Saturday – Day 43 – 9/13/08

Today we started down the canal just after 0730 with haze and light fog. The water was like a mirror reflecting everything on the water surface which made you think you had double vision. We motored east and then south entering the Cayuga-Seneca Canal heading to the Finger Lakes. We entered six more locks two dropping us 12 feet on the Erie Canal then the last four on the Seneca River lifting us 72 feet to Seneca Lake. The lock before the last one was a double lock that lifted us from the lower cell at the same time that the upper cell was lowering three boats to a common mid point. The center door opened and the three boats moved into our cell and when they were secure we moved our boat into the cell they were in! A cell on the canal system is much narrower and shorter than what is on the Illinois River. There isn’t a lot of room to pass other boats considering the turbulence of the water and other factors 25 feet down from the surface of the lock. When the transfer was completed we had risen 51 feet and the other boats had dropped the same distance. That was a first for us --- to pass other boats going in opposite directions within a closed lock! Tonight we are at the northern most part of the Seneca Lake planning to go to Watkins Glen tomorrow 37 miles south of us. The land between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake is famous for its 28 vineyards with tasting rooms, which I intend to take advantage of on a tasting tour! (Imagine that!)

Again the hospitality that we have encountered is unbelievable. Barb and I stopped in Seneca Falls (picture below) to visit a welcome center and plan our next few days within the Finger Lake region. Our Illinois registration on the boat was noticed and within a few minutes we were invited to use a slip as their guest at the Watkins Glen Yacht Club. The club is located at the south end of the lake 37 miles away! Then as the day was coming to a close and the weather was looking less than perfect we were next to a marina in the canal, and hailed some people on a dock to get information on how to obtain a slip for the night and a couple of delightful ladies waved and motioned for us to pull into an empty slip 100 feet away - which we did and before you knew it the boat was tied up and the water and power was hooked up! We are again the guests of friendly New York boaters! We are here for the night and possibly longer if the weather doesn’t cooperate tomorrow. The wind is picking up and dark clouds are rolling in.

Friday – Day 42 – 9/12/08

Today it rained and rained and then rained some more! Surprisingly it wasn’t a bad day on the canal. We only passed one boat going the opposite direction. It turned out that we actually enjoyed the rain pocked flat water that we quietly glided through. For those of you that have camped in a tent with rain continuously falling that was what we heard all day. The ducks loved it and other than getting a little wet while we locked through five sets of locks, we didn’t think it was so bad. We are now tied up in a location that is two locks away from entering the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, gateway to the Finger Lakes! Tomorrow - rain or shine we will move ahead. Every day we see more color in the foliage an indicator of what’s to come!

Typically we found a free place to tie up for the night at a small city dock in Lyons, NY. No water but two 30 amp circuits was furnished! A small sign at the dock asked that we check in at the fire department at street level which we did. We were then offered the use of their washer and dryer and shower and washroom facilities! Barb and I can’t get over the generosity and kindness of the people we have encountered on this canal. And of course, the locals recommended a very good restaurant for dinner.

As the rain stopped late in the afternoon a very large boat came along side ours, and I went out to help them tie up to the wall. For those who love boats this steel 40 ton sailing vessel is 68 feet long with a 17 foot beam. She does 7.5 knots using her 6 cylinder 100 hp Perkins diesel. The boat is being moved to Muskegon MI to be completed - which will take two more years.

Thursday – Day 41 – 9/11/08

Burrrrrr…………….another cold morning in the low forties! The cold doesn’t last long, for as soon as the sun comes up the air temperature warms, and it becomes quite pleasant outside. Today was a perfect fall day with a clear blue sky with a little wind requiring a light wrap! The trees and vegetation are just starting to turn color. Hopefully we will see the fall colors at their peak when we get to Vermont in four weeks. At the last moment Barb and I took a detour and left the Erie Canal and entered the Genesee River which took us north to Rochester, NY. What a great decision we made! The approach to the city is incredible. In a matter of four miles we went from the 19th century to the 21st century. As the boat rounded a bend in the river we went from heavily wooded rock formations covered in dense vegetation to suddenly seeing the skyline of a modern city. As we got closer to the city The University of Rochester is to the east of the river and the west side is park like or being redeveloped. The river is dammed off a little south of the city due to a water fall which prevented us from going any further into the city. We docked our boat at a new water front facility and enjoyed lunch at a new restaurant. The patrons in the restaurant seamed to enjoy the boat being there, as it was the only one around for miles! As soon as the general public finds out that there is a first class tie up by a five star restaurant, which you can get to it without much trouble, it will be full of boats.
Later in the day we re-entered the canal and stopped at a few other points of interest along the way and passed through two locks dropping an additional 50 feet. We are now tied up in a town called Fairport which is a charming town that caters to canal traffic. We dined at an Irish Pub and finished off the evening with……what else……but ice cream!

Wednesday – Day 40 – 9/10/08

Fall is coming! I got up early and dressed in shorts and t-shirt which is routine on this trip and stepped outside and saw my breath! The temperature was in the low 40’s. A light jacket was necessary before we got underway. The double lock (picture is going from lock 35 to 34)was very fast in dropping us and in no time we were on our way. We stopped after a few hours and had breakfast in a canal town named Medina. The town has put a lot of effort into enticing boaters to stop and look around. An elderly gentleman stopped to chat and insisted that he escort us to the local restaurant he recommended. It was a few blocks away, and just off of Main Street, but he walked the distance with us for we wouldn’t get lost! He was quite colorful and full of stories pertaining to the area. We asked him to join us but he declined and waved goodbye and just walked away. After having a hearty breakfast, Barb and I walked to a railroad museum and enjoyed the main attraction within the town. We then slowly motored down the canal the remainder of the day. The view of the passing country side was spectacular. Around 1630 in a town called Brockport, we found a place on the canal wall to tie up for the night. This water front facility is a first class. The reason to tie up early is, the canal operates between 7 am and 5 pm after Labor Day, and they do not lift bridges for boats to pass under after hours! Today we only saw two other boats – it’s like owning our own private canal!

Tuesday – Day 39 – 9/9/08

It rained from 0300 until 0900 then cleared and we started down the Erie with a mixed bag of overcast and blue skies, and water as smooth as silk. We didn’t see another boat for hours, and when we finally meet another boat, it turned out to be the only boat that we saw all day!

As we approached our first lock #35 the lock master said I could tie to what ever side I wanted. It’s a lot different than the Illinois River lock system. When the lock master came to our boat to sell us a season pass that is needed to use the canal system for more than twenty days, I inquired where he would recommend that we tie up for the night as we wanted to see the town and tour a man made underground tunnel that was hand dug in solid rock. The young man said if I was able to back out of the lock into the current of the canal we could stay next to the lock on the other side of the wall with power and for free! We moved the boat to the area he offered and ended up in the center of town close to everything. We took the underground tunnel tour which turned out to be rather fascinating, and enjoyed it a great deal! The locals recommended a delightful restaurant that was as good as they said it would be! Barb and I have done nothing but walk around for two days so it’s time to relax and turn in soon. First thing tomorrow we will pass through the double lock that we entered but didn’t use today. When passing east bound you enter the first cell and they drop you 25 feet filling the other lock with the water that was drained out. Then they open a common middle gate between the two cells and I’ll move the boat to the other cell. They then close the middle gate and drop the water another 25 feet for a total of 50 feet to the canal below.

Monday – Day 38 – 9/8/08

We boarded the local bus and headed for the city of Buffalo, NY. The City has changed to the better since the last time I toured it ----- probably 15 years ago. We found it clean friendly and just pleasant to look at and be a part of. We spent a good portion of the day at the Naval & Military Park. The main ships on display are the USS Little Rock CLG-4 a guided missile cruiser that was converted and recommissioned in 1960. They also had one destroyer the USS The Sullivans DD-537 (Skip standing in the bow) that was named after the five Sullivan brothers that were killed during WW-2 and a sub the USS Croaker, SS-246 that distinguished herself in the Pacific also WW-2. The rest of the day we spent walking the streets in park like settings then took the bus back to Tonawanda. Went to dinner at a newly opened restaurant “Crazy Jacks” close to the boat. Tomorrow we will start moving east in the Erie Canal.

Tonawanda Gateway Harbor ------------------------------------------North Tonawanda

Sunday – Day 37 – 9/7/08

What a difference a day makes – I thought it was the title of a song, but in reality it’s the weather forecast on Lake Erie!

Barb and I have made it to the Erie Canal after waiting two additional days for the weather to break! Lake Erie settled down to 1 to 2 foot waves so we left port in Erie PA before 0700 and made a quick four and a half hour dash to Buffalo, NY. We then crossed the Niagara River to enter the Black Rock Canal with a strong current and one lock! An hour and a half later with heavy rain falling we entered the Erie Canal. The heavy rain made it difficult to see the buoys and channel markers, essential to safely making or way! We entered the canal without any problems and quickly found a canal wall to tie up to. It was raining so hard that we couldn’t see the cleats on the wall! Once we got our rain gear on and got our bearings the rest of the operation went smoothly. Gateway Harbor in Towawanda, NY is a beautiful park like setting on the Erie Canal, with water and electricity available for twenty dollars for an over night stay! We will spend an extra day here and see the sights then start to move east to experience the Erie Canal ---- a life time dream come true!

To get to the Erie Canal we have traveled over 1400 miles, crossed three of the Great Lakes cruised numerous rivers and harbored in six different states!

- Buffalo Skyline

- Peace Bridge

Saturday – Day 36 – 9/6/08

Well…………..we left this morning to fuel up across the bay and then headed out into the lake. It didn’t take long to figure out that we needed to turn around and get into a safe harbor ASAP. Just after we left port the weather forecast was updated to small craft warnings and we got ourselves into 8 foot waves with a light rain falling. The waves on Lake Erie are close together which doesn’t allow the boat to ride over the top and up the other side but over the top and into the next wave! I guarantee that there is no dirt on the bow of our boat. After ten minutes of getting out butts kicked we found a flat spot that we could turn around in without broaching the boat, and duck back into the same marina that we stayed in, the last three days. That whole episode took over an hour and by the time the boat was tied up I was in my third change of clothing! I now believe all the stories I’ve heard and read about regarding Lake Erie! NOTE: To my Ohio boating friends – my beer can holder “REALLY” worked well in the rough weather – I should have called the Chamber of Commerce when entering Pennsylvania! It worked when we were visiting Catawba Island in Ohio, but not here! It’s true that every lake in the Great Lakes is a totally different experience to deal with. The rest of the day should be quiet and will probably find a corner and read a book. What will tomorrow bring? Barb continues to adapt well and will probably be promoted to Fleet Admiral by the time this adventure is complete!





- leaving port in Erie, PA












Note the weather change in an hour!

Friday – Day 35 – 9/5/08

We are still in the Erie, PA at Wolverine Moorings harbor with wind blowing and rain coming down. The weather turned on us at about 0500 this morning. I talked to a tow boat Captain about 0800 and he said to stay put in our slip which we did! An hour later a 40 foot plus Viking came into port and was having trouble getting into a slip so Barb and I went out to help them get their lines secured. With the wind blowing it wasn’t the most beautiful docking of a boat of this size but all worked out. I asked the Captain how far he had come, before heading into safe harbor………..he smiled and pointed to a slip about 150 feet away! They got out of the harbor into the lake and the seven foot waves were breaking over their bow into the fly bridge. That was all it took for Barb and I to stay put. Other than to pick up some groceries we haven’t left the boat. It was a good day to read a book and plan future activities once we get into the canal. Stay tuned.............you never know what the weather will bring tomorrow. Barb and I are ready to make a dash for Buffalo if and when it’s safe!

Thursday – Day 34 – 9/4/08

We first took care of our chores on the boat then walked around town and toured a replica of the square rigged US Brig Niagara. The sailing ship became famous during the war of 1812 during the battle of Erie where an English squadron was defeated by Commodore Perry. This sailing vessel was very impressive and worth the time to see. Erie has a free trolley to ride and see the city that is undergoing revitalization. As the day came to a close we found a great Irish Pub and had one of our better meals. Outside the restaurant, the city was holding the last block party for the summer featuring live entertainment.

We have our trip planned for tomorrow, and if all goes well we will make Buffalo, NY and enter the Erie Canal late in the afternoon. We are not expecting the best of weather but will deal with what we are dealt.

"MOOR $TUFF" in the harbor

Wednesday – Day 33 – 9/3/08

We got our wish and added another eighty miles on the glass like Erie. Barb and I are waiting for the other shoe to drop and experience some of the famous bad Lake Erie weather! We made it to Erie, Pennsylvania that has a very upscale water front district. With all of the bright lights and things to do, we decided to spend an extra day here. The approach to this natural harbor from the west is eight miles. It is well marked and very impressive. It’s advertised as the only Great Lakes port in Pennsylvania. It also has a major place in history during the War of 1812 as the home port of Admiral Perry. We dined at a very neat water front restaurant named Smugglers Wharf, walking distance from our boat. Tomorrow we’ll catch up on laundry then walk around the town.


- entering harbor in Erie, PA

Tuesday – Day 32 – 9/2/08

Barb and I got to say good-by to Rose and Jerry as they untied the boat and gave her a shove into the channel. It was truly a sad moment but we still have a lot of adventure ahead and needed to get underway. The lake was as close to perfect as a body of water can be, at best one foot waves and no wind. With conditions that good we decided to take advantage and extend our day on the water and put some miles under us. At present we are docked 22 miles east of Cleveland, Ohio in Mentor Harbor. Every thing is closed because of the holiday yesterday except the gas dock, so it’s going to be early to bed and early to rise tomorrow. If the weather doesn’t change we will get another long day in. We are looking forward to getting to the Erie Canal and just kicking back!

Cleveland Skyline in the haze

Monday – Day 31 – 9/1/08

It appears that we lost a few days while in port with Jerry and Rose and their group of dock friends – we are still on Catawba Island and having one great time! For those who think the Illinois River has a lot of boats, this harbor has over ten thousand boats! It’s an amassing sight to see so many boats no matter what direction you look. It’s even more amassing with the amount of traffic that is moving at any given time.

I had a chance to change the oil and do a little maintence on Saturday – I topped off the fuel tanks with $3.99 per gallon gasoline! That’s the least amount we have paid for fuel since last fall. The weather has been perfect since we got here, and today should be more of the same. Barb and I have been shown some of the surrounding islands by Rose and Jerry via their boat. The harbors were so crowded on Kelley’s Island that Jerry couldn’t tie up his boat that so we took his boat back to the marina and returned to Kelley’s Island via ferry. We then rented a golf cart and drove around the island to see the sights.

Today we are going out to breakfast then to PUT-IN-BAY on South Bass Island with a group of Jerry and Rose friends. The group is dock friends and love to party and have fun. I guarantee that we have been well fed and “watered” by this group. Jack and Sue, Rick and Barb, Tom and Chris, Bret and Tammy and of course Jerry and Rose are a group of boaters that know how to have fun! What a great time every one would have if our SRYC friends and this fun loving group in Ohio would get together. It’s probably a good thing that the holiday week end is coming to a close and we begin our trip crossing Lake Erie to enter the Erie Canal. Lake Erie is known for quick storms and large waves so we will be on alert and try to cross it length wise in four days or less. Once we get into the canal system the trip will slow down and the weather will not have the impact that it does on the open waters of the Great Lakes.

- Perry Monument in Put-in-Bay

- A "star" is born!

- Our "N-E Port" friends

Friday – Day 28 – 8/29/08

The weather was very hazy as we entered the Detroit River and turner south to enter Lake Erie. The visibility was less than three miles at best. And a large ship could close in on you in a matter of a few minutes. At one point in our crossing we were in the middle of three different ships that we could hardly see and minutes later we were waving at the crew when they passed us within a few hundred feet! The day was slow going as we crossed Lake Erie and approached Catawba Island. The haze was so thick it was difficult to distinguish one land mark from another. As we got within a few miles of our destination we heard a horn blowing and it was our friends Rose and Jerry that had come out to meet us and lead us into their port (N-E Port Marina) where we stayed for the next four days. What a great welcome and the beginning of a great four days!

Jerry & Rose's boat - "Pullin Luhrs" -

Saturday – Day 29 – 8/30/08 – Lost in port

Sunday – Day 30 – 8/31/08 – Lost in port