From the Erie to the Oswego

From the Erie to the Oswego

 Checking the hull and fins - only a stick no scuffs!

After successfully crossing Lake Oneida with a pause to check the hull for any scars from my LOG encounter,  we stopped for a couple of days in Brewerton – our last familiar stop before heading up the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario. In Brewerton we again visited with Don and Kathy, Krogen owners of Cygnus. Don kindly took us for a grocery run to a well-stocked Wegman’s and delivered our mail. With one package in particular he went above and beyond trying to track it down between USPS and UPS. When no one claimed to be able to find the package five days overdue, Amazon kindly resent my new IPAD (or rather replacement) cover with express delivery.  Yes, we have worn out an IPAD cover in just over 15 months of cruising. I guess this accessory to our ever handy IPAD needs to go on the refresh annually list. We are also glad to report that the data recording device which has been chasing us since Norfolk in early May, finally showed up at Don’s but the replacement hair clipper turned up as Weight Watcher’s software.  OK, we don’t get that either – but after three tries, Steve may have decided to just purchase a new clipper rather than go the warranty route.

Our first stop on the Oswego canal was Phoenix, famous for the Bridge House Brats – who greeted us and caught our lines and even helped with the free pump out.  The brats are teens who fill their free time helping visitors dock and running errands for them. They get their name from the white “Bridge House” that is all that remains of the former lift bridge. We landed on their free dock during the annual Canal Days celebration – a series of booths set up by the historical society to educate the local 4^th graders about life during the canal heyday.  We enjoyed a stroll through the displays and a tour of the tug Syracuse. We had met this tug a few days earlier when she and her lady captain docked behind us on the wall at Brewerton.  It was indeed an honor to meet Captain Wendy in person as she is the only female tug operator on the NY Canal system.  She told us while she only recently graduated to the big tugs, she piloted the classic tug Urger for several seasons.  This was an interesting challenge since that tug only has a steering control for the pilot and all the engine commands are relayed to the engineer via a bell and jingle system. Although the tugs like the Syracuse are much bigger than the Urger, they are at least traditionally powered and controlled directly by the captain with the throttle as well as the wheel.

Fulton was our next stop for a walk through town and stops at the Saturday garage sales and Farmer’s Market. Then it was on to Minetto, a quiet mini-village with a grand antique store immediately opposite the dock J. On our way we passed the state park honoring the battle with the British fought here in 1756. Finally we cruised on into the big town of Oswego and the canal terminus.  Time to enjoy some history and put our mast back up for the trip on the lake.