In The Canal Zone

Last night I had a birthday call from Papa Jim, around midnight Eastern time. He had just completed a challenging passage in his voyage helping Uncle Bob to complete the sale of his yacht. Bob had already sailed upper lake Michigan from Charlevoix, through the Straits of Mackinac down Lake Huron, and along the St. Clair River to meet Papa Jim in Detroit at the West end the Lake Erie. Papa Jim came aboard to assist with the Lake Erie/ Lake Ontario leg of the trip. When he called, they had just found a berth for Bob's boat and were cooking dinner after a 12 hour plus passage through the Welland Canal, which bypasses Niagara Falls to connect Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The canal is a key portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. They had been prepared to launch into the canal by 8:30 AM, but didn't get the a 'go' from the Canal Authority until about noon to begin navigating the series of 8 locks for the 327 foot drop between the lakes.

It took this intrepid crew of two old salts almost twelve hours of exacting maneuvering and fending off in tight places over a passage of almost 30 miles. What a long day it must have been! Supposedly the work requires a crew of three, but this crack team of two sailors managed with style, occasionally relying on the kind offices of nearby boats to lend a hand when needed. Papa Jim said everything was handled by the canal employees and assorted helpers in the most friendly fashion in the finest Canadian tradition. He sounded tired but excited by the challenges of the day and his male bonding 'aquacentric' time with Bob. They are planning a day of R&R at Niagara on the Lake before proceeding on to Rochester where Papa Jim will depart and Bob will be accompanied by the new owner for the remainder of the voyage

We hope for a more detailed account of the voyage by Papa Jim soon!