The Erie Canal

The 363 mile Erie Canal was built in the early 1800's; its purpose, to join the Hudson River in New York to Lake Erie which it accomplished to spectacular results, utterly transforming transport and commerce and spurring massive economic and population growth. It went through three phases of expansion over the next hundred and fifty years - deepening, widening, expanding, re-routing. By the early 1900's new transportation methods had diminished its commercial utility and it gradually became primarily recreational, but left a grand legacy of innovation and a testament to the relentless optimism of the American people. It is still the longest man-made waterway in the United States

Despite this, hardly anybody's ever heard of it outside of the boating community.

As I've been speaking to people about our upcoming trip, most assume we would be sailing down the St. Lawrence Seaway, past the maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia, past Newfoundland, then down the US coast. While this certainly is possible, it would add at least another 800 miles onto our journey, and the best departure time for this trip would be in the early summer to give you plenty of time to explore before heading south in the fall. Maybe someday, but not this year.

We will not be transiting the entire Erie Canal, as it begins in Buffalo, NY at the eastern end of Lake Erie and we are starting in Lake Ontario. We will instead sail to Oswego, NY, which is in the south-eastern corner of Lake Ontario and take the Oswego Canal from there after removing our mast. The Oswego Canal is 24 miles long and has a series of 7 locks then connects into the Erie Canal.

Our plan was to be leaving today, but hurricane Helene has kicked up some strong easterly winds up here in Canada and bashing into six foot waves with 20 knots of wind blowing directly in our faces is not the way I want to begin our big adventure.

Until the lake calms down we'll enjoy the comforts of home and enjoy the fact that we don't have to report back to work this Monday, or any Mondays in the foreseeable future!