Day 32: At Baltimore

A foggy morning in the Inner Harbour... but it's lifted by the time we've finished our toast. The B&O Railroad Museum opens at 1000 and I'll be there. The others have planned a guided tour of the city.

We have received a concerning notice advising that the Erie Canal will be opening several weeks late. We have options, which we're debating; more on this later.

Preston and I attend the B&O Railroad Museum which celebrates the birthplace of American railroading. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was founded in 1827, as America's first commercial railroad. In the roundhouse (built in 1884) and associated buildings we see a lot of very ancient and historic locomotives, We even take a ride over the first mile of commercial railroad in the United States. The display is very well presented. The others, meanwhile, take a minibus tour of the city. We'll have a light 'clean-out-the-fridge' dinner on board tonight.

The New York State Canal Corporation has advised that navigation along the Erie Canal in the Mohawk Valley will be delayed as a direct result of a recent weather-related high-water event that has impacted Central and Eastern New York. As conditions allow for sections of the New York State Canal system to begin operating this season, certain portions of the Erie Canal (that affect us) will remain closed to navigation until further notice. Critical repairs are underway to canal infrastructure that sustained damage during the weather event. One location – the Rocky Rift movable dam that regulates the navigation pool in this area – was significantly damaged while being operated to adjust flows during the recent rainstorms. In addition, crews are repairing a saturated seep along an earthen embankment between the lock and movable dam. Both repairs must be completed to ensure safe navigation – an essential part of maintaining this more than 100-year-old infrastructure in 2025.

We've chosen to continue the voyage as per our schedule, and go, at least, as far as Croton-on-Hudson and see what the delay situation is then. It might be better than we expect.

Tomorrow, we head up the Chesapeake Bay and through the C&D Canal to Delaware City on the Delaware River. Then it'll be down Delaware Bay and out to sea along the Jersey coast and into New York City.Read more