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