What a couple of days

After a some rain in Baldwinsville we were treated to a rainbow.

Balwinsville (at Lock E-24) was a great stop.  We were able to utilize the free dock with its very clean bathroom and showers. We did our laundry duty.  But after a great afternoon/evening in Balwinsville, we were ready to shove off and head for Newark at Lock E-28.  Around 2 PM a Canal Alert to Mariners was issued that the canal closed from Lock E-24 Balwinsville to Lock E-29 Palmyra because of high water and swift currents. Fortunately we were well into the closed area and the lock master at Lock 28 that they knew they had three boats in the closed area, but they would make sure we got to Newark (which was our planned stop).


Newark had great facilities, including a free washer and dryer and free electricity. It was close to shopping and dinning as well.  We enjoyed a quite evening (no trains).

Check out the cool murals on the bridge wall, and Gary.

The next day we called the lock master at E-28 and he said the canal was still closed and it looked like it would be tomorrow before it opened.  So we were taking our time with breakfast and showers. Showers two days in a row, we felt we were living a lavish lifestyle.  After a heart healthy breakfast of oatmeal, I wanted to walk up to Dunkin Donuts for a Chi Tea Latte.  When we got back we talked to one of the other boats in out gaggle of three.  Rick said he talked to the lock master at E-29 and he said he could lock us through going west, he just couldn't let any eastbound traffic through.  So off we went.  This part of the canal is just that a narrow canal.  It crosses the Genesee River and then turns right back into a narrow channel.

Just as we were crossing the Genesee River a barge cuts in front of us from our port (right) side.   If you recall from a previous lesson, boats on your right have the right of way.  So I backed off the throttle to let him pass, he turned and started up the Erie Canal.  The guides and active captain both warn that the Genesee River can have swift currents and shoaling.  About this time an alarm started sounding I checked the water depth, we were briefly in shallow water, but the alarm kept sounding.  I realized it was the engine over heating alarm.  Crap, crap, crap (well maybe it was a different word I used) we are in this swift water area and I need to shut down the engine. Thankfully Gary noticed a wall where we could tie up.  But it was another 150 yards to the wall and when the engine alarm is going off that seems like a mile, especially since we haven't reach the swift water area where just saw the tow boat get pushed around a bit. I brought the engine back to idle, but the alarm kept screaming at me.  I was slowly making my way to the wall when Gary spotted some logs ahead.  I almost felt like David Farragut and said damn the logs, full idle ahead. Fortunately they bumped out of the way with no problem.

Gary is taking pictures while I'm working.

We made it to the wall, only scraping the rub rail a little. I opened the engine compartment and found that the belt for the raw water pump had broke.  Thirty minutes later we had one of the two spares I carry installed and we were back underway. I apologized to Genny for not checking her belts more closely on my daily inspection.  I guess she accepted my apology, because she preformed wonderfully all the way to Brockport.

Once e made it to Brockport and enjoyed an evening in this quaint little town. We walked to the SUNY campus and had dinner at Jimmy Z's.

The next morning we checked the Canal Notice to Mariners and the Canal is still not open between Lock 24 and 29. We were really lucky to make it through when we did.

Lesson Learned:
I had been faithfully checking all the belts every day for the first leg of the journey.  I went home for a month and forgot my routine checklist, or I just got lacks on it.  IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.