We decide to raise the mast at Oswego and spend the day tightening rigging, putting the sails back on and generally turning Excusme back into a sailboat. Then we docked at the Oswego Yacht Club for a free sock but the showers we closed and the water to the docks was turned off. We decided to start the 20-24 hour motor then and left the harbour as the sun was setting.
It has been two years sine we have been docked and electrical cord plugged. It was nice to be greeted at our old club, Etobioke Yacht Club by family and friends. We have had a lot of good wishes since we have been back and there will be a lot of story telling for awhile. It is a bit surreal as it seems like nothing much has really changed and that we have only been gone for a short holiday. I think I may have to work on a short slide show for all the loyal readers of the blog. Sometimes it seems the readers remembered the dates and stories better than we do which shows some of the interest in my ramblings.
We borrowed a car to go to the mall and get a new cell phone and a haircut for Scott. We went for the month to month plan for one phone and the long business look for Scott.
We are cleaning up after the mostly delivery sailing from Mexico. It is hard to believe we were there about three weeks ago and have had some fantastic sailing and a quick trip through the lock system.
I will try to get some more photos on the blog and stayed tuned as we look for cars, jobs, and a smooth entrance back into the normal life.

We are docked just before the last lock to Lake Ontario. It is sunny and warm and we are taking the time to clean the remnants of salt water off the mast fittings before putting the mast up tomorrow. We were lucky to get through the lock system because a couple of days ago a huge motor yacht was being delivered north and they were hurrying to get into a lock. They threw up a huge bow wave that broke over the wall in front of the lock and actually broke the lock door. There were a couple of boats that were already in the locks and we heard it was really rough and one got damaged. Apparently they worked late into the night to get those four boats through. The lock master radioed to us and another boat that we would not be able to get through and to dock for the night.
The next day we were able to get into the dock through the one door that was able to open. Our friends in a power cat we just behind us and their width is 17 feet and they had one foot clearance on each side. Don't know when the lock will be fixed.

We have moved up a couple of hundred feet in elevation so far. We have made it through Lock 18 moving west and have docked for the night. It would have been tight to make it to the next lock before they close at five (early season hours 7-5) but Lock 18 radioed to say that the next Lock is having mechanical difficulties. Hopefully it will be fixed by the morning as we plan to start at six and try to get there before they open for seven. We are not making too many miles a day in comparison to sailing a twenty four hour day but we are moving on and having a good time.
We are joking about the separation anxiety we will have once we are no longer joined at the hip and together 24/7. We forget how different our lives have been from 'normal' for the last two years but as we meet different people through the lock system we realize how far we have traveled and how much we have seen.
Yesterday the weather was great, sunny and dry. This morning it misted a little and then was sunny again. Everyone is in good spirits and hopes that summer is here to stay! With the engine running all day the hot water is plentiful and we have lots of power. We did laundry at the last town and have enough clean clothes to make it to Toronto.
Going now to check out the town of Herkimer.

After traveling along the Hudson River for two days we took a left onto the Mohawk River and tied up on the Waterford town wall. We spent the night and found a great restaurant with salads. Not the typical dish to be envied but these are in short supply in the Caribbean and these were great.

We have been busy making sawhorses today and the mast is ready to be put down tomorrow. The showers suck they are cold, it is cold outside, but I have clean underwear on again. I have to be happy about that.

It was perfect conditions for the last stretch of our circumnavigation of the north Atlantic. The winds had diminished to the point that we could still sail along with all the sails up and with the 1 knot current pushing us home we were moving along at 7 knots. The seas were tranquil, as if to say good bye and really we were not so rough after all. I will remember this sail for a long time and am already forgetting the crossing with the rough seas.

We are anchored in Great Kills Harbour, New York amongst all the empty mooring balls. We took down the sails today in anticipation of moving up the Hudson where we will have to get the mast taken down. We didn't have a lot of time to look around and explore on our south bound journey through the Erie Barge Canal system but the locks only open to five this early in the season so we will have some more time.