Let The Fun Begin - Oswego to Minetto

Let the Fun Begin

 

As I shove off and head up the Oswego Canal to lock 8, which is right there, no more than a minute away, our journey starts in earnest.  Our journey - yours and mine - along this historic canal. Can you feel the anticipation building?  I can. It’s going to be a glorious month, slowly exploring the old waterways of Upper NY State and chatting with interesting people along way, getting first-hand knowledge of the area and the history.

Fueled and watered at Oswego Marina (I sound like a horse, but then I guess I am since I will carry my passengers easily along the watery trails) we enter the first of many locks.  A lock pass is purchased for the entire New York Canal system here for $75 for a craft over 30 feet long. They do not take credit cards so cash is a necessity unless you still use cheques. 

This lock has both ropes hanging down and cables.  The ropes are free at the bottom so they can be grabbed and pulled into the boat to keep us close to the wall while looping a line around the cable, keeping the other end close to the wall.  The lock fills with water and we rise the 10.4 feet to put me at the top of the lock.

Oswego Lock 7 is only feet away. I am told to hold, as there are workers that need to be cleared from the lock before I can pass. No problem, there is ample wall space to tie up. I go farther up river, close to lock 7. The concrete on the wall has been redone and offers a nice area to tie up.  The concrete behind me is rough and crumbling.  This area of the wall has not been restored.  I use 15” round fender balls down the side I intend to tie off on. I also use a fender board to add extra protection from the walls and the slime that has built up over time. It works!  The lockmaster even complimented me on how well I was prepared with padding.

 

Oswego, NY

Oswego, New York

After a reasonably uneventful 7½ hour crossing of Lake Ontario, approaching the port of Oswego the seas were angry cross swells of about 3 feet. The towers of Oswego were a welcome sight.   It’s easy to pick out where to go when approaching Oswego; the towers can be seen for 20 miles or more when the weather is clear, as it was the day I crossed.     

Break wall entrance to Oswego harbor

   

Fort Ontario

Coming up to Oswego, a large break wall calmed the angry seas as soon as I passed the entrance. The view entering the harbor is not particularly picturesque, since it is mostly industrial, but once inside the harbor I could see a thriving community with many marinas along the shore of this expansive harbor.  Historic Fort Ontario looms above.

Clearing customs was easy.  I simply picked up the video phone and showed the official on the other end my passport; he wasn’t interested in seeing the dog’s papers.  I decided to stay at the Oswego Marina for the night.  

It turned out to be a no-brainer; the Oswego Yacht Club, which supposedly offers reciprocal rights, did not honor them.  Their concept is the ­second night is free. They wanted $2 a foot to stay there with power and water hookups. Since I was not staying more than a single night, I opted to stay at the Oswego Marina for a $1.50 a foot per night.

The marina itself is well maintained and clean. The bathrooms are a little lacking but do have showers. They could do with some modernization and are quite a hike if you happen to be tied up on the north wall.  Otherwise, a nice place to stay. The staff is friendly and courteous, striking me as summer students hired by the town.  Fuel is available, and when I was there, it was $4.99 for gas and $4.79 for diesel.  There was WIFI, but I was unable to connect to the internet with it and had to find another connection in town.

Waiting for restoration on the hard at Oswego Marina

If sleeping late in the morning is for you, you may not get the chance here because the charter fishermen leave at the crack of dawn and return at noon with a mess of salmon for their clients. There is a big charter fishing business here and the majority of the boats in this marina are fishing boats.

The people in this historic old town are friendly and willing to answer a traveler’s questions with a smile. Pleasant conversation can easily be found by taking a short walk from the marina and along Bridge Street, which crosses the Oswego River. The bridge offers a terrific view of the marinas on one side and the first lock (Lock 8) of the Oswego Canal on the other.

 Lock 8 Oswego

A charming street on the west side.

The town itself clean and making an effort to be welcoming, offers everything you may need - food, restaurants, drug stores, liquor, hardware, and more.

A definite breakfast must is Cidermoon Café on West First Street. The two women who work there and the owner are absolutely charming. They roast their own coffee beans, bake their own bread and hand out ample side servings of charm. They also offer local artists’ and artisans’ works. (p.s. the French toast with real maple syrup is fabulous)

© Simon Geller 2014

Weighing Anchor

Weighing Anchor

Have you ever wanted to take a slow boat to somewhere, anywhere, nowhere in particular? Then that’s what we will do as you travel vicariously with me along my waterway adventures.

This series of writings, which may or may not turn into a book, is a chronicle of the journeys taken by me, HeartBeat, as I travel along the Great Loop.  Although I may not be traveling along the conventional routes taken by most boaters to complete the Loop, I will eventually cross my own wake on this epic “bucket list” voyage.

You are invited to join me as I cross the waters, and you’re welcome to board me, leave me, and then board again as many times as you like, at any point along the way.

I am a 1970 Pacemaker Allglass 33 with a length over all (LOA) of 36 feet and a beam (width) of 13.5 feet. I am powered by twin Chevy 350 engines that sip gas at a miserly 4 gallons an hour combined. Of course, being an old girl I do not travel fast but I am steady. I tend to travel at 5 to 7 miles an hour; this allows those aboard the opportunity to see the sights and enjoy the glory of the day wherever we are at that moment.

Settle in, take a seat on the deck and enjoy the cruse.