The day started great and lasted. We left Herkimer around 1000. The skies were again blue, winds mostly calm and temperature warm. Our first lock was #18. At this point, we had wind from the stern and port. We have become very good at locking up on the port side with little wind so this lock gave the captain a bit of grief! We quickly recomposed ourselves and locked through on the starboard side without any troubles. The second lock was at Little Falls (actually a 44' lock - not so little). It is the highest lift lock on the Erie Canal and the exit gate is lifted above the water and boats. One sure hopes the chains hold, it could be like a guillotine coming down! We did two more locks and tied up at a dock in Canajoharie, doing almost 26 miles today.

The dock master and his son (about 10) at Canajoharie were quite amazing. They caught our lines and then proceeded to explain everything about the community. The little guy took my recycleables to the garbage, the dad offered to drive Diana and me to the grocery store and back (we did take him up on his offer) and the little guy carried my groceries right to the boat! They were both very polite and quite proud of their town as they pointed out and explained all the local points of interest as we drove by them. Definitely the most hospitable town we have come across. The dad would not take any money for gas but I did manage to get the son to take a few dollars for an ice cream.

We had some visitors to the side of the boat during supper. They were scrounging for food. Jorge obliged and tossed them some crumbs.

Jorge and I took a walk after supper to an old house. The dock master had explained to Diana and me that it had belonged to the man who invented the Pullman sleeping coach for trains. It would have been quite the showpiece in its time but now it looked like the perfect haunted house.

Canajoharie is a little town of only 2500 people however it is a busy spot. I-90 is on one side of us and the train tracks on the other side, joined by the town bridge just off our bow. Hmmm, let's see how much sleep we get!