Start: 4:45 AM - New London, NY (Lock 22)
Finish: 5:45 PM - Baldwinsville, NY (Lock 24)
Time: 13:00
Daily dist: 48 miles
Total dist: 3700+
Companions: None
Weather: Mostly sunny, high of 80, west wind 5 mph
Notes: It was so nice I didn’t want to stop
Every once in a while everything seems to fall in place resulting in such an enjoyable time on the water that I just don’t want to quit. Today was one of those days. After getting up very early (even by my standards) I was on the water and well across Oneida Lake before the winds had a chance to catch me. It was really more worry than was necessary as the winds never did build past 7 mph all day. With such light winds I made great time and made the west end of the 26 mile long lake by 11:00 AM. An hour later, even after stopping for a soda, I made it to Lock 23 which had been my destination for the day.
After I turned my back on the Oswego canal (and lake Ontario) option, I blazed out another 13 miles into Baldwinsville just to be sure there would be no changing my mind. Baldwinsville, I must say, was one of the most pleasant and boater friendly river/coast/canal town I’ve seen on this entire trip. The town was clean, people were friendly, and everything a boater could possibly need was within a short distance from the public docks. It only took me minutes to find a great place to get a burger and a few doors down from there I found the worlds largest “small” ice cream cone for only $2.00. What a great town!