Good Karma Adventures: One more story about Erie Canal then Lake Ontario and Toronto

I was looking through photos yesterday and remembered a story about the Erie Canal I wanted to share. Locks are designed to move the water and boats up or down smoothly instead of going up and down waterfalls as the sea level goes up or down. According to the Erie Canal information, "the present Erie Canal rises 566 feet from the Hudson River to Lake Erie through 57 locks. From tide-water level at Troy, the Erie Canal rises through a series of locks in the Mohawk Valley to an elevation of 420 feet above sea-level at the summit level at Rome. Continuing westward, it descends to an elevation of 363 feet above sea-level at the junction with the Oswego Canal, and finally rises to an elevation of 565.6 feet above sea-level at the Niagara River." (http://www.eriecanal.org/locks.html).

The gates to a lock that will take us up to a higher level

We traveled the part from Troy NY through the Mohawk Valley (Rome) to Oswego. We went up 420 feet then down 60 feet to 363 feet above sea-level. When we lock up we enter the lock chamber at the bottom and water moves into the chamber to bring us to the higher level. After crossing the mountain we locked down which means we entered the chamber with water up to the top and the water drained out while we traveled down to the bottom.

So the Erie Canal locks are set up so you hang on to a weighted line that hangs from the top of the lock wall. This is just fine when you lock up and enter the chamber at the bottom. I just reach over to pick up the line and hang on. No big deal.

Can you see how high the water is? It is almost
over the top of the wall. Can you imagine picking up a line attached
to that wall at water level?

The problem happened when we locked down and entered the chamber when the water was at the highest level. It was really high. I mean the water was up to the very tip top of the chamber. The weighted line was below the boat at the water line. I couldn’t reach it.

The first time this happened we entered the chamber pretty cocky because we had successfully maneuvered many locks the last couple of days. But where was the line to pick up? Down below. I reached down but no way could I pick up a line at water level from the front deck of Good Karma. But Kermit had already steered us into the chamber. Oh crap.

Entering a lock at the up position for a ride down. I
challenge anyone to pick up a line hanging at water level here.

So Kermit bounced around while I ran to the back of the boat to find the boat hook, conveniently located exactly where we left it months before the last time we used it. Maybe I could pick up the line with a boat hook? Or maybe I could wrap a line around the steel cable? Nope, no way. Kermit came down from the bridge while the boat was in neutral. He couldn’t do it. Finally the lockmaster came over and reached down to hand me the line. How embarrassing. Good Karma was almost sideways in the chamber. We looked like total amateurs!!

The next few down bound locks we strolled in the lock chamber and immediately asked the lock master to hand us the line! Fortunately we only had a few locks that headed down.

The lockmasters said the water was particularly high due to flooding over the spring and summer that caused so much damage in June. They kept the water levels high as a way to control water flow and prevent flooding even though the high water has quite an impact on lock traffic!!

A better marina than we stayed at in Oswego. But we
are on our way!

Oswego light house

It only took us 4 days to travel to Oswego and Lake Ontario. We left the very next morning. The lake was gorgeous, flat, and inviting. We really had good karma on this lake.

Go out a few miles...

We went out into Lake Ontario about 2 or 3 miles then turn to the port for about 70 miles to the first place we could find with a marina. Oak Orchard.

then flat water all the way to Oak Orchard.

A great day for a boat ride

The entry into Oak Orchard

Lots of boats coming and going

It is about a mile to the yacht club

The entry into Oak Orchard

People are very friendly here. Lots of boats.

Kermit tying us up

We stayed at Oak Orchard Yacht Club, about 50 slips along the west bank about 1 mile into the river.

We pulled into a slip immediately in front of the dock sitters. Good thing Kermit did a great job of backing into the slip! With reciprocal arrangements, the dock cost $10 for the night - a great bargain!

The method of leaving the boat =
complicated

Katherine and Rusty on the dock

This is kind of an odd place. It has fixed docks instead of floaters. The boards are pretty far apart so Rusty kind of picks his way across.

Rusty on the dock

A very long walkway takes you from the slip to the land then a really steep road takes you to the main road and the club house.

After a light dinner we walked up to the clubhouse to be sociable. Kermit bought a few round of drinks for about 10 people for a grand total of $23. This is a very economical place. We exchanged burgees then went to bed.

Marinas here are set along the sides
of the river

Really steep cliffs

Next day we left pretty early before the locals got up. It was a lovely morning for the long trip to the lake.

Leaving Oak Orchard

I think this is a duck blind

We had another 60 miles west to arrive at the Welland Canal.

Great water on Lake Ontario

The water was particularly amazing. It was so calm and the light glimmered so that it was hypnotic. Kermit had to take a few breaks because it kept nodding off. It was a beautiful day for a ride.

Toronto skyline

Lighthouse

Along the way we decided to stop in Toronto for a few days. Why not! It was Sunday and we had a few days before we had to be anywhere.

The cruise ship Yorktown

Every town has a tall ship these days

We are not in Kansas any more!!

Cool old buildings turned into something
else in Toronto

Kind of funny but when we arrived at the harbor we passed the passenger cruise ship Yorktown. Recall that we encountered the Yorktown when it tried to tie up at a regular dock in Charlevoix!!! Here it is tied up in Toronto! What a coincidence.

We docked at Quay West Marina along the waterfront, a perfectly delightful place!

Rusty loves the park

The park next to our dock is a "Music Park" with gardens laid out like a symphony using all Canadian materials and plantings. Seating is tucked into corners and behind plantings. There was a concert tucked under a tree immediately outside our boat so we brought out docktails and enjoyed some Cajun music! Such a pretty place.

The park is laid out like a symphony!

So beautiful

Rusty loved it

Toronto is busy constructing condos

We took a bus tour - this is a low bridge

This is a really pretty city

They prop up historic exteriors then build fancy buildings
behind them to preserve the history

They have a shoe museum!!

Another cool building

Shoe museum - we didn't go

CN Tower is right next to the
Toronto Blue Jays stadium; this
sculpture represents real people
who attend baseball games!!

We decides we wanted to go up to the top of the CN Tower. This is one of the tallest towers in the world. I am not sure why they built it but it is pretty cool. I think it is just to make Toronto cool. That is fine with me. It is a beautiful lovely city!!