Month: July 2019

Thursday we entered Lake Erie and planned to travel to Dunkirk.  When we left Buffalo, we saw a number of the University of Buffalo women’s crew team practicing.  As we traveled along, we noticed a number of walls that highlighted their achievements through the years.  I guess when you practice in rough water, you develop great skills.

This was not a pleasant ride – wind and waves – that we learned is not that unusual for Erie. Peter declared it “his” Worst Day on the Water, EVER!  Arrived at the marina, Holiday Harbor (formerly known as Chadwick Bay).  The marina had recently been sold so there was much construction and noise. We connected again with Selah Way who we initially met in Fairport. They were on the city dock and were considering moving elsewhere. The weather for the next few days wasn’t going to cooperate so we walked over to the Dunkirk Yacht Club to inquire about moving there for the next day or two until the weather was better to travel to Erie, Pa.

The yacht club could not have been more inviting. They found space for all three boats even though their water level was 28″ higher than usual. In addition, they immediately invited us to their share-a-dish get together that evening. Peter had an extra burgee from our club and presented it to their commodore who in turn gave him one of their burgees. The two days we spent in Dunkirk were very pleasant even though the weather wasn’t.

We left Dunkirk and planned to travel to Erie and stay for one night. Bahama Voyager decided to anchor out that night but we made reservations at the Presque Isle Yacht Club, a recommendation from a number of members from the Dunkirk Yacht Club. Once again the Erie was windy with rolling waves, another rocky ride. Our boat continues to be bringing up the rear. It will be nice to finally get the leaking shaft fixed permanently. The plan to do this is to wait until we enter the Detroit River since there are marinas that are accustomed to working on larger boats.

When we arrived at the entrance to the harbor, we saw Bahama Voyager outside the entrance with the Coast Guard.  He was boarded in a somewhat routine stop – we learned that they do 2-3 a day when we were boarded on our way to Shady Harbor.  It was not quite routine since they had lost power in both their engines and were drifting so the Coast Guard was curious as to what was going on.  Fortunately, one engine started again so we stayed close until they were released by the Coast Guard.  The engines were on and off again as they traveled to the anchorage – we offered to tow but they were able to move to an anchorage and were secure.  We then continued into the harbor to dock at Presque Isle Yacht Club.  Selah Away was already docked and left the marina to have dinner and spend the night with some old friends.

Presque Isle Yacht Club is a busy, active club.  There were a number of members who met us at the dock until they determined the best place for us to spend the night.  As with many clubs/marinas we have seen along this journey, they are experiencing high water and in places, the water is over the docks.  They moved us to the inside, near the clubhouse and we had a secure dock for the night.  I took advantage of the washing machine and caught up on laundry.  The club had undergone some recent renovations and I must say that they had the nicest restrooms and showers since the beginning of the trip.  The members were friendly, offered Peter a car to use if we needed it, etc.  Peter thanked him for his gracious offer and was told that members offer this to transients all the time.  

On Monday, we left Erie and weren’t sure where we would stop.  We looked at multiple options – I believe we had 5 or 6 earmarked – Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva, Fairport, Mentor – all dependent on the weather.  We started the day with good water, little wind and it looked like this would be a good day.  A few of the next days didn’t look promising so we wanted to make the most of the only day we had on Lake Erie that was nice so far.  Whenever we came close to one of the earmarked spots, we decided to continue.  Selah Away left about 1 1/2 hours after we did because of their visit with friends and didn’t think they could catch up.  We finally decided to continue onto Cleveland – an 82 mile trip taking us 12 hours.  Selah Away stayed in Mentor for the evening with plans to connect with us on Tuesday.  Finding a place to stay proved a challenge since most yacht clubs are closed on Mondays and a few other marinas did not have any slips.  However, Lakeside Yacht Club finally agreed to let us dock even though they were closed.  They advised that we would not have any assistance and I told them we were OK with that as long as they would provide the slip numbers we could use.  We were finally settled at 8:19pm, a very long day.

Tuesday was a recovery day.  Weather was not wonderful anyway so Peter took advantage of their pool and hot tub.  This is a large upscale yacht club with a restaurant, banquet hall, large bar, etc.  Reminded me more of a country club than the yacht clubs we have experienced.  We decided to spend another day since it was supposed to rain and we went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Science Center. We really enjoyed the Hall of Fame and their celebration of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock.  Word of advice – if it says “center” instead of “museum” it is designed as a hands-on experience for children.  When Peter visited the Science Center years ago on a business trip, it was a museum, things have changed.  There were many day camp groups visiting and lots of scientific activities for the children.  However, they did have a good exhibit on the Apollo Moon Landing’s 50th anniversary.

We will leave Cleveland tomorrow, again with a few possibilities but no reservations.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•  

July 4th was very quiet in Lyons – no fireworks and no activity around the lock. We spent a quiet day reading and planning for the next trip after our repairs on Saturday.

Friday was overcast and later in the day we had some rain. We walked into the town on the other side of the canal to pick up some provisions. As we walked, we saw a laundromat that wasn’t searchable (linked with a gas station) so I walked back later in the day and caught up on laundry.

One piece of good news: the parts came in later in the afternoon so the mechanic was able to pick them up earlier than expected so will be at the boat at 8am on Saturday. If all went well, we would be able to leave later that morning and head to Fairport.

Mechanic came and replaced the key and coupler on the shaft. Tested OK but he wanted to add a few locking washers and needed to get the right size. The plan was for us to leave and then meet him in a few hours at Mid Lakes Marine where he would replace the washers. This was also a 2 hour run to test the repair.

All was going fine until we got into Lock 28 and it starting to downpour – torrential rain. Of course we were already locking through so it was miserable. I do have to admit though that our foul weather gear continues to keep us dry. Perhaps I’ll write a review on the Lands End website telling them that I am pleased with my purchase.

Met the mechanic at Mid Lakes and he swapped out the washers. Told us to hang around until the rain stopped and then it should be an easy run to Fairport. We left once the rain seemed to have subsided.

Arrived in Fairport and were pleased that there were still a number of spots on their wall – a cute little town. We tied up east of the town at the quiet dock. We planned to spend two nights in Fairport to visit with a few of our daughter’s college friends who live in Fairport and Rochester.

The Greens met us Saturday after dinner since their kids insisted on taking us out for ice cream. The ice cream shop was packed and they had a nice variety. I was finally able to find my favorite – pistachio with real pistachios instead of the almonds that many companies now try to substitute. Peter ordered a small French Vanilla cone but the girl behind the counter kept loading ice cream on the cone. Needless to say, he had melting ice cream running down his hand. The kids laughed and the youngest kept repeating “that is not a small cone.” She had her share of melted ice cream also – on her clothes, flip-flops and body!

On Sunday, the Brightfuls came to visit from Rochester. Their girls loved the boat and were ready to move in…as was their father. Lots of questions about what type of boat is best for the Loop, how much experience and planning is involved, etc. A family of potential boaters.

On Monday, we left Fairport and planned to travel to Brockport. Weather was good and we had contact from Bahama Voyager that they left Brockport and were heading to Albion. They took a quick look at the town and decided to move forward and go to Medina. We checked the mileage and continued so that we could catch up and have someone to travel with eventually on Lake Erie. Spent a night in Medina and traveled to the town of Tonowanda the next day.

Finishing our journey on the Erie Canal resulted in some interesting photos. There was one section that we passed that was dug by hand and it was solid rock. Another interesting spot was where the Erie Canal actually was over a road….look closely at the photo I posted. (For a better look, check out YouTube: https://youtu.be/HTGXdyK-Lo4) In addition to these sights, there was bike ride from Buffalo to Albany taking place and we saw a number of bikers along various parts of the canal – in groups, teams, and alone.

Tonowanda is very close to Niagara Falls so we took a little side trip – not by boat but by Lyft. I was the only one of four who had ever been to the falls and that was a brief visit during college-shopping with our daughter. The falls are magnificent and if you have never been, try to make this one of the items on your bucket list.

Wednesday we headed to Buffalo and the next travel day would then take us into Lake Erie. Bahama Voyager ordered some parts to repair his boat and had them delivered to the marina (there was a West Marine there too if other items were needed) so we stayed overnight so that he had time to finish his repairs before we entered Lake Erie. Next stop: first of our Great Lakes.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

*No WiFi for two weeks

We left Brewerton on Thursday in good spirits. The boat was not leaking and it looked as though the locks would be opening in a day or two. The Oswego Canal opened all their locks but Erie opened Lock 23 and continued to keep Locks 25-28 open but still no Lock 24. We decided to leave anyway and hang out on the free wall on the east side of Lock 24 with buddy boat, Bahama Voyager who had been there for close to a week. Since there are no services, we made sure to fill up with water at the marina and checked to see that we had enough gas for the generator. We had enough propane for cooking so we were good to go.

On the way to the lock, we saw another Manatee, named Manatee. This is rare. Kadey Krogen only made 99 of these boats (98 still in operation) and since we purchased ours in 2005, we have only seen two others, both on Rondout Creek. This one was a bit unusual as it had an orange hull. They are hull #62, built in 1987, the original owners. They have completed many different parts of the loop and this is their 29th looping voyage. Many modifications – not a standard dinghy but a 90hp engine on the towed dink and instead of a standard boom, one that is equipped to lift their motorcycle off the upper deck of the boat.

Friday arrived with no news about the locks so we will be staying in Baldwinsville another day. Took a walk around the town, went to the Visitor’s Center and ate dinner in the local B’ville Diner, a place we were advised not to miss if we stayed in Baldwinsville. The diner is old fashioned, with red vinyl seating and checkerboard tiles. It has a large menu of sandwiches, burgers, and home-styled cooking. Food was good and prices were reasonable.

Lots of discussion after dinner about the opening of the locks and we all awaited confirmation. During this time, we had a brief introduction to using the Navionics and AquaMaps apps on the iPad. This data is more current than the paper charts and will be a good back-up for the new Garmin since we can both be checking charts in the pilot house. Finally, we had confirmation that the lock would reopen at 7am on June 29th with a strict “No Wake, no more than 5mph between lock 24 and 25 ” – we could get through but it would be slow going. The plan was to leave in the morning but since Bahama Voyager wanted to spend a day on the west side of the lock to recharge, refill, and clean the boat after spending a week without services, we decided to spend the day with them so that we could travel west together.

We were the first boats through the lock when it opened in the morning. Wanting to make sure we would be able to secure services on the west side, we felt it best to leave early as a few smaller boats were arriving on the west side, docked and waiting for the big July 4th celebration next week. Baldwinsville was having a large fireworks display and a concert and we heard that many local boats dock and leave their boats until the event. Saturday was probably a bit early as there were only two boats docked so there was plenty of space with services. Another looper, El Tejon arrived on the west side of Lock 24 in the early afternoon. They have traveled before with Bahama Voyager so we all went out to dinner that evening – to the diner again since they hadn’t been there yet.

El Tejon left early the next morning as they were meeting family for the July 4th holiday and wanted to get underway. We left a little later, traveling with Bahama Voyager which proved to be the best scenario possible. Shortly before we reached Lock 25, we lost power – engine couldn’t seem to get into gear and there was no movement. At first, it seemed as though the prop was missing. Bahama Voyager rafted to us and started to tow us while we called SeaTow for assistance. Since SeaTow doesn’t operate in the Erie Canal, they were trying to make local connections for us. In the meantime, we traveled slowly west – we were a sight since we have an 13’8” beam and their catamaran has a beam of 17.5′. The lock master was called and advised that we could go through the lock, rafted. As we continued in this format, awaiting a phone call about a professional tow, they discussed other possibilities for the loss of power. Since the shaft was still turning while we were under tow, it was doubtful that we lost the prop. The idea that it may be the transmission since the engine didn’t seem to be going into gear seemed likely. Here, we started this journey with a NEW engine, NEW shaft & NEW prop and did not anticipate having any of these issues.

During this time, we made a number of phone calls to marinas/mechanics trying to find someone who would be able to work on the boat. The one closest to where we were going advised that he does not do that kind of work and that our boat was too big to be pulled out of the water in his marina (not what was posted online). When we left for this journey, the engine only had 12.9 hours. Hard to believe that this was happening. By the time we heard from SeaTow/TowUS, we were close to Lyons which was where we were planning to stop anyway, so advised them not to bother. Fortunately, El Tejon was there and was coordinating space for both of us. It was an easy enough docking but we still needed to locate a mechanic who would be mobile.

Once we were situated, the three captains had their heads in the engine compartment. The conclusion was that the key in the shaft was broken and this involved replacement of the key and possibly the coupler. While it could not be fixed immediately – parts and a mechanic would be needed – having the diagnosis was invaluable. They took a video, sent it to a few people – including the person who supplied the shaft and prop last year, and all concluded this was the problem. The search for a mechanic was first thing on the agenda for Monday morning.

Monday morning was spent on the phone. In addition to calling local marinas and mobile mechanics (which was proven inaccurate – never revised their postings), calls were placed to the two closest Harbor Hosts. The Harbor Host from Fairport, Dan Schwab, was able to give us a few leads and called a few people that he knew also. One of his leads led to a mechanic on contract to a local marina and he would be able to come to the boat and see what needed to be done. Unfortunately, it was going to take a day or two before he could come because of prior work commitments. The mechanic stopped by on Tuesday evening, took a look and agreed with the diagnosis. On Wednesday, he tried to get parts and also conferred with the guy at Propeller Works who had worked on our prop last week. With the July 4th holiday, it looks like parts would not be available until Saturday.

Took a small diversion and visited the Peppermint Museum. Lyons was once known as the peppermint capital of the world. There were many farms that grew peppermint, spearmint, and wintergreen. They were one of the largest exporters of peppermint oil for many years. They celebrate this heritage by hosting a three-day festival each July.

We spent a few quiet days on the Lyons wall – reading, walking and of course, laundry. The locks were quiet, only a few boats passed and we were alone on the wall.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•