I’m usually taking fun pictures of WhimSea from the outside but thought some of you might like to see the inside. A decoder for land lubbers: Salon = Living Room, Galley = Kitchen, Head = Bathroom/Toilet, V Berth = Bedroom, Pilot House = Pilot House When I bought the boat it had 30 year old… Continue reading A Tour of WhimSea
Ramming Speed
You know those cute canal boats? Well unfortunately they come with inexperienced boaters. I was sitting on the aft deck when the Onondaga left the dock at ramming speed. The boater claimed the boat was “stuck in neutral” – only problem with that theory is you don’t go very fast in neutral. The good news… Continue reading Ramming Speed
Westward Ho
Well I did a u-turn and started west. There is a world of difference with my westward trip as I’m definitely moseying. First day 4 NM, next day a whopping 3 and today 16, but only because there was no place to stop. You may wonder what makes a good stop. Pittsford Is a great… Continue reading Westward Ho
Know When To Fold ‘EM
For those of you who know me well, I’m a tad goal oriented. Stop laughing about the “tad” part. My second goal for this trip was making it to Burlington, VT. The Notice to Mariners with some locks not opening till 3 Sept made the decision clear, that going further east was a no go.… Continue reading Know When To Fold ‘EM
Fairport = Flexibility + Fred
I’ve always said this trip would require lots of flexibility and plans A through Z. The remnants of Hurricane Fred hit upstate New York and it rained for 48 hours. As I was underway yesterday, I received a “Notice to Mariners” that Locks 24 – 28B were closed due to high water. I just passed… Continue reading Fairport = Flexibility + Fred
Bridges and Bicycles
I am getting quite the education in bridges. Yesterday I went under 35 bridges and today it was 34. Above is a gate bridge designed to help control the water levels. This one is odd as only one side is up. Above is a lift bridge. I had 7 lift bridges on my route today.… Continue reading Bridges and Bicycles
Goal #1 – Erie Canal – Achieved
The Niagara River is in a hurry to get to the falls. You’ll notice I opted for the calmer side. This is essentially the Great Lakes excess water moving on the path to the sea. So I admitted to being nervous for my first lock. As it turns out, the lock keeper told me to… Continue reading Goal #1 – Erie Canal – Achieved
Boat Angel’s in Buffalo
It was an easy trip from Dunkirk to Buffalo. Upon arrival I went to hook up electric and found a missing prong. Before I could even devise a plan to get a new one, boaters Lisa & Dawn donned angel wings and offered to help. They just happened to have an extra brand new 30… Continue reading Boat Angel’s in Buffalo
Dunkirk NY – A Tough Night on the Docks
It was a wild ride on the docks at Dunkirk. I didn’t get a lot of sleep as I constantly refreshed the radar map. At a normal dock and harbor this storm wouldn’t have been a problem but the docks were bad and there was a ricochet wave effect from the city pier. The cleats… Continue reading Dunkirk NY – A Tough Night on the Docks
Voila – A New Alternator in Erie, PA
On my run from Conneaut to Erie, PA my voltage gauge showed green for over an hour and then flipped to the dreaded red zone. I had a bunch of folks give me recommendations, so I ran with every light and blower on to try to pull some current and made it safely to Erie.… Continue reading Voila – A New Alternator in Erie, PA