Thursday 30 August 2012


Lighthouse at entrance to Port Colborne Harbour and Welland Canal
   Tied up at Tonawanda , the start of the Erie Barge Canal 
 

  
Along the Erie Barge Canal














Waterfalls near the canal in Holley, New York

Monday 27 August 2012


August 26,2012

We left Dover Mon. morning for Port Colborne.  We arrived late afternoon & had our mothers & family come visit in the evening.  Called RCR Yachts in Buffalo Tues. morning & could not get the mast taken down until Thurs. morning so decided to stay an extra day in Port Colborne. Spent the afternoon taking sails down & storing them & doing other prep work prior to the mast coming down.  In evening our friends visited us.  

We arrived in Buffalo Wed. & cleared customs via video-phone before going to RCR Yachts.  Then Thurs. morning they took down our mast.  It took all morning to wrap it & mount it on the deck of our boat.  We left from there & went down the Black Rock Canal & did our first lock & on down the Niagara River to Tonawanda.  

Fri. morning we started east down the Erie Barge Canal.  The canal has very flat, calm water & the scenery is constantly changing from urban to farm land to forest & back.  Sections of it made us feel like we were on ‘The African Queen’.  Even the weather has been hot & humid.  We ended our day in Medina, New York, walking around a car show in the evening.  

People had told us about a park in Holley, that was worth seeing.  So we stopped there on Sat. & went for a walk & saw a lovely waterfalls & had a picnic lunch.  We ended our day in Spencerport.  The bridgemasters & lockmasters have been very patient, helpful & friendly.  

We stopped in Pittsford & had lunch at a place that had WiFi, before continuing on to Palmyra for the night.  Palmyra is the first place we have had easy access to the internet.   It has been a struggle since we left Port Elgin.  

Sunday 26 August 2012

The Port Elgin Delivery crew in Port Stanley

Tall ship entering Port Stanley Harbour

The 6:30 AM bridge opening in Port Stanley leaving for Port Dover 

Jonathon and Laura visiting us in Port Dover


August 20,2012

Mon. morning we motored to Erieau & tried to anchor in Rondeau Bay.  The weeds were so thick that the depth sounder wouldn’t give a correct reading so we went to Erieau Marina & got a slip.  Didn’t leave until 10 am. because of thunder early in the morning.  The rain ended shortly after we left Erieau.  

We arrived in Port Stanley at 5:45 pm. & anchored just inside the breakwall.  Decided to spend the next day getting groceries & looking for a float switch.  We found a coffeeshop where we could get internet.  Received email that Cee Jem would arrive in the afternoon.  Met up with them at Kettle Creek Marina after supper.  We stayed over an extra night due to wind conditions between us & Port Dover.  Wind did not pick up until about 9:30 at night, gusting between 19 & 29 knots!  We had a second anchor out but still couldn’t sleep.  We decided to spend the next day & night at Kettle Creek Marina & get caught up on things.  Called Anna, a neighbour from when we lived in Port Dover.   We went out to lunch with her & then back to the boat & visited the rest of the afternoon.   

We were up time to get the 6:30 am. bridge in Port Stanley & arrived in Port Dover at 6 pm.  Our friend Rick gave us a ride to Knechtel’s for a perch dinner.  Next day we we saw friends - Teresa & Gary in the morning, our daughter Laura & Jonathon for lunch at the Erie Beach (another great perch dinner), & Paula in the evening.  It was great seeing old friends & Laura & Jonathon taking us to the grocery store.  We got ready to leave for Port Colborne the next morning. 

Sunday 19 August 2012

 Blue Water Bridge from the river

 Detroit city from the Detroit River
Light House on Lake Erie
 Pelee Island after the winery tour


Friday 17 August 2012

The Start


Aug. 14, 2012

Our trip started with Deb & Frank bringing us down to the boat & staying for a short visit.  Five minutes later our friends, Bill & Judy dropped in to say goodbye.  Our “G dock” friends surprised us with a signed flag & champagne.  
Early Mon. morning Bob & Sally were up & waved us off as we headed for Goderich.  Long day on the lake - 12 hours!  Deb & Frank surprised us when we docked in Goderich.  
The winds were on our nose, the next day so we decided to do a short run to Bayfield.  
Then to Sarnia where we went aground trying to go into the marina.  Our Tow Boat U.S. membership has now paid for itself!  
Pouring rain as we travelled down the St. Clair River & continued across Lake St. Clair to Windsor.  The current gave us an extra 2 knots.  
Friday we motored down the Detroit River to the north end of Bois Blanc Island.  We anchored 2 nights there to wait out high wind warnings & water spouts on Lake Erie.  
Left early Sun. to Scudder Bay Marina on Pelee Island.  Arrived early in the afternoon & went on a winery tour with new friends that we met at the harbour.