For Immediate Release: October 12, 2005
CANAL CORPORATION ANNOUNCES AUTHOR COMPLETES SUMMER-LONG CANAL TOUR
The New York State Canal Corporation announced today that author and Troy, NY native Betsy Haggerty has completed a summer-long adventure on the historic waterway after logging over 1,500 miles. Haggerty departed on her journey from Whitehall aboard the M/V Osprey in early June, before officially kicking her tour off from Waterford on June 12, 2005. She returned to Whitehall Sunday afternoon.
“Betsy Haggerty wins the prize for number of locks in a season, hands down,”
said Carmella Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal System. “We were
thrilled to have her spend the season experiencing and researching this magical
waterway, and the people and places which make it so special.”
Haggerty, formerly Editor of Offshore Magazine and a professional writer on the maritime circuit for 20 years, made the journey while researching her new book, tentatively entitled “Fifteen Weeks on the Erie Canal.” In addition to several articles about the Canal System, Haggerty had devoted a chapter of a previous book, “New York and New Jersey Coastal Adventures”, to the historic waterway.
Haggerty was raised in the Capital District and had a family connection to the Canal System. Her cousin, Bill Ryan, served as Captain of the Tugboat Urger for 41 years. Haggerty credits the Urger, the flagship of the Canal System, with providing part of the inspiration for the new book. Living in New York City in 1994, Haggerty spent time visiting the Urger at South Street Seaport Museum, and speaking to Captain Steve Wunder about the Canal System, its rich history, and its revitalization. Haggerty has been fascinated with the Canal ever since, and believes her readers will be, too.
For this summer’s trip, Haggerty chartered the Osprey from Blue Heron Boats in Whitehall, NY. Joined by Nicky, a nine-year-old miniature poodle, Haggerty explored virtually every inch of the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. To complete the journey, Haggerty traveled across Lake Champlain into the St. Lawrence Seaway, and from there cruised to Montreal. She traveled the Richelieu River and Chambly Canal into Lake Champlain, and then back to Whitehall.
“The new book will be a memoir of my travel experiences on the Canal System,” Haggerty said. “I plan to weave in the history of all three generations of the waterway, but will focus mostly on the present system using, where possible, oral histories from those who worked on the Canal.”
“We can’t wait to read the book. The renewed interest in this historic waterway is a sign that the efforts of Governor Pataki to revitalize this magnificent resource are yielding great dividends,” Mantello added.
For more information, contact Betsy Haggerty at (646) 734-4288.
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