Point of sail was a close reach (60 degrees off the wind).
We past the tip of Long Point @12:56.
Walter and I came up to relieve Mike/Mark just after the turn towards Port Colborne:
We were motor sailing @6.5 knots close hauled into some chop that was fetching from Port Colborne.
The instructions from Mike were to aim the boat at the tower with two whites light dead ahead.
The thought was that that tower was Port Colborne (the start of the Welland Canal).
The thought was that that tower was Port Colborne (the start of the Welland Canal).
Mike and Mark went down to sleep, and Walter and I did as instructed.
As we got closer to shore, the waves lessened, and our speed picked up to 7 knots.
The chart plotter said we would arrive at the mouth of the Welland at 7:03.
As we got closer to shore, the waves lessened, and our speed picked up to 7 knots.
The chart plotter said we would arrive at the mouth of the Welland at 7:03.
We furled in the jib because we were too close to the wind for it to be useful.
That tower with 2 white lights was getting closer fast.
Walter took his binoculars out and noticed that that tower had a wishbone boom!
That's now a tower, that's a Nonsuch that was racing towards the Welland with us!
Walter took his binoculars out and noticed that that tower had a wishbone boom!
That's now a tower, that's a Nonsuch that was racing towards the Welland with us!
We altered course and passed them to port.
They had a masthead trilight AND a stern light, so that is why we mistook them for a tower.
They had a masthead trilight AND a stern light, so that is why we mistook them for a tower.
Yet another beautiful sunrise:
Getting closer, our speed picked up to over 7 knots (less waves), and the chart plotter said we would arrive with 3 minutes to spare!
We arrive at the mouth of the Welland at 6:53am:
We hailed Welland control on the VHF that we were checking in.
Check in docks are on the left:
That Nonsuch was named Brigadoon. The owner bought the boat in Wisconsin, picked the boat up in Chicago, and was delivering it to RCYC. They left Windsor Yacht Club late Thu afternoon. The difference for them was they just motored along the north shore avoiding the waves that we encountered.
Engine Hours here was 1601, so we motor sailed for 19 hours from Port Stanley
We checked the oil level and it was fine.
We checked the oil level and it was fine.
There was a upbound ship in lock 8 that we had to wait for.
We would be downbound short with 3 other pleasure boats
- Catalina 320 called Vineyard Girl going to Iroquois (St Lawrence River)
- Nonsuch 324 #109 called Brigadoon going to RCYC
- Big power boat called who cares going to some gas dock
We got the call on the VHF and were underway at 7:56, and entered lock 8 at 08:05:
Lock 8 is a control lock regulating the varying water depths of Lake Lake.
Only drops about 18", so we didn't even grab any lines.
We were through in 15 minutes.
Only drops about 18", so we didn't even grab any lines.
We were through in 15 minutes.
The next lock is almost 14 miles away.
We motored along at 6.5 knots and arrived at 10:30, but there was an upbound ship entering lock 6/7, so we tied up and waited for 45 minutes.
Going downbound is very easy.
When you get the green light from Welland Control, you head into the lock.
Land crew hand a bow and stern line to you. These are used to keep the boat from wandering out into the lock and back/forth into other boats in the lock with you.
When you get the green light from Welland Control, you head into the lock.
Land crew hand a bow and stern line to you. These are used to keep the boat from wandering out into the lock and back/forth into other boats in the lock with you.
We used a boat hook to keep the boat off the walls.
The lock takes about 10-15mins to empty, dropping down 50+ feet.
Pretty mundane.
Rinse Lather Repeat!
Rinse Lather Repeat!
08:05 Lock 8
11:25 Lock 7
12:20 Lock 6
12:45 Lock 5
13:48 we went under a lift bridge:
14:11 Lock 3
15:00 Lock 2
15:00 Lock 2
15:55 Lock 1
Going under the QEW
We were delayed in the last lock for 30 minutes because of a technical problem with the automated "hands-free" vacuum mooring system. When pleasure crafts use the canal, these units are supposed to lock at the top. For some reason, one didn't, so engineers had to troubleshoot it.
We were now free of the locks of the Welland Canal
Map of the Welland Canal:
We passed some ships in the repair yard that had collided last week:
That won't buff out!
Notice that the ship is carrying more wind turbine blades.
We dropped Mike off at the docks at the end of the canal.
His girl Bernita would be by to pick him up.
His girl Bernita would be by to pick him up.
We were out into Lake Ontario by 16:50.
UPDATE: emailed Willi from the Nonsuch Brigadoon and he sent some photos of us in the canal:
No comments:
Post a Comment