Day 90 - Thu 25 Jun 2015
Docked - Sackets Harbor, NY

[photo: Tin Pan Galley restaurant on the left in Sackets Harbor, NY]

After a wonderful night's rest, I got up early and took Clyde ashore. He has loved this place more than any other we can remember and clamors to get off the boat at every opportunity. When we came back, Diane had hot coffee waiting - what a sweetie. It tasted good, but it was not a cold morning for me, although it certainly was for her. So much so that since I had to run the generator to recharge the batteries somewhat, she asked to have the heat turned on.

I helped Ariel off the dock before 0700 for their run to Kingston where they will clear into Canada. We will see them in Punta Gorda this fall as they complete their Great Loop that they started in Fort Myers, FL. After that I chatted a while with Jim who is staying aboard his sailboat for a few days. He was jealous of our itinerary and said he has friends that thought the St. Lawrence Seaway out into the hinterlands was some of the most fabulous cruising they have ever done, especially because of all the whales they saw.

Next, I needed to thoroughly scrub the boat deck from the mess that thousands of bugs made overnight, plus the leftover footprints. The non-skid surface on these decks attracts dirt like crazy. We cast off just before 0900, which felt extremely late, but it was only an hour to our next stop at Sackets Harbor. We tied up at the city dock that is not designated for overnight docking, but everyone says they do not enforce that. My theory is that the rule (and sign) exists so they can easily eject any boater causing problems.

Another trawler, Hope, came in not long after us and Diane helped them tie up while I got cleaned up to go ashore. First, we walked to the nearby Tourist Center and watched a very nice video of the significance of Sackets Harbor in the War of 1812. I guess our school history lessons of that war never impressed upon us just how much it impacted this region near the Canadian border (which was all a British Territory at that time).

Many of the so-called museums and attractions were not open for some reason, but we checked out the buildings and the multitudes of historical signs scattered around the sites of the various fortifications, officers' homes, etc. It was then that we came back to the boat for a bite of lunch and to get the bikes to explore more of the area that we did not want to walk.

Our bike tour was good, with just a few hills too steep to ride with our one-speed bikes. On the way back well over an hour later, we spied the Sackets Harbor Brewing Company and had to stop for some ale. It was a neat place, and our bite of lunch was not enough for me, so we ordered a calamari appetizer. I must say it was the most tender calamari I can remember having.

It was time to head back to the boat, and the sky had grown completely overcast. Diane was a bit chilly again. Not surprisingly after the walk, ride, ale and snack, we were ready for a short nap. Don and Pam called to say we had reservations at Tin Pan Galley at 1800 and they would be over to the boat about 1730.

We had a short drink aboard and then walked the several blocks to the restaurant, where the drizzle and threat of heavier rain kept us from dining in the absolutely stunning courtyard. Our table in the smallish interior was fine, but a large party of about 16 guys (business dinner) arrived and we could no longer have much of a conversation.

I decided to do as I have often done and ordered a soup and an appetizer for my meal. Don and Pam each had 2 appetizers, and Diane had an entree. My choices were far from healthy, but the seafood bisque was very delicious and rich. The duck confit poutine I had was not something I would normally order, but it is a French Canadian dish that I wanted to try. It was a big plate of French fries, covered in rich gravy that was laced with cheese curds and pieces of duck meat. It was extremely filling and quite tasty. The others' meals were also very good.

Back at Diva Di, we enjoyed a little sip of something and had a nice chat about cruising and life until almost 2100. I then ran the generator for a half hour to charge the batteries a bit and then called it a night. Diane hit the sack as soon as Don and Pam left.

Tomorrow should be a mostly sunny day and we plan to go about 5 hours to Clayton, NY. We will be crossing to Canada within a few days from now.