Vergennes – a village with built-in aerobics

Never rushing anywhere – we spent two nights in Converse Bay (a mere two hours from Burlington) – relaxation for me and chores for Steve.  He scrubbed the boat, worked on caulking his teak that was dripping, continued to chase the water leak, and generally kept busy while I enjoyed the perfect weather and peaceful setting.  Oh, yes, I did manage to sort out my Medicare coverage and supplements and worked on route plans/reservations through the end of the year……(yawn)

From there we wound our way up Otter Creek about 8 miles to the village on the hill, Vergennes.  This town welcomes cruisers with ample free dock space in front of the water fall that includes a nightly light show.  The main street is pleasant, affluent, and up a couple of steep hills which seem only fitting for the culinary delights found there.  The oft reviewed Black Sheep Bistro did not disappoint nor did the chocolate shop appropriately named, Daily Chocolate. The gem of the town, however, is the Bixby Library – also at the top of the hill but worth the effort.  The impressive 1912 building houses a cozy library with all the 21^st Century amenities like free WIFI and historical information on this town.  Vergennes played a little known but key role in the War of 1812. Ships built here – in the basin where we docked – travelled down the creek and Lake Champlain to engage the British at Plattsburg in September 1814.  Their success eventually led to the Treaty of Ghent ending the conflict – if not a decisive victory for either side, at least not a defeat either. Many of the buildings surrounding the basin date from this period adding to the charming atmosphere in this town.  

As an added bonus we met Libby and Dick who generously shared secrets and favorite stops from their 10 years of living aboard and cruising between Lake Champlain and the Florida Keys.  It is always nice to bounce plans off experienced cruisers and learn that our proposed stops are indeed feasible as well as gather intel on new places. Advice from Libby and Dick is especially helpful since their boat has even more draft than ours!  Also, it came with access to their blog as a future resource.