One item I failed to note in the last post. As we were leaving Kingston, the master headset failed to start up. It was working sporadically when we came in to Kingston but we put in a fresh battery and it seemed OK. Well not today. So we will be starting the locks the old fashioned way...hollering directions to one another....not ideal. Sent them back for warranty repair and hope to have them back soon. We will likely be all the way through the Erie and Oswego canals by then though. Darn it, locks and docking are what we purchased the darn marriage savers for. Now everyone gets to hear us as we negotiate locks and slips....and here we are in a lock.
Shady Harbor proved to be a nice stay for two nights.
We borrowed the courtesy car and went to town to ship the headsets in for repair, get some groceries and just explore a bit. We also met Loopers Bill and Mindy (Hearken) and we will likely see them at our next stop too. We had them over for dock tales and had a nice visit. They started their Loop in Jacksonville so only had one lock of experience thus far.
So we left off in the last post stating we would wait for slack tide (or catch the flood tide) to help us off the dock at Shady Harbor. So we consulted the tidal current predictions and found we would need to leave by 6 AM or so. OK no problem. Well, maybe one problem. The 10-15 MPH wind that came up has us pinned against the dock. These are floating docks with underwater cabling to secure them, so no pilings to help us push off. So its time to use the ole spring line trick. We looped the port bow line over a mid ship cleat on the dock, cleated it on the boat and placed our large fenders strategically where the boat would come up against the dock. Here is a great place to have had headsets...oh well. So I put the starboard engine in forward and the stern pushes out from the dock to about 45 degrees as designed. Then put both engines in reverse with a little extra throttle and as the line slackens Julie releases it and pulls it aboard and we back away from the dock. Success! Well almost, I had not tied one of the large fenders very well and as the line was being retrieved it pulled the fender off the boat and it was floating up against the dock. No issue, we just grabbed a t-head tie for a few minutes (no issues with winds holding us in that direction) while Julie got some exercise retrieving it! Ok, that's the adventure for the day.
Here is a beautiful old building in Albany. Note the ship weather vane. Really neat.
We got up to the Troy lock and called ahead to Waterford to see if any of their floating dock space was available. Here we are making the choice to follow the Erie and not the Champlain canal.
It is such a great deal, only $10 for electricity for 2 days! Well it is their Canal Fest weekend and none were available but the very high free concrete wall had space with no hook ups. We were able to find a spot with a ladder so we strategically placed the boat with the exit lined up with the ladder so no problem. Just three rungs up. Or we can also exit from the fly bridge. Placed the fire hose sections on the lines for chafe protection (thanks Ralph and Randy for the hoses!) as the wall is very high and rough. Learned that lesson the hard way in St Pete a couple years ago and still have the chafed lines to prove it! All is good.
Bill and Mindy (Hearken) arrived later in the day and we caught their lines and helped them get secure. Our travel plans will differ as far as timing goes but we hope to see them on the water again soon.
Waterford was a very nice stop. Very friendly dockmaster who even comes and logs who is staying at the free docks etc. Visitor center personnel very helpful.
Here is a look at the original lock system.
And the new lock.
Now here is an interesting W Michigan item! This old tug was built at the Johnston Boiler Works in Ferrysburg in 1901 and first served as a commercial fishing tug for the Dornbos family. It later was put in to service on the Erie and was only retired from service in 2016.
Found a hair salon and got a haircut. Nancy L, this woman was as fast and efficient as you but I still miss your haircuts cause you know about all those "bad" spots! See you at your salon in August. Walked across the bridge to the grocery store. Had lunch in town. Had a great walk and a nice dinner aboard.
The weather was just perfect, 75 and sunny with little wind. This was a good test of the new inverter batteries and they are performing so much better. They will be great for anchoring out in Canada this summer.
Barges still use the Erie.
Resting peacefully along the wall of lock 2 (lock 1 is the Troy lock)
OK, here we go on Saturday morning.
We have a 9 lock, 37 mile trip planned to the marina wall in Amsterdam at the Riverlink Park. We start with lock 2 which is about 15 feet above sea level. We ended up in a group of 5 boats and yes another small world story. Pete and Shiela (Safe Havens) were on the floating dock so we got to meet them. You may recall we travelled with them back in NC for a few days, again just by chance.
We got through the first lock (#2) at the 7 AM opening. We used a cable on the midship cleat and had a nice lift. One of the boats called lock 3, no answer. So someone called lock 2 who also tried lock 3 on the radio. These locks are supposed to operate in a "flight" mode but apparently the attendant did not show up for work as lock 2 announced he would drive to lock 3 and operate it. These locks just opened on Tuesday so perhaps a few bugs yet.
We transited the next few locks which all had the cables for amid ship tie. Slick process with great control.
As we exited lock 6 the speed limit goes to 45 MPH except near bridges and locks. Here is a boat we actually saw being prepared for low bridges (lowering radar, etc) two days ago at Shady Harbor. In fact they left there only a few minutes before we did on Friday. It looked to us like it was a delivery captain. Well, here is what happens when one does not pay close attention to the navigation situation.
And remember, there are no more tides to float this boat off. It is tough to see in the photo but the boat is about two feet out of the water. Had to be moving pretty good to get this far aground with such a big boat (about 60' boat). Someone is not going to have the length of boating season they thought they would.
Some of the locks had very short lines to secure the boat. With our 50,000 pound boat and only two of us aboard (and one, that would be Tom, with only limited use of right arm due to tendonitis) it can be very difficult to hold. In fact we lost control in lock 8. As soon as we were in the lock, the doors started to close and a huge surge pushed us forward. We both had to let go and I jumped inside to gain control of the boat with the engines. I stayed there and Julie held a line at midships as I shifted and used the bow thruster as needed to keep the boat in place. This will be our procedure unless lines are long enough to bring through the hawse pipe and get a partial turn on a cleat. If we can get a turn on the cleat it is no issue, we just do not have enough leverage without the use of the cleat.
We have been on constant watch for debris as we travelled the canal system. Here is a pile of logs in lock 9 to prove why!
We travelled a good part of the day in the rain and when we arrived at Riverlink Park after it was still raining. A little current to deal with too!
The owner and a helper met us at the dock and helped us tie up and get situated. He also operates the BBQ restaurant on the shore and it was supposed to be his season opening. It was 48 degrees and raining so he did not even open. It was a very nice stop for $1 a foot including electricity to run the heat aboard! Rich K, maybe you are right and we should reconsider coming north!
Sunday was another drizzly day so we set out after the first group of boats left the dock.
We travelled through the 4 locks as the only boat which makes it really easy. The only notable issue we had was that we lost the depth sounder about halfway.
We stopped at Canajahorie at the lock wall just past lock 14. Did you see how close those railroad tracks were on the photo above? Actually two sets. Boy was it ever noisy!
It was a short walk into town and we toured the art museum at the library. The town history includes the Beech Nut factory started in the early 1900s. Meat packing, baby food, chewing gum, etc. The Arkell family who owned and ran the plant were great philanthropists for the community and the museum was quite nice.
After we got back to the boat we had another issue that the friendly lock master attended to. Apparently the wind really blew for a few minutes and our bow line came loose (my bad). The lockmaster said he saw the boat at almost 90 degrees to the lock wall instead of parallel and he had concerns it would break lose and go over the dam. So he ran down and retied it. Such a kind and genuine act, we could not thank him enough! I also tore into the electronics compartment and disconnected and reconnected all the plugs linking the depth sounder to the chart plotter. It worked, we now have a depth reading again.
Monday we headed out after the fog lifted enough to feel confident travelling as we have no radar when the mast is laid back to clear the 20-21' bridges. We can always raise it between bridges if needed but what's the hurry?
This is a unique lock. The wall raises up and you go under it!
All the locks were a wait today for some reason. Some lock operators did not even acknowledge our VHF calls but we would eventually see water discharging out of the lock signaling it was being readied for our transit.
We made it through 6 locks and stopped about 10 miles past lock 20 at the free floating dock in Rome.
This is where the reproduction of the Revolutionary War wooden fort, Fort Stanwix, a National Monument is located. We toured it and it is well done.
On Tuesday morning we left and caught the first lock shortly after it opened at 7 AM. It and the next lock were both ready as we arrived and each dropped us 25'. So we went from 420 feet above sea level to 370 today.
We transited Oneida Lake in the rain and travelled at fast cruise for a few miles to "exercise" the diesels a bit. We used the iPad to navigate for part of the trip as the Raymarine was erratically showing our heading and speed. Perhaps having the electronics mast laid back was disrupting the reception of the GPS? Haven't had this issue before though. As we neared the opposite shore of Oneida Lake it started working properly again. Gremlins or last breath, not sure with 12 year old equipment.
We stopped at Ess Kay Marina on the Oneida River in the rain and successfully backed into a slip with current and wind both working the same direction. A bit challenging but not the worst except I did miss my coach directing me over the headsets! We want those headsets back! After it quit raining later in the afternoon we borrowed the courtesy car and got a few groceries.
We continued down to Lake Ontario's level of 245 feet through 1 more lock on the Erie and then the 7 locks of the Oswego Canal on Thursday. We left around 8 AM and were alone in all the locks all day as we travelled.
All the locks opened and readied for us in short order. On our trip we saw a deer swimming across the Oswego River. It could swim very well indeed!
A tight spot with a low bridge on the port and a log jam on the starboard side....a bit of an S curve exit.
Saturday we left destined for Sackets Harbor, about a 30 mile trip.
Lake Ontario was very peaceful with only 1 foot swells all the way to the harbor.
What a nice natural protected harbor here! Lots of history with the boat building and forts surrounding the harbor to protect the navy ships harbored and under construction. Much war of 1812 history here and the casualties to prove it. Large unmarked graveyard, lots of old barracks converted to housing and such a friendly marina and town.
The Memorial Day service was very nice, a small parade and tribute to our veterans with speeches from mayor, a current Army officer, etc. Well done laying of wreath, playing of taps, firing of guns...all the normal Memorial Day tributes.
Purchases from downtown...
Even used the dinghy for the first time since Southport NC.
On our assigned dock with about 20 some slips, there were a couple Sea Rays, a Coast Guard boat and us. We are clearly ahead of the season a bit!
We ate at the Tin Pan Galley, a really great spot for a patio dinner. Weather was just perfect.
We are docked right across from the public park gazebo.
As we walked back to our boat, one couple was asking about the Loop as they have some friends who will be starting it soon and another couple asked if we needed a ride to get groceries or anything else. Again, this trip is just amazing as we meet the nicest people.
We left shortly after the Memorial Day ceremony for Cape Vincent and the free dock there, only a 25 mile trip. WE saw 4 boats the entire trip over here. I guess it is way too early for boating in northern NY.We got a nice walk in and even did a little provisioning at the grocery store across the street from the Cape Vincent dock. This was one of the nicest free docks we have encountered. We were the only boat there for overnight. We are behind this gorgeous house.
Tuesday we left fairly early for a short trip to Clayton Municipal Marina where we have some packages awaiting our arrival.
This is a very nice facility and if it were not for the town's fire boat we would be the only boat here! It is early in the North country but the weather is in the 70's and very nice.
Mike the dockmaster gave us a lift over to the tour boat to Boldt castle.
It also included a nice tour of the Canadian and American Thousand Islands and some of the small and very elaborate "cottages" on the islands. The Boldt Castle is fantastic. The story of the castle is the owner of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC fell in love with the area, bought Heart Island and was building the castle mansion for his wife. When she died unexpectedly work was stopped on the castle (this was the very early 1900s), Boldt abandoned it and it fell into disrepair due to the elements, vandals, etc. In the 1970's the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority gained ownership and started restoration. They are continuing to restore it floor by floor. It is an unbelievable piece of architecture.
There is also a boat house with some classic wooden boats and a yacht which we did not have time to tour.
On Wednesday we toured the Antique Boat Museum. Wow, quite a display.
May Statistics:
Miles travelled: Month: 1028/ Trip to Date: 11899
Travel days: 18 / 253
Engine hours: 99 / 1339
Locks: 28 / 85
Bridges opened: 2 / 99
Locks: 28 / 85
Bridges opened: 2 / 99
Days on hook or free wall: 9 /
113
Gallons of diesel: 800 / 9566
