Week 5 America's Great Loop
Week 5
Aug. 11-17
Monday
We did some computer work this morning. We took the scooters to town for lunch. We were headed to the grocery (to get a brownie mix to fix that brownie craving) when Ed checked for updates on the broken lock 22. They announced it's open, so we beelined back to the boat. We got to lock 18 at 1 pm.
Some interesting birds we see a lot are the bald eagle, loons, swans, and the blue heron.
We got through locks 18-20 today and covered 44 nautical miles. The lock master leaves at 6 pm. We got to lock 21 about 6:20. We tied up on the wall for the night. We're so happy to be moving along today!
We had dinner with our boat neighbors, Pat and Liz. They were kind enough to have us over for dinner. Another family is traveling with them Phil, Jenny, and their two daughters MacKenzie and Ellie. It was fun to socialize a bit. It's the first time in the three weeks we've been gone that we have done something social. I got to get some words out!
Tuesday
Lock 21 had a bazillion muscles on the walls. They were spitting water at us as we went down. Oh this lock is the first one that we went down 25 feet. Lock 22 we also went down. It's easier and cleaner for the boat to go down, not as much turbulence.
We came out of the canal onto Onieda lake. Sylvan Beach is here and one of the most popular vacation stops in New York. We were able to speed up and cross the lake in about 1.5 hours. It's 20 miles across the lake. We continued on through to the three rivers junction: Onieda River, Oswego River, and Seneca River. This was an important landmark in colonial times. It was a meeting place for Indians or armies. If we went down the Seneca we would continue on the Erie canal and come out in lake Erie. But we turned right and headed up the Oswego River. We will go north up to the city of Oswego through the Oswego canal and into Lake Ontario. A ways up the river we passed Treasure Island. The French left cannon balls and gold on the Island to lighten their loads. Gold has not been found, but the locals still call it treasure island.
We stopped for the night at Phoenix New York. We tied up for free to a city wall. It was quite hot today with very little breeze. It just drains us. We traveled about 40 nautical miles today.
Ed turned on the generator to get the ac going and it wouldn't work. We've been going through really mucky water and thought it might be the strainer was clogged. Ed checked the strainer and it was fine. His next thought was the impeller was not drawing water in. He then tried priming it with our fresh water and voila! It worked!! We're so glad to have ac. It's so great to have a guy on board who can fix just about anything!!!
We went for a walk in this very small town to a bakery and a circle K. We went back into town to the local pizza place for dinner. He hand tossed the crust and was super friendly.
It's been three weeks that we've been on the boat. After a short evaluation, we decided we'd know by now if we hated it. The newness had worn off, the honeymoon period is over. We have determined we are doing great. We don't mind the small space or the small degree of discomfort that is always there. We love the Loop!
Wednesday
We woke up to an overcast sky. Hallelujah!
We went right through lock 1 on the Sswego canal. It had a gate and then a road bridge they needed to lift for us to go under.
We made it to lock 7 and then pulled up to a wall to have our institute class. It was our last class for this block. A couple of our students asked if they could have us again next block. That's so nice when they like us enough to want us again.
We didn't have enough time after class to head into Lake Ontario, so we stayed here for the rest of the night.
Another looper boat that we met in little falls caught up with us and tied up with us. The Browns, Phil and Jenny. We all walked into Oswego to a nice Italian place for dinner. They're a super nice family. We also walked to get ice cream. It's amazing how tired at night we are. We're usually in bed by 9 or so. We read for a bit and then we're out.
Thursday
The weeks are just flying by. It's hard to remember where we were a week ago.
This morning first thing Ed and I walked to a little market and then to a Dunkin Donut shop. I used to love Dunkin donuts as a teenager.
We were waiting for a clear weather window that would last for about 4 hours to get across lake Ontario. We have to get all the way across to the north side of the lake for our next stop. The winds have been too strong and it causes the fetch to get higher the further you go.
No luck on good wind. We headed to a harbor freight for tools and a hobby lobby for supplies for my wall hanging I'm making. Ed needed to fix a shaft seal. After fixing the seal we tried to turn on the generator to start the ac to cool off and it wouldn't work. Ed spent the next couple of hours with our neighbor Phil fixing the generator. He called to Brewerton that has a really good marina to get the part he needed. They were going to deliver it to us, but Ed texted the prior owner who said he had the part on the boat. Ed was finally able to find it and put it on. Thank goodness. It's nice to have that taken care of here on the U S. side. Tomorrow we will be in Canada.
We rode the scooters over to historical Fort Ontario. It traded hands between the French English and colonists for about 20 years. It was a very strategic location.
After dinner when it was a little cooler we rode over to a park where there was live music. The band was really good and the evening was beautiful. But once again the people!!! There was so much pot! And it wasn't the young ones either. They were all older than us reliving their days of the 60s I guess. We got tired of the smoke and left after an hour.
Friday
Hello Lake Ontario!!! We got through lock 8 and entered the lake (without our thrusters!) and crossed the lake. Ed had another thing to fix!! Hopefully it will be an easy fix. We need those thrusters! It took us 4.5 hours to cross the lake. We stayed out in the bay for awhile for Ed to check on the thrusters. He found a loose wire, tightened it and now we're good to go!
We docked at the city dock for free for a couple of hours to see Clayton, New York. Ed was interested in seeing the boat museum. I was not. I sat outside for awhile and then went for a walk by myself while I waited for Ed. It's a darling town with beautiful buildings. Late in the afternoon we headed out to the bay to anchor. We're at Picton island anchorage. The bottom is covered with this grass-like stuff that made it really hard to set the anchor. There's virtually no wind, so we shouldn't drag. 🤞. We traveled almost 60 nautical miles today.
Saturday
We left our buddy boats this morning to hurry across lake Ontario to get to the Trent Port in Canada to start the Trent Severne canal. They are staying behind to enjoy some down days. We are in a hurry to get to Mackinac Island by the end of the month. We traveled almost 6 hours in perfect weather conditions across the lake. The scenery was beautiful!
We stayed at the Trent port marina where we could get fuel, water, a pump out, do laundry, and get provisions. It's a really nice big marina. A grocery was just across the street making it convenient to walk.
We traveled 76 miles today. Lots of French-speaking people here.
The Trent Severne canal is 240 miles, 45 locks, and 60 bridges. It has the tallest lift lock in the world and the big chute marine railway. More to come on that!
Ed came down with a virus today. He had full body aches, a terrible cough and congestion and tonight a high fever. 😫
Sunday
Ed's fever broke in the night, but he still has all the other symptoms. No church for us today.
We headed to do the locks. We got there 20 min early to make sure we were with the first group of boats to go through. These locks are shorter and narrow and don't hold as many boats.
It was overcast and rainy. It's such a relief to not be in the sun that's beating down on you in those chambers that don't get a breeze. It was really comfortable today. And so far these locks aren't nearly as smelly and slimy. We went through a cool lock at lock 12. It's called a flight because after you exit 11 you are right in 12. It was a very high lift.
One of the lock girls told us today our boat name is her favorite that she's seen. I'm sure she's seen a lot, so we were happy to hear that. Several of the locks we had to do what's called rafting. It's where we tie up to another boat that is already on the wall. We did that for 3 different locks.
Along with some French we hear a lot of 'ehs". It's typical to use it like we would say right? I like it. It's cute.
We got to lock 15 at 6:15 and they close at 6:30. We made it in a nick of time. We started at 9 and went to 6:40. It was a long day but it went by very fast. The weather was perfect and we got a lot of ground covered. We traveled 44 nautical miles today.
See you next week!
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