The opening of the Erie Canal came a week late this year. The Oswego Canal was two weeks late and the Champlain Canal was about three weeks late. Too much rain along with annual snow melt caused currents too strong to allow the NY State Canal System workers to be able to set the buoy markers around lock dams and the red and green numbered channel markers. The high water has also washed trees, branches and other natural debris into the flowing stream that we follow. This photo collection represents our 10 days traveling from Waterford to Oswego, NY. We've made some new friends and caught up with some old friends... fun. Come along and enjoy our cruise!
Patty and Gene on GALENE have become special traveling companions along this route. We have been sharing trip planning ideas, meal suggestions and good times.
It became quite apparent that "a good crossing day" hadn't presented itself in a while... the wall at Oswego was jam-packed. Our timing was just about right. In two days, the wall emptied out. We all moved through the last USA lock in two installments, and headed for our next adventures. Some boats continued up the American side of Lake Ontario to Clayton, NY and the 1,000 Islands, while the rest of us began the open water crossing of 50 miles to Kingston, Ontario. After 7.2 hours of relatively smooth water, we were safely tied up in Kingston's Confederation Basin Marina. The sunny day allowed us to enjoy a great reunion with our long-time Canadian boating friend Alain. The Thai Cambodian food that we enjoyed with him in his "hometown" that night was simply delightful.
