Great Loop: Erie Canal - From Little Falls to Junction with Oswego Canal


We departed Little Falls New York along with 4 other Boats

The weather and wind finally cooperated to provide a good travel day.  Our time in Little Falls was well spent.  We enjoyed exploring the area by foot and bike.  After a couple of days in one spot, the travel lust returned and we get antsy about moving.  This was fueled by the arrival of blue skies and light winds.  Time to move on!

We made an effort to pump out at the Little Falls city dock prior to departure.  With the Docents assistance, we just couldn't get the pump out to work.  So we had to "catch-up" to the rest of the gang before their arrival at the next lock.  We arrived just as they were loading, so we were able to lock through with the group.



We passed through the town of Ilion.  It has a free wall at which boaters can tie to spend the night.  We also passed through Utica and Oriskany.



The convoy passed under a railroad bridge to load the next Lock.  



In this lock we rose to our maximum height above sea level of 420 feet, after starting at an elevation of 14 feet on the Hudson River.  That makes a total lift through the locks of 406'.  We would then lock down until we reach the level of Lake Ontario at approximately 245 feet.



At Lock 21 we started our journey down to lower elevations.



To successfully transit a lock you need an expert line handler.  Fortunately I was able to recruit Beth to fulfill this important role.



In Lock 22 we continued our descent to the elevation of Lake Ontario.


Loading is carefully choreographed with the convoy dividing into sub-groups for tying to the Port or Starboard wall.  This should be pre-arranged so all skippers know the plan.
 


Mother Goose was out for a swim with her goslings



Lake Oneida is 23 miles long and only 40 feet deep.  Any wind will cause waves to kick up.  Here you can see the sloppy conditions caused by 15 knots of wind with a fetch of 23 miles.



So we spent a night in Sylvan Beach, which boasted a good old fashioned amusement park complete with roller coaster, shooting gallery, haunted house, T-shirts, ice cream and fried food.


The next morning Amy Marie was underway at 0630.  Winds were about 12mph with gusts to 15.  The wind waves stayed below 2 feet.  The first 7 miles were a bit of a bash, but as the fetch decreased, conditions improved.  Our tug rides smoother if we kick the speed up to around 15.  This speed reduces rocking and pitching.  The local boaters advised us to get on the lake early and complete your crossing by noon at the latest.  Worked for us....  We also have a criteria of winds less than 15 mph and wind waves 2 feet or less.



At the far side we re-entered the Erie Canal and conditions were quite nice.  Here is a shot of a typical house with dock along the canal.



At the "Y", we turned right.  By doing so we departed  the Erie Canal to continue our travels on the Oswego Canal.


Berthing Information

  • Sylvan Beach Free Dock
    • This is a wall with cleats on the north side of the channel just prior to entering Lake Oneida
    • Berthing is first come, first serve.
    • We felt safe on the free wall.
    • Numerous option are nearby for eating.
    • No power or electricity.

Trip Log




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