August 8, 2012

We were ready to unstep the mast at 7:00 AM. Bernie is the Oswego Marina manager (and likes to wear Hawaiian shirts) was ready with the gin pole. The mast came out easily and we quickly installed the mast support, designed by Bill Spencer, into the deck partner and onto the mast step.

The mast was laid onto the cradle and then the wishbone boom was placed on its supports. Ed and I used ratchet straps to hold the mast and boom in place. I tied the hanger lines across the boom to support the sail, which was tied in the sail cover.

We had to disconnect one of the Bimini arms in order to swing the Bimini in place, do to a lack of foresight on my part. There is plenty of room for the Bimini and Dodger underneath the boom and mast, which is great on these hot and sunny days.

Vida took lots of pictures on our Olympus T810 waterproof camera.

The fuel and water tanks were filled and we pumped out before starting out on the canal system.

The Oswego Canal runs from Lake Ontario to Three Rivers where the Oswego, Seneca and Oneida rivers meet.

I'd love to upload some of Vida's pictures, but in Lock 8 (the first lock going south) and after taking a couple of photos the camera bounced on the deck and over the toe rail into the water. The lock master offered to lower the water, but said that there would still be 14 feet of water. I didn't want to take the time to don my SCUBA gear, so it is still there, along the east wall if someone wants to get it.

For those interested in fictional history we passed Pathfinder Island which was named after the character in the James Fenimore Cooper books about Hawkeye, the Pathfinder.

We decided to make Phoenix, NY our final stop and moored on the west wall just after Lock 1, the last lock on the Oswego Canal system. Not much to do in town, but we found Baseball Bob's for ice cream. Vida had a scoop of chocolate and one of orange/pineapple and I had raspberry. Very refreshing after a very hot day.