We woke to a cloudy morning leaving Little Falls. We decided to go ahead and travel today knowing we may get rained on. Traversing Lock 17 we were lifted 40.5 feet and four miles later in Lock 18 we were lifted another 20 feet.
Photos of leaving Little Falls.
Lock 18 photos
Then the cloudy turned to a drizzly light rain, but thankfully it quit well before we got to the next lock twelve miles further on. This section of the Erie is mostly man made canal so we have mostly straight channels. Once we got to Lock 19 we rose 21feet. Following the lock we encountered several dredging operations by the canal work boats.
The sun actually peeked out as we approached the city of Utica. Traveling further we shared Lock 20 with a good sized tugboat- J Arnold Witte, and rose another 16 feet. So far we have risen a total of 424 feet on the Erie Canal.
In our last leg of our trip today it began to rain. As we are covered by the bimini we stayed dry, but we slowed down due to decreased visibility. Luckily it only lasted about 20 minutes and then stopped well before we tied up to the city free dock in Rome, NY. Someone must have been watching over us today as we missed the rain during locking and while docking. Also along this stretch we saw more signs of Fall.
We got things stored and picked up our umbrellas to walk into town. We stopped here in Rome on our first run down the Erie so we are familiar with the town. We patronized the same little sub and pizza place on Dominick Street- Cianfrocco’s. Split a sub and enjoyed eating there a second time.
We then walked down to Fort Stanwix and had fun remembering the fort and how Bill got into Revolutionary War reenacting with the uniforms and weapons. As we left the fort, Bill eyed a grocery store and decided that he had to have a cookie. So we headed in that direction and obliged his cookie needs. Afterwards we headed to the boat and got back just in time as it started to sprinkle.
September 14. Day 14. On to Sylvan Beach. Nm 12.5. Total 2759 miles
Woke to a partly sunny day and 59 degrees. Was wonderful to have the sun back again. Will warm up to 65 but be quite breezy as a cold front is moving through. Needless to say we are layered with clothes to stay warm as we are traveling into the wind.
As we left Rome, we went under two bridges and a canal guard gate and through a long straight stretch of canal. This part of the canal is all man made and is the highest point in the Eastern Erie.
The next two locks, Lock 21 and 22, drops us each 25 feet.
Along the way we enjoyed the forested shores with its tinges of color, talking with the lockmasters and the geeses and ducks which paddled beside us.
Pulled up to the town wall at Sylvan Beach to tie up for the night. There are eight other boats here, a change for us being the only boat moored. Everyone is waiting for the winds to die down so they can cross the Oneida Lake.
We walked into town and had lunch and walked back by Lake Oneida. The town is mostly small rental homes and business to support the weekenders who come. The town does a good job of having lots of activities to attract locals and weekend renters- from antique car shows, small concerts, art and craft festivals and an amusement park all on the lakefront park.
Chatted with other boaters as we made our way down the dock wall and came back to the boat to do chores. I tackled the forward cabin cleaning and Bill did the fly bridge.
