Off to the Thousand Islands

We made all of the correct turns, and Egret made short work of the Erie and Oswego Canals. After traveling 10 straight days, we arrived in Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario and breathed a sigh of relief.  It feels great to be out of the rivers and canals and let Egret free without worrying as much about logs and depths.  

Egret hanging on a lock wall before the doors close.

A view off the stern after being dropped.  All of these locks work with massive pipes and valves. After everyone enters the lock, the doors close. If we are dropping, a valve is opened on the downstream side of the lock to release the water in the lock. If we are rising, the valve on the upstream side of the lock is opened, and water is introduced into the lock. On the Erie, we took 20 locks that lifted us a total of 420 feet, followed by two locks that dropped us a total of 50 feet.  There were seven locks on the Oswego Canal for a total drop of 118 feet.

A gorgeous day on the Mohawk River section of the Erie Canal.

Lock 17 is the only lock on the Erie that has a massive "guillotine" gate that slides down once you're safely inside the chamber.

This lock was followed by a road with a drawbridge that needed to be raised once we cleared the lock.

Egret resting on the lock wall after Oswego Lock 6. We're in an aqueduct three feet higher than the river.

Millie got a chance to get off the leash and run around at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Park.

Dinner onboard: spinach pasta, sundried tomatoes, spinach, and a drizzle of fetta cheese. Mom always said that the chef gets an extra 10% when a meal is presented onboard. This meal didn't need the 10%.

A coastal freighter getting ready to leave the St. Lawrence River.

Our route through the Erie, up the Oswego, and out into Lake Ontario. Our first stop was Sackets Harbor and then on to Cape Vincent.