Brockport

The Buffalo Yacht Club to Brockport, NY.

The NOAA forecast for Lake Ontario was even worse than yesterday, calling for five days of high winds and big waves (even 9 to 12 feet one day!), so we decided to forego our original plan to return via the Welland Canal, Toronto, and the northern shore of Lake Ontario and return again on the Erie Canal, stopping at all the towns we missed on the cruise west. It had poured during the night and was a cold, dreary day, but things quickly got worse. On the way to the Black Rock lock, while I was trying to find the name of the lock on my iPhone in order to call in, I did not notice the C veering off course, and we crashed into the shore, damaging the point of the bow and the anchor roller (but luckily nothing under water). The boat was covered with broken branches and leaves that I insisted on cleaning off before entering the lock (to minimize the evidence of my stupidity). By the time we reached Medina I had also straightened the anchor roller so the C almost looked normal, although quite a bit of fiberglass repair will be needed. We ate lunch on board at the Medina town dock, walked around town to look at the murals, and then cruised on to Brockport town dock, where we were met by the ebullient Nancy from the Welcome Center. Brockport charges $8 for overnight docking but has good facilities. Shortly after we arrived, a canal rental barge arrived with two older couples aboard. I went to help them tie up (they were absolutely clueless) and got nary a “Thank you” or any other verbal communication for my pains! Signing in at the Welcome Center, Mary noticed the previous signee was also from Doylestown.  This turned out to be Tom Kelso, Buckingham Twp. Water/Wastewater Consultant who I knew from my work on the Township Planning Commission, who was cycling from Buffalo to Albany and had pitched his small tent nearby. We chatted and he joined us for dinner at the Stoneyard Bar and Grill next to the canal.

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