You Have got to Believe

The charts and engineers that is. When the bridge heights are only inches above your boat height it looks really scary. The first really low bridge we slowed way down to double check the clearance. I stood at the doorway and reached up and smacked the bridge with my hand. After we cleared it Carole's comment was: “Ugh”
We do not slow down now, but I still hear an “Ugh” every time we go under one.
One boat called the lockmaster of the lock we had just left and told him that the clearance was really close. The lockmaster told him that if the bridge he had just gone under was tight, the next one was worse. He then told him that if it was a matter of an inch or two, the next lock master could drain the lock (the boat was on the higher side) which would lower the water level at the bridge for a minute or so. The boat would then go under the bridge, the lock tender would then fill the lock and the let the boat in to lock down. I am sure glad I am not that close.
Thursday, August 6
We spent the day in Newark, NY. I managed to get some shine back in to the sides of the boat. Also got the blue stripe to look blue instead of the faded, chalky color it has been. I am using a polymer coating as I tried compounding it and got nowhere. The Poly-Glo requires two cleaners. First is a powder and then a liquid, followed by four to six coats of the Poly-Glo. By the time I was finished it was close to cocktail time.
Actually I took some time off between applications to fraternize with the other boats at the dock. Meeting really nice people on the way. They are not all big boaters either. Two yesterday were traveling on pontoon boats they trailered up to the canal. They had complete covers on the boats so they could sleep, and eat aboard. Another couple we met were in a chartered canal boat. And others are in express cruisers (that frustrates them since they can only go 10 mph most places). But all are quite friendly, and fun to meet. I expect we will meet up with them again when we get to their home areas.
Buffalo Wings at “Parkers Pub” in Newark took the number two position! Good flavor, nice and meaty, just O.K. On the hot and only slightly crispy.
Friday, August 7
Left Newark at 8:50 this morning. Only two locks today. We were going to make a sightseeing stop, to look at one of the original canal locks, but the lock tender told us it was really overgrown and we would not see anything but vines, so we kept going to Fairport, NY. Another small town that has refurbished tie up area. Not free, but very close - $9.00/night including electric and pumpout.
Again a clean, well kept park and tie up.
The bridge at the end of the docking wall is in Ripley's Believe It or Not. It is a lift bridge. That is it goes straight up and down and stays level. The reason it is in Ripley's because it is the only lift bridge that is higher at one end than the other. Also there are no two angles on the bridge the same.
Annie is really settling in to this life. She lays on the deck wherever she can fins shade and watches the world go by when we are at the dock. She will even stay on the boat when we walk away to another boat. Up until now, if one of us left the boat she would jump off and follow us. At the locks, when we pull on she up forward to watch Carole catch the line. Then she comes to the back to lay down while we lock up. When we get to the top and she can see over the side of the lock she will get up and check out the area again. So I guess she has figured out that the boat is home.
We went to dinner at Joey B's and had a first class meal. By far the best on the trip. Interestingly everyone we told that we had a really great meal said: “Oh you ate at Joey B's”. We picked the place because we liked the menu when we walked by it. “Serendipity” again
Saturday, August 8
Farm Market Day again. This time in Fairport. Much larger market here. About 30-50 stalls and a good crowd. Great selection, and Carole got a Hot Carrot Sandwich – its like a hot dog made with a grilled Carrot instead. It was pretty good, I only got a taste – she ate the rest.
Left about 11:00 and headed west again. We went through two locks (32 & 33). No more locks for 64 miles. Weather was slightly overcast.
We went past the Genesee River. A right turn would have taken us to Rochester. The Canal here is cut through rock and the walls are straight up solid rock. Had to slow down to let a squirrel cross the canal! I wonder if he paid a canal fee. I have never seen a squirrel swim, nor could I imagine one getting in the water. In fact I needed to look at it with binoculars to make sure it was a squirrel!
We arrived in Spencerport about 3:30, pumped out and got another free dock with electric. We are also getting a serenade from a Bavarian Band. Oompah and Polka Music. I hear that they play till 11:00. They are pretty good, but I do not know if I can take it that long.
Met some really nice people who gave us all kinds of tips for Buffalo and for next year on the Trent Severn. These folks also said: “Oh you ate at Joey B's”. It seems they are getting a well deserved reputation.
Sunday August 9
An easy day. Left at ten and arrived in Medina, NY at 3:30
Lots of lift bridges, nice bridge tenders, and some rain. We passed a lot of walkers and bikers on the old tow path. We go so slow that we have time to wave and even exchange a few words on the way.
We went by the most northern point on canal and also the only place on the canal that a road runs underneath it.
Tomorrow is a sightseeing day so we may only go to lockport.

AND I have finally got a mess of pictures up on the web. They are located on picassaweb at:
picasaweb.google.com/mitchb88/

to view them in some sort of order it is:
Miniloop2009
Waterford to Fairport
Fairport to Medina

Here's to swimming squirrels