Erie Canal - September 2016

Day One - September 6, 2016

 We departed Marina del Isle (Skipper Bud's), our homeport, at 7:50AM and arrived at Mid Lakes Erie Landing Marina on the Erie Canal at 3:30PM. The tug was in her slip by 4:30 and we started the process of unloading the truck and organizing the boat for the next week or so to visit various canal towns and learn more about Erie Canal history. Photo at right was taken along Ohio Route 2 just west of Cleveland. The trip to Macedon, NY was rather uneventful for the first 6 hours then we had to make a quick stop as the upper mast assembly had worked loose! Ugh! Tug launch at marina went well - just hot!

 Winston as usual helping me with the driving!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              And, then he gives up!              

In our assigned slip. The marina is very well equipped - water and electricity at dock side, floating docks which makes boat access easier, extremely clean restrooms with showers, and internet. We were even able to pull in 11 HD TV channels from Rochester, NY, with our external antenna, the small disk above the radar dome.

Nice evening coming to a close. By 10:15 Winston was telling us it was time for lights out. We complied! Was a long day!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Day Two - September 7, 2016

Today we took a side trip to Palmyra, NY and visited several historic areas of interest. Palmyra is most noted for the town where the Mormon Church was founded by Joseph Smith.

Mormon Temple located outside of Palmyra.

The original home of Joseph Smith, Sr.

Visited Lock 29 and arrived in time to watch a canal boat lock through East bound to Palmyra.

Departing after 16ft drop to next level of canal.

Tilley arrived today from Seneca Falls. Very interesting little vessel, she was home built by gentleman in Sandusky, OH.

Tomorrow we will depart Macedon for our first overnight stop on the canal, the port town of Fairport.

Day Three - September 8, 2016

We departed Mid Lakes Erie Canal Marina this morning at 10:30 and arrived in the canal town of Fairport at 11:35. Not a long distance but with a canal speed of 10mph maximum and in most places 5-6mph 7-8 miles can take a little time. XM radio playing 50's on 5 and coffee....our style of traveling. Fairport is located in Monroe County and is know as the "Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal". Fairport acquired its name in the mid-19th century from a traveler on the canal who was overheard at Mallet's Tavern referring to the village as a fair port. Local legend has the visitor complaining very loudly the next morning saying the Millstone Block Hotel has bedbugs. He stormed away and never returned to Fairport but the name took!

Departing the marina headed West to Fairport.

Views along the canal.

Meeting a canal boat headed East.

Arriving in the town of Fairport. The town has made this a very nice stop for canal travelers. Electricity and water at tie up location. Clean restrooms with showers and internet (in and out but okay).

Just Dreamin' tucked into her tie up location. Sometimes smaller is better!

Winston checking to make sure all okay!

Very unique lift bridge in the center of town - angles from south to north with no two angles on the support beams being the same.

Looking East on the canal from lift bridge.

Another great evening coming to a close (after ice cream at a local ice cream parlor, even Winston liked the Honey Maple).

What can I say? The tugs name states it all Just Dreamin'!













Tomorrow we depart Fairport and head further West to Spencerport.

Day Four - September 9, 2016

We departed Fairport, NY at 10:00 this morning and arrived in Spencerport at 2PM. Very interesting leg today with two locks to pass through, a number of guard gates, two guard locks and crossed the Genesee River in Rochester.

Departing the canal town of Fairport for our next stop on our journey through history.

Winston keeping a sharp lookout.....

Guard gates which lower during times of flooding on the canal. These massive steel gates are located at numerous locations along the entire length of the canal.

Bushnell's Basin.

Approaching the town of Pittsford, NY.

In many locations the canal is higher than the surrounding terrain.

Approaching Lock 32 west of Pittsford. The lock master is preparing the lock chamber for our arrival by lowering the water some 24ft and then refilled to bring us up to the next level.

Gates closing after we are secured to wall, i.e. secure means Judy in cockpit of the boat manning a wall rope to keep us in place.

On the wall looking forward at west end gates.

Lock through complete. Approx. 24ft lift. Next lock (33) is about a mile further west and will lift us another 24ft.

Entering lock 33 chamber.

Easing up to the wall in 33.

A different twist on guard gates, the structures ahead are referred to as guard locks. Function like a lock and a guard gate. Found just prior to crossing the Genesse River. Guard locks are located east and west of the Genesse River on the canal. They allow for passage if the river floods. The river runs North/South and canal East/West.

New York State Canal Commission tugs and work boats positioned at the junction of Erie Canal and Genesee River. Constant dredging to keep channel open as the river has an extremely high silt flow.

Murals painted on a bridge base west of Rochester.

Arrived in Spencerport our stop for the day.

On the town wall at Spencerport. Extremely friendly village and the facilities are great. Electricity and water at dock, very clean restrooms and showers, internet and nice grass areas for Winston as he sniffs his way through New York!

Nice day coming to a close!














Day 5 - September 10, 2016

We departed Spencerport mid-morning and arrived in Brockport, NY before lunch. As the other canal towns we found Brockport to be very nice and everyone that we met extremely friendly. Brockport is noted for the early industrial manufacturing which took place in the late 1800's. The world famous McCormick reaper was manufactured in the town thus bringing the Industrial Revolution to agriculture.

Low bridge looking west in Brockport. Makes one want to sing the Erie Canal song!

Notice the canal elevation is above the sitting area for the restaurant.

Various photos of town center. Interesting canal village.

The Strand theater still in use. I think at one time most small towns had a Strand.

Site close to where the McCormick Reapers were manufactured.

Brockport Welcome Center and canal wall tie up.

Storm clouds forming to the North. They moved in around 9PM.

Nice gazebo along waterfront in Brockport. This was the original welcome area for canal travelers until the new facility opened.

Day 6 -September 11, 2016

We departed Brockport this morning and turned back East to Fairport, NY. After almost 6 hours of cruise time we arrived back in Fairport for the night. At Lock 32 we had a fairly lengthy delay as the lock master was trying to gather as many boats as possible that were headed West to lock them through all at the same time - understandable (6 boats at one time instead of up and down 2 or 3 times). We turned circles and Judy fixed us a quick lunch while we awaited our passage to the East. Once we return home with a good internet connection I will embed a time lapse video of the lock passage.

What a beautiful start to the morning. The day remained cool with no humidity and a fairly brisk wind from the northwest.

Down we go in Lock 33! Winston discussing matters with me, letting me know what I am doing wrong. He was feeling pretty smug as the lock master gave him a treat before we started down!

Getting close  to completing the drop of 25ft.


















Day 7 September 12, 2016

We arrived back in Fairport, NY the afternoon of September 11th for a evening stay at the city docks with a planned Monday (12 September) departure to Mid Lakes Erie Marina where our truck and trailer are stored. We shortened our canal trip by one day to avoid forecasted weather moving in mid week; however, we all feel (to include Winston as he sniffed his way down the canal) that we saw a lot, learned a lot about the history, and meet many interesting people along our journey! Monday brought a beautiful morning and a hearty breakfast for ALL!!

Time Lapse of Lock Passage

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