Trent-Severn 1

We're cruising our way (sometimes it feels like we're slogging our way) through the Trent-Severn Waterway.  We stopped to get pumped out before we left Trenton and Bob talked to some seasoned Waterway boaters from Orillia, ON;  when asked how far they expected to go that day the answer was Frankford, just 8 miles up, after the first six locks.  "Not us", Bob said, "we'll go to Campbellford".  Well, after those six locks we were exhausted and we had spent nearly five hours doing it.  So, we got to meet the crews of Manana, Dave and Sue, and Mist, Bill and Bobbi.  We then took their word for it and stayed with them for the next 3 stops:  Campbellford, Hastings and Peterborough.  Two other boats that we'd met before, Chasing 80 and Knot Sew Easy moored with us at each of the stops as well.  In four days of travel we did just 97 miles.  BUT, we got to know the others and look forward to bumping into them again - they left Peterborough this AM, we are staying another day.

While here in Peterborough, Hugh and Sherri visited as planned and they graciously drove us all over town so we could do our shore chores - groceries, laundry, and liquor. Before setting out to do the chores we went to their favorite pub in P-boro for lunch .  Although we wanted them to stay the night, Hugh and Sherri had to return home after doing all of that for us;  they have a 100-acre farm with sheep and herding dogs - Sherri trains and competes the dogs.  It was really too bad they had to go because there was a very good rock concert put on at the marina - the band was "The Box"  with members formerly of the Montreal band, "Men without Hats";  their rock was in the fashion of Genesis and Pink Floyd.

We'll continue up the Waterway tomorrow, going through the first of two 'lift locks';  you enter the tub, but instead of filling it with more water to raise you up, the whole tub is lifted to the next level.  It should be exciting.

Quinte Bay - the on the way to Trenton

Manual locks - he's pushing the crank to open the door

Chasing 80 and Knot Sew Easy, Campbellford

The 'Twoney' was designed by a Campbellford artist

Mist and Manana rafted in the locks ahead of us

The Box in concert

O Canada, O Canada

We've arrived in Canada!  After leaving Cayuga Lake we went back to Baldwinsville to do some more visiting with Sherry and her ex, Dick, and Linda B.  Sherry took us all over the place in her little MiniCooper;  it was much appreciated.  We ate at a town institution, the B-ville Diner,  with Linda and had a good visit on the boat.  Gary came up from Cayuga to deliver some trout that he had caught, and he and Bob visited the old homestead on Fay Rd.

After all the visiting we reluctantly departed Central NY and cruised up the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario.  We crossed the lake on Bastille Day;  it was a bit rocky with 3 footers about 3 points off our port quarter;  the wind really picked up during the last 4 miles of the crossing (remember, we only go 8 mph, so that was about a half hr of 4 footers).  We ducked in between two of the 'thousand islands' on the St Lawrence and all was good.

We've stayed in Kingston, ON for two days.  It's a lovely town of old stone block bldgs and fortifications;  it was the first capital of Canada (1841) and Sir John A McDonald, the 1st governor is much celebrated.  The batteries were set up to keep those nasty Americans from attacking the Rideau canal.

We're now heading to the Trent-Severn Canal - we'll take a couple of days to get to its beginning and then it will take about 2 weeks to cross over to Georgian Bay.  We expect to stop in Petersborough to visit with Hugh and Sheri Grant;  they finished their loop about 10 days ago.

Sherry and Dick, Baldwinsville

Baldwinsville, NY

Baldwinsville, NY

Kingston, ON

The Spirit of John A, a restored steam locomotive

Shoal Battery Tower (14' thick stone walls) 

Kingston Brewery (w/ antique delivery truck)

stone block bldg

Battery Tower (other side of Rideau entry)

4th of July Week

It was a Bigsby reunion week at Gary/Nadine's house in Owego, NY and their cottage on Cayuga Lake.  Rachel and Kris joined us from Chicago and stayed with us in Owego - G&N's house is 116 yrs old and is situated in the Historic District, a storybook setting in a central NY river town.  Gretchen, Gavin and the kids, Rowan and Clark arrived from the west coast and we all went up to the lake to party at G&N's lakeside cottage.  Miss Hattie was anchored off shore, gG&Rc stayed in the 'side kick' trailor.  On the 4th, Gary's extended family arrived for the celebration.  There was plenty of food and frolicing - including water skiing, tubing, and sailing.  The neighbors treated us to a fantastic fireworks display off the end of their dock.

We'll be back on the waterway tomorrow, returning to Baldwinsville for some more visiting and then on up the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario next week.

The Bigsby-Shields Owego House

Rachel & Kris arrive in Ithaca

The B & L Bigsby Family at G & N's, Owego

Dinner in the brink - Calaboose Rstrnt, Owego

Clark - the newest star of the family

Ensign Rowan at the helm

Taughannock Falls (215' - "Ithaca is Gorges")

Rachel on Cayuga behind Gary's boat

'don't do it Mommy'; 'Go little sister'

Gretchen can still do it too

NY's Riviera - Rowan's the bathing beauty, Gavin the pool boy 

Miss Hattie on Cayuga

I "heart" NY

We've up and down in locks a few times since our last post.  From Sylvan beach, at the east end of Oneida Lake, we headed to Baldwinsville, NY.  We tied up to the free wall above the lock;  $10 donation/day for electric and water.   B-ville is familar territory for us, it's not far from where we grew up and we had occasion to hang out there as teens.  Lenore's sister, Sherry lives in B-ville so we stayed three nights and visited with her;  the girls went shopping while Bob changed the fuel filters on the DD1 and DD2.   Bob's aunt Pat and cousin Laura also came and visited - lunch at a riverside restaurant and chatting on the boat.

We reluctantly left B-ville to continue on toward our rendezvous with family on Cayuga Lake and in Owego, NY where Bob's brother, Gary, and sister-in-law, Nadine live.  Since it was too far for a one-day trip down to Ithaca, we took a little detour to Seneca Falls.  SF is the 'birthplace of women's rights' in the US - Susan B Anthony and others got it together there.  SF is also the model after which the director  Frank Capra fashioned the scenes for "A Wonderful Life", the Christmas classic (streets have subtitles like George Bailey Lane and Clarence Ave).  We stayed just one night on the free wall.

On to Ithaca for our rendezvous with Gary and Nadine in Ithaca.  After a couple of days of shore chores and a little site seeing we drove down to Owego in Gary's little red Miata - he had lent it to us.  Owego is a beautiful little town on the Sesquahana River (not navigable).  Gary and Nadine have a classic mansard roofed Victorian in the historic district - all very charming.

Yesterday, daughter Rachel arrived;  today, son-in-mortgage Kris arrives;  tomorrow, Gretchen, Gavin and children arrive from California.  Monday will be a big July 4th celebration at Gary and Nadine's place on the lake - relatives, some 30+ strong will be on had for fun in the sun.

Cousin Laura and Aunt Pat

Seneca Falls Knitting Mill

Cayuga Lake from Thirsty Owl Winery

Taughannock Falls, 215 ft (note people in forground)