Tuesday, July 31, 2012

80°58.385’ W

41°51.546’ N

Geneva State Park Marina

Geneva, Ohio

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAY!



Leaving Erie, PA



This is the way we like the water



The weather continues to surprise us. The prediction for today wasn’t that great but Barb and I said we would give it a chance as we could always turn back if necessary. The small chop we experienced as we entered the lake started to grow to a point we weren’t sure we had made a correct decision but after an hour or so the waves laid down and the rest of the day was near perfect. We no sooner had entered the harbor and tied up when the wind started to blow in the 20 mph range! Timing is everything when you’re boating.

Arriving at Geneva State Marina



Sunset over Lake Erie

We covered 58 miles which places us within striking distance to Put-in Bay for the weekend. There’s still a chance we could get weathered out but tomorrow is looking fairly good. The winds are predicted to be 5 mph early in the morning, so will get an early start and stay out as long as possible.

Monday, July 30, 2012

80°05.383’ W

42°08.132’ N

Wolverine Moorings

Erie, PA

HAPPY 13^th BIRTHDAY TO OUR GRANDDAUGHTER KATHARINE!



Leaving Buffalo



2 foot waves



The weather was on our side today as we covered 85 miles crossing Lake Erie on our way to Erie, PA. We experienced everything from 2 foot waves to dead calm glass like surfaces! That’s unheard of on Lake Erie.

Barb and I spent four days here in 2008 waiting for the lake to settle down so don’t plan to spend any additional time this time through. Weather permitting we will be on our way at first light!



Flat water on Lake Erie



Port Erie Lighthouse





Erie waterfront



Erie Harbor

Sunday, July 29, 2012

78°53.334’ W

42°52.927’ N

Erie Basin Marina

Buffalo, NY



Leaving Middleport



Old 5 step locks to right - replaced
with 2 on left



Today was a long day cruising! First we finished the Erie Canal and can cross it off our bucket list. We did it first west to east then east to west. The last two locks were spectacular as we were lifted 49 feet. I’ve had a special love affair with the canal since I read a book while in third grade. 



Entering lock 34



Cruising the canal



Barb and I stopped in North Tonawanda and had lunch before proceeding to the Black Rock Canal and passing through our last lock until we get to Illinois. The Black Rock Canal was our 103rd lock this year or our 340th lock since we started the loop in August of 2008. Considering when and how we got started, Barb is a pro in the confines of a lock!



Peace Bridge



At the end of a long day we had cruised 43 miles and had many bridges lifted with a handful of locks thrown in. We fueled in Buffalo prior to shutting down for the night.

Arriving at Erie Basin Marina

We had dinner on the water front before walking back to the boat. The weather is looking good for tomorrow so plan to leave early for a very long day on Lake Erie.



Entering Black Rock Lock



Saturday, July 28, 2012

78°28.659’ W

43°12.758’ N

Free Face Dock with electric after Lift Bridge

Middleport, NY

 



Leaving Spencerport

 The day started with – should we proceed or stay another day! We compromised and walked among the many tents that were set up to display crafts and food before finding a grocery store and provisioning the boat. A light rain was falling at that time so decided to start the boat and add a few more miles toward our goal of reaching Buffalo the end of the Erie Canal.

There was a small historical building close to the dock where Moor $tuff was moored and by chance I was introduced to Brian Stratton, Director of the New York State Canal Corp. He was there to officially welcome the town’s guest attending the festival on behalf of NY Governor Como and announce a grant for future development of the canal. We were introduced to him as out of state boaters and AGLCA members supporting his venue. We had a very nice discussion with him and his staff before getting underway.

Drawbridge that needs to go up







As we progressed through the canal the weather cleared and the day became quite pleasant. We started looking for a location to spend the night and settled for this quiet park like setting on the canal wall just past the lift bridge.



Little house - where you can get water
Big house - can get pump out



Tomorrow we will get an early start and complete the Erie Canal. From there we will cross to Buffalo, NY via the Black Rock canal to the edge of Lake Erie. We plan to spend the night in a marina to get an early start Monday crossing Lake Erie to Erie, PA - 85 miles away.

At this point in time we will have good weather!



  

Biker along tow path at side of canal

Drawbridge at dusk



Friday, July 27, 2012

77°47.977’ W

43°11.558’ N

Free Face Dock with electric, water & showers!

Spencerport, NY



Leaving free wall in Lyons, NY



Information signs at the locks
we were westbound



Last night was a quiet night on the wall. We experienced some light rain but nothing to keep us here for another day. A few minutes after 7am I radioed the lock master100 yards away and like magic the lock doors opened and we were under way again!



Chasing the ducks



Passing a canal boat that you
can rent to do the canal



Our goal is 50 miles if it’s comfortable --- not a push. We passed through the section of the Erie Canal where the locks need some TLC but like all locks on the Erie we were welcomed and moved through with efficiency.



Barb was reading a brochure addressing “Things to do on the Erie Canal” and noticed a weekend festival in Spencerport, NY. We weren’t sure there would be space for the boat but decided to give it a shot and pressed on. We arrived an hour and a half later and found to our delight a free new face docks with water and electricity with full showers facilities! Bill Donahue, the town dock master came to our boat to welcome us and recommend the local restaurants and tell us of the festivities planned for the weekend. We enjoyed dinner at an Italian restaurant then a street concert a block away before returning to the boat to enjoy the second half in comfort. As of now we will stay the night and probably do a short day of cruising tomorrow afternoon.



A stop in Fairhope, NY



Fairhope, NY





To our surprise we covered another 50 miles and should reach Buffalo Sunday - weather permitting.

Crooked lift bridge in Fairhope

Looking back at our wake

Canal days in Spencerport

Thursday, July 26, 2012                       

76°59.547’ W

43°03.685’ N

Free City Dock with electric and water before lock 27

Lyons, NY



Leaving Winter Harbor Marina



Buffalo! Here we come.



Today we made great progress and logged 70 miles! We woke to rain and thunder but when we were ready to depart the rain stopped and the thunder storm which kept us awake most of the night blew over. We were under way at 6:35!



We made the 7am lock then kept on moving west. The weather wasn’t perfect through out the day as it drizzled and became dark and cloudy - but nothing major happened! At the end of a long day we ended up in Lyons, NY in sight of our next lock that we will enter at 7am tomorrow.



Cruising the Erie Canal





Entering Lock 24



Tonight we are at the same location that we stayed at 4 years ago going the other direction! The town of Lyons has an official greater who came to our boat to welcome us and offer assistance if needed. He offered suggestions on places to dine and where to get supplies. For those traveling by boat this is a great location.



Arriving in Lyons, NY



Tomorrow our goal is to cover another fifty miles but as we move west the weekend traffic will get more congested and mooring locations less assessable.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012                       

76°09.577’ W

43°14.620’ N

Winter Harbor Marina

Brewerton, NY

The day was spent driving Stan to and from the hospital where he was checked out then sent back to his boat waiting results of a blood test. He’ll need a few additional tests after he gets home later this year. Mean while his boat was fixed and placed back into the water before we returned from the ER room and that alone made him feel better!

When I returned to the marina I moved our boat to the gas dock and fueled up to make ready for departing tomorrow.

The four of us had a great dinner on Next Endeavor before sayings our goodbyes. Our plan is to make the first opening of the next lock at 7am so we will leave our dock at 6:30.

The weather is iffy at best but will try to dodge the bad weather if possible. Fifty miles is our goal weather permitting!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012                       

76°09.577’ W

43°14.620’ N

Winter Harbor Marina

Brewerton, NY

Barb was busy doing laundry and getting the boat ready for our trip west on the Erie Canal.

I worked on scrubbing the filth and grime left on the boat from passing through the Oswego locks. Some of the stains haven’t come off even after using strong chemicals and lots of elbow grease!

I dove on our boat and removed large clumps of sea grass that had twisted itself around our shafts, props and rudders! Normally reversing the rotation of the props will clear the debris from them but this time it didn’t work as it usually does. Later I cleaned the strainers that collect debris that’s in the water being pumped into the engines to cool them. My timing was good as they were 90 % plugged and about to cause the engines to over heat.

Stan also had me dive to retrieve a special cap that had fallen off the side of their boat while at the dock. He has a Hooker rig that supplies air to the diver so it helped me stay down long enough to recover the lost item.

Tomorrow Stan will see a doctor and hopefully get to feeling better. His boat was pulled today and the repairs to the bottom will begin tomorrow. Most of the damage is cosmetic but is important to repair before water finds its way into the exposed fiberglass.

Monday, July 23, 2012                       

76°09.577’ W

43°14.620’ N

Winter Harbor Marina

Brewerton, NY

To get here from Oswego we passed through 7 locks on the Oswego Canal and 1 lock on the Erie Canal. The 32 mile trip was uneventful which was appreciated after our crossing of Lake Ontario the day before. We arrived early afternoon and will stay for three nights departing Thursday morning. Barb has a long to-do list and my boat chore list is substantial.

Tomorrow the boys traveling with Stan and Colleen will return home to California.

Stan is hoping that his boat will be hauled tomorrow for he can assess the damage, when he struck the rock. I need to dive on my boat as I think I have something tangled on my props!

Sunday, July 22, 2012                       

76°30.699’ W

43°27.573’ N

City dock before Lock 8

Oswego, NY

This morning at 06:30 Next Endeavor and Moor $tuff left our docks and went to the lift bridge that opened at 7 am. After passing under the bridge at Kingston we entered Lake Ontario and started our crossing of Ontario to Oswego, NY!

The seas kept building as the wind picked up. I’m guessing close to 15 knots. The two foot seas that were predicted grew to five foot by the time we were half way across so we kept going. After about four hours of rock and roll the seas calmed down to two footers which seamed calm after the four and five feet rollers and white caps. I always drive with the windshield open and so I took a five hour bath before our seven hour crossing was over. With the rough seas there was no way to close up the windshield so a lot of towels were used.

Upon arrival we called customs and registered our arrival back into the USA!

Stan isn’t feeling well so Barb and I will follow him to Winter Harbor Marina and see that every thing is ok before scooting down the Erie Canal to Buffalo, NY. From Buffalo we will be heading to Put-in-bay on the west end of Lake Erie!

Saturday, July 21, 2012                       

76°28.031’ W

44°15.257’ N

Rideau Marina

Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Today was a four hour day on the water. Most of the time was spent going very slow through a channel cut through a marsh! The channel was well marked but not very scenic.

The last lock we encountered was a step lock of four - drops totaling 48 feet! The wind was blowing making the movement from lock to lock tricky at best. Because of the wind and the number of boats they stuffed into a given cell it took a bit longer than usual.

We arrived at the Rideau Marina to find it had been sold to a developer and this is the marinas last season. Needless to say everything is in bad repair or missing - like the fuel docks! Stan and I both kicked up a lot of mud getting to our assigned dock before shutting down for the day.

Stan and Colleen’s guests were picked up via cab and will return home today.

Tomorrow we have scheduled an early departure from here and hope to make Oswego, NY weather permitting. We have chosen an emergency anchorage if we get caught half way across Lake Ontario and the wind kicks up causing heavy seas.

Friday, July 20, 2012                       

76°18.768’ W

44°24.823’ N

Canal wall before upper Brewer lock #43

Rideau Ferry, Ontario, Canada

Today was a push, an enjoyable push and a long day! We cruised 41 miles, many at idle speed due to narrow, winding and shallow cuts. The overhanging trees come close to touching the boat in some areas making the passage intriguing and picturesque.

While waiting for lock to open Stan snagged his anchor. He jerry rigged a 100 foot snatch line and with the use of Moor $tuff I was able to free the anchor from the obstruction! For those standing on shore watching, it was a good show!

We met our goal to arrive at this point and spend the night. My best guess is we are less than three hours out from Kingston the end of the Rideau. If all goes right tomorrow and the weather is with us Sunday we should arrive in Oswego, NY late afternoon.

Thursday, July 19, 2012                       

76°08.721’ W

44°50.949’ N

Rideau Ferry Harbor Marina

Rideau Ferry, Ontario, Canada

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH!



Docked in Smith Falls



Next Endeavour just fits



Today was a short day on the water. The morning was spent grocery shopping before visiting the Rideau Canal Museum close by. After another short wait for the scheduled swing bridge opening we got underway. We passed through two more locks and crossed a shallow marsh showing less than five feet of water for most of the nine miles.



We have staged ourselves here to time the opening of the next lock 12 miles ahead. It will take an hour and a half to get there so will probably get an early start in the am. Our goal is to be on Lake Ontario Sunday! The Canadians begin a three week holiday this weekend and most start early by leaving Friday from Montreal in their boats and heading for the Rideau!



Helpers in the lock!



Sunset in Rideau Ferry

Our timing to finish the Rideau is perfect, and we should finish the canal before the onslaught of boats plugs the Rideau!

A side note, the price of fuel is ----- $6.08 per gallon! Yikes!!!