We left CFB Trenton August 24, slipping out
in the early morning. The Bay of Quinte
region is lovely and our path through following the “Z” – it’s still Zed for
another week! – out to Lake Ontario. We
had planned to make for Pinyer Cove.
However, our weather window was narrowing so, instead, we tacked a few
more hours on and pushed for the Ducks.
We arrived just as the sun set,
making 59.6 NM that day. 1nautical mile
is about 1.2 standard miles or about 2 kilometers. The Ducks is a great anchorage and staging
point for crossing the Lake with good protection from South and West
winds. After a dip in the Lake we turned
in quickly.
The next morning we set out at “zero dark
thirty” which on this morning was at 4 am under a large moon. 5 knot south winds and 1-2 foot south waves
made for a decent crossing with the hobby-horse motion rather than the expected
panic-inducing beam roll. Sailboats rock
side to side very easily – and alarmingly! – when the mast in down and not
counter-balancing our heavy keels. We
had a near miss with a 600 ft freighter – well the 1 ½ NM between our paths
seemed like a near miss with a ship that size!
While we have no radar with the mast down (the radar array is mounted on
the mast above the spreaders) the AIS worked well and it was a good exercise to
use its’ functions.
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| The Wilf Seymour |
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| This is the Big Boat - we being the leetle one in the equation |
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| AIS display with data, we also broadcast our info |
We made land-fall before noon at the Oswego Marina, cleared in with customs over the video telephone, chatted with a boat (Captain Mark and crew on Beuna Vela, a 35’ Young Sun from Penetanguishene) and topped our diesel. Kate at the Marina sells (rather wants to sell) her farm-fresh eggs but was ruing her lazy, well-fed hens. Sounds like farm-fresh poultry may be on offer soon!
Our first traffic was at lock 8 in Oswego, a large tug pushing 2 huge barges loaded with corn for an ethanol plant 3 locks away (one barge at a time through the locks.
Lake Oneida - our last dip in fresh water. This is truly someone's bad day on the water. The boat was empty, no sign of anyone, we did see people on the shore aware of the boat.
This is one of the largest locks we've transited. This one is different in that the lower gate door opens vertically, counterbalanced by the enormous concrete weight. The upper doors are the standard pair of hydraulically operated doors. OK, we've resisted the Marie Antoinette jokes and the prickling on the backs of our necks is just about gone!
The Canal System work boats was about it for traffic until almost Waterford. We had the waterway virtually to ourselves, so much so, that Edi and I each scrambled for the VHF approaching each lock to call and talk to the lock Captains on CH13. We saw a lot of repair, maintenance and dredging activity along the way and the system’s barges, workboats and tenders were our main company until much nearer Waterford.
The last 5 locks before Lock 1 (which is more of a
tidal control than lift lock) on the Hudson are called the Waterford Flight. We were the first
through Guard Gate 2 - left - which is opened in the morning by the captain of Lock 6
just below it (pictured below.)
Lock 6, upper lock of the Waterford Flight
The Flight is the highlight of the Erie Canal system and these locks are very well maintained and the run through is just beautiful. Peter was the young captain of Lock 5 and the pride was evident on his face when we commented on the beauty of the run and complimented the condition of his lock. Chris, captain of Lock 4 called ahead to Waterford for us to confirm space on the dock and gave us some tips. 1 ½ hours, 2 guard gates, 3 NM, 5 locks, and 150 feet lower, we pulled up to the dock in front of the…
Waterford Welcome Center.
The folks in Waterford, from the Lock Captains to the volunteers to the staff at local businesses, are engaged in a diabolical plan to sap the will of boaters to go south. It’s working. We’re staying 2 more nights!
Yesterday, Cloud 9 pulled in late in the
day and we juggled a couple of boats to fit them in and caught their
lines. We had been in company a couple
of days ago and they caught us up again.
Rose and Dave have traded up on retirement to a 42’ Catalina and have
spent this past summer cruising the North Channel in Georgian Bay. We celebrated Shore Leave with drinks at McGreivey's Pub which has great micro brews and a really good Black & Tan, our kind of place where "Unruly Children will Not be Tolerated" (Honest, that's what the sign says!) Dinner out at the Angry Penguin (not sure why he's angry - the food made us very happy!) We rounded out a wonderful day with drinks on Cloud 9
later that night.
Cloud 9 up front, Kind of Magic tucked behind and the lower Lock 2 of the Flight behind.
Breakfast today was at Don and Paul's, a busy old-fashioned type of diner with bottomless coffee and the entire run of locals (2 eggs any style with toast, $2.) Great place, great food, great waitresses. We chuckled when we noticed three separate pairs of fellas, 2 in their 50s behind us with coffees and breakfast, a pair on bar stools at the counter in their 80s with coffees, and the two boys about 12 sitting at a table with chocolate milks! We could just see the march of time! Well time marches on for us and it's time to attend to at least one boat job today. Well, maybe after just one cold pop - this blogging is hard work eh! Don't tell Edi ;-)
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