Still Here

We left Winter Harbor marina this AM and as we got to Oneida Lake the overheat alarm went off, so we turned around and returned to Winter Harbor. We checked the strainer, through Hull, and raw water pump impeller, all OK. Next step is to change thermostat and check the heat exchanger, so we ordered gaskets and parts. Will be here until parts arrive and we get things back to normal.

lazy day

Stayed here at Winter Harbor Marina another day due to predicted bad weather, this is such a deal here with clean showers,helpful staff and one of the free loaner cars is a Mercedes station wagon. We called my uncle Duane and he picked us up for a wonderful breakfast and offered a ride wherever so we went to West Marine and got  a handheld marine radio-need backup available as locks must be called first for opening. I really enjoyed our visit, he has been so helpful to my mother also. We read and reorganized our clutter and now the rain has me lazy.    chris

8/8/10

Today started off early,we were just outside a lock that opened early and scooted down the canal and breezed through canals ending in Brewerton,N.Y. where our diesel overheated-fortunately in front of a marina-just a bad hose and the friendly people atWinter Harbor marina had a dock and even found just the right hose and brought it to the boat.Next is Onieda Lake crossing that can be nasty if windy so we may sit out the rain here another day.Todays trip also had eagles above us and quiet solitude until just near this town.The boat is so dirty from the mast raising and slimy canal ropes so I tried to clean the exterior a bit but the mast and spreaders on deck meant partial cleaning.The interior is all tossed about from finding tools and me quick opening the strainers when it overheated, but all is well now-chardonnay from Harpersfield Winery is chilling-thanks Patti and Adolph.               chris

eagles

Today we headed down the canal and aced all the locks.We were in pretty desolate territory all day and saw at least 10 eagles while in a wildlife refuge,one even swooped down next to the boat and grabbed a fish-eagles were my dads favorite so on the eve of his birthday I felt him smile from heaven. We pulled into Baldswinsville late and all the docks were full due to a concert in the park where you usually  dock. We had to spend the night next to the lock without services but are enjoying the music and soon fireworks.   chris

long day

Today we slept in-cool weather at last.We headed out from Brockport and aced our first lock but the next lock nearby had strong winds inside and Mike had a hard time catching a rope inside-ended up dropping the boat hook and the lock tender came to our aid and grabbed our dock line to corrall us in-no damage other than our nerves and the boat hook floated up to us when the water receded.In spite of that we plunged forward and aced the next locks.We follow 2 guide books-Skipper Bobs and the official ny canal book-both 2006 and very outdated- the ongoing diesel saga continued with the books touting Pittsford as having a large Citgo dock with diesel but this town went yuppy with a Birkenstock store in place of Citgo-fortunately we did get diesel at Macedon at a friendly little marina.This stretch today was filled with charming little towns where everyone makes an effoort to wave at you as you roll by and one stretch near a highway had cars beep at us and wave, not a whole lot of traffic in the canal this week.We stopped tired and dirty from the windy lock escapade- at Newark,NY.Nice docks-electric,free laundry,clean shower,friendly and no charge so enjoyed a late dinner in town.You can take a short walk to groceries,movies,many restaurants

Radio Waves

One thing I forgot was that when we dropped our mast I did not have a VHF radio to call all the locks and bridge tenders! Luckly I had a spare antenna that I was able to mount on the mast step, hook up and keep in contact.

brockport

We spent a restless night in Medina due to the heat and then lightening storms-another boater described the weather as being a human rotisserie-tossing all night and baking.Made it out this am and found beautiful farmlands-corn and apples and grapes surrounding the canal ,it was all wonderful until noonish and heat and humidity and lack of sleep had us pull into Brockportport,N.Y.-This is a super friendly college town,tied up downtown in the canal and showers and bars near.I found a coffee shop that roasts their own beans,a quilt shop,a huge book store and the second oldest movie in the U.S.A.Mike cooled off at the movie "Salt" while I did all the laundry-yeah for clean sheets.This area is an antiquers paradise but so many old barns and houses need a good carpenter soon.   chris