Kingston Ontario and The Thousand Islands

After Trenton we visited The Milligan's, who where not there due to Doreen's illness. We understand she is doing better and will visit The Lake House this weekend. From there we came along to Kingston, the gateway to The Thousand Islands.

Back in 2001 when we first came east we could not believe we had made it. Kingston to us was about as far as anyone would ever take a boat. We felt we had really become cruisers. Every time we get back we are excited to relive those original thoughts.

It is a wonderful town supported by tourism and government institutions. From The Flora McDonald Confederation Basin it is an easy walk to the liquor store grocery store and a score of excellent restaurants. It is also where east meets west. A third of the boats are from Quebec, a third from Ontario and a third from The US. About 60 percent are power boats and 40 percent are sail.

All in all a very nice place to visit. We will stay two nights and then move on to Trident Yacht Club and the Rendezvous. We are travelling with my sisters on board Pipe Dream. They are having a great trip with calm seas and good company we are all very relaxed.

Two Party animals

 Trish and Kelly in Kingston

View from the restaurant

Nana up the mast fixing the antenna

Maybe the best Marina on the lake

Tonight we are in Trenton at The Trentport Marina. It is brand new and very nice. The docks are excellent. The internet works at the dock furthest from the office. The best washrooms on the planet and free laundry. The TV room has comfortable chairs and the small confectory sells ice cream.

There is more as you walk down the wide new dock you are looking at a Metro store. Look the other way and there is a beautiful view of The Bay of Qunite. I think I have covered everything. Don't tell anyone or I will not be able to get in. It will be too busy.

Back on the water

On Sunday Pipe Dream and Irish Mist headed for The Thousand Islands. Sunday night we stayed in Whitby then yesterday we came to Cobourg. It is a small town right on the water with an excellent marina and a very nice restaurant.

We areived at about 3:00 followed closely by Pipe Dream. The dinner at The Oasis was great as usual. Today we hope to get into a new marina in Trenton called Tentport Marina. We have motored for two days and it looks like today will be the third. It is sunny and warm, not hot on the water at least.

Having done the trip to the islands for about 15 years now it is not quite as exciting as our trip to Florida, but not as long either. We all can't wait to get into the water and go for a swim.

Cobourg

HOME July 11, 2015

Today the journey is over but not forgotten. It was a great trip. We all enjoyed it and highly recommend you do it as soon as you have the time. We would recommend a couple of other items. First don't break an ankle. Second check your rudder post stuffing box. These first two we would recommend even if you are not going south.

You should not hit a lock. You must buy both health insurance and unlimited towing from Boat Tow Us. While you may not need the health insurance you must buy it. You will need the towing service. You will break down, run out of diesel or simply go aground.

I will leave you now until our next adventure.

Toronto and Home

The Royal Canadian Yacht Club

My sisters and friends had a welcome home party all arranged

Whitby Yacht Club

We motored sailed to WYC arriving at about 5:30. Not bad having come all the way from Rochester. We phoned Katie and Laughlin who came and took us to Laughlin's house for dinner. We decided to stay the night which was perfect for all but the dogs. I cannot say they kept us up all night that would be an exaggeration. They only woke us up every hour on the hour.

We have returned to the boat and are proceeding on the final leg of our journey. I have not figured out exactly how far we have travelled in the 11 months, but it is over 4,000 miles. On our way home we will see some of the competitors in the Lake Ontario 300. Some of the racers will finish tomorrow while some will take days. The time will be determined by the speed of the yacht and which course they are sailing. I believe they now have a 600 mile course for the most dedicated.

We will also see Panam Games competitors in their practice race. When we get to our dock we will be greater by my sisters who have been very faithful followers. 

Whitby Yacht Club

We are on our way to Canada June 10, 2015

Today looked liked a good day to sail to Canada, so we are headed for Whitby Yacht Club. Currently we are headed more or less directly to Whitby motor sailing at 7.5 kn. tomorrow at about 1:00 we should be in our slip weather permitting.

So far as we cross the lake this is the only boat we have seen. As is so often the case we had to speed up to avoid a near collision.

June 9, 2015 Rochester Yacht Club

Yesterday we got the mast stepped, raised the sail, and came to Rochester. When we got here we assumed our grandson would be out for dinner and decided to call him after dinner. We had dinner with Jack and June Rossall. When we finished dinner we realized it was too late. Please forgive us Quinn we will talk to you today.

It was wonderful to be back on Lake Ontario and familiar surroundings. We knew The Rossalls where headed this way and hopped to meet them here. As always we all had an excellent meal at the club. Today we are taking it easy and will go on to Youngstown tomorrow. We would then like to go to Niagara On The Lake if they have room. It would be nice to start aclimatizing ourselves to Canadian Culture before we get home.

Rochester and The RYC By the way it is raining something we are not use to.

First some pictures of The Oswego Canal water flow

Tuesday we transited The Oswego Canal. We had a little trouble in a couple of the locks getting the lines or getting a line around the wire which on some locks runs from the top to the bottom. The locks took a little time for two reasons. First just ahead of us there were 7 boats going through together. Second we had 4 other boats with us. Each lock one boat or another would have a little difficulty.

Oswego River/Canal water flow.

Sodus Bay June 8

Yesterday we did about 55 nautical miles and 8 locks. At 6:00 we arrived at Sodus Bay Yacht Club. There was no one there so we left the boat at the front docks, and waited 10 minutes for the squall to come through.

After the squeal we went to Jakes, I think, for dinner. This morning we called Katlynn Marine to see if they could step our mast. Kevin the man in charge said he had a couple to do but could step it in the afternoon. I said we were trying to get to Rochester today could he do ours first. He said no problem. At 7:20 we were tied up at their dock untiring the mast. It is 9:00 and I can see them attaching the back stay.

We will get the mast attached and at least one sail up then head for Rochester. The second sail we will put up in Rochester. I will do both if I can get them to help me.

Brewerton Boatyard

Katlynn Marine

Finally The Oswego Canal

It is Tuesday June 7th and they have opened the Canal. As we sit at Brewerton Boatyard boats are heading down to lock 23. I decided yesterday after I heard there were already 4 boats waiting at the lock to take it easy this morning. We will let the early adopters crowd into the first opening and we will slip in half an hour after them all alone.

We will have to see how this strategy works. I have seen a 50 and 40 foot motor yacht pass along with a 36 foot sailboat. This means at least 7 boats. I think one more power boat from this marina is going to try to get into the first lock.

As you can see it is not as nice as it has been. There is a good chance it will rain today. I donot know how much rain will close the locks tomorrow, and do not wish to stay around to find out. We are going to be at The Sodus Bay Yacht Club tonight. Tomorrow Katlynn  Harbor Marine will put our mast up tomorrow. Thursday we will be at The Rochester Yacht Club, then Youngstown and home. We will arrive home on Sunday June 12, 2015 less then 11 months from our departure on August 24, 2015.

Brewerton New York

when we left Waterford we knew the Oswego Canal was closed. We could not stay in Waterford due to the Steamboat Festable. The decision was made to continue on as far as we could go assuming the canal would open. We did not know how many boats would be piled up here the last stop before Lock 23 so we got a reservation at The Brewerton Boat Yard.

We are very comfortable here. There is a very good marine store, The owner is very nice snd helpful. We are 3 miles from Lock 23. Yesterday The New York Canal office issued a Notice to Mariners saying that if they could get the navigational aids fixed and it did not run both Lock 23 and
the Oswego Canal would open at 8:00 AM Tuesday. in the same notice they said that Lock 24 and 25 would open 7 to 10 days from now.

The forced rest is welcomed and we will be home soon. The plan is to go to Oswego Tuesday. We will step the mast there on Wednesday and head for Rochester Thursday. Currently we are hoping to be home Saturday June 11 or Sunday June 12.

Tonight Trish is cooking salmon and shrimp. Soon the adventure will be over, but we do intend to continue our salmon and shrimp dinners.

Looking towards Lake Oneida. The bridge is the interstate from Alex Bay.

 The restaurant we ate at last night behind new dock construction.

Trish and Kelly on their way to Breakfast.

 The Oneida River

July 3 a much better day

  Yesterday we were up and off from the lock head quarters by 7:45 and through lock 13 by 9:00. We had no trouble with any of the locks. Around lock 15 or 16 you leave the Mohawk River and are in the canal. The result is we motored at 7 to 7.4 rather then 5.8 to 6 knots.

  Today we are going to Brewerton and staying at The Brewerton Boatyard. We are going to cross Lake Oneida and be ready for the opening of The Oswego Canal. We have no reason to believe it will open but we will be ready. By Sunday it will have been closed for 4 days.

Lock 20

The Erie Canal

Just when you thought it was safe to go out!!!!!!!

Today started as I have shown you with dear little pictures, oh I'm sorry it was little deer pictures. Then we headed east through the flight of five. These are 5 locks, one after another in Waterford. Then an uneventful day locks 2 through 8. 

We had fought current all day. As we got to lock 9 we could see they were letting a lot of water out. Along with the water was a lot of debris. I headed for the lock slowly so I would not hit the boat or the propellor with any of it. Just as we got to the entrance our bow caught a current coming out of the lock. The stern caught a back current coming along the shore. The result was Irish Mist turned sideways. The aft end headed for the corner of the lock. I pushed the throtle forward and turned into the lock. Only one problem she did not turn. The currents where too strong.

The result was the mast ramed the wall at some speed. This stopped all 28000 pounds of yacht. We backed up got turned around went out in the canal and tried again. This time with more speed and made it in. Trish had dropped a boat hook in the water at impact, but other the that pretty much everything is ok. The mast has a cut on her bottom which will require a hammer and file. The autopilot stopped working, but I am pretty sure it was just a loose wire which I tightened when we got settled for the night.

Our good fortune is due to Jan and Gordon who designed and built my mast frame. This was a real solid jolt. The mast did move about a inch and a half. The frame stands and the mast is unharmed and still in the frame. Trish and I thank you again for your kind word.

Here are a couple fo pictures from today. None of the lock pictures are of lock 9.

July 2, 2015

We leave Waterford today. This is a very friendly place. The dock is free, power is $10 for your stay and the grocery store unlock their cart wheels so as you can wheel your groceries back to your boat.
The restaurants are good and close. Excellent walking paths and you are inside of the Hudson.

We are leaving but yes once again there is a but. as of yesterday the Oswego Canal is closed. The rain Tuesday night flooded it. It is closed for several days while the water levels are lowered and the navigational aids are replaced. At this point we do not know what this means for us. We will not be to the Oswego Canal until Sunday maybe by then it will be open. On June 15th it closed until June 22. We were told this morning that on June 15th the water level was much higher. Lets hope for the best.

On my walk this morning I found some wild life pictured below.

A lazy day full of planning

First we went to Breakfast at  Then we fixed the sump pump for the aft head which had been broken for a couple of weeks. This was not so bad it just meant we were down to one shower and two sinks.
We started to plan our final legs of the journey.

The first thing we did was call the RCYC and tell them we would be back on the 10th of July. Then we called the Oswego Marina to see if the could step our mast on Monday. The man we had to talk to was not in so I left a message. Next we called the Rochester Yacht Club to say we would like a place to stay Tuesday July 6, 2015. If they could step our mast we would come Monday. They called back to say they could not step the mast. That meant the next steep was to phone Oswego Marina back and talk to anyone. We told them we would be there on Sunday and would like to have the mast stepped Monday. The person I talked to said they did not think that would be a problem.

As we were doing this the steamboats started to arrive. Each July 1st Waterford hose a steamboat feasible. I have pictures of the first two arrivals.

All this planning shows us just how close to Toronto we are. The trip has been fantastic, but we are all anxious to be home with family and friends.

Steamboat

Steamboat

 Not a Steamboat