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.