Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Today was a long day.  We started out at 8:30, starting right off the bat with Lock #14.  By the time we we called it a day, we had locked through Lock #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, and #19.  We stopped at a really attractive marina and campground called St. Johnsonville Municipal Marina to get pumped out.  Finally, after trying at 4 other marinas, we are pumped out and ready to go (little pun there). 

Lock #17 is the largest single step on the Erie Canal.  It's east gate is pulled up over the canal and you enter by taking your boat under the gate.  It is one of only two of this type in North America.  The other one is on the Ottawa River in Canada.  After we exited this lock, we saw a group of rock climbers on the shore. 

We thought we were going to Utica Free Docks, but when we got there, it is no longer called Utica Marina.  It is now called Aqua Vino.  It has both a dock and an upscale restaurant.  It now costs $1 a foot to stay overnight.  Once we were tied up, I walked  about 3/4 of a mile to a grocery store for a few things to keep us until we get to a marina with a courtesy car and we can stock up before going into Canada. 

When I got back from the grocery and we got cleaned up, we helped two more boats tie up on the dock. They are both from Canada, one from Montreal and the other from Toronto.  We had a wonderful dinner in the restaurant and saw the four Canadians from the other boats in the restaurant.  All in all, it was a long, tiring, but great day on the water. 

 Lock #17 with the door that lifts up to allow boats to enter.  The door is in the up position in the picture.

 These are two of the rock climbers. 

 It's amazing how close to the water these homes are placed.

This picture needs no words.