Oswego Canal, Lock 1, Phoenix NY August 4, 2015

Annie left the dock at 5:55 AM this morning. We wanted to cross Lake Ontario when the wind and seas were at their minimum. Once we left the bay and entered the open waters we found that the left over waves from the previous winds were still significant - 3 to 4 foot waves. I took a video of the rolling, but was unsuccessful at trimming it down to a size Google liked. Kerry and Marty slept while I read a murder mystery. The trip to Oswego was 42 miles, much longer than the 34 predicted by the guide book. We arrived at 10:30. Kerry always gets our dock lines and fenders ready.

Jim arrived much earlier than we did, even though he left 1/2 hour after us. We were still 9 miles out when he radioed that he was tied up. At least I could be happy that his antenna worked from that range! Once in the harbor we tied up at a dock before the first lock. Kerry and Marty went to a grocery while I visited the canal office and bought our 10 day canal pass. This mural was painted on a building near the lock office. 

Suddenly Jim and I have developed problems. His is a vibration near his exhaust manifold, Mine is wet carpet on the floor into the V-berth. It happened for the first time when we went to Cape Vincent. I thought it was because we had water busting over the top of Annie. It was dry while we were in Sackets Harbor but got wet again today, and there was no water over the top. The leak must be internal. So, tomorrow while the ladies shop we will be problem solving, we hope.  

We had a lovely trip up the Oswego Canal. We did 7 locks and rose 118 feet from Lake Ontario. The Oswego locks are in very good condition. The trip up the Oswego River was beautiful. It was just liked the ones I watched on You-Tube. We went through rural areas and manicured lawn areas, with the river as flat and as calm as you could imagine. We are now ready to enter the Erie Canal where we will be on the rise again. We had planned to stop at Minetto, but did not even see it when we passed. Then we were going to stop at Fulton, but it turns out that their marketing department is much more developed that their facilities. Finally we stopped just south of Lock 1, in Phoenix. This place is very nice. It's a free dock with wifi, power and water, and it is lovely. I am told they are going to build restrooms too.

Marty strongly hinted that she wanted a frozen margarita, the house specialty. So, for the first time on this trip, we made margaritas and enjoyed them on Annie's upper deck.

The trip through the canal's 7 locks was really uneventful, and much easier than transiting the Welland. The lock rises went from 8 feet to 28 feet, while the Welland's locks rise 51 feet, and are much larger. Marty accepted the role of Cruise Director and read the guides we motored along.

 Marty also snapped some pictures during the transit. 

Slime on canal walls!

Tomorrow we think we will go to Baldwinsville, which would be our first major stop on the Erie Canal. We have about 167 miles to travel on the Erie Canal. Marty wants to visit Niagara Falls while we are in Tonawanda.