Oh, Canada

Just after publishing the last blog entry we received the good news that the engine parts we were waiting for were on the way from Brazil and would arrive on Thursday, June 26. We used the waiting time to finish some boat projects, provision the boat, get Zipper to the vet, and explore a little of the area around Brewerton. The weather kept other Loopers in the marina as well, so it was an opportunity for socializing. One of the best parts of this trip has been meeting other cruisers--and then running into them again "down the road".

Dinner at the Waterfront Tavern: Ann Adams, Marian
Warlick, Lon, Pat, Gerald & Cheri Wallace, Mike Warlick,
Ken Shanley

Brewerton Lighthouse

Fort Brewerton earthworks c. 1759

Arctic King  Brewerton

Lon prepping CARIB II to leave Brewerton

On Friday (June 27) we left Brewerton, passed through the last section of the Erie Canal that we would travel on this trip, and entered the Oswego Canal to head north toward Lake Ontario. Like parts of the Erie Canal, the Oswego Canal consists of a "canalized" river, in this case the Oswego River. The canal was about 24 miles long and contained seven locks that served to drop us 118 feet in elevation. The canal ends at the city of Oswego, NY on Lake Ontario.

Approaching Lock 7 near Oswego on the Oswego Canal

Oswego lighthouse

CARIB II on the wall at the
 mouth of the Oswego River

Reaching the milestone of completing the New York rivers and canals meant that we were back to having to deal with another "big water" crossing-Lake Ontario-to reach the Canadian waterways. And so I was back to being obsessive about the weather. But I didn't have to obsess too much, because the rains of Wednesday and Thursday were followed by fair weather with light winds--and we had an absolutely perfect day today for our crossing. We buddy-boated with Ken Shanley and Ann Adams (on M/V Charis) which added an additional level of security to the crossing.

A flat Lake Ontario

Our "boat buddies" on Lake Ontario: Ann and Ken 

Zipper's new favorite cruising location

Fifty miles and 5 1/2 hours after leaving Oswego we were cruising inland Canadian waters and two hours after that we were in Picton, Ontario.  After an easy, telephone check-in with Canadian customs we did a quick walk through downtown Picton and are now settled in for the evening.

Beautiful tugboat in Picton, Ontario

Scooperman's Ice Cream Parlor Picton

We will cruise tomorrow to Trenton, Ontario, the starting point for the historic Trent-Severn Canal. We're going to spend a couple of days in Trenton and are looking forward to seeing how Canadians celebrate Canada Day on July 1.