City of Troy public docks.
City of Troy public docks.
At last the Erie Canal.
May 1st, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today the Troy lock opens and we can go up to the next town which has
free, hydro, water, washrooms and docks. How wonderful! We
are now sitting at the bottom of the Erie Canal system, which will open
next week. There are 4 boats from Canada here today. We worked
on trim most of the day and then walked into town and checked things
out. Very small town, but nice.
May 2nd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We rented a car today, and got 6 new batteries for the boat and oil.
We also drove into Albany New York. It has the biggest buildings
I have ever seen. They look like they were designed by giants.
May 3rd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Another day working on the trim and getting ready to continue the journey.
Laundry done and water tanks filled, as well as a pumpout. Oh, guess
what, we mad the front page of the second section of the local newspaper.
It has a little article showing the boats lined up ready to go up the canal.
Pretty neat. I bought the last two copies.
May 4th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Beautiful sunny day, and one more working day before we head
up the system!
Early morning departure from Waterford
Volkswagon atop a tower.
Birds nest right in the top of the cable connector in the lock.
May 5th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Everyone is up early and ready to go....6:00AM is too early for me.
The lock held the first 6 boats, 3 power boats and 3 sail boats.
We did from lock 2 at Waterford to Lock 11 in Amsterdam on the Erie Canal.
We have power here, but not much of anything else other than a Volkswagen
on a tower.
Motor home on board a landing craft?
Control gates along the Erie Canal.
First Stop on the Canal
May 6th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We did from Lock 11 to Lock 21 today. When we got there we saw
our friends from the house boat. We were suppose to to have gone
for dinner with them today as we probably will not see them again but it
did not work out. They were at the top of the lock and we were at
the bottom. We had a nice visit and then said our farewells.
I am the dog!
May 7th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Another nice day and an early start. We reached Oneida Lake and
tied to the wall there. We were going to spend the night here but
after walking through the town we decided to make the 29 mile crossing
of the lake as the weather was good.
Some pretty neat graffitti!
May 8th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today we are into the Oswego Canal. We have seen some strange
things, but one of the strangest was going through a lock with a landing
craft complete with a motor home on board. There were two guys on
board at the front who were telling the driver which way to turn.
Oh, that sounds real safe! He came very close to taking out a marker
and then a sailboat. We never got the full story on that one. We
ended the day in Oswego with one of the other sail boats "Our Time"
that we had been traveling with. We went to the library with them
and then went out to dinner. We all turned in early, because the
plan was to leave at first light to go across Lake Ontario. Weather
is suppose to be good.
Early morining crossing on Lake Ontario
Bay of Quinte
May 9th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
At 5:15 we were leaving the Port of Oswego to head across Lake
Ontario. The water was flat as a pancake. We made excellent
time and pulled into Trenton at about 5:00. We pulled into the marina
and and did our Customs and Immigration check in. That only took
about 15 minutes by phone. We headed up to the bottom of the first
lock and tied the boat there. I called my cousin Jim who lives nearby
and told him we had arrived. He and his wife Arlene arrived at dusk
to check out the boat and say hello. Jim agreed to drive Colin to the car
rental place in the morning.
May 10th to 12th 2003 (Admirals Log)
After picking the car up we headed home to Fergus for a few days.
We did some shopping, picked up our mail and had a nice Mother's Day dinner
with Colin's mom and dad. On monday we drove to Barrie and had dinner with
the kids. Shelly followed us back with her car.
Fishing?....I used to know how to do this.
Relaxing with the dog and some Chicken Soup for the Soul
May 13th to 15th 2003 (Admirals Log)
Shelly, our daughter spent alot of time fishing while she was here,
that is when she wasn't busy driving us around. We took her out for
dinner before she went home.
At the top of the First Lock on the Trent-Severn.
May 16th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
The Trent Canal official opens today. We were the 3rd boat through.
We bought our annual mooring pass and tied at the top of the lock.
Family Night in Trenton
May 17th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
My brother Dick and his wife Ruth came to see us today and tonight
my other brother Ries and his wife Muriel are coming. My cousin Jim
and their boys as well as all my family are going out for dinner together.
Sounds like fun.
We had a great dinner together and then went back to Jim and Arlenes.
May 18th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We got ourselves organized and got our bikes down. We had to
pump the tires up and do some adjusting, then we headed in to Trenton to
have breakfast at the Skyline. We also went up to the Canadian Tire
to get a carrier for my bike. When we got back we decided that we had,
had enough of the train and highway noise so we moved the boat and ended
up at the top of lock 6. A much nicer spot.
Baby Robins "not on the menu"
May 19th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We invited Jim and Arlene over for a B-B-Q today. We had B-B-Q
chicken, salads and a nice visit. The weather was excellent so we
ate outside at the picnic table.
The "Big Toonie" in Campbellford.
May 20th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Today we locked through as far a Campbellford. Uh-Oh, Colin found
the Chocolate Factory.....Double Uh-Oh, they were having a sale!
He came out of there with a whole bag of stuff. They even had sugarless
chocolate for me. And yes I have been very behaved with all that
chocolate on board. Colin went back into town to go to the Library
on his bike and wiped out. He only hurt himself a little and was really
stiff.
Campbellford, in competition with Sudbury's Nickel has their very own
"Tooney" Looks kind of neat. (I ate chocolate)
May 21st, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Hastings was our destination today. On our way up we went through the
flight locks 16 & 17. When we were in the middle section the
cable I was tied to snapped off and came down and hit the top of the boat.
Thank goodness I was standing under the overhang. It was a little scary
at first but I managed to grab the next line and pull the boat in.(I
ate chocolate)
Hey! We found another fixer upper!
May 22nd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We started the day with breakfast out in downtown Hastings. Which
I might add was quite good. Colin then went back and worked on his
books and went out to get some groceries, do some laundry, banking and
go to the post office. When I got back I cleaned up the boat and
then we went for a walk around town. (I ate chocolate)
Fountian in Little Lake near Peterborough.
Entering the Peterborough Lift Lock.
Almost at the top.
Trent University on the banks of the Waterway.
May 23rd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We got an early start and crossed Rice Lake, without incident.
When we got to Lock 25, we recognized the guy who helped us the first time
we brought this boat up two years ago and nearly sank at that same lock.
He remembered the boat, and we spent some time talking to him. He
is still a nice guy. We thanked him again and headed on our way to
Lakefield. We took our bikes and checked out the town. (I ate chocolate)
"It's a dogs life!
May 24th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
It was raining but we had plans to do stuff.....so on with the rain
suits and off on the bikes we went. First to the Library, then the
grocery store, back to the boat and then off to the "Lakefield Cottage
Show" (First Annual) a little on the small side but hey, gave
us something warm and dry to do for an hour or so. When we were done
we went back to the boat and went to the next Lock at Young's Point.
May 25th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Young's Point was quiet and uneventful. Colin did some fishing
but without any results. I planted my herb garden that Wendy and
Fred gave me for my birthday.
The area known as "Hell's Gate" Not really that bad.
Tiny Church on its own little island.
Burleigh Falls
May 26th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We headed on to Burleigh Falls and tied up at the top of the lock.
Just down the highway from the Lock is an old Hotel/Lodge that they have
just recently redone. We had dinner in the Restaurant there
(Pickerel Dinner) and it was quite good.
May 27th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We continued on through Clear Lake and Stony Lake and tied at the top
of the Lock in Buckhorn. We walked to the grocery store and got some
milk and bread and then checked out the hardware store, Library and local
Restaurants. When we returned to the boat Colin decided it was time
to finally hook up my dish washer (2 years old and brand new, never used.)
(She told me she liked doing dishes) He needed to get some
parts at the hardware store so he got those before they closed.
Mom, Dad and the kids!
Deer Statue coming into Buckhorn.
Home and ROCK garden in Lakefield.
May 28th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We spent a second day in Buckhorn. Colin decided to fiddle around
with the alternator that was giving us some trouble. Stuck his pinky
where it shouldn't have been stuck..... #*@!!%* He lost about 1/4
inch off the top of his nail and not sure about how much of the finger.
Good thing we have a good medical kit on board. Guess what, the dishwasher
is not finished yet and now it has to wait for sick finger to heal.
May 29th, 2003 (Admirals Log )
Spent the day looking after the invalid today.......poor guy, we have
been having a hard time getting his finger to stop bleeding.
Gee.....I wonder how it sunk??
Summer cottage?
Boathouse with character.
May 30th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Since Buckhorn is listed as only allowing a 2 day stay and we were
on day 3, we were asked to leave. Off we went. We did our stretch
into Bobcaygeon and pulled in early into one of the busiest houseboat
havens on the Trent. At one point there were 6 of them down the one
wall. Maybe two out of 6 actually knows how to drive these beast.
It is comical to watch them try to maneuver.
We went to bed Friday night and all was calm. At three in the
morning I was awakened to the boat hitting something with a rather solid
clunk. First order of business, go to bathroom, second order of business
look out the window.......... Hmmmm. We were not tied to this
side when I went to bed. Better wake up Colin. On further inspection
we discovered that some lovely, thoughtless, devil may care, bone heads,
had untied our boat and set us adrift in the channel. We had to start
the engines and get over to the other wall again. After tying numerous
knots in the ropes we went back to bed. Yah right who can sleep after
that!
Is this my good side?
See me now? I am in the top right corner, no not the flowers
me!
May 31st, 2003 (Admirals Log)
This morning our first job was to eat breakfast, then go to the hardware
store for a large length of chain and a padlock! When we got
back to the boat, Colin instructed me how to finish the plumbing necessary
to run the dishwasher and he worked on accounting. Next was the installation
of the safety cable and the chain and lock. Yes I will sleep tonight,
knowing I will wake up in the right place.