Western Erie Canal Map and 2024 Cruise Map

 

Summer of 2024 cruises

Western Erie Canal Trip 
Three Rivers to Tonawanda then back to Brewerton, NY

Our 2024 Cruise - starting from Jacksonville
The Triangle Loop and Western Erie Canal

September 27, 2024 All Good Things Must Come to an End. Done Cruising for 2024

 Thurs/Fri.  Sept. 26-27, 2024   Ess-Kay Marina to Winter Harbor Marina  .7 miles and .25 hours

Less than a mile westward and across the river from Ess-Kay Marina is Winter Harbor Marina.  Opted to put the boat up here as they have indoor heated storage, so no need to winterize any systems. Side benefit is no UV degradation for 6 months. Downside is no use of the boat for 6 months.  That's OK right now as we're ready to spend the holidays/winter season at our home in Savannah away from the cold and snow of up here.   In the spring the boat will be ready for us to start a new adventure - we're contemplating the Down East Loop for 2025. Another reason to keep the boat stored here for the winter - it saves us the trouble of going all the way down the east coast only to return all this way again next spring. Between the cost of that travel and dockage fees down south, the overall cost for storage up here (in "The Boat Spa" as it's affectionately called) is about a wash. 

Boats already hauled and waiting to be placed inside. 
Smaller local boats going in the racks have been slow
to arrive this year due to warmer than usual weather. 

Bldg. 1 is where As You Wish will reside. They have 2 of these buildings.

Interior of Bldg 1.  We're slotted for a space right in the center.

It's always interesting having the boat hauled at a new location.   We need to make sure they understand all the nuances of lifting the boat.  Very specific location for the rear lift sling so as not to damage the stabilizer fins or prop shafts.  We have a beautiful day for it.  Really nice change after a few days of on/off rain showers.  We specified a date to get hauled- Friday Sept 27.  No problem except they can't put us inside yet as all the smaller boats aren't racked up yet.  We're hauled, pressure washed and put on stands outside for a while.  Amazing how clean the bottom stays in fresh water with no barnacle growth. Bottom paint still looks great and inspection of the props showed no damage from that minor strike back in Pittsford.  

Slings properly placed - the lifting begins!

Wearing my "Winter Harbor Marina" T-shirt. 
SWAG from our first AGLCA Rendezvous.

Once the racks are filled, they'll start moving the big boats into the center bays.  We figure sometime early Oct. before we are likely to get moved in. Not as big a concern for that move as they'll be able to see the underside for a proper lift on their own.  Pretty impressive how they wedge all the boats inside.  We're scheduled to have good company with a 55' Fleming next to us based on their diagram.  We should get a pretty decent relaunch time around mid-May based on being in the center of the building.

Schematic to scale showing locations and sizes of boats 

While we can leave everything on the boat short of perishable foods, we opted to remove most all our clothes and a bunch of items we really didn't use/need.  Amazing but we loaded up a minivan to the hilt.  Stow and go seats receded to give us a flat floor and we were packed full. I swear the boat was riding 6" higher in the water. 

We have used those same 2 big green duffle bags since
buying our first boat back in the mid '80's

Packed side to side and top to bottom. 
Just enough space to see out the rear view mirror.

Looking forward to getting home.  Condo will have gotten a new paint job and survived 2 hurricanes without us. Let's hope that's the end of them for this year (or at least the worst of them).  Long ride to get home. Hurricane Helene damage required altering our route through NC and SC a few times which extended an already long drive.  Buying the condo seems to be the right decision for us.  While boating I rarely worried about it. And now that we're here, I'm sure we'll hardly worry about the boat knowing it's secured inside for the winter.  

Check back here next spring for our 2025 plans.   Until then - fair winds and calm seas.

Journey for Sept. 26, 2024

September 20, 2024 Completing the Western Erie with a return to Brewerton, NY

 Friday  Sept. 20, 2024  Baldwinsville to Brewerton  31 miles and 5.5 hours

Learned Apres Sail was also headed to Ess-Kay Marina in Brewerton. Other boats on the wall either staying or headed west.  We decided to lock through and travel together for the day. Quick call to the lockmaster at E24 and he had the lock filled, prepped and gates open.  Easy drop down.   Weather has been wonderful for days and today was another sunny and clear day.  Hot for up here this time of year as we keep reaching into the 80's.  Should be cooler in the lower 70's.  It continues to look more fall like with colors popping on the trees - just not feeling very fall like yet.   Pretty easy cruising all day.  Wide rivers - Seneca and then Oneida.   Some slowing down for docks and boats.   

Back to nice clean waters and scenic landscapes

Plenty of wildlife along the river including this pair of swans

We picked up a couple more boats in our group as we approached Lock E23.   We had been informed several days ago that the annual lock inspections were going on and we might experience occasional delays.   Today was the day.  Locktender informed us it would be a little while before he could get us through.   We could see multiple people walking around the locks - just couldn't figure out what they were doing.  Unusual as they normally operate with just 1 or 2 people.  Seems they needed to kill all the power for the inspections, do the inspections, and then reenergize everything.  Since we weren't sure how long the delay would last, we idled for a while.  As the delay dragged on we opted to head to the wall. Got tied up and of course within minutes the gates opened up.  Just how it goes sometimes. We got secured inside the chamber and celebrated our final lockage of the trip. 

Smart boaters tied to wall at lock 23 while waiting for inspection to complete.

Brewerton is located just off the shores of Lake Oneida - a pretty decent sized lake.   We have not been able to run the engines up to speed for weeks now and decided it was past due.  So, we drove past Ess-Kay and out onto the lake and ran the engines through their paces.  You can see us looping out on the lake on our map.  Everything went as hoped and expected.  Hit our normal speeds at 1400, 2000, 2400 and 2900 rpm's.  No unusual vibrations so still keeping my fingers crossed that little issue trying to reach the town wall in Pittsford didn't damage my starboard prop.  Back to Ess-Kay where we'll put the bimini cover and radar arch back up, give the boat a well deserved deep clean and start packing up. Ultimate plan is getting the boat hauled at Winter Harbor Marina and put in indoor heated storage sometime next week.

Bimini and radar arch back in position.

Journey for Sept. 20, 2024

September 19, 2024 Back to Baldwinsville

 Thurs. Sept. 19, 2024  Seneca Falls to Baldwinsville  38 miles and 5.5 hours

Out the 3 Cayuga -Seneca Locks with ease.   Lockmasters were great and had the chambers filled and gates open.  Glad for that as I was ready to get out of this canal.  Not sure why but the water on it was just nasty.   Green algae colored water, polleny film on top, lots of floating weed patches, etc.  Engine stainers will require a thorough cleaning once we get docked.   

Leaving the nasty water and idle speed flatlands of the CS canal behind

Unlike the western shortcut we took coming in from the Erie canal, we took the eastern route out which had less stress-inducing deeper water.   Back on the main Erie canal the water quality settled down, and we had another nice cruising day.  Weather here has really been outstanding for boating - especially as it's getting late into the season.  Just weeks now without a hint of rain, warn temperatures, and fall colors which continue to increase on the trees. 

Last time we stopped in Baldwinsville was a Monday and we had the wall to ourselves.    Bit of a change today.  Total of 6 cruising boats along the wall tonight.   One of them another gold looper called Apres Sail.  We had crossed paths with them during our great loop travels.  Odd how small the boating community can be at times that you cross paths with people at the most unusual times.    Atomic Smokehouse was open and had good reviews so gave it a try for dinner.  Pretty decent ribs, large portions and some unique sides (roasted brussel sprouts in a white cream sauce??)  Then it was Bingo night over at WT Brew so had to check that out. Good crowd - OK beer.  Luck was not on our side with any winning bingo cards. Glad we stopped here on a normal weeknight on our return trip.  Town definitely much more alive than our last visit when the highlight was visiting the long dead in the historic cemetery next to the dock wall.  

Journey for Sept. 19, 2024

September 17, 2024 We explore the final NYS canal Cayuga-Seneca

Tuesday Sept 17, 2024   Newark to Seneca Falls  33 miles and 6.5 hours

The NY State Canal system is composed of 4 canals.  The Erie Canal, Oswego Canal, Champlain Canal and the Cayuga-Seneca Canal.   We've now done the first three (some twice) and decided we might as well close out this trip by traveling all 4.  So opted to make Seneca Falls our next destination which is down the Cayuga-Seneca Canal.   Needed an early start as the trip required going through a full 7 locks.  Locks 28B, 28A, 27, 26 and 25 on the Erie.  Then locks 1, 2 and 3 on the Cayuga-Seneca.   

Entering Locks 2 and 3 on the Cayuga Seneca Canal. 
Taking us up 49' to Seneca Falls 

For the most part a pleasant travel day.  Locks were generally easy. All the Erie locks were simple drops which always go smoother than a lift - no turbulence from filling, just a gentle lowering.  Also helped the lockmasters were communicating our progress to each other.  Must have been a slow day for them as most were waiting for us with gates open.   The Cayuga Seneca is fairly short lengthwise.   And not the most enjoyable from our standpoint.   Started off by using the western cutoff heading onto the canal.   Shallow water dropping to less than 2' under the keel.   Then a mile of super slow going through really swampy water with a shoreline of houses built on flatlands barely above the water level.  The water itself was a bit too "green" for me - lots of weeds, algae and filmy surfaces.   We finally made it to Seneca Falls and got tied up to their free dock right aside the Welcome Center.  Couple of other boats there.  Good facilities - all free. 

Pushing through the water on the Cayuga-Seneca canal 

First order of business - Farmers Market.  Found out the town's market was held a block away on Tuesdays from 12-4 pm, so less than an hour until it was over.  Certainly not up to the Fairport standard but they did have a few vendors with produce and a nice selection of Mennonite baked goods.  Finished the day with a walk around the Womens Rights Park then over to Parkers Pub for some very tasty smoked wings and a happy hour priced beer.  Unfortunately, Fall Street Brewing (the only brewery in town) was temporarily closed as they're in the process of moving across the street into a new bigger venue.  Good for them - bad for me.

Some of downtown Seneca Falls.  Canal runs behind all these buildings

Fair amount to do here so spent a second day.    Did a walking self-tour of historic homes.  Pamphlet was a bit confusing, but they did a nice job outlining the various architectural styles and dates of the buildings.  The grandeur of some of these houses attests to the wealth that was once here. Also interesting that such a diverse range of architectural styles - from simple to very elaborate - were so popular in a relatively short time period.

Federal

Italianate

Gothic

Tudor

Two Second Empire style houses side by side

This was the carriage house for one of those houses

Followed that up with a tour of "It's a Wonderful Life" Museum.   Seneca Falls touts itself as inspiring the town of Bedford Falls in the movie.  Frank Capra visited the area during the writing of the script and appears to have incorporated some local lore into the movie.  In particular the use of names of surrounding towns, prominent local family names and the use of the famous bridge scene where Clarence jumps in the river followed by Jimmy Stewart to rescue him.  The bridge in town has a plaque honoring Antonio Varacalli who in 1917 jumped off the bridge to rescue a woman who had attempted suicide.  He was able to save her but ultimately drowned himself.  The town citizens placed a plaque on the bridge honoring him that is still there today which states "Gave his life to save another".   

"It's a Wonderful Life" Museum housed in old man Potters Bank Building??

Plaque on Bridge honoring Antonia Varacalli

Signs on road leading to bridge show Clarence St on one end
and Bedford Falls Blvd. on the other side 

The town museum is housed in the welcome center building.   Does a nice job explaining how the town and industry grew around the falls but also was impacted by the construction of the expanded canal and introduction of the railroads.  A dam had to be built to allow for the 50' lock drop. An area of town known as the flatlands, which contained many working-class houses and several industries, was flooded creating a lake. Like many canal towns, Seneca Falls had a thriving industrial base making everything from fire engines, to pumps, to foundry items, to textile knitting.  Interesting fact on the knitting mill.  Dating back to pre-civil war times, they only knitted wool.  Owner refused to knit cotton as it was dependent on slavery. 

The old knitting mill now houses the National Womens Hall of Fame 

Town is well known for the founding of the Womens Rights Movement but was also heavy into abolitionist and temperance movements. Very progressive prominent citizens for the times. Tourism seems to be the primary push now.  Finished the day with a walk on the sculpture trail which runs along the opposite canal bank.

A large heron stands guard over the canal. The edges on the metal feathers were sharp!

Gould Pumps was founded in Seneca Falls in 1848 and still operates a foundry in town. 

Trying to determine if this is discarded scrap or art.

 

Sunset in Seneca Falls

Journey for Sept. 17, 2024

September 15-16, 2024 Back for another visit - Newark, NY

Sunday Sept. 15, 2024   Fairport to Newark   20 miles and 3.25 hours

Slow Sunday morning but not in a big hurry as we'll only need a few hours for today's cruise.  Figured we would leave around 10AM.  About that time we heard radio chatter from some eastbound boats asking the bridge to lift.  Figured it made sense to fall in behind them so we could all go through the couple locks ahead of us together.   They had been having issues with the lift bridge since after our arrival on Friday and it refused to work again.  We waited a bit but finally decided we just had to go.  About 20 minutes after we left we finally heard the bridge tender saying he was ready to lift.   By then we were hoping we were far enough away the lock tender at Lock 30 wouldn't hold us up waiting for them.    It all worked out fine for us.  Lock was already filled when we arrived and tender simply needed to open the gates for us.    Got the same quick lockage at lock 29.   Made for an easy cruise to Newark.   We're back into more back river type cruising rather than cut in canal. 

Nice day, easy cruising, good scenery

Decided to make today's stop Newark.  We had stopped here for a quick pumpout going west and it looked like it might be a good stop returning.   Very accommodating town dock with power, water, bathrooms showers and laundry.  Best of all its all free.  Even had 50AMP power which is extremely unusual on the canal but was very welcome as we were able to run AC on this hot mid 80 degree day.    Checked out Runaway Blue Brewery hoping they might have the Jaguars game on a TV.  No luck with the game which may have been just as well since they lost.  Fairly limited beer offerings but it was nicely varied and pretty good.   Took a stroll through town - some nice older homes - to reach the Wegmans grocery store about a mile away. Then a nice return walk using the canal side trail. I always think our Publix is a pretty nice grocery store, but Wegmans takes it to another level.  Not many restaurants in town open Sunday night so dinner on board.

This pair of homes caught my attention.
.  Made me wonder if a father built identical houses for his 2 daughters.

Not sure what the significance of this was but it was an interesting detail

Decided to spend an extra day in Newark. Having A/C on these mid 80's days is nice.  Spent the morning visiting the Hoffman's Clock Museum housed in the town's library.  Was surprisingly fascinating. Augustus Hoffman was a successful jeweler in town and an avid clock and watch collector. He donated his collection to the town upon his death back in 1945. Fascinated to see some early American examples were made using all wooden parts including delicate hand-made gears.  Only one arm was used on the face with marks for each 1/4 hour.  Slower times when people needed a rough estimate of time - not living minute to minute like today. 

Collection of antique Grandfather Clocks.
 Most of these from mid 1800's or earlier

Martha being overwhelmed by all the clocks

Had to stay until father time rang the bell on this one. 
They keep most of the clocks wound and running

Very ornate antique French clock 

Detail of the inlay on the clock. 
Clockmakers made mechanisms but cabinetmakers made the cases

Spent the afternoon doing oil and filter changes on the engines.   Checked my maintenance log and last one was on May 17th back in Elizabeth City, N.C. We were just working our way up the east coast. That feels like an eternity as we've been to so many places since then.  We've been lucky with a lot of trouble-free miles under the keel in those 4 months.  No mechanical issues in the log book.  Replaced that vacuflush pump back in June, cleaned weeds out of strainers a few times, and added a few scratches on the hull.  Hope our good mechanical luck keeps holding out.

Journey for Sept. 15, 2024

September 13, 2024 Return stop at Fairport

 Thursday Sept. 13, 2024  Bushnell Basin to Fairport.   4 miles and .75 hours

We want to spend a few days in Fairport but know due to its popularity it can be tough to get a spot on their wall at times - especially on weekends.  The main summer boating season is winding down here so we're hoping we can get a spot with an early Friday arrival.  We phone the Main Street bridgetender around 10 who says there's currently a few spaces that will fit us.  Quickly, we cast the lines and head over.  The bridgetender welcomes us back to town as he raises the bridge and lets us through the last of the lift bridges we'll see.  Nice spot on the quieter south wall.  We're secured by 11 AM.   With plenty of time to explore, we check out the Tool Thrift Store.  All manner of donated used tools at a thrift store manned by senior volunteers with proceeds going to senior services. Saw a drill press, small lathe and scroll saw I would have liked to take home but instead settled for a like new short-handled hammer and a rubber mallet for $4 total.  

Checking out machinery at the Tool Thrift Store. 

Getting hot so stopped at Moonlight Creamery for a treat.  Dropped the tools off at the boat and took a walkabout. No historic downtown Main Street here on the south side. Sadly, a victim of 1970's urban renewal.  All torn down and cleared out for a parking lot and new Commons Building. At the time the thought was the old necessity shops (grocers, butchers, banks, etc) were no longer used or needed so had to go to make way for the new nicety shops (restaurants, salons, yoga studios, etc.).  Off the main street many of the older homes are still intact and being well maintained and worth the walk.  Wound up at Fairport Brewery for a flight. Housed in a 1930's vintage gas station.  Great repurposing of a building but not our favorite beers.  We've now sampled beers from 3 of the breweries in town having hit 2 others during our westward stop here. 

City Hall is one of the few remaining historic buildings on southside Main Street

Saturday morning had us visiting the farmers market.  One of the better ones we've seen.  Loaded with true farm produce that was surprisingly fairly priced.  Apples, pumpkins, squashes and mums on display as the fall crops come to harvest.  Still plenty of summer stuff.  Tomatoes looked amazing!!  And speaking of amazing, Amazing Grains Bakery talked us into a local favorite called Salt Bread. Good saleslady - "Most people buy two - pull one apart and eat it in the car then still have one for the family when they get home.".  We only got one, but it was pretty darn good!   

Apple season is here. Big variety. And all locally grown

Mums and pumpkins of all sizes and colors on display

Spent most of the afternoon relaxing. Then took another walk over the bridge to further explore the north side.  It was the more industrialized section of town.  Only real remnant of that is the old American Can Co. building which has been repurposed. They produced the first cans for packaging beer here.  Now houses several restaurants, breweries, and Iron Smoke Distillery.  Having sampled most of the breweries in town, we opted to try a flight of bourbons while listening to live music.  That cask strength 120 proof had a kick!

Premium bourbon sampler - Regular, Single Barrel and Cask Strength

Founders last name is Skully - hence the interesting logo

The very short Journey for Sept. 13, 2024