The lighthouse mural at the start of the Oswego Canal.
Many little villages and towns along the canal have built free docks where crusisers can tie up overnight. This is River View Park in Minetto.
Phoenix is a great stop, free power and WiFi. In the morning, a group of young people called the Bridge House Brats would bring free coffee, take your order, run to the restaurant and bring back your breakfast.
We celebrated our 30th Anniversary here; a dock supervisor even sang "Happy Anniversary to You..."
On August 9th we entered the Erie Canal....the sign says Albany 170 miles...and we met our first barge, pushed by the tug.
Crossing Lake Oneida, we met one other boat and a kayaker. This Lake is about 22 miles long and you stay inside the channel markers all the way.
On the other side of the Lake we hoped to meet up with my aunt and uncle who were travelling home along
I- 90 after a wedding and visits "up north". We had arranged to call them when we were at a dock, but were amazed to see them pulling up in the parking lot just as we arrived at Sylvan Lake....talk about luck!
We passed this little dog and his three buddies who were kayaking from Syracuse to Albany, and later shared a lock with them.
Rome is an interesting stop. We were docked beside a park near a dam and an elaborate canoe/kayak launch.
Best of all, this is where we met a family from Edmonton who are taking their sailboat south.
Later we toured Fort Stanwix where our paths crossed again, and of course, it was a photo op with our new friends.
Locking through with our friends on the Thomas Leigh.
Most of the time we motored right into the next lock, but sometimes we had to wait...
Little Falls has to be our favourite- great dock,
comfortable lounge with free WiFi,
biking and hiking trails,
there's more than one way to cross over a lock!
and amazing rocks...
Canajoharie is a town with an interesting intersection.
...Old Rosie rafted together with Thomas Leigh...
As a result of the spring flooding, there was lots of debris piled by the locks.
Nice misty view of the Mohawk River which was 'canal-ized' to become part of the Erie system.
We've learned that the railway line parallels the Erie Canal, so we are quite used to the rumble ...can sleep right through the night now.
We had one day of nonstop heavy rain. The river level rose, some sections of the dams were opened. Branches, logs, and debris went floating down the river, thus requiring a sharp eye and quick reflexes on the wheel. (I've been wanting to use the word 'thus' :)
Schenectady Yacht Club is actually in Rexford. There was a washer and dryer in the shower building beside the pool...I've never enjoyed doing the laundry more!
We were docked near the cut stone bases of the old aquifers.
The last locks were a series of five flight locks, very close to one another. First we motored through two Guard Gates.
Last stop on the canal is Waterford at the Welcome Centre dock.
The Hudson River is just around the corner...
Then, one last Federal Lock at Troy, and I will be able to throw the red gloves away!
They have come in handy when handling the slimy lock ropes.
'Bye for now...
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