lunch.

With a warm full belly and an overstuffed kayak, I said good by and headed west.

Picture
Larry and Otto saying good by
5 Comments
Larry
6/23/2010 09:32:09 pm

Seeing Otto so pooped just confirms what an effort you're putting into this Jake! He had a great time and they are really looking forward to seeing you in Rochester. Stay safe on the canal and enjoy it!

Reply
Steven Krause
6/24/2010 12:08:08 am

Jake- You wasted a good bullfrog! Their legs taste just like chicken! The French love them! That's why the British call the French frogs!

Reply
Kevin Black
6/24/2010 08:20:12 am

Mr. Jake- Your visit with Mr. Bullfrog was like super great positive paddling mojo! He was facing forward on your skirt, right? You are so good to go for the rest of your trip I can't stand it. Keep up the great posts. Cheers---------

Reply
BC
6/24/2010 10:49:52 am

Wait, where are the stories of the epic rolling sessions, boat fully loaded, only a small stick in hand and half-conscious from over-indulgent lunches? And what about the stand-up kayaking pictures? I can't believe that the two of you spent 2.5 days kayaking together and didn't once attempt synchronized back deck rolls. I'm left incomplete. :)

Reply
Caveman
10/21/2013 04:31:48 pm

Congratulations on finishing this great adventure! I stumbled upon your blog as my parents are doing the Loop too, but in a slightly larger 30 foot cruiser. My wife and I moved to Utica from Weyauwega (Manitowoc is my home town) in 2008 and she works across the road from Lock 20. I've spent plenty of time watching the boats go through that lock and I wish I had found this site before you had come through, so I could have a chance to meet up with you. Good luck in any future endeavors.

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