Day 13  We saw both the SUNRISE over the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain (with our friend Susan who stayed in a cabin at our campground) and the MOONRISE (with my cousin Ellen and her family)!   Vernon, Susan and I drove to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (at Basin Harbor) and learned how much Revolutionary War history is on Lake Champlain. Then had a wonderful evening with cousin Ellen and her family! 

                                                                            

Sunrise at 'the bluff ' just a short hike from our campsite and Susan's cabin. Susan traveled 2 hours from Derby, VT to our campground to tour the Shelburne Museum (yesterday) and the maritime museum (today) We have had such an enjoyable visit with Susan who lost her husband 7 years ago (today).

Beautiful spot to view sunrise on the big lake!

At the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.  Below are a few of the inspiring stories of early women leaders around the lake.  We were lucky enouto join a few people for a historical tour/lecture on the Revolutionary gunboat fleet led by Benedict Arnold.  A picture of the replica of "the Philadelphia" is below.                                                                         

                                                                                

It was a beautiful day for a picnic on the grounds of the museum.  See the Revolutionary War gunboat replica "Philadelphia 2" in the background. 

                                                                                

Philadelphia 2

                                                                                

This is half of the gunboat where men stood to row.  44 men stayed on this boat -- sleeping almost on top of each other -- and many of the crew were taken from jails to serve on it instead of finishing their prison term.  Others were German mercenaries the museum director said.   They avoided stopping and docking anywhere because the men would run away.

                                                                                    

An artist's rendering of a sunken gunboat illuminated by an underwater light.  Lake Champlain has 300 sunken ships! Most, I take it from the Revolutionary War.  ??

                                                                                    

We didn't stay long enough for me to get a handle on the importance of a couple of battles on the lake that were a turning point in the Revolutionary War.  But this exhibit picture sheds some light on it.

                                                                                

A canal schooner at Basin Harbor at the Maritime Museum

                                                                                

Dinner at the campsite -- Apple Island Resort -- on Lake Champlain.  With cousin Ellen and her family.

                                                                                

Moonrise party!  The girls after dinner at 'the bluff'.  

                                                                                

The second night in a row that we got to see the moonrise!  It was a full moon tonight, it rose about 15 minutes later and a little more north, and more orange than last night.

Tomorrow to my sister Katy's house in New Paltz, NY.  This starts our journey back home.