Summary
We traveled this segment between June 12-17. Distance traveled was 177 miles.
Figure 1: Champlain Canal and Lake
Champlain Canal
The Champlain Canal was built at the same time as the Erie canal with the canals fully operational in 1823. The canal follows the natural route of the Hudson River between Waterford NY and Fort Edward NY and a man-made between Fort Edward and Whitehall NY. The canal has eleven locks; eight raise transiting vessels from 15.3’ at Waterford to 140.1’ at Fort Edward, three lower them from 140.1’ to 112.1’ at Whitehall NY—Lake Champlain’s water level. Along the canal, we stopped in Schuylerville and Whitehall for walks, anchored in La Chute bay, and tied to the free town wall in Fort Edward.
Figure 2: Lock C2, Mechanicville NY
Figure 3: Lock C5, Northumberland
Figure 4: Schuylerville NY
Figure 5: Fort Edward NY
Figure 6: Seen better days
Figure 7: Man-made section of the Champlain Canal
Figure 8: Skene Manor in Whitehall NY
Figure 9: Whitehall NY from Skene Manor
Figure 10: Whitehall NY
Figure 11: Lock C12, Whitehall NY
Lake Champlain
In Lake Champlain, we stopped in Basin Harbor for a walk and visited Fort Ticonderoga. We anchored in La Chute Bay, tied up overnight at the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse dock, took a mooring for two nights in Burlington, and anchored overnight at Valcour Island and King Bay.
Fort Ticonderoga
A strategic location where Lake Champlain and Lake George, major North/South transit corridors, are joined by the La Chute river. The fort saw minor skirmishes between the French, British and Americans during its colonial history.
Figure 12: La Chute Bay and Fort Ticonderoga
Figure 13: Fort Ticonderoga
Figure 14: La Chute Bay
Figure 15: La Chute Bay from Fort Ticonderoga
Figure 16: Fort Ticonderoga
Figure 17: Fort Ticonderoga
Crown Point NY
Crown Point is 15 miles north of Fort Ticonderoga and strategic as the location where Lake Champlain begins to narrow. Like Fort Ticonderoga, forts were built around Crown Point as defense for a major North/South transit corridor.
Figure 18: Crown Point and Lake Champlain Bridge
Basin Harbor VT
Basin Harbor provide convenient access to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. While waiting for the museum to open, we took a long walk to Button Bay State Park.
Figure 19: Adirondacks from Button Bay State Park
Figure 20: Basin Harbor, VT
Figure 21: Basin Harbor, VT
Figure 22: Adirondacks from Lake Champlain
Burlington VT
The highlight of our visit to Burlington was the Shelburne Museum, a museum of American history, art and design. Founder, Electra Havemeyer Webb, bought historic buildings throughout New England and relocated them to house a collection of American art and design.
Figure 23: Lake Champlain from Burlinton VT
Figure 24: Carousel, Shelburne Museum
Figure 25: Shelburne Rail Station, Shelburne Museum
Figure 26: Shelburne Rail Station and Locomotive 220, Shelburne Museum
Figure 27: View from steamship Ticonderoga, Shelburne Museum
Figure 28: Garden, Shelburne Museum
Figure 29: Pleissner’s Studio, Shelburne Museum
Figure 30: Steamship Ticonderoga, Shelburne Museum
Figure 31: Lighthouse, Shelburne Museum
Figure 32: Saw Mill, Shellburne Museum
We put Penguin on a mooring for two days while in Burlington—the first time the batteries were not being charged by long days of motoring or plugged in overnight. Here, we learned Penguin’s (circa 2019) batteries needed replacing. We found exactly the same batteries at closest Walmart so ordered them online. Uber delivered us to Walmart the next morning, only to have Walmart cancel the order while we were at the store—their inventory was wrong. They showed four in stock but had none. Another Uber delivered us to Advance Auto where we picked up a couple slightly better (and more expensive) batteries. The third Uber of the day returned us to the harbor where we, somehow, managed to haul the batteries to Penguin by dinghy. Fun!
North Lake Champlain
With fresh batteries, we made a quick trip to Valcour Island, forward progress but close enough to Burlington or Plattsburgh to fix further battery problems if encountered. Our final stop in Lake Champlain was King Bay where we stopped so we could check-in with Canadian Customs when they opened in the morning.
Figure 33: Bluff Point Light, Valcour Island NY
Figure 34: Valcour Bay and Plattsburgh NY
Figure 35: King Bay, NY
Figure 36: King Bay, NY