Phil still in the Erie Canal

Wednesday, May 25
Lock 17 to Lock 20
Passage to Sylvan Beach
Distance Traveled:  21.95 nm
Miles to get home:  2007.00 nm
Total Distance Traveled:  4696.93 nm

Phil and Colin Mills left about 630am to continue down the Erie Canal and made it to Sylvan Beach after being convinced to stay when they met up with John and Sherry on S/V Obsession and Jim and Judy on S/V Dream Weaver.  The current word in that the locks 23-26 aren't going to open until next Wednesday so Colin is going to leave tomorrow about noon after a friend drives his car there to go home and will come back later when the locks are open.

Since they have a few days of waiting Phil has started sanding the wood on the dinghy in preparing to apply Sickens varnish.  By the end of the day he had 1/3 sanded and have a burger at Eddie's Restaurant that we had visited on our way down in the fall.


Thursday May 26 to Saturday, May 28
Phil stay in Sylvan Beach continuing to work on the dinghy and meeting other sailors on boats.  He washed his laundry while it rained outside and made bread one day.  One of the people he met on the other boats knew someone with a car who visited West Marine and brought back oil.  Phil changed oil and so far we've accumulated 880 hrs on the engine on this trip.  He's changed the oil 6 times.  That probably doesn't sound like enought to you but the first time he used Royal Purple synthetic oil and accumulated 200 hrs before he changed the oil.  Since this he's been using Rotella T oil and has changed it every 150 hrs 4 times and at 100 hr the 6th time.  He's hoping that he can get home before he has to change the oil again.  Phil does not have internet service there so I've been giving him updates on weather and any mariner alerts from the NY State Canal System.    Effective May 26 locks 23 & 24 are open.   There isn't much in Brewerton, so he plans to stay put for now.  On May 27 we learned that the Oswego Canal will open May 29.  The winds are going to be from the S at 5-8 kts, perfect for crossing Oneida Lake, so Phil plans on leaving.  It's also still raining and tomorrow it's to be sunny.  Phil made some bread and gave a loaf to the guy who brought him the engine oil as he can't eat one loaf before it goes stale let alone a 2nd loaf.

Sunday, May 29
Passage to Brewerton, NY just before Lock 23
Distance Traveled:   20.15 nm
Miles traveled to get Home:  2027.15
Total Distance Traveled:  4717.08 nm

Phil woke early and cast off the dock at 601am to cross Oneida Lake.  I called about 11am and he had 3 miles left to get to the east end of Oneida Lake.  I'm glad the weather has been as predicted so he's not having any problems single handing Changes, just as I expected.  Phil filled up the jerry jugs and the tank with diesel buying 27 gals at one time.  He also came across M/V Down Time, a couple that we met in the fall on the Erie Canal who are from Cleveland Hts.  They had a chance to chat before he left the marina and went back to tie up to the wall just before the RR bridge and before lock 23.  See Map.  Phil even took a sun shower on the boat.  It's been so sunny that the water was too hot.  He had filled up the sun shower when he last got water, so wasn't able to add cold water.  He survived though.

One story that he told me is that there are kids jumping off the RR bridge about 20'+ above the water with fathers watching.  A sheriff came to stop them and one of the fathers gave the sheriff attitude about this, making it into a much bigger deal than it had to be.

Monday, May 30
Memorial Day
Thank you Veterans and their families for your service and sacrifice for our country!!
Brewerton, NY

Phil is still staying put as lock 23 is a down lock and lock 24 is an up lock and more difficult to manage with only one person.  Phil and I have been discussing options for getting him and Changes home.  Phil plans to check the NY State Canal System web page as he now as a very slow internet connection and see if Lock 25 & 26 will open Wednesday.  If there isn't any information, then he'll call Lock 24 operator and ask about when the locks are going to open.  If not, he is considering going up the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario and then going the 200 mi to get to the Welland Canal that will get him to Lake Erie.  Please click on Welland Canal to go to a map published by the Canadian Canal Society. He'll need a third person to help get them thru the Welland Canal, but has someone in mind that he has to talk to yet.

M/V Ladyhawk is now directly behind Changes on the wall.  We met Dick and his wife in the Erie Canal on our way own in the fall so it's great for Phil to see them again.  Another story about the RR Bridge.  There has been several kids jumping off the bridge again - about 6 boys and 2 girls have been having a good time this afternoon for 5-6 hours.  It's hot there like it's hot here today.  When I called Phil around supper time the Sheriff had come to stop the jumping.  Hopefully there wasn't yelling like there was yesterday.

So what have I been doing this weekend?  I attended my niece, Margaret Malcow wedding to Joe Swetel this past Friday evening at Cleveland Zoo.  I had a great time and it was very nice visiting with the rest of my family. 

Just Married

 

Lorraine and Maggie

Sister Robin and niece Heather at Greenhouse

Saturday I spent the day visiting family at a friend's house.  Then Sunday I spent the day with my sister Robin, her husband Paul, and oldest daughter Heather at the Cleveland Art Museum.  Paul is an middle school art teacher so it was great to get his imput of the art there.

Today after walking in the Metroparks with Virginia, I went to GRYC for the flag raising ceremony.  It was good to see friends there and honor our Veterans in the club.

Late evening addendum to post:

I've had a few people asking me how many locks there are on the Erie Canal.  There are 35 plus one in Buffalo to get to the Erie Canal.  Phill said that he has about 190 miles or 47.5 mi a day since the canal is open to 10pm now to get through the Erie Canal.

He also gave me a follow up to the kids jumping off the RR bridge.  There was one group of kids jumping earlier today - didn't get caught by the Sheriff.  Then there is the group that he was talking about that the Sheriff caught.  After the Sheriff left, another group jump for a few jumps and then a man came a jumped off once and then left.  Sounds like to me that this RR bridge is the entertainment in this town.  BTW, Phil looked for a no trepassing or no jumping sign and didn't see one.  Tomorrow is to be another hot day so I bet more people will be jumping into the water.