Erie Canal July 27 - Aug 4

The first few days on the Erie Canal we traveled with Endeavor, a Nordic Tug,
 heading for the Detroit area.

About the day we were in Ilion NY Remington filed for bankruptcy protection.
I hope they work it out, as they employed a large percent of the people that lived here.

We got fuel in Ilion NY, but not actually at this pump.

We always walk around the town we are in. There is some wonderful old buildings.
This was a church.

This was the sign of the major intersection on the Erie Canal. Take a right and go the Oswego on Lake Ontario or take a left to the Western Erie Canal to Lake Erie. We went left.

To travel on the Western Erie Canal you have to go under some bridges that only have a clearance of 15 feet.  With the radar and antennas up our air draft is 17 feet and out bimini up it is 15 1/2 feet. Both came down for a few days.

There are 35 locks on the Erie Canal, all with signs like these. There is no lock #30, but there are two lock #28 (A & B)

A cloudy day, but still great travelling.

The Erie Lock wall are pretty nasty. Our homemade fender covers, made from Walmart fleece have made the whole trip, but I think they are about done. After the 35 locks on the Erie we only have one more lock on the Niagara River near Buffalo NY.

Maggie Jo and other boats on a free wall. Most towns on the Erie Canal have free dockage and electricity and water.  

350 miles of the Erie Canal

Most of Eire Canal have hanging ropes, no floating bollards or fixed cables.
We had gloves on for all locking.

Another low clearance bridge.

The last two locks on the Erie are a double lock. So after you lock up in the first lock and drive out you are in the second lock, then you lock up again. We are now at the sea level of Lake Erie.

Beginning of the double lock.

We were surprised to be driving thru a big tunnel after Locks 34 & 35.

Here is the sign for the western end of the Erie Canal.

Angie and I decided to take a dinghy ride on the Niagara River. In the background is the Peace Bridge to Canada. We didn't take a wrong turn and go over the falls.