Oswego to Rome, NY

Wow, its been a busy 3 days,  and no good wifi for almost that long!!

We arrived in Oswego, NY on tuesday afternoon and contrary ot what everyone says,  Oswego Marina HAS NO materials to build mast supports with!  Luckily there is a lumber store literally  a set of steps away! We spent the evening stripping the boat of all the sailing bits a bobs!  Wednesday morning we madly built a set of 3 supports.  One for each end and the middle support.

The yard staff were great and got the rig down very quickly and safely!  We got compliments on the construction of our supports,  the yard manager said they usually have problems with the middle support being either too tall of too low!  ours fit just right! 

After getting the masts secured (by this time is was just after noon) we headed out for our first locks on the Oswego section of the canal.  Ryan Sarah and Tracy handled  the lines like pro's ( sorry no photos as we were busy tending lines)  After the success of the first lock,  we soldiered on and trackled the next 3 locks before deciding to pull in at Minetto for the evening


We were all pretty tired and after tidying up decided to go for a walk to see if there was anything around.  Really the only thing in Minetto is a "stewart's" gas bar/ grocery/Restaraunt!!!  We ordered a pizza split as half buffalo chicken and half chicken bacon ranch. and we all agree that it was the best gas-station pizza EVER!! 

Thursday morning we decided get into a routine of getting up at 7am and on the move by 8am.  That way we could cover more ground.  Wednesday we did the final 4 locks of the Oswego canal and as it was still early at that point we kept on moving on. we past the "junction"and then turned left into the eastern section of the Erie canal!  finally calling in for the evening at Brewerton Boat yard!  pretty good pricing on the transient slip and OK showers. (The ones at Minetto were "public' and pretty scary!)  

Word of Caution. We read the skipper bob book before we started this trip and he says you don't need fender boards...YOU DO NEED FENDER BOARDS!!!!! Our hull was soo filthy after just the first 2 days that the yard workers at BBY took pitty on us and gave us a pair of 2x4's to make fender boards with! 

Friday morning we left BBY and headed out onto Lake onieda. I don't know why everyone says to be careful crossing this lake??  It was glassy smooth the whole way.  it was almost boring except for the casualty of  Sarah's water bottle that fell over the side!  We were so board that were were goofing off imitating water fountains, when Sarah's water got knocked over!  At the east end of the lake is Sylvan beach which is a nice wide entrance, except that its at right angles to the channel that  runs across the lake 
Can you see the channel entrance??
Shortly after we re-entered the Erie canal,  we met up with another Canadian boat ( how cool!  they were from Quebec!)  and did the next 2 locks with them!  As they were moving faster than us they took off ahead after the second lock, only to encounter a disabled pontoon boat a few miles down the canal.  They took them in tow and for the first time ever ( and likely last time) Never Monday actually got to pass another boat!!  

We're now in Rome, NY for the night, got to get Ryan a Sim card so he can text his friends, grab a few grocery items and then try to get to mile 80 tomorrow!!! 






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