Canada!

We entered Canadian water at 9:36 AM - June 28, 2019!

Luke didn’t see it as a big deal 😆

Oswego, NY

Here we are in Oswego, NY.... we can see Lake Ontario from the wall we are tied up to for the night.

Mr Luke is enjoying the lawn right next to the boat... he’s free to walk and run around!

Someone took this picture of us this morning and posted it on the Great Loop group!

Today’s travel


The board walk on Oswego. Sand Dollar is beyon the bridge.


Very nice area to stop at for the night 


Looking arcross the canal. You can see the river rushing by... running in to Lake Ontario


Some sights along the way today








Hanging out ... enjoying some wine!

Here is our route tomorrow across Lake Ontario .... in to Canada!!

A nice ending to a wonderful day

Five nights in Brewerton waiting for the Oswego Canal to open

After our flash flood episode in Utica, we had to wait 5 days for the Oswego canal to open. It was closed due to high water level and flow along with a lot of debris.

So, what do you do for 5 days hanging around? We shopped, worked on the boat, took bike rides, did laundry and Kim and some others did a little yoga on the dock! 

Sand Dollar at Winter Harbor Marina. It was one of the cleanest facilities we have ever stayed at.

Kim and friends doing a little dockside yoga!

We took the dinghy up the Oswego River for Mr Luke to swim.

Of course there where the evening dock parties!

And we took the bikes and trailer to do the laundry and run some errands!

Our last night at Winter Harbor Marina they had a catered Italian dinner for all the loopers who were waiting for the canal to open. It was a great time! A first class facility run by some wonderful people!

It was quite a crew at the dinner!

Utica, NY - Flash Flooding!

We left St Johnsville Wednesday morning heading for Utica, NY. The weather was good and as it's been the entire trip, the scenery was beautiful.

Guard Gate
This type of gate helps to isolate sections of the canal in case of emergency, such as a break in the canal wall, accident, or extreme high water. They are also used when a section of the canal needs to be drained for maintenance or winter freeze protection.

Lock 17 is the single highest lift on the Erie Canal, lifting the boat 41 ft.

Sand Dollar at the far end of lock 17.

Jamie from M/V About Time took the photos from the top of lock 17.

 

Lock 17 time lapse video. Watch the boat float up 41 feet! (3:45 min long)

 

On our way to Utica

Kim navigating the Erie Canal!

Luke enjoying a little afternoon nap!

 

We arrived at the Utica Marina, in front of the Aqua Vino restaurant. Sand Dollar all secure at the fixed dock.

  

Enjoying a couple cold ones at the Aqua Vino bar.

 

We had dinner with the crews from Summer Lynn, Sunshine Rose and Crows Nest. SO MUCH FUN!

 

Thursday morning was raining and we received flash flood warning. We decided to not travel that day and just hang out, get some things done on the boat and Kim was going to work.

WELL, sitting in the boat we started hearing things crashing in to the boat .... TREES, LARGE LOGS and TONS of DEBRIS where flowing out of the creek across from us. The river rose 2.5 feet in an hour. The boats on the fixed dock, Sunshine Rose and Sand Dollar began to float over the docks as the water continued to rise. We used wooden ladders we got from the restaurant  shed to hold the boats off and away from the fixed dock now completely submerged and crap just flowing in.

The debris was everywhere. There was so much packed under the boat it went from the bottom of the boat to the river bed.... what a mess!

Jeff from Crows Nest helped get the ladder secure to Sunshine Rose to hold her away from the fixed dock.

It was gross in the water .. there we BIG spiders, Snakes and Snails floating on all the debris.

Trying to clear out as much as we could from around and under the boat. The Canal Corp said it was expected to get worse and said we could not stay there .. we had to move to Lock 20. The Canal guys we fantastic and made sure everything was all set when we got to Lock 20. They even provided us with power!

Jeff and I waving to Sunshine Rose after getting her away from the dock without any damage.

After this we successfully got much of the debris clear out from under Sand Dollar and we were able to make our way to Lock 20 ... WHAT A DAY!