It has been uneventful (that's a good thing) last few weeks as we departed Peterborough on the Trent-Severn Waterway, made our way to the end of the waterway to Trenton, Ontario and waited for a good weather day to cross Lake Ontario.  We have all enjoyed our time in Canada - the scenery was magnificent and the people were equally as grand.  Fond memories as we hope to return in the future to explore this beautiful country again.  Fortunately, we only had to wait one extra day for calm winds in Trenton and made the 80 mile trip across the lake to Oswego, NY - back into the US - on August 13th.  It was another long day on the water but we enjoyed the calm seas.

We entered the Oswego Canal - a 23 mile/8 lock waterway that connects Lake Ontario to the Erie Canal.  When we were on The Loop, we did not take the Erie Canal so this was a new adventure for us.  The Erie Canal stretches from Waterford, NY on the Hudson River to Lake Erie in Buffalo - a total of 363 miles and 35 locks.  We intercepted the Erie off of the Oswego Canal - 160 miles west of The Hudson River - and began our trip East.  Although the Erie was originally created as a shipping canal connecting NY to the Great Lakes, today the majority of boat traffic is pleasure craft.  Along the way, most every town on the canal has free public docks for boats to tie up for the night, many with electric hookup.  We took advantage of these opportunities and spent a night in Oswego, Phoenix, Sylvan Beach, Utica, Canajoharie, and Schenectady, NY where we are now awaiting the arrival of Mike and Lynne - more friends from NC - to travel with us the remaining few miles of the Erie, down the Hudson River to NYC. 

Tug used on the Trent for maintenance

Lighthouse as we departed Canada to cross Lake Ontario

We met this guy in Phoenix, NY.  He built this vessel himself from plywood and now lives aboard.  It took him 9 years to build, launched her last October and spent the winter in Florida.  Quite an accomplishment.

Erie Canal early in the AM

We encountered this dredge across the canal one morning and had to wait as they moved her to one side so we could pass.

Typical view along the Erie Canal

This was our 200th lock counting the locks we passed on The Loop.  Can't wait until we get beyond all the locks!

Deer along the Erie Canal