The Saga of the package continues

Monday, June 28^th

Shopping in the morning so we will be ready to leave for Kingston, Ontario as soon as it gets here. While working on the boat I looked up and saw the UPS truck past the Museum. When I went to the museum they told me it did not stop. I wanted to call UPS, but did not have a tracking number. We had to wait until noon when Radiolab opened in California. At noon the company called UPS and was told that the package was refused- refused? The driver did not even stop! What is going on? I get hold of the company and the tracking number, called UPS and got hold of a supervisor. Once again it was sent to the Post Office, the address never changed. More phone calls and the package will now be sent to Trenton, Ontario. We can wait for it there.

Off to Kingston, Ontario – 3 hrs. later we are out of the country! Kingston seems nice. Large well protected Marina. On arrival we are greeted by a looper (the one who sent us a picture of Serendipity at Boldt Castle he took as he went by on a tour boat). We are invited to a BYO cocktail party on “Mas Buenos”. After checking through customs – five minutes on the phone – they had all of our information from last year – we joined the cocktail party. Seven other loopers of which five were from Tennessee. We had a good time and got some Kingston Information. They were all leaving in the morning, no room at the Marina with Canada Day coming up. We were able to stay another day since we were smaller and they did not need our dock.

We finished off the day at the “Pilot Bar” with Fish and Chips for Carole and Steak and Kidney Pie for me. A nice ending after a disappointing start. It seemed like two different days.

Tuesday, June 29^th

Shopping this morning. Carole for Art Supplies and I for a new USB Mouse. Both very successful. Kingston is a great stop. The downtown area is right on the waterfront. The art supply store was only six blocks from the waterfront with the computer shop two doors away. We even took Annie in to the stores and no on e seemed to mind. Actually many of the stores had dog treats for her.

Kingston is the largest city in the area and yet feels like a village. No one seems to be in a hurry. Even the cars are not rushing from one light to the next. And lots of people walking. Today was farm market day in the town square, really nice looking produce from local towns and islands. This time of year it was Radishes, garlic, lettuce, peas onions, and asparagus. The town square has a freezer coil under it and doubles as an ice rink in the winter. There is even a building for the Zamboni machine.

In the afternoon we took the Trolley tour. The tour covered the historic parts of the city and several of the forts (had to keep the Americans from taking Canada in 1812).

Later we went clothes shopping for Annie. Carole wanted a harness to make it easier to get her out of the water if she fell off the dock. I did not think we needed it - until  she fell off the dock and I had to drag back on to it by the scruff of her neck.. She looks kind of spiffy in her new harness.

There are so many restaurants here that we had to eat out. I was opting for a brewery pub, but Carole won out with an upscale french place where she could get Duck Confit. Meal was excellent.

Westward Ho – tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 30^th

Clear and cold ~ 51 degrees with west winds about 15- 20 Kts. The Gods must think we have a sailboat, the wind is right on our nose. We are looking at whitecaps on the lake and 2-3 ft. seas. We have to go about 5 miles across the lake and then we will get some protection in North Channel (not THE North Channel – that's much later) behind Amherst Island. The seas drop to 1-2 ft and it is quite comfortable. Annie who is nervous in bumpy water is asleep on the bridge. The wind continued and as we turned in to Picton Bay it seemed to increase. It has stayed cold all day. We stayed at Tip of the Bay Marina on the skinniest docks we have seen yet. The base of our two step ladder that we use for boarding almost does not fit the dock. We stick out about 6 ft off the end of the dock, and then they dock a 50ft. Tugboat next to us!

Town of Picton is smaller than Kingston and yet feels more like a city. Still very nice. There was a Juried Art Show for local artists and there were some really good works there. A first class show. Also the marine artists guild has there headquarters there and they were also showing some good works.

This would be a primo stop if it weren't for the docks. The town dock was nice, but it only has room for two boats.

Thursday, July 1^st Canada Day

Clear and cold again, 55 degrees. Calm at 7:00 am, we shall see as we get underway.

It started to warm up and by midmorning the wind had gone to 20 Kts. Gusting to 25 and still from the west – the direction we are going. Another 5 mile stretch (Big Bay) with whitecaps.

We arrived in Trenton, Ontario to find 12 other loopers already there. Including the Tennessee contingent and “Two Turtles” our friends Tony and Liz. Marina Managers Sandy and Craig decided to put on a Canada Day BBQ for all of the boats. We all brought the sides and they grilled Hot Dogs and Burgers. We talked until dark when there was good fireworks show preceded by the lighting of the new “Quinte West – Gateway to the Trent Severn” sign for the first time. We had front row seats with two other couples on our bow.

What great people! We spent 4 days with the loopers, the marina managers and some seasonal people on the dock. Rides were offered when we needed something as well as good conversation. We – of course were waiting for our packages. What with Canada Day and July 4^th we did not expect them to get there until Monday. We were hoping for Friday, but of course that did not happen and Canada does not have Saturday mail delivery. We did get to visit the RCAF air museum. A trip worth making. There is a restored WWII DeHaviland bomber that was recovered from a lake in Norway after 50 years underwater. The rest of the time we worked on the boat and harrassed Craig and Sandy.

Monday came and went without any packages arriving!

Wednesday, July 7^th

We waited for the mail and when it did not arrive we made arrangements with Sandy and Craig to figure out how to get it when it did. At 12:30 we left Trenton. It is now very hot and humid. We only went 7 miles and 6 locks, before stopping at Frankford above lock 6. A Pastoral setting. Stopped at the top of lock 6. There was a beach on the river below the canal and campsites in the park. The lockwall had electricity available also – a rarity here.

So far all of the locks are manual. The lockkeepers have to push a “T” bar around in a circle 12 times to open the lock doors. It was really hot at the bottom of the lock as we entered. We are locking up for the first 36 locks – so we enter at the bottom, they close the lock door, putting us in a concrete box and no wind until the lock fills up and we are at the top. Annie likes it here. Water to swim in , ducks and geese to chase and of course, lots of well aged goose poop to roll in.,

Thursday, July 8^th

Package #1 has arrived and Sandy will drive it up to us. We decide to stay another night since she does not get here until afternoon. I went for a swim (?) in the river. Felt great, but it never got more than 3 feet deep all of the way across and had a very rocky bottom. Later I went for a real swim in the canal, weedy but deep. Happy Hour with three other couples. One US and two Canadians. All going to the Georgian Bay but not on the full loop

It is still hot and sticky.

Friday; July 9^th

Slightly Cooler, 6 locks to go to Campbellford. Sandy expects to visit her son in Peterboro on Monday and the packages should be in Trenton so she can bring them up to us there on Monday.

The Alternator died today. Crap! This is the second high output alternator that I have tried. I will put the original one back in and see if I can fix it. The Canadian locks do not allow you to run your engine in the locks, but without an alternator I am worried that I will not be able to start the engine at the top. The first operator said not to worry, let it run. At the second lock I started the Generator and shut down the engine. In the third lock the operator (the first woman we saw) would not let me keep it running. We had a shouting match (we were at the bottom of a twenty foot lock and she was on the top wall. After I refused to stop the generator she opened the lock door and told me to back out of the lock. There was another boat behind us (their sympathy was with us – they were one of our happy hour mates) and I refused to back out. She finally said that if I did not get started she would help tow us out of the lock.so I agreed and shut down. I started the generator first and then the main. I ran the rest of the day with the generator on and had no more trouble at the locks.

Had dinner that night in Campbellford with same couple. Canadians that had a house in Mexico, where they spent the winter. In the summer they spent on the boat, so they only used their house near Kingston about four weeks a year.

Package did not come today.

Saturday, July 10^th

A lot cooler. Moving on we passed up a quiet lock wall since it would leave too long a day tomorrow. We want to be in Peterborough on Sunday night since Sandy will be coming up on Monday. We continued on to a stop above the lock wall in Hastings. Very busy place on a Saturday. We stopped below the lock and I walked up to see if there was any room on the upper wall. The upper wall is usually preferred as the breeze is better and you do not start the day with a lock. There was just enough space up there so we locked on through.. Turns out all of the boats were only day trippers so we had the wall to ourselves that night. We walked down both of the streets in Hastings, but not much to see. One Pizza bar, a beer store and an LCBO (liquor and wine) that was closed by the time we looked. I talked with the lock operator for a while about the locks and where the fish might be. While I was talking to him two young Indian (Asian) women came over with a plate of food (Chicken & corn) for him. They were part of a family gathering and said that they came there to picnic every year and wanted to treat the operator. The lockkeepers are really very nice (with an occasional exception). They seem to want you to enjoy your trip and will go out of their way to be helpful. They always ask if you are going to the next lock. If you ask if there is room at one of the other locks for you to stay overnight, they call ahead to check. Need a restroom key for the evening they have them for you. And most of them will sit and talk with you if there is no lock lock traffic.

We ran the generator for a while so I could watch the soccer match and make popcorn. I also finally found a site that I could download TV shows to watch when we have no internet. Hulu will not send shows to Canada. I could really use that WiFi antenna now. I hope that the second, third time around is the charm.

Sunday, July 11^th

Cool and clear with a light wind. - Off to Peterborough!

Rice Lake was beautiful – calm – I took the opportunity to swing (adjust) the autopilot compass. It worked! The autopilot now agrees with the GPS. From the lake we head up the Otonabee River. It starts with wooded marshy islands, becomes grassy marsh and as we get close to Peterborough it gets rocky. The lock before Peterborough is the oldest lock in the system, and has the worst lockkeeper! I guess not all of them are great. We approached the lock and there was another boat going up, so we knew we would have to wait. The lock came down and I thought I had seen a boat in the lock, so I thought that the lockkeeper would be talking to them for a bit. We then watched the two keepers with their back to us talking to each other. Not only did they not let the boat out, but we could not get in. I thought that maybe they had not seen us, so I sounded the horn signal (three shorts). They looked up told us to wait, and when we finally got in told us that they had seen us and proceeded to tell me that they were not upset with us, but we are pretty big and that if we can see them they have seen us. They treat each person in the lock with as much time as they need and we should be patient. HAH they were talking to each other and could not be bothered to open the lock.

As we left the lock and turned in to Little Lake we were treated to a huge fountain at the entrance to the Marina. The dock hands refused a tip! And after checking in they insisted on giving me a tour of the facility. The showers here were really hard needles – great – helped make the day. It does not take much to get my mind off of the stupid stuff. And we arrived in time for me to watch the World Cup final. Spain won in overtime.

Riley's Pub was So So. Wings were breaded and fried. Flavor 1, Heat 3, meaty 2, Crispy 3, total 9. I need to weight the ratings. A nine is way too high a rating.

Tomorrow the package?

Monday, July 12^th

Fished off the boat for a bit in the morning. Little Lake is supposed to have a number of of Muskies. You could not prove it by me.! Not even a nibble.

At noon I checked on the packages. The good news is that one, the antenna came in. the bad news was that Sandy's son decided that Monday was not good and so she was not coming up until Friday. We decided that we would wait until both packages came in and then Craig would next day them to where ever we would be.

Wednesday, July 13^th

Heading out of Peterborough we found 7 other boats at the first lock. We thought we would have to wait for a while since up until then the operators were only allowing two boats at a time in the lock. Luck was with us. Only four boats were actually waiting and they put all four of us in at once. The next lock is the lift lock and before the lock is the canal visitors center so we stopped. to visit. A good movie of the canal construction was the highlight, also a pretty good explanation of how the lock works. This is the lock that uses an hydraulic cylinder to push a container of water up sixty five feet., and we are in the container. It is counterbalanced by another container that goes down as we go up. To provide the driving force the upper container stops 12” short of the water line and fills with 130 tons more water than the lower container. A valve between them is opened and the water from the upper container pushes the lower container up as it goes down. A quick and easy ride. This lock is 106 years old and still going strong.

Four locks later (in the pouring rain) we arrive at Youngs Point for the night. Fairly isolated, only a few buildings around. No room at the top so we tie up below the lock. Met up with several of our eating and drinking friends and spent some time socializing.

We had a power emergency. We had been using the generator running to use the slow cooker. I noticed that the batteries were running down and I found that there was no voltage from the generator., It then failed to start and the engine start battery was dead. I was able to start the main engine from the house battery (the generator only works from the engine battery) and then could start the generator after I reset the circuit breaker. I was still not charging the engine battery from the inverter/charger for some reason. And then I was not charging anything. I shut down all electrical & started the main engine. I let it run for about an hour to ensure that it would start in the morning.

That was the end of the slow cooked dinner! The pot roast came out of the cooker, a piece of it was cut off and put on the grill. Rice was cooked (the stove is propane) and all else was kept off.

Earlier we confirmed that both packages had arrived and they would be shipped that afternoon via Purolator next day to a resort on Stoney Lake, where we expected to be. Here is hoping.

Wednesday, July 14^th

Engine started easily and we were off at 8:50 – by 10:30 we were at the resort and at 11:00 THE PACKAGES ARRIVED! We were checking in when the Purolator truck pulled in and two packages were delivered. Carole made me go in to make sure that they were not refused, but the driver came out empty handed so we had them finally, YAY! No more stuff sent to Canada unless we have two weeks lead time and we do not have a clue where we will be in two weeks. Everyone tried their best, but with this lifestyle we just have to do things differently.

The three unexpected checks in the mail probably just made up the costs we incurred trying to get the packages.

Nice resort, even though the hot tub is out of service they have a nice beach for Annie to play in and a pool for me. We took a walk in the woods that was cut short because I did not think to put on insect repellent and the mosquitoes were ravenous.

Also I checked the electrical systems and everything is working fine. Who says boats don't have antibodies! Actually I believe it was a power management problem. Too many things on at once and then we turned on the microwave which popped the breaker. I am hoping that I have a handle on it now. Time will tell tomorrow we are going to be at anchor for the first time just off the island that Carole's Family went to in August for several years. She is pretty sure she located it on the chart.

Stoney Lake is …
                                     well stoney.

New Territory

Oswego to Clayton

Sunday, June 20^th

We are leaving the last lock for a while and head off in to Lake Ontario. It is a big flat lake, but we are only going across a small corner of it. We are going to Sackets Harbor so Carole can investigate her origins. She learned that one of her ancestors was buried here in 1828, and she wants to see if she can learn any more.

The lake is pretty flat, but the 1' waves are coming from our side and the boat is rolling about
5 degrees. The day started sunny, but it quickly got overcast. Seeing sailboats with their masts up is a novelty (it doesn't take too much to entertain me).

Navy Point Marine seems to be the only show in town. Liberty Marina's phone is disconnected and the Barracks Marina is closed on Sunday! Navy Point Mariner advertises “concierge” service -HAH! The entire time there we never saw a marina employee on the dock. When you arrive they ask you (over the radio) to go to the office to check in. If you want fuel, you go to the office, give them a Credit Card and pump your own. Same with a holding tank pumpout. Otherwise a nice place to stay. Lots of sailboats here and it is a great sailing area lots of open deep water, consistent wind, and islands and anchorages abound.

Sackets Harbor was involved in the war of 1812 and it was the Naval Center for the Great Lakes for many years. The battlefield and buildings have been preserved and are now museums. One of the guides offered to watch Annie for us while we toured the Commanders House. (In Fulton at the John Wells House they let Annie into the museum with us) It was well worth the visit. The exhibits were very innovative and well planned.

When we went to dinner we saw “Two Turtles” anchored in the harbor.

Monday June 21^st

Carole takes a Taxi to Watertown to do her Genealogy research. Turns out that they have a genealogy researcher at the Library there. Meanwhile I get to scrub the boat.

We called the local Canvas Shop to have semitransparent window covers made. They quoted ¼ the price we got in Brewerton and would have them ready the next morning. The price was so good that I considered staying another day to have side window covers made. Then sanity took over and we decided to wait.

I did order a WiFi amplified antenna for the laptop when I saw that Tony (on Two Turtles) was getting 8- 10 connections available when I could only see 2, and his signal strength was much higher than mine. It is scheduled to arrive by Thursday so we are having it delivered to Clayton, NY.

Tuesday June 22^nd

The window covers were installed first thing in the morning and look great. They also came in under the estimate.

Pumpout and get underway. Headed for Cape Vincent, The gateway to the St. Lawrence. And according to some great plan – it is raining. Our first sight of Canada is a large windmill farm – about 100 of them. They are on Wolfe Island across the St. Lawrence River. Not an ugly sight, but I am sure that many people are lamenting the change of the view.

We stay at a free town dock – no amenities except a picnic table and Port-a-pot. It is quiet and the town is well kept and seems to be in good repair. While docking I was trying to get close to shore and I pushed against an underwater rock shelf with the side of the boat. Lots of grass on the rock so it was well padded. I was only drifting and the only way I new I was against it was that the bow would not turn. The water is so clear that it is almost impossible to determine depth by eyesight. I eased off and tied up farther out on the dock.

Since this was a night for grilling it naturally rained, that is until Carole was finished using the grill outside and then it stopped.

Wednesday, June 23^rd

Walked in town this morning. Very well kept, nice wide (8-10') grass strips between the sidewalk and the street. No curbs. “Two Turtles” reported that two beers and a glass of wine was only $10.00 at the local pub.

We went to the fisheries aquarium. Small, but they have a good display of the local St. Lawrence fish species.

A small market about 1 block from the dock provided a few essentials for the larder.

We left St. Vincent about 10 to head for Clayton. Some brief sunshine and we passed the “Pride of Baltimore II” on the way. She was headed for Oswego for the Tall Ship Festival there this weekend.

It was only a 2 ½ hr. run to Clayton. On the way I was torn between watching the scenery and watching the USA World Cup soccer match. The US game was on French language TV from Canada. I did both. The scenery here is gorgeous. There are a bazillion islands, yet lots of open water.

After Clayton I do not have any paper charts. I can either print them or buy them.

The village of Clayton is upbeat. “Two Turtles” is there ahead of us,. They passed us on the way. I think that we are vying to be the slowest boat on the loop this year – and seem to be winning.

On arriving I called California to check up on when my Antenna would be arriving and learned that it had not even shipped yet! I was expecting it to arrive A real treat. Avery extensive collection of very well restored boats housed in several buildings and some in the water in covered docks. One building is devoted to speed – speedboats from the early 1900's to the present including engines. There is an extensive collection of outboards going back as early as 1894! There is one that has the powerhead at the bottom of the shaft. The propeller serves as the flywheel. To start it you tipped it up, wrapped the starting rope around the propeller shaft and pulled. I it started you lowered the shaft back in to the water – getting sprayed by the turning prop. At that point it would probably stall and you get to do the whole thing over again (the museum's description). .Also in the collection is a Millionaire's Houseboat. - built in 1903 it is a two story house with 5 bedrooms and a master suite (yes bedrooms – not cabins), 4 or 5 bathrooms (with porcelain tubs) and servants quarters. There were also many skiffs and sailboats, mostly related to the Thousand Islands history.

The Antenna should arrive tomorrow and we will head downriver in the afternoon.

Friday, June 25^th

I checked online for the UPS delivery schedule and found that the package had not left California and would not be delivered until Monday! A call to UPS did not help much at first. There was nothing they could do. I had to contact the shipper. They could not change it to next day air. I finally got a manager and she told me pretty much the same until she read the delivery address – the company had not changed the address and it was still scheduled to go to the Post Office and they could not deliver it there. I had to wait until noon to call the company. I realized that nothing was going to happen for a while, so we headed to Heart Island.

On the way I was able to finally reach RadioLabs. What a mess! They had the right address and had not bothered to change it on the package! And now to get it before we go to Canada I have to pay for next day air – which I will not get until Monday anyway. Every other method might get it to me on Tuesday – MIGHT! So I bit the bullet and authorized the shipping. Once I get it I will argue with them some more.

The castle on Heart Island was built by the same millionaire that built the Houseboat. Another astounding place – a 127 room castle on an island in the St. Lawrence River, started in 1899 and construction was stopped when his wife died in 1904. The first building he completed was a power plant where they generated electricity (DC) for the construction. He never returned to the Island although he did keep coming here in the summers. It had been enclosed before construction stopped, but never lived in. Across the water on an another island he had built a boathouse. This was also immense. He was reported to have 60 some boats – from skiffs and raceboats to a 127' steam launch. The boathouse had three slips, all the same length. The center slip housed the steam launch. All of the slips had lifting jacks for raising the boats out of the water in the winter or for repairs. The center slip (which housed the steam launch) had a funnel that could be lowered over the smoke stack so the launch could fire up before leaving the dock.

Continuing with our great timing – we found that when we got to Alexandria Bay that it was the 1000 Island Motorcycle Rally weekend. Big tent at the end of the dock with a sound system set up and several hundred bikes parked around the street. Along with the corresponding number of tattooed, studded, bearded, and beer bellied men and women. The anticipation was worse than the reality. Although crowded, the people were nice and friendly. The music was rock and blues, and the speakers were facing away from the docks so not too loud.

We had the best dinner out since the Highlands, making for a rather pleasant experience.

Saturday, June 26^th

After pumping out we left Alexandria Bay and took a short trip through Canadian waters and back into the U.S. Stopping at Canoe Point State Park for the night. Nice hiking area. And of course it rained. There were a number of boaters from a marina in Alexandria Bay that were all there as a group for the weekend. One of them showed up on a Jet Ski with his wife, and after the party they drove back home on the Jet Ski. He said it was only a 15 minute ride – It took us 2 ½ hrs.! One of the kids was fishing and catching little (like 3” long) perch. At last count he had caught (and released) 125 of them. I suspect that it was the same few fish many times. Oh and did I mention that it rained.

Sunday, June 27^th

Took a short hike this morning – it was sort of sunny. Annie had a great time running through the woods chasing a ground squirrel. She bounced around like a gazelle in the high undergrowth. We tried but could not get a picture. After we returned Carole took out her sketchbook for a while. We also saw our first loon about 20 yards off the dock.

All that before 10:00 when we left to return to Clayton, NY. I spent the afternoon setting up for the new depth sounder. Carole went out looking for art supplies.

We were going to order Pizza. None of the pizza places had anchovies – which is the way I like it. We went out to find some and wound up at the 1000 Island Inn – the original home of 1000 Island Dressing. We tried some and decided on Blue Cheese.

The “Roseway” is in town and I visited to see if there were any familiar faces, but there were none that I knew.

Tomorrow the package comes!