Eclipse's Odyssey: Day 17, 6.12.18, Athens

Tuesday we're up early again, and while the current starts out against us, and the wind too light and fickle, after an hour of motoring we can comfortably sail. The wind keeps building, and the current stronger. Soon we're flying up the river at six and seven knots! Such fun!

Hard to read, but upper right corner says 7.5 knots!

There's a maritime museum in Kingston, so we go in and tie up, but they won't be open today, and neither will the trolly museum. So back onto the river. We're going so fast that we stop early in the town of Athens, stroll the town and settle into the library for wifi.

Maritime museum, Kingston NY

Looking aft, P. E. trailing along behind, Tibetan prayer flags flapping furiously.

Lighthouse on the Hudson below Athens, NY

Athens, NY

Athens street scene

The wind doesn't abate until 5pm, and then only slightly. Leaving Athens with a single reef in the main and no jib, and against the current, we're still making 4.5 knots. In five miles we come to a nice bay in what was once the thriving town of Stockport. On the way into the bay, we ground the rudder, and the cable snaps. We can still steer with the motor, and find a good place for the anchor.

Everything that hangs down from Eclipse can be folded up – the motor, ladder, centerboard, and rudder. The centerboard hangs down deepest at about six feet, but it will fold back if it hits anything. The rudder hangs down about four feet, and is held down with a cable. We have to release the cable to raise the rudder. It's this cable that snapped. Once we are secure, we investigate. The cable had corroded at the waterline, and the strain as we hit the mud was too much. Luckily we have a length of cable and clamps, bought when we had the centerboard problem in Niantic. As daylight fades we effect a good repair.