September 2, 2012

We left Palmyra at 11:15 am., after doing an oil change on the engine & a pump out.  Only did three locks & ended our day in Lyons, with time for laundry.  Met Baldy Bob & Jack, who greet & promote Lyons to all boaters docking there, even in the pouring rain.  

Tues. we left early for a long day travelling through Montezuma Wildlife Preserve, doing three locks, & ending our day 50 miles later in Baldwinsville.  

We left early the next morning & stopped to get fuel & a pump out at a nearby marina.  Finding fuel on the canal has been hard.  This was our first fuel stop since Buffalo.  We left there & did the 20 mile trip across Oneida Lake to Sylvan Beach.  Sylvan Beach is alot like Sauble Beach & jammed packed - no room at the dock.  Two locks later we tied to a lock wall - in a very very rural setting.  

In the morning we had a late start (7:20 am.) due to heavy mist on the water, making it impossible to see any distance.  We had planned to go to Herkimer to take advantage of a Wal Mart Super store that was within walking distance.  The dock at Herkimer has been taken over by tour boats, so we back-tracked to Ilion Community Marina & RV Park.  We met our first other boat heading south to Florida, called ‘Nautical Dream’.  

We ended the next day in Fonda (birth place of Henry Fonda) after 6 locks & 30 miles.  The Terminal wall we were tied to is inside a locked gate for the New York State Canal system.  So we missed all but the tractor noise from the Fonda Fall Fair.  This part of the canal runs parallel with the I-90 on the one side & a very busy AMTRAK rail line on the other side.  We changed the C-map chip from the Great Lakes chip to the East Coast/Bahamas chip. 

The plan for the next  day was to do a short trip to Amsterdam Riverlink Park Marina & try & get caught up with some stuff.  When we called Riverview Marina on the Hudson River about stepping the mast, they said they could do us Tues. morning.  Therefore, we had to get moving to get there in time.  So 6 locks & 44 miles later we tied up to the wall in Crescent.  We saw about 10 white Herons today instead of the Blue Herons. There is nothing nearby except for a convenience store that did have a really good selection of ice cream.

Sunday morning we did the last 5 locks that are flight locks all in a row and ended the canal in Waterford, New York mid morning. There was a farmer’s market going on at the pier and we stocked up on a lot of fresh foods. We went to the grocery store to pick up the rest of the stuff we needed.  They have a deal with the harbour that you can take the grocery cart back to the harbour & the harbourmaster calls them to come & pick them up when there’s alot there.  It felt kind of weird walking through town with a loaded grocery cart, but was better than a backpack & bags carrying groceries!  We met another couple going south - Diane & George on ‘Polindi’.   

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

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.  

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. 

 Blue Water Bridge from the river

 Detroit city from the Detroit River

Light House on Lake Erie

 Pelee Island after the winery tour

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.