July 6, 2024 Fort Ticonderoga

 Saturday  July 6, 2024   Whitehall to Ticonderoga  3.1 hours and 23 miles

Rainy morning as expected. Forecast calling for clearing up in a few hours, so no need to leave the dock early. Plus, it would only be a few hours run to our next anchorage at Ft. Ticonderoga.   Untied the dock lines once the sun came out and waited a few minutes for lock C12 - our final on the Champlain canal system - to refill and open for us.  C12 drops us down another 15'.

Waiting for Lock C12 in the distance to open

The lower part of Lake Champlain is meandering river.  Just stay mid channel and there's plenty of water.  The forecast for rain to end was a lie.  We hit several additional squally bands with sunshine in between. Hot and humid to the point we had to run the generator and A/C to keep the pilothouse comfortable while closing up all the doors and windows for rain.  

Whenever I see ruins like these it always gets me thinking
 about the history and families who lived there and
what happened that caused it to fall into disrepair.

More rain on the way coming over the mountains.

 Made it to  Ft. Ticonderoga and anchored just below it.  Got anchor set in 15'. Put out 100' of rode which was smart as several more gusty squall lines came through before the weather finally broke at dusk. 

Enjoyed a nice sunset after the rains finally departed

Now I'm no conspiracy believer - BUT IF I WERE -
 I'd have to question just WHAT exactly is that multi-faceted green orb
 that showed up in various locations of all my sunset pictures.

Journey for July 6, 2024

Sunday July 7, 2024 Ft. Ticonderoga Tour

We had friends anchor here the other year who took a dinghy to shore and then worked their way up the hill to the fort.  Decided we would give it a try.  Can't get to our dingy with the radar arch still lowered so launched the kayaks. Found the access point they had mentioned, beached the boats, and started our invasion of the fort. 

John on the kayak scouting out the secret access point to the fort

Not part of the National Parks system, instead the fort is run by a private foundation.   After it was used at various times by the French, English and Americans during the revolutionary war era, it became strategically insignificant and was abandoned.  Much of the usable material at the fort was scavenged by locals for building supplies leaving the fort in ruins.  It became the property of NY State and eventually was purchased by a NY businessman - William Pell in 1820.   The Pells started reconstruction of the fort, built a summer house and gardens on the property and it became a tourist attraction. The Pell family set up a foundation in the 1930's that now owns and operates the fort and surrounding properties.

Entrance to the fort. Originally built by the French based on a star design that required a lot of guns to cover all angles of defense.  The Pells went on a mission throughout the Caribbean and South America to secure period correct cannons and mortars for display

Fife and Drum corps covered the assorted tunes and meanings.

Cannon firing demonstration  - always a crowd favorite

They might have been able to get a clean shot at As You Wish 

The Pavillion was the Pell families summer retreat - restored in 2009

A peek inside the brick walled formal gardens behind The Pavillion

Back on the boat by late afternoon there was just enough time for a refreshing dip in the clean, clear, fresh waters of Lake Champlain before grilling some steaks on the barbie and calling it a night. 

Another peaceful night at anchor as the sun prepares to set