The inevitable question arises: what could possibly drive someone to want to do such a thing? When heading south in the winter, most of us opt for the convenience of air travel, indulging in luxurious accommodations at a 5-star, all-inclusive hotel, and passing the time lounging by the pool, sipping on colorful fruity drinks adorned with tiny umbrellas. It’s not only faster but also more affordable and significantly safer.
S/V Ileana in Lake Ontario
Sailors struggle to describe the allure of navigating through hurricanes and seeking shelter in unfamiliar marinas while enduring days of anticipation for a storm to subside before heading off. To get to Antigua from Toronto, the first step, sailing across the lake to Oswego, New York is easy. Takes 18 hours with any luck. Bad weather, remnants of passing hurricanes, huge waves and blinding rainstorms can make the passage miserable. As if battling sea sickness wasn’t enough, we also have to navigate through the treacherous waters, avoiding colossal ships that could easily crush us with their speed.
Upon arriving in Oswego, the next task is to carefully remove the sails, followed by detaching the boom and finally dismantling the towering 72-foot mast. This part takes all day. With its low bridges, the Erie Canal poses a challenge for boats with tall masts that cannot fit underneath. The next step is to wrap the mast up tightly so that the truck can safely transport it to Albany. Another option would be to construct a wooden frame and then position the mast on the boat’s deck. If the mast, which weighs almost 2000 lbs, were to roll off the frame on its way to the bottom of the canal, it would crush us like a bug. The safest option, then, is to let the professionals handle the transportation of the mast….
With its winding path through the beautiful scenery of upstate New York, the Erie Canal is nothing short of spectacular. In order to entice sailors to dine and enjoy themselves in their charming restaurants, the small towns along the way generously offer free mooring, recognizing that sailors have a penchant for indulging in too many drinks. Personally, I am constantly on the lookout for the ultimate ice cream destination.
The locks are always a challenge. A green slime typically covers the thick ropes and they are always difficult to hang onto, even with gloves. There are 30 of them to negotiate along the way. As the boat rises when the lock fills with water, preventing the boat from scraping up the concrete walls after the fenders explode can change the vocabulary of even the most mild-mannered sailor.
Last year, while coming back, I wedged the keel deep into 3 feet of thick mud between lock 17 and lock 18. Following the channel markers shows excellent seamanship…unless one blows into shallow water. I blindly altered course to keep it on the correct side of the hull. At least 5 massive power boats raced by in the deep water and waved madly back at us, smiling as if we were having a good time, when we tried to get their attention to pull us off. I’m not sure what they were thinking and I am too polite to write what I thought of their smiling faces. The kind canal workers powered up a tug boat and got me pulled off. We gave them a bottle of Antiguan rum. I’m not looking forward to that section of the canal.
Stuck in the mud on the Erie Canal last year…..
Scarano Boatworks in Albany on the Hudson River will step the mast on September 30. They are an amazing group of boat builders and have always done a great job.
The skilled crew at Scarano Boatworks
From Albany to New York City takes about two days. The Hudson River is beautiful. We will travel past West Point Academy and other notable sites before heading out to sea.
The magnificent Hudson River
To stop in New York City would be great, but Liberty Landing Marina charges us $500 a night, so we will just enjoy the skyline from the comfort of the boat while trying to dodge the reckless ferries that zip by.
The Salty Dawg Sailing Rally leaves Hampton Virginia on November 1. That is our destination for the first leg of the trip. This is where things might get complicated. We’ll be heading through New York City on October 2nd, the height of hurricane season. I plan to use my trusted weather router, Chris Parker, the sailing meteorologist guru, to advise me whether this is a good idea or not. It takes 30 hours to sail from New York City to Hampton, Virginia, so we’ll aim for the back end of a hurricane. Chris says he is good at predicting hurricanes and weather for 5 days most of the time. Unfortunately, mother nature does not always read his predictions…..
If things go as planned, and they rarely do when it comes to sailing, I’ll keep the boat moored at the Blue Water Marina in Hampton Virginia for the month of October, until we leave for Antigua on November 1st. If things don’t go as planned, I’ll keep the boat on the Hudson River until a weather window opens up and I can scamper out on the tailcoats of a hurricane to Hampton. If things really don’t go as planned and the boat has to stay at the Liberty Landing Marina for a few weeks, I’ll have to spend the winter working to pay the outrageous bill….
Given these challenges, imagine how great my crew and I will feel when we overcome these obstacles and actually get to where we want to go. This unpredictability and working through these problems while enjoying ourselves in the process makes it all worthwhile. And we still have to get ourselves to Antigua……
Planning for the 10 day sail to Antigua is another story……