Lake Erie, the Final Leg
Aug 02 to Aug 09
Wardell Boatyard is one of only 2 places at the western end of the Erie Canal to have the mast stepped (put up). They are the most convenient because they are right in the Tonawanda River and just before the Niagara River. The downside is that the boatyard is after the last bridge and just before the entry to the Niagara River and there is a very limited selection of places to dock after the mast is stepped.
Wardell Marina
The reviews of Wardell’s were either positive or extremely negative. The positive reviews were about technical capability (stepping masts) while the negative reviews were focused on fuel and general attitude. I found that Denny was capable and pleasant. His father started the business in 1953. I did not ask when Denny took over but he lived above the small shop and had a small collection of Chevy Nomad 2 door station wagons. Nice guy.
The mast stepping was complete by 10 AM and it went well. I spent the rest of the day installing the boom, tuning the rig, bending on the sails and getting the boat ready for the leg home. One small problem, the messenger line for the main halyard must have gotten tangled with something in the mast during the trip from the Catskills. I was able to get the halyard part way up the mast and then it stopped. Force in either direction, up or down, would not free the line. When I applied enough force the union between the messenger line and the halyard parted. I ended up with both lines on the deck and no way to reinstall the main halyard. Oh well… I had less than a week remaining and could solve this problem when I take the mast down for the winter.
Linda was able to arrange a one way car rental at a reasonable price from Findley, OH to Tonawanda, NY. I could tell that she was a little nervous about the process but everything went well and she arrived on time. She brought non-perishable food with her and provided a list for me to pick up refrigerated items at the local supermarket.
We departed from Wardell’s early on Thursday morning. I was a bit nervous about the Niagara River because of the reported speed of the current. In some places the reported speed could be greater than 10 MPH! With the lake levels as high as they have been I was a bit worried. The locals said that the current was only 3 kts and that I would be fine. The locals were correct.
The last lock for the trip was Black Rock in the Niagara River. The change in elevation was only 6 feet up but it allowed us to bypass the swift current in the main river. We could see the main river across the canal wall and it was moving extremely fast toward Niagara Falls. I was happy to be in the canal! Boats that can move faster than 10 MPH can use the river to avoid the lock. Not me! I can do only 7 MPH and would be washed toward the falls!
Black Rock Lock
Reviews of Holiday Harbor at Dunkirk NY described the place as “a diamond in the rough.” What they did not say was that the emphasis was on the term “rough.” This was by far the worst marina experience on the entire trip! They gave me a dock assignment by the VHF radio but could not tell me if it was a port or starboard tie and they could not provide docking assistance. It was impossible to identify the dock numbers because they were printed on the electrical boxes for someone walking on the dock. The dock they assigned was covered in goose poop and the adjoining dock had a large angle iron sticking out that would have ripped a hole in the boat! We went to another pier that was 10 feet shorter than the boat but it was cleaner and in better repair. The 4 high school / college age employees in the office were too busy telling us why the docks were bad to actually fix them. Definitely poor management
We made an early departure to take advantage of the calm winds to get away from the dock without damage to the boat. The weather forecast was reasonable but the winds would be light and out of the northeast. Geneva State Park Marina was unable to accommodate us that evening but said that the water was getting rough and would call us if there were any cancellations. Erie, PA was too close so we decided to head for Ashtabula inlet and anchor there for the night.
The wind and waves began to build from the northeast directly on the stern. The sailors among us know that downwind is the slowest point of sail unless you have a spinnaker and a crew to fly it. We did not have the spinnaker or crew and had many miles to cover before the sun set. There was not enough wind to use the jib and achieve the speed we needed so we suffered a side to side roll. The waves on the stern continued to build giving the boat a motion was uncomfortable for Linda.
About mid-afternoon we received a call from Geneva indicating that they had a cancellation due to the rough waves. The call came in at about the same time we were seeing the wind and waves starting to drop off. We were not yet to Ashtabula and decided to push on to Geneva. The wind and waves continued to drop and by the time we reached the marina the seas were calm. We covered over 80 miles that day, one of the longest distances traveled in a day without the aid of current. The unqualified longest distance traveled in a single day was 110 mile on the Mississippi River aided by a 4-6 kt current.
The next day was a short ride (40 miles) to Cleveland. We wanted to dock in Rocky River near Austin, Ann and the grand kids but the Cleveland Yacht Club is the only marina at that location and they were not taking transients. We settled on the marina at the base of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Great marina but there was very few boats in the slips.
Cleveland Entry
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
We had a great time with Austin and family. They picked us up at the dock and took us to their house for a great visit and summertime meal. The grand kids were very attentive and had lots of questions. It was amazing to see how much they have grown and developed since I saw them at Christmas!
The 60 mile ride from Cleveland to Port Clinton was uneventful. We were able to motor sail at 7 kts for a few hours but the winds shifted to on the nose and we had to furl in the jib. The weather for the entire trip along the length of Lake Erie was perfect, sunshine, a breeze and warm but not hot. The winds had died by the time we rounded mouse and headed for the Portage River entry. We had to reduce speed to delay our arrival at the draw bridge. It felt good to be back in home waters!
We were met at the dock by all of our sailing friends! Steve and Joanne, Les and Sue, Dave and Nina, Paul and Brenda and Dale and Bernie were all there to catch our lines. It gave me a very warm feeling to have them welcome my return. Thanks everyone!
Stats:
I traveled a total of 5,700 miles
It took 1 year and 23 days.
The engine has 1001 more hours on it than before I started the trip.
These engine hours are equivalent to 50,000 highway miles!
I used about 800 gallons of fuel.
I locked through over 65 locks, only 1 lock twice.
There were countless bridges and draw bridges.
I found that the waters of Lake Erie (without an algae bloom) were as clean as or cleaner than all waters traveled except Lake Huron, northern Lake Michigan and the Florida Keys. Lake Erie gets a bad rap. It is a great place to sail!
This was indeed an adventure of a lifetime! I feel fortunate to have had the time and health to make the journey. The weather was 95% fantastic, 1% scary and 4% a necessary evil. On one of the first nights home a thunderstorm was raging overhead and my biggest concern was whether it would affect the satellite TV reception! I was not worried about dragging anchor or finding a safe harbor. Concerns about battery charge level, hot water, fuel and finding a grocery store have all but disappeared.
The Loop was a fantastic experience! The best part was all of the people that I met and friends that I made. The trip would not have been the same without those who joined me to assist in the adventure: Bill, John, Jeff, Gary, Bud and Rich! Thanks! It was fun having you along and I appreciate your contributions and the time we spent together.
A special shout out to Steve and Joanne. I am sorry that you couldn’t make the entire trip but the North Channel and Lake Michigan would not have been the same without you! Without your inspiration I probably would not have thought about releasing the dock lines and heading into the unknown! Thank you!
Kari and Mic provided a memorable birthday weekend on the Kankakee River. You guys are the best! It is not every day that some brings you into their circle of friends and makes you feel part of the family. I will remember you always and hope that we can get together in the near future. Say hi to Joe, Mike Becky Larry and Kim for me!
Tim and Michele, what can I say? We hit it off from the beginning when we met at Grafton Illinois. It was fantastic traveling with you for over 1000 miles to Mobile and again from Marco Island to the Keys. The conversations, the laughs and all the planning for the next day brightened the adventure. I probably could have done without all the alcohol but a small price to pay. :-) Thanks again for use of the condo! You guys are the best! I look forward to the next time that we can get together.
I was fortunate to connect with friends from Ohio that spend time in Florida. Dave and Nina, Garth and Jan, Jim and Sue, Charlie and Patty and Rick and Linda, Nancy and Dave; thanks for meeting with me and Linda, driving us around and being part of the adventure! A very special thanks to Anni and Erick for the 2 weeks at your place and assisting me with the rudder issue. I was sorry to hear that you were unable to join us for the adventure but I look forward to hearing of your adventures when you do make the trip.
It was also great to see Joanne Vail for the first time in 40 yours and to meet her husband Tom Nixon! Thanks guys for takeing the time to come to Fort Myers Beach!
Other folks that made the trip enjoyable: Phil and Susan, John and Lucy, Sam and Karen, Harland and Sarah, Joe and Robin, Todd, Kelly and Justin and all my Canadian friends from Deltaville.
Thanks to all of you who read this blog and especially those who provided comments or sent me a text or called me when I was late with an update! It was encouraging to know that people were actually reading what I was putting down on paper (digital paper)! I could not believe that 5820 times people took the time to log into the blog site to read the various segments! I never could have guessed that the number would be so high. The Demopolis to Mobile segment had the most readers at 464, probably due to tropical storm Olga and the alligator story!
A special thanks to my wife Linda for allowing me to go and joining me for various legs of the adventure. This would not have been possible without your support! A big THANK YOU!
Would I do the Loop again? In a heartbeat! As I was making the final entry into the Portage River I was calculating how long it would take to get to Chicago for the second time around! Many people do the Loop multiple times. I understand why.
Being home, no worries!
End transmission