Well we have been having quite a time with our communications. Once we got into the US we no longer had cell phone coverage or our mini wifi. At least at reasonable rates, I hate roaming charges. So we had to shut everything down. Finally got somewhere to buy a really cheap $10. phone and then bought minutes that we can use in US and call Canada. But still no wifi, unless we were at marina that offers it. My Mac computer that I use for blogging and pictures also decided to die. When we got to Brewerton and Winter Harbour Marina, Jim Murray had his truck there and we made a trip to Best Buy. The diagnosis was terminal. They figure the motherboard has died. We had a little memorial service for the Mac, and then proceeded directly to the new computer section and bought another MacBook Pro.
The original set up to get started was really easy, however getting to my blog proved to be another story. I have fought with this for 4 or 5 days now. For some reason I cannot get logged in to get back to the blog I have been using for this summer. I can get logged into the older blog from 2013. So I made the executive decision just to add to the older blog.
With all of this communication fiascle I am so far behind on the blogging I am just going to share the more recent things.
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| Sign posted coming out of a lock. Are they serious? Impossible. |
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| Jim and Linda, Ticonderoga |
While on Lake Champlain we took a day to tour Fort Ticonderoga. It is truly amazing what they have accomplished. The fort had almost totally layer to ruin after many years of neglect. They have completely restored the fort and have many interpreters living the daily life of Fort Ticonderoga 1814.
Steve and Linda Franko arrived there the same day. We used Jim's truck and made a side trip to the finger lakes, Lake Cayuga I think to see some waterfalls. Watkins Glen, absolutely outstanding a 1.5 mile walk down through some pretty amazing rock formations with water flowing at the bottom and some breath taking waterfalls. We then drove to Buttermilk falls and a third waterfall that the name escapes me right now. One of those seniors moments.
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| Peter, Cheryl, Jim, Linda, Steve and Linda. |
Thursday morning, we all went out together for breakfast and after a quick shopping trip we said good by to our boating friends. Till we see you again in the spring. There are so many Linda's in our boating life, it has been decided that when all of the Linda's are together again, they are going to have a renaming ceremony where I will become an honorary "Linda".
Thursday we made our way to Oswego and spent the night. Friday morning, our Lake Ontario crossing was delayed by fog. We finally were able to make the final Oswego Canal lock and clear the lighthouse onto Lake Ontario by 9 am. Light winds. As we approached the US/Canada border mid lake the fog bank engulfed us. We could only see one boat length in front of the boat. Fog is so disorienting. We were steering by the GPS. For hour after hour.
We had made arrangements for Carolyn Handy to join us in Trenton for her vacation week. You can imagine our surprise, to see her and Brian standing along the Murray Canal as we approached the first swing bridge. We got into Trenton, cleared customs, had a cocktail and then out for dinner. Great to rejoin friends. We haven't seen them for awhile. Great to catch up.
With it being the weekend, we all decided to make the trip to Alexandria Bay to visit Boldt Castle. The town was bustling with activity, something we hadn't been seeing in the upper New York state towns along the canal. The Thousand Islands area is certainly thriving. Boldt Castle did not disappoint. We had a great day and returned to the boat for some Country Ribs that simmered in BBQ sauce all day in the crock pot. Brian and Carolyn had brought an apple pie that was the finishing touch to our map. |
| Peter and Cheryl doing our tourist thing at Boldt Castle. |
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| A very calm waterway reflecting the clouds. |
Along the way we met Frank and Deborah Hurst aboard "Another Compromise" We had heard that they were around in this area, but we did not think that we would meet them. What a surprise. Stopped and tied up long enough for hugs, a quick catch up and a promise to get together at the end of their boating season. They are travelling a lot slower than we are. They plan to be in Bobcaygeon in 10 days. We will probably be there in 2 or 3 days from now. We have been away so much in the last year that Peter's to do list is nagging him and he wants to get home and get at it before his deer hunting season. Ever since Montreal he has been ready to go home.
We had our personal best day with the locks. We completed 12 locks in one day. Of course with that many locks the mileage/distance was not great ........ only 32 miles. Spent the night in Campbellford. Our captain had promised us chocolates. Of course I am thinking of an entire bag of chocolates from the local factory. OOOPS! a miscalculation. It is Sunday, and they are closed by the time we arrived. Peter didn't let us down. He returned from the office with a hand full of chocolates for us. Peter laid down for a rest and Carolyn and I had a beverage and sat under the shade trees on a picnic table. Crockpot Chicken for dinner tonight. What would I do without that crockpot?
It was a quiet night on the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW). Only one other boat on the wall. Monday morning we were up in good time, showered, breakfast on the boat, and Peter wanted to get a good start on the day. We were sitting on the blue line waiting for the 9 am opening by 8:15. That's just not like Peter.
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| Carolyn waiting for Lock 13 to open. Good time to catch up on some of that reading. |
Today is to be a hot day. The waterway is calm and very little boat traffic. One of the lock keepers yesterday told us that on Wed and Thurs they had no boats thru at all.
The plan for the day is to make Peterborough today. And Lakefield tomorrow where we hope to add Sandra Hartman to our crew.
