NIGHT CROSSING - LAKE ONTARIO

Trip Day:	109	Latitude:	43°27.59 ' N	Locks Today:	7
Miles Today:	21	Longitude:	076°30.60' W	Locks Total:	38
Total Miles:	2,135	Location:	Oswego, NY

Yesterday the winds were very strong with gusts of 25-30 kts so we logged another weather day and stayed with the group at the Phoenix town docks.  Today was predicted to be lighter winds, but Rick, a Canadian who boats on Lake Ontario told us the big water would need a minimum of 12 hours to settle down after four days of high winds and 5-6 ft seas.  So we were forced to join the group of boaters at the Lock 1 Bar and Grill last night for dinner and got to watch teams play Bocce on the indoor court at the bar—not something one sees everyday. 

We pulled away from the dock and passed through Lock 1 of the Oswego Canal.  Within 15 minutes Ron discovered his sunglasses were not on board.  We called Rick and asked him to walk up to the pie shop, retrieve the prescription sunglasses and meet us at the dock wall.  We turned around and by the time we reached the dock wall Rick was in sight carrying Ron’s glasses.  (Just glad it was Ron and not me—just saying.  .  .)  We owe Rick a beer when we see him again.

 The Oswego Canal is winding with modest homes and docks and really quite lovely.  The seven locks today were all drops in elevation which is much easier than lifts.  The other boaters at Phoenix were describing some of the Canadian locks where boats will be packed in with perhaps four boats across the lock.  That means the boats against the walls will hold lines and the boats in the middle will raft to each other.  Rick and Deb were in such a lock when one of the outside boats let go of the line and a domino bumper boat scene played out.  Not sure we are interested in  being sandwiched between big trawlers as light as we are. 

We tied up at the lock wall after Lock 8 and walked into Oswego Marina to pick the Ray      Marine Canadian chip for Marc on KatMan2 who is waiting in Canada.   We have not done  justice to the town of Oswego which has a rich history and played a pivotal role in the War of 1812 as American Forces fought the British at Fort Ontario.  Interestingly, in the 19th Century, Oswego was known as where the sails meet the rails and was an important part of the Underground Railroad network.  Three railroads, Erie Canal traffic and Great Lake Schooners all met at Oswego with daily transits to    Canada giving hope for liberty to people escaping human bondage.

We need 8 hours to run the 50 miles across Lake Ontario, so we are leaving Oswego at 10:00 p.m. and should arrive in daylight to pass Amherst Island on the western tip and enter Bay of Quinte.  The plan is to pull into Prinyer Cove where we can clear customs at the Marina.  We have diligently been consuming our alcohol to reduce stock to the customs 1.5 liter limit. The Oswego Lighthouse will be our first landmark as we leave the American shore of Lake Ontario. 

 

For the next month we will not be blogging daily.  The International Verizon plan is very costly, except for phone text @ .20 cents to send and receive, so we will blog when we are at a marina with free wi-fi access.  Otherwise we will only use the hotspot for navigational research.  We will still write our log daily, then post multiple days at once.  So don’t be alarmed if we are out of touch for a few days.  We will text our kids daily, not that they would be worried about us with their busy schedules. 

The winds have changed to southerly and it is glass calm as far as we can see so we have started the engine and we are ready to set out across Lake Ontario to Canada.  Talk to you soon, eh.