To get to our anchorage in Kingston, NY, we had to go under three bridges. The first was a fixed bridge with a vertical clearance of 56' at high tide. CS'ta Time's clearance is 55'. Fortunately we were going under just as the tide was beginning to rise, so essentially low tide. The captain said "no problem". I sat in the cockpit covering my face, waiting for the crunch but there wasn't one. That was way out of my comfort zone! So we had to also come out of the anchorage at low tide. We set the alarm aiming to hit the tide change at 0600. We pulled anchor around 0530 and all was going well until I misjudged where the channel was and ran us into the mud, only about 3 minutes from our anchorage. Jorge and the 46 hp got us out of my jam. I was then demoted from helmsperson to dead head observer. No problem. Looking for dark pieces of wood in a dark river in the dark - a piece of cake! Thankfully we did not encounter any and the captain decided to keep me on as crew.

We entered the Hudson River at 0600. The wind was on our nose and the current was against us by about 1 knot. It was overcast with a small amount of drizzle. We were only going about 4.2 knots SOG so the going was slow today.

A tug crosswise in the Hudson (at anchor) in early am.



Diana and Gilbert decided not to get up and travel as early as us. They had no concern with the bridge height. Rob and Serena had no problem either so they too were late leaving Kingston.

The Hudson was certainly widening and the homes along the way were more like mansions. The boats too seem to be getting larger.

We reached out destination of Pollepel Island and anchored around 1300. Rob and Serena arrived and anchored at 1430 and Gilbert and Diana arrived around 1530. There were castle ruins on the island and we tried to explore them but discovered you had to take a tour. Oh well, we toured around the small island instead and took pictures from the dinghy.

Rob, Serena and Kim in dinghy. Bannerman's castle in background.

Bannerman's castle (ruins).

More of Bannerman's castle.

It was an early night for Jorge and me, we were bagged from the 0530 departure.

 

 

We received a text from our son, Steven and his friend Nadine, asking for more pictures so today's blog is for them.

The boat in shambles before 9 am - Jorge changing the oil.

Castleton On Hudson clubhouse - good bye $1.50 draft beer.

 

Getting ready to leave Castleton on Hudson.

A marina along the Hudson.

We're being stalked!

It's passing us.

No problem getting under this bridge.

The entrance to Kingston, NY.

 

Our anchorage outside a marina in Kingston, NY.

Jorge woke up shortly after 0700 this morning. It was overcast. Wanting to get an early start on reassembling the boat, we left the mooring and headed back to the dock by 0745. Breakfast was dockside and then we started working. We were interrupted a few times as we were docked next to the fuel pumps and Jorge was helping the boats tie up as they docked for fuel.

By the way, enclosures do NOT float very well! Jorge was wanting to do some work at the stern so he unzipped one panel of the enclosure. Unfortunately what he unzipped was the only zipper holding the panel and down it went. By the time he got the boat hook, it was sinking like an anchor. Between the muddy colour of the water and the current maybe taking it, it was nowhere to be seen. Luckily it was a panel that we always had rolled up as it was next to the dinghy motor and the swim ladder, therefore was constantly in the way. However in bad weather it would be nice to have it to totally close in the cockpit. Oh well, guess we will have to rig something up for those occasions.

The rest of the morning was uneventful. The rigging was tuned, the straps holding the mast put away, the wood structure for supporting the mast tied, labeled and stored and the boom put on. The skies had cleared and the temperature was rising again. We stopped for a short lunch break in the shade before tackling the sails. The genoa was the first one we put on. The breeze was extremely light and coming from the south, perfect! I'm always glad to get that one done, it is a monster sail. We took a short break in the shade again to cool off before putting up the main. Other than a few minor things, CS'ta Time is set for sailing!

It was another hot day, temp in the boat was 30.7C. However we took more breaks today and there was ever so slightly a breeze making the day more tolerable than yesterday. The showers at the end of the day though made us all feel like a million bucks.

We enjoyed drinks and appetizers with Gilbert and Diana under the trees and then had a wonderful steak supper, complete with wine. Rob and Serena joined us around that time for drinks. I think everyone was quite happy with the day's accomplishments.

We all took mooring balls for the night, a steal at only $5.00. Tomorrow a.m. will be top up with diesel, pump out and then we will be on our way, maybe to Kingston.

CS'ta Time in the process of being reassembled.

Check out the size of the barge in the background being pushed by a tug.

We said goodbye to Waterford this morning at 0900. The Canadian Navy was headed towards Castleton on Hudson some 20 miles away. Lock #1 at Troy was the last lock we had to do and was about 3 miles outside of Waterford. However it is not really considered an Erie lock, it is a "federal" lock but is still listed as Lock #1. We locked through at 0930. The Hudson was not at all as I thought it would be. I was expecting lots of traffic and more current. Maybe that was a good thing, easing us into things gradually!

The three boats arrived in Castleton just after 1200, about 16 miles down the Hudson from Troy.

  

We checked in, paid for stepping the masts and mooring balls. Then we set to work. Rob and Serena were ready to step their mast first, we were second with Gilbert and Diana a close third. OMG was it stinking hot! The little bit of cloud we had first thing in the morning had burned off. The sun was blazing down on us. There was no breeze. We were like roasting! The inside temperature of the boat showed 30.9C. The good thing was, we had no breeze so it was relatively calm, except when the tugboats pushing the barges or the ships went by, then we had substantial waves at the floating docks. I must admit the ships seemed to take pity on the sailboats stepping their masts because it seemed like they did slow down while passing the marina.



The Canadian Navy.

Jorge preparing for stepping the mast.

Boats on mooring balls in the background.

 

We finished stepping the third mast around 1830. We were way overdue for something cold to drink other than water. The six of us headed to the clubhouse and ordered some cold beers. Boy did they taste great. We were feeling really relaxed by this point and decided to order pizza. The fellow behind the bar gave us his opinion, offered us a phone and we ordered. Pizza was delivered about half an hour later. It was now getting dark. Rob and Serena had gone to pick up a mooring ball while waiting for the pizza to arrive. Gilbert and Diana, Jorge and I continued to drink beer and wait for the pizza. Needless to say, it was pitch dark when we left the docks to head for our mooring balls. Without too much problem we did find them, tied up successfully and settled down for a well deserved sleep. It had been a full day getting the three masts stepped. Tomorrow the sails go on and the sailing will begin!

It continued to rain overnight and this morning we woke up to overcast skies.

Diana and I decided we needed some fresh veggies and fruit. We walked to Hannaford's where we were like kids in a candy store! The "few" things we needed to buy turned into each of us filling a grocery cart. Good thing the store unlocks the carts and allows boaters to take their purchases to the dock via the carts. There is a return spot for them at the Welcome Centre where the grocery store employees come to collect them. Great system! You tend to buy more because you know you don't have to carry them. Our trip included crossing the first bridge constructed over the Hudson River.

By the time we returned to the boats the sun was breaking through the clouds and the humidity was on the rise, with not a hint of a breeze. It got quite warm.

In the afternoon we sought out shade in the park next to the dock. Fellow sailors, Rob and Serena aboard Vita, a Bayfield 29 from Trenton, had caught up with us the night before. (This was the couple we were playing leap frog with coming through the Erie.) The six of us (including Gilbert and Diana) sat under the trees sharing stories and dreams. It was a tough afternoon but hey somebody had to do it. The three Canadian boats were docked one after the other and a sailor from Chicago commented that the Canadian Navy was here! A few days ago and further up the canal the Canadian Air Force made an appearance, yes we saw flocks of Canadian geese!

It felt good to take a break from traveling. However tomorrow we plan on leaving Waterford and head to Castleton on Hudson where hopefully we can step our masts within the next couple of days.

Sunset over Waterford, NY.

Today was a sleep in day and a down day. We decided not to travel besides it was our first day of bad weather. It had rained during the night and off and on all day. Temp was warm though.

On our second last trip to Costa Rica we met a couple from the Albany area. We told them of our plans to travel south with the boat and they told us when we were in the Erie Canal call them and we would get together. Well we did! They picked us up at the boat, took us to their house for lunch, offered us use of their laundry facilities, took us shopping and then invited us to stay for dinner. How could we refuse? The least we could do was ask them to come aboard for an evening drink which they accepted when they dropped us off. We talked about our and their travels since our meeting in Costa Rica and made tentative plans to maybe hook up in Puerto Rico this winter. Thank you Janyce and Steve for a wonderful day! Your warmth and hospitality were greatly appreciated.

Janyce, Steve and Kim.

Janyce, Steve and Jorge.

Although the Skipper Bob's book said Lock 8 was noisy with train and highway traffic, we found it quite quiet. The sound of the dam drowned out the noises. We slept soundly.

The "low" high dock.

 

We pulled away from the lock wall at 0900 and met Diana and Gilbert at the end of the island as they were pulling anchor. It was another gorgeous day, ditto to the previous. Lock 7 was uneventful. There was more boat traffic, homes and towns along this part of the canal making the day much more enjoyable. However there were still a few dead heads to watch out for but nothing like the previous two days.

 

Locks 6 to 2 as well as the Guard Gates 1 and 2 were extremely close together and took no time locking through as they knew we were coming and were open. I must say the lock staff have been very friendly and accommodating however they do NOT help with grabbing the lines or aiding in tying up. You are completely on your own.

 

We finished Lock 2 and tied up in Waterford. We grabbed the first available spot on the wall only to discover it was reserved for tour boats and had to move. We then tied up in the shade of the bridge only to find out that people on the bridge throw their butts over which tend to land on the boats tied up below. One boat had a hole burned in their bimini. We then moved the boat away from the bridge and secured the lines for the third time around 1400. Ok, liking where we were, we finally had lunch.

 

We registered at the Welcome Centre. Electricity was a one time price of $10 for as long as you stayed. Washroom key for after hours was $10 with $5 returned at the end of your stay (showers included) and the 48 hour maximum stay was well, not enforced. We chatted with the volunteer and some other boaters and then scouted out the town. Diana and I found the laundromat and ice cream store. We found the diner for eggs and toast for $2 the following morning and then proceeded walking with the guys to the bridge leading to Troy (and the grocery store). We returned to the boats. Jorge and I chatted with a couple from Maine, now on a trawler but he previously had been a sailor. It was a Monk 36. (Bob and Rett, if you decide on power, this is the boat for you.) Lovely boat and lovely couple! They gave us some good pointers on a book for tides aand currents and a lady on another power boat gave us a good website for currents. The locals are a wealth of information!

 

Jorge and I continued with our plans of celebrating completing the Erie Canal by dining out. McGreivey's, about 2 blocks from the dock, supplied a wonderful meal of calamari, fresh buns, main course scampi, salad with chicken and a bottle of wine for $60. This trip so far has not been kind to the waistline or liver!

 

Back to the boat and ready for bed by 2130. Not sure how long we will stay here (it sure is inviting) but looking forward to putting the mast up and getting on with what we set out to do - sailing! 

A barge picking up deadheads from the Erie Canal.

Another gorgeous morning albeit a tad cool. We had the furnace on for a bit just to take the chill off. Canajoharie was not quite as peaceful as we wanted, the trains did run all night complete with whistles! Oh well.

We left at 0900 and covered a lot of ground (water) today doing about 37 miles. I am using statutory miles according to the Skipper Bob books, you do the math. At the town of Amsterdam we stopped at a marina as we were informed there were showers there. Unfortunately they were not for transient boaters but the owner took pity on us when he got withing smelling distance and let us use the facilities! LOL.

The weather has again been wonderful. Blue skies, calm water, light winds and temperatures into the mid 20s. Actually the sun still has quite a bite to it when standing on deck locking through.

We were planning on only doing 32 miles today and stopping at Lock 9 but because of flood damage the lock was not offering overnight docking, or any kind of docking for that matter. We pushed on another 5 miles stopping on the east side of Lock 8. There was a high wall and a higher wall to stop at, obviously built for barges. Jorge and I picked the high wall, the lesser of two evils, but still tricky. We tied up but Gil and Diana opted to anchor around the island just to the left.

It was a full day but tomorrow we have only 23 miles and 6 locks to do until we finish the Erie Canal arriving at the town of Waterford on the Hudson. Jorge and I plan on celebrating this accomplishment by going out for dinner. I think we will stay a couple of days in Waterford as we will have put approximately 100 hours on the engine since leaving HYC so it will be time for some maintenance.

Captain Jorge navigating the Erie Canal. That's right, in front of the helm, looking between the dodger and the bimini and not on auto! (It was a pretty straight run.)

CS'ta Time and Serenada in Canajoharie, NY.

The day started great and lasted. We left Herkimer around 1000. The skies were again blue, winds mostly calm and temperature warm. Our first lock was #18. At this point, we had wind from the stern and port. We have become very good at locking up on the port side with little wind so this lock gave the captain a bit of grief! We quickly recomposed ourselves and locked through on the starboard side without any troubles. The second lock was at Little Falls (actually a 44' lock - not so little). It is the highest lift lock on the Erie Canal and the exit gate is lifted above the water and boats. One sure hopes the chains hold, it could be like a guillotine coming down! We did two more locks and tied up at a dock in Canajoharie, doing almost 26 miles today.

The dock master and his son (about 10) at Canajoharie were quite amazing. They caught our lines and then proceeded to explain everything about the community. The little guy took my recycleables to the garbage, the dad offered to drive Diana and me to the grocery store and back (we did take him up on his offer) and the little guy carried my groceries right to the boat! They were both very polite and quite proud of their town as they pointed out and explained all the local points of interest as we drove by them. Definitely the most hospitable town we have come across. The dad would not take any money for gas but I did manage to get the son to take a few dollars for an ice cream.

We had some visitors to the side of the boat during supper. They were scrounging for food. Jorge obliged and tossed them some crumbs.

Jorge and I took a walk after supper to an old house. The dock master had explained to Diana and me that it had belonged to the man who invented the Pullman sleeping coach for trains. It would have been quite the showpiece in its time but now it looked like the perfect haunted house.

Canajoharie is a little town of only 2500 people however it is a busy spot. I-90 is on one side of us and the train tracks on the other side, joined by the town bridge just off our bow. Hmmm, let's see how much sleep we get!

Canal at Sylvan Beach, NY, this morning.

 

 

We left Sylvan Beach at 0900. Our first stop was just the other side of the bridge for fuel and water. The marina was closed however both boats had enough of both to get us through the day.

 

We motored ALL day, doing only four locks but traveled some 42.5 miles. For the most part the canal was nothing but a ditch of water lined with trees. There were many dead trees reaching into the water from both shores with many, many branches of all sizes floating and again many, many deadheads. The water was quite muddy making visibility of all the debris quite difficult. And I thought dodging the mooring balls in Prinyer's Cove was challenging. Jorge commented the only thing missing in the water were the crocs! Having said all that, there was dredging occuring along the canal so maybe that stirred things up.

 

We stopped at Ilions Village Marina for fuel and water shortly after 1600. We used the facilities for hot showers and then decided to continue another 1.5 miles to Herkimer which promised to be an adequate sized community. We had had a bit of rain just after we fueled up with the skies threatening more. We were making the short run to Herkimer when the heavens opened up, complete with thunder and lightening. We docked in the rain and, of course, the storm passed shortly after we docked. Second shower of the day (some days we don't get any).

 

We met a couple in Sylvan Beach in a sailboat traveling from Trenton to the Bahamas. We were playing leap frog today with them. They left before us this morning. We passed them when they stopped to visit a town and then they caught up with us while we were fueling up and showering. I imagine there will be a lot of this going on during our trip.

 

We have traveled just about half the distance of the Erie Canal that we have to do and are now heading "down the locks". NYC here we come!  

Phoenix, NY

Dockside at Phoenix, NY

South of Lock 8, Oswego, NY

Before leaving Phoenix, NY this morning Jorge took advantage of the water dockside to wash down the deck and I took advantage of the electricity to vacuum the inside of the boat. CS'ta Time looks a bit better now.

Phoenix has a wonderful summer program for kids called Bridge House Brats. Youngsters from town volunteer at the dock, taking orders for the nearby restaurant, serving free coffee, watering the plants and I guess doing general clean up of the park. Good way to keep the kids busy during the summer, out of trouble and learning some responsibility.

We left Phoenix at 1030. Three Rivers (the junction with the Erie Canal) was only 3 miles away. I was leading the way and turned right at the junction instead of left, heading towards Syracuse instead. Oops, not paying attention. Diana radioed wanting to know who the drunken helmsperson was! We did our first lock (Lock 23) on the Erie Canal around noon. A few miles later we were at Lake Oneida. The weather had been excellent all morning. As we entered the lake there was a very minute increase in wind and waves but by the time we got to the middle of the 20 mile long lake it was dead calm with not a whisper of wind and the sun was hotter than ever. Good thing for the bimini/dodger. The trip across the lake was about 3-1/2 hours at 5.5 knots. It was a pretty straight run. We engaged auto and had a very relaxed crossing. We tied up at the docks just inside the canal on the east side of Lake Oneida, a very busy spot. A mini Wasaga Beach. Jorge and I got an ice cream then scouted out the town.

When we arrived back at the boat, supper was a plan B. The temp at one store said 91F so pasta was definitely out of the question. Nothing was defrosted so it was raw veggies with hummus, couscous salad and get this, tofu dogs! My saving grace was asparagus wrapped in proscuitto with balsamic vinegar on the bbq.

After dinner, when it was dark, we walked to the beach area and used the outdoor showers (the ones supplied for showering off when coming out of the lake). The water was cold but clean and refreshing. We then walked back to the grocery store which we had located earlier in the day. We only had to buy a few things and Jorge wanted to try some dos equis (Mexican beer). Can you believe it, he got asked for ID. Apparently they ask everybody who buys liquor for ID.

The docks have certainly quieted down since earlier today and the boat traffic is nil making the water quite calm. Appears we will have a peaceful night after all.

I'm back as promised.

Shopping on Sunday and Monday in Oswego was a lesson in frustration. Gilbert and Diana and Jorge and I set out to buy phones and data packages for internet for our computers. While the staff at the three stores we visited were pleasant, they were not helpful as it seemed no one understood what packages their companies offered! We both ended up buying from Verizon but the process took us 3 hours on Monday to get the phones activated and our computers set up. The internet worked fine yesterday and earlier today but both of us were having problems accessing it tonight. Jorge finally called Verizon support and got our problem solved but sure what is happening with Gil and Diana.

Today we left Oswego at 0900. The people there were wonderful. Everyone we spoke with went out of their way to help us, give us advice or give us directions.

We finished the locks in the Oswego Canal, arriving on the south side of Lock 1 in Phoenix, NY, by about 1430. Pump out was free but the water was not potable. Electricity at the dock. No restrooms or showers. The park beside the dock was beautiful with muskoka chairs (making us feel right at home), big shady trees, gorgeous flowers and a wonderful breeze (it had been a hot day). We had a few cool beverages in the shade of the trees and visited with a couple new to power boating.

There are 3 miles left in this canal before we hit the junction with the Erie Canal then 160 miles east and 23 more locks to the Hudson. We're going to be pros at doing the locks! They have been quite slimy in this canal and I am certainly glad I bought special gloves for the occasion.  We are not sure if or when we will head out tomorrow or how many miles we will even do if we do head out. It might take us the two years to reach Florida at this pace.

Pictures will follow when we learn how to transfer them from the new phone.

The alarm sounded at 0400. I was already awake and Jorge was already up. Were we excited about crossing Lake Ontario or what! We received a text from Gilbert and Diana, they were up shortly after us. We weighed anchor at 0500 as planned. Jorge was on the bow giving me directions to avoid the mooring balls and the few boats who did not put out anchoring lights. The water was calm, the night very dark and the air still. We motored for about an hour getting out of the cove and around Indian Point. The sun was beginning to rise and the day promised to be as expected. Then it happened! The engine began making a sound like it wanted to stall. I looked at Jorge accusingly, like what did he do. There was a moment of total disbelief between the two of us. Then it happened again! We immediately cut power and radioed Gil and Diana to inform them that we had a problem. At lower RPMs the engine appeared to be okay but then it sputtered at that RPM as well. We changed hats, Jorge becoming the master mechanic and me the gopher. Jorge ripped apart the quarter berth and the starboard lazarette to gain access to the engine. He changed the primary fuel/water separator filter (which was already new). The diesel looked clean and everything appeared fine. We restarted the engine but the sputtering happened again and again. After a brief discussion with Gilbert and Diana, we decided to head towards Kingston to search out a mechanic. By this time, Jorge was thinking it was an electrical problem. Okay, he had to gain access to the port lazarette (aka the basement). We had not put away anything from the quarter berth or starboard lazarette so you can imagine the stuff strewn about the boat! It looked like an explosion had taken place. The first thing Jorge checked was the connection for the oil pressure sensor. He found it had become loose. (Joanne Scharf warned us that “everything shakes loose“.) A tightening of the connection fixed the problem and all was well! The engine purred like a kitten at every RPM to 2500. We radioed Gilbert and Diana to let them know we had found the problem and corrected it. We changed course and headed towards Oswego again. We had lost about an hour but poor Jorge aged about 10 years in that time. It was a sickening feeling to have the mast and sails down and engine problems just as we were facing Lake Ontario but it was reassuring to know that Gilbert and Diana were close by.

The winds picked up by late morning and the waves increased in size as well. By the time we had reached the middle of Lake Ontario there were even a few white caps. The prediction was for 4 to 6 knots and waves less than 0.5 meter. The winds were probably slightly higher but the waves were roughly 1 meter. There was a definite difference in the waves from Lake Simcoe, coming much further apart and I am sure once we reach the ocean we will see another difference.

We averaged close to 6 knots an hour during the crossing, arriving in Oswego around 1430. Check in with the Nexus card was uneventful. We tied up at the wall before the lock and had a congratulatory drink of fine scotch on CS’ta Time with Gilbert and Diana. We made it! We then went through the lock and tied up on the other side for the night. Diana and I went in search of showers and found them near Wright’s Landing Marina, about a mile away. Well worth the walk! We sat on Serenada, continued with congratulatory drinks, and finally decided to order a pizza (neither Diana nor I were much into cooking).

Jorge and I retired around 2130. We were asleep before our heads hit the pillows.

(It is Monday and we are at Verizon, trying for the 4th time to get internet and phone service. It is a jungle out there!)
 

The wind calmed overnight, the anchor held and we slept in!

We dinghied over and picked Diana and Gilbert up. Jorge rowed us to the marina where we had a picnic lunch and stretched out legs. Diana and I powered walked for a full 20 minutes in rural . . . well I'm not sure what the area is called, maybe Prinyer Point. The guys visited with another CS36 owner in the marina.

Jorge rowed us back to the boats. Boy if this keeps up, he is going to be either buff or dead. :) We (but I use that term loosely) secured the dinghy, tightened the straps holding the mast, checked engine fluid levels, checked fan belts, etc. before tomorrow's departure. The weather window is still looking good for leaving at 0500.

We also used the generator for the first time today to top up the batteries.

After dinner a couple rowed over to our boat and chatted about our upcoming trip. They used to work 6 months here and then sail for 6 months in the Caribbean for a number of years, now they just sail here in Canada. They said it was wonderful and wished they were younger to be able to do it again!

I just poked my head out of the boat to listen to an owl hooting in the woods close to the boat. He was hooting last night as well. The cove water is like a millpond, so quiet, so peaceful, so beautiful! However Jorge was just chased inside by the mosquitoes while putting up the radar reflector (we have our first shipping lines to cross tomorrow).

This might be the last blog for a couple of days as we are cancelling our Canadian phone/data package and will be picking up a new one state-side. Not sure how or when things will resume but as Arnold once said "I'll be back." Stay tuned . . .

Jorge about to go fridge diving for a cool one

It was a late start today. We did not have to be out of the marina until 11 a.m. so we took advantage of it, besides we only had a 3 hour journey to get to our next anchorage at Prinyer Cove. We had warm weather and mostly sunny skies. I did a power walk (they seem to be getting shorter) into town and down an old residential street. The houses looked like mansions, on manicured lawns with gardens the colour of the rainbow. Beautiful!

Leaving Picton, the winds were again strong and waves about 3 feet but they were right on our stern, pushing us. The boats going into Picton though sure had it rough, pounding the waves. We arrived at our anchorage just before 2:30 and set anchor. The anchorage was quite busy with mooring balls all around appearing like land mines! The bottom was extremely weedy and we had to re-anchor a couple of times as we were dragging. Hopefully we are set now for the night.

Prinyer Cove (aka Grand Central Station)

 

Tomorrow is going to be a no travel day. Windfinder is predicting a good weather window for crossing Lake Ontario early Saturday morning. From this location, it is approximately 41 nm, at 5 to 6 knots, maybe 7 to 8 hours to Oswego. Jorge is planning on revisiting the securing of the mast, emergency VHF antenna, etc. tomorrow so it will still be a busy day. I'm wondering when we won't be busy! 

The wind continued strong all last night but the anchor held well. There were four sailboats in our anchorage and I am happy to say no one appeared to have dragged anchor and all slept well (on our boat at least).

We left the anchorage at 9 a.m. We had overcast skies and cool temperatures. The first body of water we had to cross was called Big Bay. The wind was howling 20+ knots and the waves were probably 3 feet on the port just aft of amidships, not the best of conditions for traveling with the mast down. The crossing was only about an hour but what a way to start the morning, a shot of adrenaline in the morning caffeine! After an hour we were in a much narrow part of the waterway and the conditions greatly improved, not as much rocking and rolling! The sun was out by noon and the temperature warmed up. The rest of the trip to Picton was uneventful. We arrived in Picton around 1:30 and tied up at Tip of the Bay Marina. Electricity and water at dockside, washrooms and hot showers on the property. We all took advantage of the showers and Diana and I walked 5 minutes to a laundromat. Clean bodies, clean clothes and clean bedding, amazing how the simple things in life can make one so happy!
A high school friend of Diana's met us at the marina. Her and her husband were sailors but now own a trawler. They know the boating life and kindly offered their house for showers and laundry however we declined as those facilities were at the marina. We did though take them up on chauffeuring us to the grocery store and the LCBO as well as dinner. A lovely couple with delightful boating stories.

The weather window is looking good for crossing Lake Ontario late Friday evening/early Saturday morning. We are hoping on traveling only about 2-1/2 hours tomorrow and getting to Prinyer Cove, setting anchor and waiting for the weather.

CS'ta Time at Tip of The Bay Marina, Picton 

For the most part, today was another gorgeous day. I did a slightly shorter power walk this morning before the locks opened. Have to get my exercise in whenever I can! We went through the remaining six locks with Serenada and a large power boat uneventfully. Hallelujah, we made it through! I must say, the staff have been awesome, making up for the cutbacks imposed by the government. And the locks were not as gross as I expected.

We reached Trenton at noon and entered the Bay of Quinte. At this time, we were being chased by a rain storm. The wind and waves were beginning to pick up. The storm hit us just before we reached Belleville. We slowed down and let the storm pass before entering the marina where we fueled up. After tying up on the "outside wall" we walked to the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club (motor and sail). We thought of staying the night but they were not able to accommodate us with the masts down, besides they wanted to charge us as well. A sailor from the BQYC kindly advised us of a couple of anchorages in the area, one of which we were already entertaining.

On the way back to the marina we stopped at a restaurant for drinks and appetizers. We then walked back to the marina and set off. The wind was quite strong, around 20 knots, but from behind pushing us towards the anchorage so the traveling was relatively comfortable. We dropped the hook around 6 p.m. in a nice little bay about 40 minutes east of Belleville, between Massasauga Pt and Horse Pt.

Tomorrow we are hoping to make it to Picton.

 

That's me, locking through the Trent. Take note Cath, no bikini!

We arrived at Frankford (lock 6) around 3 p.m. This lock came with water and electricity at the wall but the highlight was found in the park opposite the lock, real showers! With unlimited hot water! Ahhhh, the cruiser's life. After making ourselves presentable, we walked into town and had dinner in a restaurant to celebrate our first week's adventures.

Tomorrow we hope to leave at 9 a.m., do the remaining locks and enter the Bay of Quinte in Lake Ontario.

 

The four amigos after cleaning up.

Today we had a late start. The locks opened at their normal time but the operators started moving boats from lock 8 to lock 10 and then back to lock 8. Once at lock 10, they also had to do dam management so it was 11 a.m. before we were able to enter the lock. That was okay, no alarm and we were able to sleep in. Diana and I power walked for 20 minutes this morning, it has been hard to work the cardiac program into my schedule.

It was a pretty uneventful day. The scenery and weather conditions remained the same as the last few days. We have been blessed with excellent conditions.

We saw two white swans on Murray's Marsh (Trent River/Canal) before Glen Ross Lock (lock 7). They were gorgeous, swimming lazily among the lily pads. There were also an abundance of bull rushes and lily pads with white lilies on this leg of the trip.

The Kawartha Voyageur also passed us early this afternoon. That was about the only traffic we encountered, even the fishing boats were substantially less.

 

 

 

Lock 10 - Hague Reach

 

Sunset at Rice Lake last night

 

 

We left the Rice Lake anchorage at 8:30 a.m., on schedule and arrived at Lock 18 (Hastings) a few minutes after 9. We had planned on doing 11 locks today but got held up at Lock 10 around 3 p.m. The staff were operating locks 10, 9 and 8 and we had just missed them on their way to Lock 9. They had to take boats from Lock 10 to Lock 8 and then bring boats back to Lock 10 that had been waiting at Lock 8. Time-wise we could have gone through Lock 10 but no further and we were advised this was the best lock to stay at. It had been a long day with lots of locks so it wasn't too hard to stop.

Scenery and weather conditions were a repeat of yesterday. An easy supper of pizza and beer.

Ok, yesterday's excitement continued into last evening and night. After the locks had closed, a couple in a 25' (?) powerboat tied up behind us on the wall. Because they were late in arriving and did not call ahead to say they were coming, no washroom key was left for them. They asked to borrow ours and returned it without even a thank you. First thing that irked Jorge. Next they asked if we had a spare Coleman fuel cannister, no we didn't. Next they asked if they could "share" the washroom key with us during the night. We didn't think that was a good idea because if any damage was done, we felt we would be held responsible. That caused friction. Before retiring for the night, we used the washroom facilities and asked them if they wanted to use them at the same time. He declined. At some point they knocked on Serenada's hull and asked Gilbert if he had a key. He wisely said no. We were in bed and the boat was in total darkness when the guy knocked on our hull at 11:15 p.m. and demanded to borrow the key. Well . . . a heated exchange of words took place with Jorge finally calling the police. They arrived, took Jorge's story and then went to see the guy in his boat to advise him to leave us alone. The guy was still belligerent this morning. We spoke to the lockmaster and were advised we did everything right.

Previous to all this, a crew member from the Island Princess III (a Peterborough dinner tour boat) visited and brought us a rhubarb/strawberry pie. Nice guy!

We left the lock this morning at 9 a.m. The 3 hour trip to Rice Lake was peaceful, the scenery spectacular with green all around us, even the water looked olive green. Cottages and boathouses dotted the landscape. We passed many, many small fishing boats and I have perfected the royal wave!

We entered Rice Lake just after the noon hour. Winds were light, waves were small and sky was blue albeit the temperature was a bit cool. We were told Rice Lake could be like Lake Simcoe, nasty at times if the wind was from the wrong direction. Everything was favourable though. We stopped at Lang's Resort. Originally we had decided, with Gil and Diana, to anchor in that area but because we had made such good time we pushed on for another half hour or so and then set anchor in very muddy and weedy bottom.

Dessert and after dinner drinks are planned on Serenada.

We left Burleigh Bay at 7:30 a.m. heading for Peterborough. It was a calm although somewhat overcast morning. As we were approaching Young's Point Lock, there were some swimmers crossing the lake from a nearby camp. We were greeted by a small motorboat accompanying them advising us of their crossing. Interesting!

The next lock was Lakefield. When Jorge and I entered the narrows heading towards the lock, there was an extremely excited young boy on the canal walkway. We thought he had caught a fish. We then noticed two bicycle helmets in the water. We were well past the area when we realized there were two people in the water. People on shore were running towards them. Jorge and I looked around for ladders but there were none in the canal and the walls were quite high. We started backing up to assist (too narrow to turn around) as we were the only boat in the canal. By the time we got back to the people, a little girl had been plucked out of the water by the bystanders and the grandfather (we presume) was being held by his arms by two men. He was so exhausted he could not even reach for the lifesaver we had thrown him, let alone swim to our stern ladder.  A policewoman arrived and threw him a life jacket but he was unable to grab that as well. Happily between the two men and the policewoman they were able to pull him up onto the canal walkway.  At the lock, we were informed that they were being taken away by ambulance but both seemed okay. It appeared the little girl lost control of her bike and went into the water. The grandfather must have jumped in after her and the grandson was the excited boy on the walkway.

Just outside of Nassau Mills Lock we bumped over something and coming out of the Peterborough Lock we touched the bottom again! Actually during the first five locks on our departure day, we touched bottom three times and we temporarily got stuck in the mud at Kirkfield and we only draw 4'11", however we are fully loaded. I wouldn't want to do this trip too much later in the season. I guess we have to drink all the wine on board to lighten the load!

We tied up at the lock wall at Scotts Mill, the last lock in Peterborough. Diana and I walked to No Frills (26 minutes one way, at a fast pace) while Jorge and Gilbert enjoyed the picnic table and beverages dockside. The lock operators at the three locks in Peterborough were wonderful, very helpful with a great sense of humour. One even offered Diana and me his Harley to go grocery shopping but didn't think our boating license was adequate to drive it. Darn!

All in all, too much excitement for one day. We have decided boring is good.

Jorge at Buckhorn Lock.

 

I am smarter tonight than last night and able to post some pictures. However for some reason, the blog only lets me put one picture on per post. How annoying! Maybe tomorrow I will be smarter yet.

 



Today, August 8th, we pulled anchor at 9 a.m. and headed to Buckhorn Lock. No thunderstorms overnight. No Jorge getting up to check things. The conditions today were wonderful. Blue skies over the lake, white billowing clouds over the land, temperature around 27C and only a ripple of waves on the water.

So far, for the most part, Gilbert and Diana have taken the lead and today was no exception. They set the pace and we are quite happy to follow at a safe distance just in case they miscalculate. That gives us plenty of time to avoid their mistakes. Besides that, better them than us dealing with the insurance company! They are good navigators and have not led us astray yet. 

We reached Buckhorn Lock at noon, stopped and had lunch before going through the lock. Gilbert and Diana got called into the lock before us and we were left behind due to lack of room. We caught up with them two locks later at Burleigh Lock. We decided to call it a day and anchored in Burleigh Bay just on the other side of the lock at 4 p.m. We had a quick "bath" in the bay then Gilbert and Diana joined us on our boat for drinks and munchies. They rowed back to their boat and I prepared supper. The plan is for an early start tomorrow and try to reach Peterborough.

CS'ta Time at Buckhorn Lock.

 

I guess I shouldn't blog when I am tired. I was in such a hurry to post something about our first day "at sea" I neglected to say how touched Jorge and I were about the number of people who showed up at our early morning departure. Not only did people staying on their boats send us off but many people drove from their homes to the club to see us off! It was quite emotional and very much appreciated.

We had a terrific thunder, lightening and rain storm last night. Jorge did his normal checking of the situation and discovered some water coming in where the mast normally sits but other than that we were snug as bugs in a rug. We pulled anchor late in the morning and only did three locks today. Fenelon Falls welcomed us with another rain storm just as we were entering the locked. Even though I had my rain jacket on, the rest of me got soaked. We should have taken advantage of the downpour and got out the bar of soap and washed. Wouldn't that have given the locals reason to talk!

We stopped at the dock just past the lock in Bobcaygeon to do the tourist thing. We browsed in stores, ate ice cream and checked out the lock from the terra firma side. Beautiful and quaint town.

We anchored on the north side of Big Island outside of Bobcaygeon. We rafted with Gil and Diana, had appetizers and drinks on their boat and waited out another thunder and lightening storm to pass. Although we had lots of rain during the day, the traveling was not too stressful.

Tonight promises to be quiet and calm, good because we are still catching up on our sleep. 

(I'm technically challenged and tonight I am having trouble getting pictures to transfer, hopefully tomorrow I will be smarter.)

On August 3rd, HYC held a send off party for the "Pirates of the Caribbean". Three boats are leaving HYC this summer to venture into the unknown (to us) waters of the south, Blair and Edith Gyde on Kind of Magic, Gil and Diana Duquette on Serenda and Jorge and me on CS'ta Time. The clubhouse patio was alive with members socializing, (eating and drinking to be more accurate!) It was a great time.

 

Note the picture of the pirates in the background on the post,

Gil and Diana, Jorge and Kim.

 

 

Here we are with CS'ta Time ready for the adventure.







 
After a week of enjoying lunches and suppers with friends and family, we were ready to leave, on schedule on August 6th. We had to leave. Jorge was complaining if we stayed longer and continued to be wined and dined, he would need a new liver! We left HYC at 7 a.m. The trip across Lake Simcoe could have been better. There was a lot of wave-action and higher than anticipated wind but once we were along side Thorah Island the water calmed and remained so for the rest of the day. We traveled through the first six locks of the picturesque Trent-Severn and onto Balsam Lake where we found a nice anchorage.  It was an early night, the months of working on the boat had taken their toll!