More pics.

Here are a few more pics.

1)Sailing!
2)Looking across the marsh at the Marina in Owen Sound.
3)The amphitheatre in Owen Sound. They hold all sorts of concerts here, but not on the day we were here.
4)Some folks take pride in their town. This is the approach to the bridge that leads from the marina to the town in Meadford.
5)Somewhere in there, among all the other boats, lies Walküre, safe and sound at Meadford.
6)The Breakwater at Meadford.

Ugh!

Well, we slept late this morning and glad we did. We had planned to sail up to Sidney Bay today. The weather forecast called for possible storms today, but Environment Canada is almost always wrong, so we planned to go anyway. But we slept late and woke up to a nasty looking sky. As I write this the wind is howling, the boats in the marina are bouncing and other boats are arriving seeking shelter from what looks to be a serious bit of weather. So here we sit in Wiarton waiting for it all to blow over.
In the mean time, here are a few more pics, and some notes on what they all are.
Yesterdays pics, top to bottom:
1)Looking past Whitecloud Island at the escarpment on the penninsula. This is part of the Niagra escarpment that extends hundreds of miles down into the US.
2)The sun sparkling off the waters of Georgian Bay. Note the angle between the horizon and the mast - we're SAILING!
3)Yours truly along the riverwalk in Owen Sound.
4)Downtown Owen Sound.
5)Sunset in Meadford.
6)Downtown Meadford.
7)Looking toward the town from the Meadford Marina.
8)Clear water - the rocks are 6 to 8 feet under the water.
9)Bev at the tiller.
10)Bev tending the lines on her very first lock.
11)Yours truly at the tiller, just leaving the dock at Driftwood.

Wiarton & Pics

We made it to Wiarton today and surprise! They have wi-fi at the dock so I will be able to upload some pics of the last few days. My last update was so rushed I couldn't even run spell check. The library at Owen Sound only allows a 30 minute session, so by the time I checked my email there was little time to do a proper blog update. Today is different.
As I said in the last update, we went to a play Saturday night in Meadford. It was really interesting and fun. "The Drawer Boy" (referring to a boy who draws) was the story of two Canadian WWII vets who run a farm in Ontario. When visited by a writer they come to terms with some secrets they've been keeping for 30 years. It was a local production by a local theatre company but it was very well written, and the performances were first rate.
Owen Sound is a pretty nice small city, one of the biggest communities we've encountered in a while. We did some shopping and took a long walk along the river in a very lovely park that the city maintains.
Our trip from Victoria Harbor to Owen Sound was quite eventful. We started out with a lovely morning sail, then ran into a strong headwind, forcing us to motor the rest of the way. At one point the wind was so strong it almost pushed us into a shoal, but we dropped the sails and motored off safely. The waves were breaking over the bow at around 2 meters (6+ feet) and the nose of the boat was buried a few times. The water overwhelmed the scuppers in the vent boxes, causing a good deal of water to ship aboard, soaking our shoes and some of our clothes stored a little too low in the closets.
We're all dried out now, and today we made our way from Owen Sound to Wiarton. This is a much smaller town, but at least here we have wi-fi.
For those of you keeping track, the total mileage for the trip is now at 673 n.m. We've crossed another meridian of longitude and we're now at N 44 degrees 45 minutes W 081 degrees 08 minutes. That's almost exactly halfway between the Equator and the Pole.
Enjoy the pics, we enjoyed taking them!
We continue to meet great people - John, Joyce-Lynn, Joyce, John, David, Judith & Paul, you know who you are.

Owen Sound & Meadford

Just a quick update today.
Bev and I traveled from Voctoria Harbor to Meadford on Saturday. It was a 50 mile haul but we made it. The wind was nonexistant so we had to motor most of the way, but we got there. No sooner did we get there but we found there was a theatre giving live performances and tickets were still available. So we saw a play "The Drawer Boy," which was interesting and fun.
Yesterday, we set out for Owen Sound. The first half of the day was glorious as we sailed all morning. By afternoon, we had made the turn into the sound, and the wind picked up and almost drove us onto a lee shore. We had to power off but made it safely. The waves were breaking over the bow. They said it was 1 to 2 meters, and I think it was at least that. I found out that I can't leave the vents open in seas like that as the waves overwhelmed the dorade boxes and water shipped in through the vents. Live and learn.
We made it safely to Owen Sound where there happens to be a Yamaha dealer. My propeller had taken a few hits during my trek through the canals so I had it straightened and bought a spare.
Tomorrow we will try for Wiarton, weather permitting.
All are safe and sound. We're having fun and meeting some great people.

After several delays due to such things as car trouble, Bev finally arrived safe and sound, last evening about 6.
It will take her a few days to get settled in, and I will post a pic when she lets me. For today, we're heading out later this morning, probably to Victoria Harbor where we can step the mast and become a sailboat again. After that, we will likely head for Parry Sound and the 30,000 Islands. It's supposed to be the best fresh water cruise in the world with lots of scenery and places to "drop the hook."
I don't know when I'll get to post again, as internet service is spotty around here. Be patient, I'll catch you up when I can.

Driftwood Pics

Driftwood

Well, it looks like I'm here in Driftwood cove for another day. Bev, my new crew, was held up in St. Catherine's by some minor car trouble and didn't get here last night. The car is being fixed as I write this so she should be here this afternoon.
While I wait, I'm enjoying my time here at Driftwood Cove. (I'll post some pics when I can, but it appears the photo function on Blogger isn't working today.) It's really nice, run by a couple of women boaters. The docks are first rate, I've never seen better, more expensive-looking docks. The washrooms are very nice, there's a laundry on site and a cafe with really good food.
If you are a boater and ever have occasion to stop in Port Severn, make sure you get reservations to stop at Driftwood Cove.
Last night a line of severe thunderstorms rolled through this area. There are reports of tornados, and there are a lot of trees down (including several at the marina) and the power was out all night and into this morning. The boat and I are fine, no damage. Can't say that about the million dollar yacht in the next slip. His bimimi was bent up pretty badly when the wind got under it. He'll need a new frame for the bimimi, so his insurance company will be out a few bucks.
There's an unconfirmed report or severl sailboats capsizing in the Sound last evening in the storm. All crew were rescued safely. Why they were out when the storm was predicted is anybody's guess. One large power boat was smashed against some rocks. Again, why he was out when the storm was predicted I can't imagine.
Otherwise, it does seem a bit less hot & humid today, so I won't be sweating my butt off like I have been the last 2 or 3 days.

Walküre gets a big sister!

Here's a shot of "Le Cabotin," a slightly modified AS-39 recently launched along the banks of the St. Lawrence. The AS-39 is the next boat up in the AS series. There's an AS-19, the AS-29 (Walküre) and now the AS-39. The 39 has a ton of interior space including an office with room for two desks! There's even a hallway between rooms. HUGE! Congratulations to her builder/owners Jean and Gabby!

Port Severn

Well, folks, I've done it. I've made it to the end of the Trent-Severn Waterway. I arrived in Port Severn this morning right in between two thunderstorms. One storm I cought a piece of as I crossed Little Lake, the other kindly waited until I was safely at the dock.

L&L today N 44 degrees 48 minutes, W 079 degrees 44 minutes.

The real excitement this morning was riding the Bug Chute Marine Railway. Instead of putting in a lock to float boats up and down a 57 foot high change in water lever, they built this giant cable car that picks boats up and shuttles them across dry land. (See pictures this post.)

Yesterday, I ran lock 43 which is a standard lock, but it drops 47 feet. That makes it the highest standard lock I've run so far. In case anyone is keeping count: 23 locks on the Erie, 7 on the Oswego and 43 so far on the Trent, 73 locks total including the marine railway and the two "lift lifts" at Peterborough and Kirkfield. (Yeah, I know it seems like I miscounted. There's no "Lock 39" on the T-S system, so the marine railway, officially lock 44, is really #43.) There's one more lock on the Trent system, it's located right at the exit from the harbor where you enter Georgian Bay. It's just a stone's throw from where I am know, but I won't run that lock until my crew arrives next week.

On July 25, I crossed Lake Simcoe, reputed to be one of the more dangerous bodies of water around, prone to sudden thunderstorms that can produce 8 foot waves. I crossed early in the morning and found it to be a bit choppy, but otherwise the crossing was without incident. It really pays to pick the weather and time of day.

On July 26 I stayed at the Port of Orillia. I really nice stop. The marina was well managed and it was very convenient to shopping and lots of restaurants. A warning for fans of Chinese food - nobody in Canada knows how to make General Tso's Chicken - yuck!

For the next few days, I'm going to rest here in Port Severn and do some clean up, fix up stuff around the boat. I have to re-stow a lot of gear to make room for crew arriving in a few days.

Oops!

I forgot to explain that the thing that looks like a bridge hanging in mid-air is the Kirlfield Lift Lock. It's similar to the Peterborough lock but not as high. Keep in mind that box you see suspended 50 feet in the air is filled with water - some 330,000 pounds of it.

Walküre sets a record!

On July 23, 2006 Walküre and I navigated across Balsam Lake. At over 870 feet above sea level this lake is the highest water any where in the world that a boat can reach under it's own power. (There are higher lakes, but you have to truck the boat overland to get there. Balsam Lake is the highest you can get to by water.)

Today, I crossed Lake Simcoe without incident. Simcoe has a reputation of being dangerous, with sudden storms kicking up 8 foot waves, etc. By picking my weather and time of day, I found it just a bit choppy. It is spooky looking in certain directions across the lake and all you see is water.

Tonight I'm staying in Orillia. I expect to be in Port Severn by Saturday. Port Severn is the end of the Trent-Severn Waterway and the entry into Georgian Bay, where we become a sailboat again. Wahoo!

On July 22, I stayed at a neat little place called Fenelon Falls. A "mini-Niagra" (very mini) was located just a 100 yards or so from the dock. I was lulled to sleep by the sound of a waterfall. Neat, huh?

Most other nights, I've been staying at a lock. It's cheaper than a marina, but they don't have any services. I had to go nearly 5 days with no electricity other than what the solar panels provide. The batteries were low by the time I got to the marina at Gamebridge last night, but at least it gives me a good idea how long I can go between marina stops. At that's with partly or mostly cloudy skies the whole time.

So far I've travelled almost 517 nautical miles, nearly 10% of the total for the loop. I'm still behind schedule and it will be tricky to make Chicago by Labor Day, but it looks like I will soon have crew. I don't want to say too much yet as things could still get jinked, but I hope that by this time next week a certain lady from Cape Cod will be meeting up with the boat in Port Severn. Wish me luck.

Bobcaygeon & more pics

Tonight I'm staying in Bobcaygeon (pronounced "Bob- cajun"). This is a neat little town with the canal and a lock right smack in the middle of town. For the first time since reaching Canada, I've finally been able to shop in a real grocery store (IGA) and to celebrate I'm having steak for dinner, cooked to perfection on my little Magma grill. And a cold Corona to wash it down Yum! Does life get any better?
For those following Lat & Lon, it's N 44 32.291' W 078 32.640' I've travelled a total of 464 nautical miles since I left Kingston, NY. The scenery is starting to get really pretty. Here are a few examples.

Buckhorn, Youngs Point & the highest lock

WOW! What a trip. Yesterday I ran the Peterborough Lift lock, the highest of its type in the world. This lock not only lifts the boat - it lifts the WATER! 330,000 lbs of water gets lifted 65 feet into the air. See the first pics on this post (from the bottom.)

The next pic (from the bottom is a shot of Walküre crossing Rice Lake. Photo courtesy of Chuck & Barb Ganem aboard the trawler "Gold Watch."

Next up from the bottom is an entry in the "So you think MY boat is odd?" category. Photo courtesy Chuck Ganem.

Next up is your skipper, entertaining the crew of Gold Watch and Bryant from Peterborough it's margarita time! Photo courtesy of Bryant Owen.

Next up is the view from the top of the Peterborough lift lock - amazing!

Last night I stayed at Youngs Point, home of the Lockside Trading Company. Anyone familiar with the Canal Town Emporium in Wurtsboro, NY will feel right at home at the Lockside T.C.

Tonight, I'm in Buckhorn, the halfway point on the Trent-Severn Waterway. From here on the locks are farther apart, and soon I start to lock "downhill" on my way to Georgian Bay and Lake Huron.

Peterborough

Yesterday, I ran 34 nautical miles and one more lock to reach Peterborough. I've now done over 400 nautical miles total since I left Kingston, NY. I had to cross Rice Lake (named for the wild rice that grows around it). Rice Lake was one of those spots the guide books warn can be treacherous, but I didn't find it so. Just the darn continuous headwind that made motoring a slow slog through the chop.
The weather was forecast to be lousy today, so I planned on resting here for the day. We got the wild weather last night about 11:00 PM. The wind howled, the boat bounced and rocked at the dock, the lightning flashed, the thunder boomed and the power went out. I was glad to be at the dock. This morning dawned cloudy but now it's starting to clear. I'm thinking of finishing up my chores and heading up to the "lift lock."
The Peterborough Lift Lock is the highest of it's type in the world. It lifts the boat 65 feet. It works completely differently than all the other locks. There are two chambers instead of one, and they are linked by hydraulic pistons. As one chamber falls, it lifts the other, like a balance scale. I'll post pictures at my next opportunity.
Another day or so of travel and I'll be half way to Port Severn, the end of the Waterway. After that, it's Georgian Bay and the North Channel in Lake Huron.
So far, the nicest part of the trip has been the people I've met. The last couple of nights, Chuck and Barb from Maine have stayed at the same spot as I did, and we got to be fast friends. Last night I met Bryant, who lives in Peterborough. He's another amateur boat builder and has been following my expoits on this blog. He stopped by the waterfront last night and shared some local knowledge with me, Chuck and Barb over margaritas on board Walküre.

Sorry Collins Bay

I had thought that Collins Bay was going to take the prize for the nicest head and shower facilities at a marina. But they have been knocked out of first place by the Hastings Village Marina. The head and shower facilities are something a person would be proud to have at home. Why can't all marinas have facilities like this?

Just a quick note.

I'm in Hastings, ON for tonight. I made 18 nautical miles and 6 locks today. That's a total of 18 locks on the T/S and a grand total of 48 so far for the trip. I've logged a total of 386.99 nautical miles. At this pace, I'll be in the Georgian Bay by August first. There's still hope of Chicago by Labor Day.
No pics today, sorry.

As Promised

Here are some pictures:
From the bottom:
The Toonie Monument. There actually is another coin monument in Canada. In Sudbury there is a giant nickel. Sudbury is the site of the largest nickel mine in the world.

A lock on the T/S. Notice the water turbulence at the bottom of the doors. This is the water being discharged from the chamber to allow the doors to open for me.

Waiting on the Blue Line. The locks in Canada operate on the Blue Line System. If you want to transit the lock, you tie up on the blue line and wait. Notice the umbrella over the cockpit. It's HOT and I need that shade!

The approach to Campbellford. Notice the nice houses right along the canal. This is a very pretty place.

In the middle of nowhere, no town, no house around, here's this flower box shaped like a donkey cart - go figure.

That's all for now. More when I can.

Update July 15

Just a quick note to everyone to let you know that I'm now in Campbellford, Ontario, 12 locks into the Trent-Severn Waterway. I'm using a computer and connection borrowed from a bookstore owner who graciously let me use it. I don't want to wear out my welcome.
Have you ever seen a town where the biggest monument was to a COIN? Yep. The Canadian $2.00 coin (called a "toonie") was designed by a guy who lives here so they built a monument to the coin. When I get someplace I can use my own computer I'll post a picture.
For now know that all is well, and I'm travellin' on.

Catching up

July 9. 2006
Motored from Collins Bay to Picton. Wind was on my nose the whole way so I couldn't use the sails. Picton is a nice, busy little town. Great location except the walk up the hill to get from the harbor into the main part of town. The second picture is the harbor at Picton.
July 11, 2006
Weather was cloudy when I set out, but I caught a tailwind and sailed with the wind at my back for half the day. Once I made the turn at Desoronto, the wind was again on my nose so I had to motor. I made it to Belleville, which is another cute town along the shore of Qunite (KWIN-tee) Bay.
July 13, 2006
At last I am at the entrance to the Trent Severn Waterway - Trenton Ontario. (Third picture is the boat with the T/S Waterway sign in the background.
Trenton is a fairly big city and it just so happens that today they are having a sidewalk festival.
I've now traveled a total of 340 nautical miles. I'm 13 days behind schedule, but I should be able to make that up in the next 6 weeks.
I'm finally starting to see a little of the towns I visit, the strep no longer holding me back. I've gotten to dine in some of the restaurants and see some of the sights - like Fort Ontario when I was in Oswego, etc.
For those plotting my trip on nautical charts, my position is now:
N 44 06.115
W 076 34.470

Oh, Canada!

Well, it's been an eventful few days.
Wednesday, at about 1:00 PM they opened the locks on the Oswego Canal. After 6 days of being stuck in Phoenix, I was ready to go. I cast off and was the first boat into Lock 1.
At lock 5, I ran into some trouble. The lock has terrible cross currents right in front of the entrance. As I had to wait for the lock to cycle some southbound boats through, I thought I'd wait on the approach wall. Big mistake. As I came alongside the wall, the current pushed the boat rather violently into the wall, right into a one-inch thick steel angle iron that was protruding out from the wall at a right angle. Slam! It tore a three inch by one inch hole in my bow. I was sick.

I carried on and made it to Oswego, where I tied up for two days to make repairs. The marinas were all full due to a fishing tournament so I had to use the city dock. Yuck! There's no protection from the constant wave action. The harbor water looks and smells like sewage. The hull is now filthy, far worse than what the locks did. And to top it all off it is impossible to sleep there because of the "waterfront events" they seem to have scheduled every night. Wednesday it was a comedy act - outdoors - all night. And Thursday it was a heavy metal concert! The noise was unbelievable. The hull and my head are still throbbing.

But - it's better now. Friday morning at 6:30 AM I set out to cross Lake Ontario. At first the winds were very light and I had trouble making 3 knots. I was worried I wouldn't have enough daylight to make it all the way across. I had plotted a course that took me close to "Main Duck Island," which I could use as shelter for the night if I didn't get all the way over. I needn't have worried. By 9:30 or so the winds had picked up and I was able to make 5 to 6 knots and pulled into Collins Bay Marina, near Kingston, Ontario about 6:30 PM. A long, exhausting day, but well worth it. I crossed 51 nautical miles of open water and sailed into the marina just as if I knew where it was. GPS really is a wonderful thing.

The crossing itself, other than being tiring single handed, was great. I made the entire trip on one tack. The winds were out of the west or southwest the whole day, and my course was basically north. So port tack it was the whole day.

Since the time the boat was launched, I've been troubled by a leak that only shows itself when the boat is sailing. It never leaks when sitting at the dock or motoring, only under sail. I could never find it. Well, with the autopilot set, and no other boats in sight, I crawled around below to search out the pesky leak. I finally found it. It's in the bulkhead right behind the mast. Apparently, the pressure of the mast against the bulkhead opened up a seam. I've paid for an extra day here at Collins Bay so I can make repairs and hopefully be rid of that pesky leak.

Other than the little leak problem, which the bilge pump handled, the sail was spectacular. I'm really starting to gain a lot of confidence in the boat, and my sailing skill. The boat seems to like open water sailing.

I will have to do a better job of securing gear below, however. A couple of gusts heeled the boat over past her normal 16 degrees and stuff spilled all over the cabin floor. But nothing broke, and everything is easily put back where it belongs, so all is well.

The marina here in Collins Bay is very nice. I recommend it to anyone traveling this way. The people are nice, the facilities first rate and the rest rooms and showers exceptionally clean.

Sunday, weather permitting, I'll starting heading for Trenton and the start of the Trent-Severn Waterway. It feels stange to be putting away my Hudson River and Erie Canal charts. I might never never need them again.

This adventure really is a major undertaking. But now that I've successfully crossed one of the Great Lakes, I have more confidence that I'll actually be able to do it.

Ain't boaters wonderful people?

Since I'm stuck in Phoenix at least one more day, some of the other boaters who are stuck here, but live nearby, let me borrow their car for a trip to the mall. I went and saw the new Superman movie. If you're a Superman fan, you will not be disappointed. All the right stuff is there, (along with a really big surprise,) the new actor playing Superman/Clark Kent is fine, almost a ringer for Christopher Reeve. (The movie is dedicated to Chris and Dana Reeve.)
I've posted some pics of the damage to lock 10 on my Yahoo group site, but here's one just in case you don't have time to check Yahoo.

Stuck in Phoenix

Virtually the entire NYS canal system is shut down due to flooding. At lock 10 on the Erie, the entire control house at the lock was washed away, taking the transformers with it. It will be out at least a month.
I'm now on the Oswego canal, near lock 1. The Oswego is shut down until Monday or Tuesday to let the flood waters abate.
At least I'm in a pleasant spot to get stuck.
There are reports of whole docks floating down the Hudson River, some with boats still attached to them. At other places, boaters are stranded on docks that are now under water with no way to get ashore except by dingy. I'm guess I'm lucky to be where I am, with the Bridge House Brats taking care of me.

More on the Bridge House Brats

I had a chat this afternoon with one of the adults who supervise the Brats. The story of this program is even more amazing than I had thought. The kids (7,8,9 years old) do EVERYTHING! They plan the program, they raise the money, they develop the budget, they buy the equipment, they do all the work. Everything that's painted, is painted by the kids, and the kids bought the paint. All the flags, tables, chairs, umbrellas, awnings, etc that you see in the picture - all bought by the kids, set up and maintained by them.
The kids have a "Brat Shack" which is their headquarters. They meet, they plan, they add new things to the program, all on their own.
Not only is this a fantastic boost for what otherwise would be a dying little town along the banks of the Oswego Canal, it is wonderful experience for the kids. Once a kid spends a summer or two in this program, he or she will likely not be intimidated by anything he or she might be challenged to do.
At least one Bridge House Brat went on to be president of his class in a university, one got to meet the President of the US.
More communities should start programs like this. It really is one of the best volunteer programs I've ever seen. And it's all run by little kids. Go figure.

Finally

Finally, a town does it right. Phoenix, NY has done a great job of running their waterfront. The complete opposite of Utica. The town dock is pleasant, with a little waterfront park, trees, picnic tables, etc. They also have a crew of kids called the Bridgehouse Brats that help with docking, bring free coffee, run to local restaurants to get meals for you, take you on free museum tours, etc. A lot of fun.

Slight change of plan

I've decided to hang out in Brewerton another day, and head for Phoenix tomorrow, and then on to Oswego later. I think it's going to be too crowded there for the holiday weekend. I needed to do some laundry, shopping and a lot of cleaning up around the boat, so today will be a good "chore" day. Tomorrow I can set out with a clean, freshly provisioned boat and take my old sweet time getting to Oswego. The weather looks promising for a Lake Ontario crossing around mid-week next week, if it holds.
It also seems like I made it here just in time. The locks from 22 down to Waterford are CLOSED due to flooding. One of the locks actually had it's control house flooded last night! And several of the other locks have their doors open, top and bottom, to let the excess water drain.
So far, the locks west of here are still open, but if we get more rain, that could change. Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to head out tomorrow. Wish me luck.

The ice finally broke

One of the things that had worried me since the start of my trip was that I had not picked up the guitar. Not once. Didn't even take it out of the case since the night of my retirement party (which migrated from "Cheeseburger in Paradise" to "Whispers.")
I don't know why, I just wasn't in the mood.
Now I think it may have been the strep. Today was the first day that my voice sounded normal to me, and I haven't coughed once. So this afternoon, sitting below (it's raining) suddenly the mood to pick a few tunes hit me. So out came the guitar (and the tuner - man! was it out!) and I entertained myself with some Buffett, some Bertie Higgins and some John Hall. My fingers hurt like hell (from not playing in so long) but at least I'm back to feeling the muse. I guess it's one more sign of recovery from my long, nasty bout with the strep.
Ain't azithromycin wonderful?
Oh, and just for fun, here's a shot of Lake Oneida.

It's about time

You can't imagine the trouble I've had getting to the internet. The cruising guides are proving to be quite inaccurate. When they say a marine has internet access, or wi-fi, I get there to find out "Oh, we've been thinking about putting that in, but..."
Very frustrating, to say the least.
Well, finally, after miles and miles, I found a place that does have acess. So now I have to give you multiple updates at one time. Where did I leave off? Oh, yeah.

June 21, 2006
A great day! Ran locks 2,3,4,5,6,7 plus ran a total of 15 nm. Stopped in Schenectady. Walkure has a few scratches from my inexperience at "locking through," but otherwise, she's doing fine.

June 22, 2006
I thought the day was going to be a washout, but after chatting with the dockmaster, I set out. He told me that if there was too much rain, the locks might close for days or weeks, and then I wouldn't get anywhere. So I went and ran locks 8,9,10,11,12. I stayed at the upper wall of lock 12. A total of 23.3 nm run today.

June 23, 2006
T'storms predicted today, so I set out early to get ahead of them. Ran 22.6 nm to St. JOhnsville. Locks 13,14, 15 today.

June 24, 2006
Ran locks 16,17 & 18 today. Lock 17 is one of the highest in the world at 40.5 feet lift. Logged 17.9 nm today.

June 25, 2006
Ran lock 19 and stopped at Utica. I have mail waiting for me at the Post Office in Utica. The town dock at Utica is a bummer. It's free, but that's all I can say for it. No attendant, no bathroom, no shower, no electricity, no fuel, no pumpout - all of which were promised in the cruising guide. It seems it's a local political boondoggle. The taxpayers spent millions building the facility, but then it was leased to a guy who uses it as a catering business and pays no attention to the boaters. And he rents the facility for $150/mo including utilities! Somebody's gonna be voted out on that one.

June 26, 2006
What a hassle! I ended up taking a cab to the post office to pick up my mail, because, of course the "general delivery" post office was miles and miles away. It rained the whole day and by the time I reached Sylvan Beach I was exhausted. A gruelling day in the rainsuit all the way. But I did manage to run my first two "down locks." And I made it to the shore of Lake Oneida.

June 27, 2006
What a change from yesterday. Today was glorious. I ran the 18 nautical miles across Lake Oneida without a hitch. The lake is big enough that you can't see from one side to other, so I had to use my navigation skills to make it across safely. I watched the sky for a break in the weather. Then at the first sign of blue sky, I set out, the rain clouds behind me all the way. The wind was at my back, and I surfed on the rolling waves and made the whole trip in three hours. Tomorrow - Oswego!
I stopped for tonight at Kay-Ess boat yard. Nice place, a good ship's store where I bought some of the Canadian charts I will need. Canadian charts are expensive, over $150 just for the Trent-Severn Canal. (I paid about $50 for the complete NY waterway system.)
The Picture posted here is of the Hudson, NY lighthouse. Hudson - the little town with the big red-light district. For more pics, see the Yahoo group photo section.

And the adventure begins!

This update will cover a very eventful few days.
Friday, June 16:
I left Kingston around 10 AM. By noon I had made it to Saugerties, which had been the farthest north this boat had ever been. I continued on until I reached Coxsackie, about 32 miles out. Not bad for the first day, considering I was nursing some serious injuries from a bad fall (ribs? knee ligament, rotator cuff?)
I anchored behind Coxsackie Island and had a very quite, pleasant night.

Saturday, June 17:
Just as I weighed anchor, it started to rain. I had to break out my rain gear and spent the whole morning slogging upriver in the rain. I made it to Albany Yacht Club (which is in Rensselaer?) a total trip of about 17.4 nm. My son and his girlfriend Kari took me out to dinner for Father's day, gave me a really neat book and a cute card. Mike helped me take the masts down. By Sunday I was feeling really rotten and didn't quite know why. My son insisted that I go to the doctor, and he dragged me kicking and screaming. Turns out I have strep - can you imagine? So...a trip to the pharmacy for antibiotics and an extra night at the Albany Yacht Club to let the meds kick in and now I think I'm on the mend.

Tuesday June 20:
Finally on my way again. Since the masts are down, there's nothing to do but motor, so put..put..put..here I go up river to Troy and my first try at "locking through." Having never done this before, I think I did OK. Got a slight scrape in the paint in a spot where I never thought to put a fender and the bronze rub rail took a beating, but that's what it's for. Had to submit to a "national security interview" by the Coast Guard, but they were pleasant and got it all done in the time it took the lock to fill so no time was lost.
Now I'm tied up at the town dock in Waterford. This is really neat - it should be this way everywhere. There's no charge to dock for 2 nights, $10/night after that, and they provide free electricity (yeah, I know "tax dollars at work." 'Bout time I got something for all those taxes I've been paying all these years.)
Tomorrow, if my health continues to get better and the weather holds, I will run the "flight locks." This is a series of locks, one right after the other, that raise the boat 169 feet in less than 2 miles. This is highest flight of locks in the world. Wish me luck.

Tomorrow's the day

Well, finally, today I go to the lawyer's to sign the papers. The buyers can't make it until Tuesday, but I can't wait that long. So my lawyer will have to handle the closing without me. I will stop by his office today to sign all the papers. I'll make one last stop at the house to pick up the DSL equipment I have to return to the phone company, then I'll be leaving the keys with the lawyer. I guess I'm officially homeless.
I've set myself an abitious goal for my first day out. I'm starting a little later than I had planned, so I have to make up some miles. I have to be in Albany sometime on Saturday to keep my schedule, so I have to make it half way there on Friday. It means about 38 miles. That's a long day. And given the prevailing northerly wind here on the Hudson, I'll probably have to motor most of the way. So be it. I need to be in Albany this weekend to turn over the keys to my car to my son.
This is it, it's really starting. I still have to pinch myself. It's actually happening. As of tomorrow I'm officially a "voyager." My next update will be from Albany sometime this weekend. Wish me luck.

Wow!

6/10/06
What a blast! Took the boat out to do some testing of the rig at higher wind speeds. The winds were predicted to be 20-25 mph, with gusts over 30. I put 2 reefs in the main and went out for a couple of hours. WOW! I knew we were blasting along, but when I got pack to port and reviewed the GPS log, it registered a maximum speed of 9.5 knots. Even if you figure that I had the current in my favor, that still means a through-the-water speed of over 7 knots.
Not bad for a home made boat, huh?
The people who are buying my house are closing on the sale of their old house this Tuesday. This means we should be able to close on my house Wednesday or Thursday. Later than I had hoped, but still within my window. It will mean that I have to finish getting the boat ready in the next couple of days, so I can set out as soon as the house closes.

A little more progress

Yeah, I know it's been a while since I updated you. But, hey! I'm retired. I'm not on a timetable.
I have been busy. During the past week I finished cleaning out and closing up the house. Now it's just a matter of waiting to get a closing date from the buyers. The exact closing date has always been a matter of contention. First they said June 15, then they changed it to June 1, then back to the 15th, now they say "within the next two weeks." At least the lawyer has finally cashed the downpayment check.
I had a chance meeting with the buyer's wife this week. She drove by to measure the kitchen. She and her kids seemed really enthusiastic about the place.
I've also been busy trying to find a place to stow everything on the boat. The first two weeks aboard were really cramped. I had "stuff" piled everywhere. Now, Finally, it's starting to look civilized in here. Just one more section, the port side settee, to organize. Then a few things that are still in the car will be brought aboard and a home found for them.
The dingy is aboard, and seems to fit nicely on the foredeck. It covers the forward hatch, but there's enough of a hollow under the dingy to allow the hatch to open even with the dingy in place. It actually makes it a tad cooler inside as the dingy blocks the direct sun from getting in though the hatch. I just need to rig a lashing system to prevent it from moving when the boat's under way.
The solar panels are working well. Even on a cloudy day, they provide a couple of amps of power, enough to run the autopilot without draining the batteries. I have also found that I can watch the TV a couple of hours each evening, and the panels will recharge the batteries the next day. I guess that was a good investment.
Another good investment is my new Magma BBQ grill. It is a wonder. I cook on it every chance I get. It never flares up, never burns the food and so far has produced two of the best steak dinners I've ever had. The secret seems to be the dome-shaped burner element. As grease drips down onto the burner, it runs off into a pan under the grill. This seems to prevent major flare ups. The heat just churns along at a nice even pace, allowing very precise control of the cooking.
The weather has been evil. The first week here, I froze each night as temps dipped into the 30's. Then it rained. And rained. Then poof! August came and it was 85 and humid, then just as fast, we're back into another rainy pattern. Very few chances to take the boat and put her through her paces. I did get her out for two days of trials last week, just enough to get the sailing gear in proper order.

More progress

Well, the sails are lashed onto the spars, and the cabin is starting to look like home. I've started the process of moving on board, and I've spent the last 2 nights on board. From this point on, I'll only be going to the house to check mail, and move stuff out. The boat is pretty much my home from now on.
Wow! Hard to believe, but it's all starting to come together.
The weather has been lousy, rain every day. Other than that, it's really cool not going to work every day. Retirement realy is great, too bad it's usually wasted on old folks.

Progress

Well, I got the enging running and it's running really great. The overhaul of the carb over the winter seems to have done the trick.
Today, the weather held off so I was able to get the masts up, and all the rigging run except for the sails.
I took the boat out and motored down the creek to check out the functioning of the autopilot. Spooked out a few people as I passed them. They couldn't quite figure out who was steering as there was nobody in the cockpit.
I think I need to adjust the "gain" on the pilot, but otherwise, it's great. Also the depth finder works.
All in all, things are going pretty well. If the weather continues to hold off, I might stay on board tomorrow night. Gotta get settled in sometime soon.

What a day!

This has been a day of good news and bad news.

The good news - the boat is in the water and the bilge is dry. It's dry around the hull fitting for the head intake, and the head works great.

The bad news - the engine won't start. Probably gook in the fuel line, but with the rain coming down in buckets I couldn't risk taking things apart to check.

The good news - the contract for the sale of the house finally arrived at the lawyer's office, signed and ready to go.

The bad news - the buyers have put off the closing until June 15th. That means I have to make another mortgage payment, etc. and it means a slightly later start to the trip.

"The best laid plans" etc.

Yahoo email list

My blog page now includes a banner to make it easy to sign up for my Yahoo email list. Scroll down to the bottom left of the blog page, type your email address into the window, hit the "Join Now" button and you're in. All new posts on the blog are automatically emailed to the Yahoo list.
Also, if you join the email list you will have access to photos that will not be posted on the blog.
Have fun. (I will, LOL!)

The first day...

of the rest of my life. Wow! I did it! I retired.
Thursday, the hospital had it's official "retirement tea" for me. About 50 people showed up, I think; I really didn't get to count. The VP of my division came and made a little speech recounting my accomplishments at the hosptial during my tenure, then I had to make a little speech, too.
I put up a little display showing my boat, the route I will be taking on the Great Loop, etc. I handed out a lot of cards for people to keep in touch. The cards list this website, my email, the mail-drop address I'll be using in Florida, etc.
My staff surprised me with more gifts - a log book, a journal and a beautiful fountain pen.
The hospital gave me a folder with some really nice gifts and told me I could choose one. I picked out a really nice pair of binoculars, something that's always useful on a boat.
Yesterday, I didn't do much at work. I just went around to people who didn't come to the tea and said my goodbyes. Then my boss took me out for a drink.
And that's it. My career in healthcare is ended. "Free at last, free at last, thank God almight, I'm free at last."
Today, I start on the adventure that will define the rest of my life. I'll be making a trip to the marina today to make a last check of the hull, tie on my docklines, drop off the bedding and a few other items.
Monday the boat will get her feet wet for the first time since October. Then I will start in earnest to disengage myself from the house. Over this coming week, I will be moving out of the house and onto the boat. Then I can give the house a good cleaning to make it ready for the buyers.
I have to pinch myself. This is really happening! Wow.

Winding down

Today is my second-to-last day of work. I'm at my desk clearing up a few last minute items. This afternoon, the hospital administration holds it's official "retirement tea" for me. Tomorrow, I'll come in, say my goodbyes, turn in my badge and keys and I'm done. It feels a bit spooky to know that I won't be getting up every morning at 5:00 to drag myself in to work.
This weekend, I'll make the last of the preparations for launch. I don't have a lot to do, mostly just tie on my docking lines, and give the boat a thorough inspection to make sure she's ready for launch. I have an appointment with the travel lift on Monday. As soon as she's in the water, and I'm sure there are no leaks, I can start moving my gear aboard.
I have noticed that as of this morning, 26 people have signed up for my Yahoo group. If there are any of you who live along the route who want to sign on as crew for a few days, let me know. I will be single-handing most of the way, so there will be room for guest crew if you're interested. I have one person signed up already. He'll be coming along the week of June 18 to gain some experience in the locks on the Erie canal. He's planning on taking his family on the Loop sometime in the future and wants some experience before he does.
As plans are right now, I will be in Waterford, NY the weekend of 6/17 & 6/18. Anyone in the area who is interested in seeing the boat should stop by the town dock in Waterford that weekend.

Some random thoughts...

on the price of Gasoline.
I will be doing quite a bit of motoring while in the various canals that lie along my route. For this reason, I included gasoline as a major item in my cruising budget. Now that the price of gas has gone through the roof, I have to rejuggle my budget to make allowances. That got me thinking about what's really happening here.
Consider: Prior to 1964, a "dollar" was actually a piece of silver of a certain size, weight and purity. A gallon of gasoline cost about $0.29. Today, a newly minted Silver Eagle (offically carrying a face value of $1.00) costs about $13.73 in Federal Reserve Notes (FRN's). So...with gas selling for $3.119 (FRN), that works out to 4.402 gallons per silver dollar, or about $0.227 per gallon in real/silver dollars. Once again, what's happening is NOT that gasoline is getting expensive, it's that dollars are gradually becoming worthless.
Last summer, my home marina had to sell gasoline by the 1/2 gallon, as their pump was so old it didn't have a "2" for the first digit in the price. I guess they will be selling it by the quart this year.
I can't wait to see what the price will be in Canada. Their "dollar" has even less value than ours.

Yahoo email group

To make it easier for folks to keep up with my whereabouts, I've started a Yahoo group. This service allows emails to be sent to a group of people at one time, instead of sending individual emails. Hey! I'm retired, remember? I can't spend all my time writing individual emails to everyone. (As much as I'd like to, there just won't be that much time that I will be connected to the web.)
If you'd like to get email updates, please join the group. To join, visit:
WalkureVoyages
and click on the "Join this group" button.
Thanks.

A splendid party

Saturday night my staff from the hospital treated me to an evening at "Cheesebugers in Paradise," the local Jimmy Buffett restaurant. Nearly all of my staff attended in honor of my retirement. They presented me with a wonderful brass bell for the boat, and a shadowbox of mounted fishing lures. We drank, we ate, drank again. A splendid time was had by all.
Afterward, some of us regrouped in a local pub and I brought my guitar and played a few songs.
To all the staff who participated "THANK YOU!"
Now I have just 5 more days to work. Next Thursday, the "official" retirement tea will be held at the hospital.
All the arrangements for my pension are now complete, and the first direct deposit of pension money is due in my account on June 1, the same day the buyers want to close on the house. It's a little scary, but it is really happening.

Map

I ran across a map of the Great Loop and posted it here for those who would like to follow along. Click on the image to see a full size version.
The dark tracings on the map represent the several options the cruise offers. I will be taking the Erie & Oswego Canals to Oswego, NY, then around the eastern end of Lake Ontario, the through the Trent-Severn to Lake Huron, along the northern edge of Huron to Lake Michigan, down the east side of Lake Michigan. I will also be taking the more easterly of the two tracks between Illinois and the Gulf.

Getting closer...

The buyers were to have signed the contract on the house yesterday. My lawyer should be getting the papers today or tomorrow for me to sign. If all goes well, the closing should be "no later than June 1."
On another front, I was at the marina last weekend installing the new head. It's done except for the through-hull for the intake. The parts should be arriving today or tomorrow, so I will install that on Friday. Then a little scrubbing on the hull, top off the oil in the engine and the boat will be ready to launch.
I've also ordered some "nanotech" paint which is supposed to block heat flow. I'll try it on the interior of the hull. We'll see if it works. It should help keep the cabin cooler when the sun hits the dark exterior.
I also ordered an autopilot. I will be single handing this journey, so having an automatic helmsman will be very helpful.
I have to do a little touching up on the brightwork around the companionway and on the mast, but that can be done after launch.
It looks like I will be launching May 15. My last day of work (ever?) will be May 12. Once the boat is in the water, I will be moving on board and cleaning out the house. Once I'm settled in on the boat and the house is sold, there's nothing holding me back. Wow! It's finally happening.

It's getting real

This week I had two offers on the house. At the first round both offers were for exactly the same price, so my broker sent them back and asked both to rebid. At the second round, one family offered $15,000 over their first bid. So, this afternoon my broker will be bringing me the contract to look over.
The price I'm getting for the house is very close to double what I paid for it. Not bad for six years.
If this deal goes through, I will have enough cash in the bank to cruise for years. If I choose to continue living on the boat, I shouldn't ever have to go back to work. This is the dream, and it just may actually be coming true.

More upgrades

I have finally received the new solar panels. What a struggle to get them. It seems there is a nationwide shortage of panels. I got the only two the supplier had in stock. Amazing. At least I did get them, and now they have to be installed. The panels are the semiflexible type that can be mounted directly on the deck. They can even be walked on. (Most panels have a glass face that would shatter if walked on.) The trick will be to locate them where the dingy will not shade them. The two panels together produce about 3.5 amps of power to help keep the batteries topped up.
Speaking of dingies, I just finished work on the new dingy. It's a 6' pram from Clarke Craft. It is actually about half the weight of a rubber inflatable, and much easier to maneuver. It will have 3 eyebolts installed to connect to a lifting harness. The harness will connect to one of the main halyards so the dingy can be lifted onto the deck. I still have to build the chocks that will hold it in place. That will have to wait until the weather breaks a little and I can get to the boat to work on it.