In Deep Ship: July 2017

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

High Water

Mon-Fri July 17-21

The good part about transiting through the Trent Severn Waterway canals is that they open at 9 am. We can sleep later and still make the first lock opening! Lock 13 and the next several locks from Campbellford were only about a mile apart. There has been so much rain this spring and summer that the currents from many of the dams are still very swift. Lots of noise in Lock 15--it was the water flowing over the lock gates! Also water over the lock flight 16/17. We are surprised the locks aren't shut down; very glad the locks aren't closed like the Erie Canal.

Water overtopping Lock 15 gates

We went through lock 18 and then into Hastings Village Marina for the night and for a pumpout. The next morning we stayed a couple extra hours at the marina to use the wifi and talk to AT&T again. Contrary to what AT&T told us before we left the states, our wifi hotspot does not work at all. My AT&T phone works most of the time, but not the wifi. AT&T is no help. So I have to depend on free wifi from the marinas.

A fish sculpture at the riverside Pices Park in Hastings

We had an excellent day cruising through Rice Lake and Otonabee River, about 37 miles without locks! The river reminds us of the upper St. Johns River in Florida--a narrow winding river, lily pads back in the coves, and trees with big bird nests--but no alligators!!

Otonabee River

We stop at Peterborough Marina before the next series of locks.

The fountain in Little Lake at Peterborough

Then we notice the bilge pump is really running a lot. I text some loopers that live in the area to hunt for a marina that can pull our boat out of the water. The nearest marina that can pull our boat is 32 miles and 12 locks away--can't make that in one day. Kelly checks and rechecks the bilge pumps and the high water alarms to make sure they work. Then we search for leaks. The water is coming from around the stern tube. But we had the rear seal/cutless bearing fixed last fall in Demopolis. Somebody uncrossed their fingers!

We are anxious to get going on Wednesday to the Peterborough Lift Lock. It is a lift of 65'- the highest lift lock in the world. It is a big pan and we pull in with 3 other boats. It was a smooth ride up and a great view! Thanks to looper Ron Liss for taking our picture!

Waiting to go in the Peterborough Lift Lock

Our view from the top

At the top of the lift!

We proceed through 8 locks total then pull into a small marina and campground Islandview Resort. Three big guys had to struggle to pull the boat to the dock--there is a wild current here. But at least they have electricity to make sure the bilge pumps keep running. And the bilge pumps are running even more! The next morning Kelly has the repair marina bring a big bilge pump, discharge hose and battery just in case.

A view of the island

It is a nice 4 hour cruise through Stoney Lake. Everything is built on big rocks!

Stoney Point

Buckhorn Marina is just past Lock 31. The marina has a hydraulic trailer to pull us out of the water. They immediately pull off the prop and stern tube seal plate and will let everything dry out to repair it on Friday.

The next morning the weather was great for working on the boat. The marina owner loaned us his truck to go to the grocery store and then we washed the mustache from the front of the hull.

That afternoon about 3, all the repairs are dry, they are going to launch us! We are still on the trailer, they back up about 30' and into the water. Oh no!!! It still leaks. One guy starts feeling around and discovers the stern tube is split on the bottom. We never considered this. How could this happen again? We had the stern tube replaced 10 years ago! We are IN DEEP SHIP!!!!!

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Canada, Eh!

Monday-Sunday, July 10-17

We departed Oswego, NY mid-morning to try to take advantage of less wind in the afternoon going across Lake Ontario. We were estimating that it would take us about 6 hours for the crossing. There were 4 of us cruising as a group even though we were spaced out over several miles.

Oswego Lighthouse

The winds never calmed down. They stayed 10 to 20 knots from the southwest which produced waves of 2 to 4 feet on our beam. We were wallowing and rocking and rolling. But if that wasn't bad enough, biting flies found us about 30 miles out in the middle of the Lake! We could not kill enough of them. Thank goodness when we got close to land, they got off the boat minus the ones we managed to swat!

We pulled into a nice cove with a mooring field. Caught the lead on the first time, but I didn't have my line ready. Even managed to hook it a second time and tied the boat to it!

The very next thing to do was to call Canadian Customs. Well we tried Kelly's phone--no service! But my phone worked!! Kelly answered a few basic questions about us, then verified we did not transport guns aboard the boat. Our confirmation number must be displayed in the window during our visit to Canada.

On Tuesday we departed at 6 a.m. to cruise the Bay of Quinte (qwin-tay) to Trenton Port Marina. A very new and nice marina with great wifi, free laundry, and fantastic showers. So we stayed 2 days.

All 4 boats were tied up on the blue line before the locks on the Trent Severn Waterway opened at 9 a.m. on Thursday. We only traveled 8 miles that day, but we went through 6 locks. Most of these locks are hand-opened, so lots of going around in circles for these summer students working for the Canadian Parks System.

On Friday we traveled 24 miles through 6 more locks! Locks 11 and 12 were a flight--meaning we went out of lock 11 directly into lock 12! Wow, really different than the locks on the Ohio River. We stopped in Campbellford and paid for 2 nights and got 1 night free.

On Saturday Kelly had a mechanic bring us a new battery and check the alternator. The new battery solved the slow starting of the motor. And that left me free to visit the farmers market! Beets and carrots and organic fed pork--oh my!!! Only 1 block to Dooher's Bakery!!! And 1/2 block to the liquor store!!! And we had front row seats for the classic and collectible boat parade!

Campbellford is a great little town. The the person who designed the Canadian $2 coin (a Toonie) is from Campbellford. A giant replica is in the park.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

The Erie Canal

Tues-Sat, June 27-July 8

As soon as we made that left turn into the eastern end of the Erie Canal we pulled into the city of Waterford public dock. It is a fantastic free dock (donations appreciated)!!! You can only stay for 2 days and the charge for electriciy is $10. There are a couple restaurants and a small grocery store within walking distance.

On Thursday fellow boaters Time Out, The Journey and Magic arrived and after a short wait we all pulled in the lock to travel west to Schnectady Yacht Club.

Up early on Friday we traveled to St. Johnsville during a big rain storm. We caught a ride to a local restaurant (okay it was more of a bar) for some awesome burgers and beer! The sun came out so we walked back to the boat.

We traveled on Saturday with more rain and mist and the scenery was beautiful.

This part of the Erie Canal is higher than the neighboring city of Little Falls, NY.

We only traveled about 20 miles but the rain was moving into the area and the City of Ilion had room on their wall for all of us. Ilion is the home of Remington Firearms and Typewriter Manufacturing! They were closed for their annual vacation during our visit in Ilion.

And it was a lot of rain. On Sunday the level on the canal rose about 3 feet! They closed the locks because of the swift current and debris. We also heard on the news that 3 people drowned near the lock just east of Ilion.

On Monday they lowered the water level to search for bodies. And then they lowered it even more. We were almost sitting in the mud. By evening the water level was normal.

On Tuesday all the other boaters left early to be at the lock when it opened at 7 a.m. We were waiting for filters from NAPA to be delivered. By 8:30 a.m. all the boaters were back and tied up to the wall. Too much debris will keep the locks closed another day.

Wednesday we saw a repair barge heading west.

Thursday morning we get a call that the locks will open at noon. As nice as Ilion is, we are all glad to be moving!! By 5:30 we dock at Ess-Kay Marina in Brewerton, NY.

Verona Beach Lighthouse, Lake Oneida NY

Only one more lock and we turn north into the Oswego Canal. The weather forecast to cross Lake Ontario does not look good until Monday. It will only take one day of travel to get to the southern edge of Lake Ontario at the city of Oswego, so we stay another day at Ess-Kay. They have a courtesy car so time to visit Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, and Home Depot.