Brewerton NY to Oswego NY

Today was an eight lock day.  Our last locks in the US!   We are now floating on Lake Ontario!     

We can FEEL the lake breeze!   It's cold.  Too cold.  Tomorrow we intend to cross Lake Ontario.  The early AM weather looks cooperative with big wind coming in the afternoon so we intend to leave early. 

We left Brewerton today and many boats joined us.  It is now very summer feeling.  Not because it's warm but because there are cottages and boats out front and marinas that are full!

We did locks 1-22 on the Erie canal and every lock we were by ourselves.  Today all of New York decided to join us.  Every lock passage today (eight of them) we shared with at least one other boat. 

But fellow loopers to share experiences with is a big part of the loop...

There were four of us in the lock O1 in Phoenix NY.  This is the lock that has the bridge next to it that was stuck down.  

I can see why ..   that bridge is sketchy looking.  We limboed under the right side of it to get out of the lock.  

The locks on the Oswego are generally cleaner feeling than the Erie but the ropes we hold onto as we drop weren't any better ..

Sometimes we would come into a lock and see a stop sign like this and a bridge or road right across the far end of the lock with no sign of any method to move the bridge.  

.... But then the water drops and we can drive under it.   Locks are interesting and they have many variations.  They will get really unique this next week when we get to Canada.   You will see....

The locks usually have a dam and waterfall next to them.  Sometimes they are large and other times relatively small.  One today had a HUGE cross current just as we left the lock because a spillway was overflowing and pushing the boats to the right ... Seriously fast.  A bit scary. Fortunately we have 700+ horse power...

After eight locks we entered the town of Oswego.  (Actually the last three locks in the canal are IN Oswego.  One after the other...)

It is odd driving a boat in a trench with water almost flowing over to the left dropping down into the rapids...

30 miles today but it felt like more.   We were moving along pretty good in the stretches between locks that were farther apart but often it was only a partial mile from one lock to another today.  

Katie is really excited now that I told her we have 37 (yes, you read that right) locks to do in the Trent Severn Waterway crossing Ontario.  So much to look forward to....

Either way it will feel good tomorrow to get the boat up on plane and crossing Lake Ontario!  One big step closer to home... Out of New York (and the US) and into another country on the boat.   It's been a while since I boated to another country. (And yes, it was Canada that time too.)



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