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feature 37 July 2009 Fireworks lit the night sky in arcs that peaked and then curved downward to settle gently into the Hudson River. We were watching from the top of our vacation home for the week—a 42-foot canal boat. My husband Kevin and I had decided to keep the boat close to home in Albany, N.Y., for the first night of our rental, so that family could join us for the Fourth of July celebration on the river. We clambered onto the boat's roof, which served as an upper deck and storage for bicycles. A boat parade of decorated crafts began the evening, capped off by an Elvis im- personator spotlighted atop a cabin cruiser. The last amplified notes of "You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog" faded, followed by the pop of a rocket. Faces in the crowd on the riverbank shone like dots of holiday confetti. By the light of the fireworks, I could see the wide grin of our grandson and smiles on the rest of our gang. The next morning, Kevin and I cast off and began a week of R&R on our private, floating knotty pine cabin. Regulars On The River The waters of New York State have been our vacation playground thanks to the availability of charter canal boats. Over the course of several summers, we have cruised the lower Hudson River to see West Point, traveled the upper Hudson River to Lake Champlain and Fort Ticonderoga, visited wineries on the Finger Lakes by boat, and navigated the historic Erie Canal. A sign on the riverbank in Albany reads "New York City 145 Miles, Buffalo 360 Miles," and these destinations are easily linked by waterways of the Hudson River and canal system. Our floating home away from home has been a houseboat that is a repro- duction of an English narrowboat, used on European canals. These are long, low vessels with the cozy feel of a wood paneled cottage. The boats have up- right walking room throughout, but sit low in the water—essential because of the bridges in canal systems. The words of the old canal tune, "low, bridge, everybody down," still ring true enough to limit the height of masts and boats. Canal boats have a fully equipped galley (knotty pine, of course), two sleeping cabins, two heads, and open front and back decks and a propane system operates a stove, oven, and refrigerator. We unpacked our clothes, made the bed, and stowed our food supplies in the galley cabinets. Soon Mike, a representative of the rental company, joined us for a floating tutori- al of the boat's systems. A tiller, rudder, and bow thruster did a good job with steering. As part of our lesson, Mike took us through the Federal Lock near the juncture of the Hudson River and Erie Canal. After he'd showed me how to manage lines, while Kevin steered us to a spot on the lock wall, I said to him, "Mike, would you mind bending down to my height and extending your arm to my reach?" He did so, and after his mini I N Y A Different Kind Of Houseboating Experiencing New York's Hudson By Mary McCarthy This summer, the "Hudson 400 Celebration of Discovery" hosts special events to commemorate the voyage of Henry Hudson in 1609. Here, Mary McCarthy recalls her family's experiences on charter canal boats on the river. These boats are available for rental in New York State on the Hudson River as well as the Erie Canal and tributary canals, which link to the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. For additional information about canal boat rentals, see Boats for Hire on www.nyscanals. gov. For information on the Hudson River celebration, visit www. hudson400.com.