Winter Work 2021

Our first winter with Cheers is finally over. A long list of projects was completed while inside heated storage at Son Rise Marina in Sandusky Ohio. 

The anchor pulpit was re-cored.

The heat exchangers were boiled out. All belts, hoses and clamps were replaced. 

The bottom was repainted and the hull was buffed/polished. 

Spring launch April 26th, 2021

Trip Summary Baltimore to Sandusky

Our second leg of our journey home to Sandusky is now complete. We covered 867.7 miles over 145.5 hours run time and transited 35 locks total using approximately 480 gallons of diesel fuel.

Date	Departure /Arrival	Miles	Locks	Hours
8/23	Baltimore to Ford Landing DE	37.8	0	6.5
8/24-8/26	Ford Landing DE to Waterford NY	333.5	1	53
8/27	Waterford NY to Randall NY	44.7	11	10
8/28	Randall NY to Sylvan Beach NY	65.1	9	13
8/29	Sylvan Beach NY to Lyons NY	79.3	4	13.5
8/30	Lyons NY to Albion NY	61.4	7	13
8/31	Albion NY to Buffalo NY	51	3	11.5
9/1	Buffalo NY to Sandusky OH	194.9	0	25
		867.7	35	145.5

Buffalo NY to Cedar Point Sandusky Ohio

Up at 6 am to start the last leg to our home port, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Oh.  

Lake Erie welcomed us with southwest winds of 20 knots and 3-5 foot waves.  Luckily this only lasted for a couple hours and the waves died down.  

We took shifts throughout the day and into the night.  As the evening progressed,  so did the winds and waves.   At about 4 am we were about  20 miles off the shore of Lorain when we ran into a storm with steady winds of 25 and gusts to 36 knots! Waves were about 6 feet and the boat did great!  She's a tank!  We did make one mistake.  We didn't realize that water was coming in the pilot house doors because we didn't latch them down....one of many lessons we will learn.  

We made it through the storm and just as we were getting close to Cedar Point, the moon came out to lead us the rest of the way home. 

We came to the Sandusky Bay Breakwall Light at about 7 am.   

Finally home!  

Had a great first day catching up with old friends and making new ones!

The sunset's here are just a beautiful as we remember. 

Woke up the next morning to something we conveniently forgot about....muffle-heads!!  The boat was covered with them.  Appears we made it back just in time for muffle-head season!  

From Albion Canal Park to Buffalo NY

Work-up to low 50's this morning.  We plan to make it out of the Erie Canal and stop in Buffalo to step-up our mast.  This leg will be 56 miles and 3 locks.   

This is a picture of the canal going over a aqueduct.  The canal is actually a bridge going over a waterfall! 

Headed into our last set of locks in Lockport NY.  These two locks are combined for a total of 50 feet of lift.  

 

Made our way to the Niagara River, leaving the Erie Canal behind us.  The current in the Niagara is really strong....took us a while against the current to make it to our last lock.  

Exiting the Black Rock Lock we had to call for passage through a swing bridge and then a lift bridge. 

We made it to Buffalo NY!!  We tied up in Canal Side in the Buffalo river to step-up our mast and well deserved rest.  

Took an evening walk into Buffalo and back to the boat for dinner.  Up early tomorrow to start our final 200 mile leg across Lake Erie!

Lyons to Albion Canal Park

Another cool morning but the winds finally died down.  Left Lyons at 7 am covered 72 miles and 7 locks arriving at Albion at 7:30 pm as the sun set.   

Experienced our first lift bridges and they kept coming.  Easy for us though, less work than locks!

This section included many 15.5 feet bridges that we cleared by more than a foot.  Too close for comfort though!

Passed through several nice port towns.... 

Locked with a couple of  kayaks.

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Sylvan Beach to Lyons

Left Sylvan Beach at 7 am to cross Lake Oneida just before the rain started.  We were treated to a full rainbow that was so big I couldn't get it in one picture.  

Once we crossed 28 mile Lake Oneida.  We entered the very curvy and tight Seneca River. We went through 4 locks and completed 92 miles.  

It was a very windy day, but could not tell how many knots it was blowing because our wind gauge is down so that we can fit under bridges.  We got to lock 25 to learn the lock master was running Lock 25 and 26 and was at lock 26.  Took advantage of the time and went for a walk to stretch our legs.  

Made it to Lyons just before Lock 28 and tied up to the village wall and had dinner at the Pour House.  Again, we were welcomed back to the boat by a special guest!

Tribes Hill to Sylvan Beach

Woke up this morning to a little brighter day than yesterday.  As we went through the day we had more sunshine, but still cool enough for sweatpants and sweatshirts.  Locks are getting easier or were just getting better now that we have a system down.   So far not too much to report.  Lock 17 in Little Falls NY is a 40 foot and is the tallest lift of it's kind.  The gate is like an overhead garage door.  

Ended the day after going through 9 locks (71 miles) and tied up in Sylvan Beach just after dark.  Just so happened that we docked behind another 48 Krogen heading east named Kopacsetic.  

We had dinner at the Crazy Clam and we had an unexpected guest waiting for us at the boat!