East Creek Anchorage

On Friday, June 30 we took our time getting ready for our very short cruise. While Jonny walked Archie, I vacuumed using the new vacuum cleaner we bought at the beginning of the trip. This has been a great improvement over using our wet vac which required me to vacuum Zendo on my hands and knees for the last eight years. I can’t believe we didn’t spring for this sooner!  Our plan for the day was to anchor overnight near Fort Ticonderoga. We had been invited to come back to Chipman Point Marina the next day for a pot luck supper and fireworks but we weren’t sure if we would be able to get a slip so we were going to play it by ear. 

Before leaving we stopped for a pump-out and ate lunch on board finally leaving Chipman Point at 1 p.m.  Thirty minutes later we  arrived at a beautiful isolated anchorage on East Creek just northeast of Mount Independence.  Mount Independence got its name in 1776 from Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys who were camped there, across from Fort Ticonderoga, when they heard the news about the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Jonny wanted to mark our anchor rode so we worked together to measure and mark it in 25 foot lengths using some spray paint.  We then did some of our respective tasks - Jonny working out payment issues for his mom’s facility while I did my Spanish homework.  Stephanie called to tell us how bad the smoke was in Philly from the Canadian wildfires and we noticed how the skies around us were getting more and more hazy as the afternoon wore on. 

The day was also heating up so Jonny decided to take a swim off the stern of the boat.  The top layer of water was quite pleasant but it was very cold beneath the surface so he didn’t stay in for long! Archie was tempted to join him but he decided otherwise.

Later we climbed in the dinghy to take Archie on shore. We thought we might find a place to tie up near a trail but most of the places we passed didn’t look very accommodating.

The only place that looked easy was a boat dock by the grounds of  Fort Ticonderoga. Unfortunately there was a sign that said Do Not Enter but since it was after 5 p.m. and no one was around we ignored the sign and tied up.  We climbed over the chain blocking the path and walked up to the beautiful grounds surrounding the fort. Archie was in heaven running through the grassy lawns. What a gorgeous setting! We had visited the fort during a previous trip so we were happy to just walk through the lawns and enjoy the scenery.

Afterward we returned to Zendo and I started cooking dinner. Midway through cooking, the propane ran out on our stove. Yet another challenge!  Jonny had refilled the propane tank, which usually lasts the whole season, before we left Delaware City. Apparently we’ve had a leak.  So we finished cooking dinner using our grill and an electric burner that we fortunately had on board.  A new item has moved up on the priority list!

So now it was definite that we would be returning to Chipman Point the next day so we can attend the pot luck dinner, see the fireworks, AND get this propane problem resolved!