The Oswego and Erie Canals - August 6 - 17

Sitting at the dock at the Waterford Welcome Centre, we are about two minutes away from the Hudson River.  It is exciting to consider that we'll actually be travelling southward, but it feels a bit like we are leaving the schoolyard and going out into the real world.  It's pretty comfortable travelling the canal from lock to lock.  So, here are a few of our memorable moments.

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...

The Thousand Islands July 22- August 5

Did you know that there are really 1,864 islands? There are two criteria: an island has to be above water level 365 days a year, and support two living trees...  

Some cottages had bridges and buildings on multiple islands.

Owen Sound's namesake,  Captain Owen was given the job of naming the British islands in 1815. He named different groupings: the Admiralty Islands were given names acknowledging British admirals, the Lake Fleet have the names of ships and gunboats, the Navy Islands were named after captains (Owen named one after himself, too), and the Brock group was named for Sir Isaac Brock and his troops. Some private islands are named after their owners.
Today, The Thousand Islands are still divided between the U.S. and Canada so that no island shared between two countries, so it makes for a zig-zag border.

Thwartway, or Leek Island, was our first anchorage.  This is what remains of an old stone farm building where soldiers came after WWII to recover from shell shock.

Ben is tying the stern of the boat to a rock; the anchor is off the bow.

Our next anchorage was near another National Park Island, Beaurivage. The anchor marks the spot!

The welcoming committee...

Just a ten minute dinghy ride from Gananoque, this was a great place to bring visitors,

 and best of all, the water was warm!

It was really good to see the boys and their friends...

Who needs the Weather Channel!

Half Moon Bay- motor in and tie up for church.

Ready to cross over to the US Thousand Islands

Boldt Castle is on Heart Island.  George Boldt designed the castle for his wife and even changed the shape of the island into a heart.  Tragically, his wife died and construction was stopped.  The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority continues to restore and maintain the island.

In the Shipping Lanes...  I was relieved that we didn't get any closer than this to the freighters.

Antique boats, polished and shining,  were heading to the Boat Show in Clayton.

Cape Vincent is a small U.S. mainland town at the junction of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario.

All too soon, we were leaving The Thousand Islands.
Cheers!

Kingston July 17 - 21/11

We learned a lot about Kingston, Canada’s first capital, by going on the Trolley Tour.  We saw  Fort Henry, several fortified stone shoal towers,  the residences of John A. Macdonald and many other beautiful limestone buildings,  Kingston Penitentiary, Queens University, the Military College, three marinas and lots of boats.

 We enjoyed the Buskers’ International Rendezvous

We made many new friends; some were very kind and lent us their vehicles so that we could do some shopping further out of  town -too far to bike! Some gave us suggestions about the best anchorages and things to see as we continue east.  Some we hope we’ll meet up with again, as we  head south on our boats.