Picton is a fun place...quaint town that seems busier than most. We've seen several classic cars so expect there is a car show somewhere close. Lots of interesting shops and boutiques. We explored some yesterday...and plan to do more today. Heading to Trenton in the morning for the weekend. We heard from Ess Kay Marina (home of those cute kittens) and yes, they DO have inside winter storage for the TUMBLEWEED ...so eventually we will head back to Brewerton and then fly home from Syracruse NY. We expect to be home around Labor Day.

Left there at O'dark thirty...well, why not, I'd been loafing for a couple of weeks...Wind was suppose to get worse during the day and rain showers expected in the afternoon. We wanted to get to Picton before any of that started. Amazingly, we passed our Sojourner friends mid-morning as they headed back to Oswego. And even better, we arrived in Picton just before the showers. The dock was pretty empty when we arrived. Workers were even doing repairs right on our slip. We moved once searching for power that worked....and then were invaded by about 10 boats of French Canadians on holiday...small children, small dogs, and toys of every nature...lots of conversation and yo-rah...but we couldn't understand a word. Though it was certainly nice to watch...especially Mr Muscle Man with the Speedo...Oh la la...

Don't know where they came from...but the line of cars for the Ferry was ALWAYS long...and the people interesting. Ferry was designed to hole about 50 cars and everytime we rode it was packed full. Our boat sat about three blocks away on the main drag. Cars were lined up waiting every day...all day...and sometimes into the night. AMAZING!

Kingston marinas were packed for the weekend but we found a nice spot across the bay on Wolfe Island. A most interesting small marina/hotel/restaurant. The view was grand (though I must admit after 13 days in Cape Vincent anything different was a welcome blessing). The Ferry ran every hour and was free. Drop point was right in the heart of the downtown area...so we had the quiet of evenings, great restaurants (one was even extra $$$ fine dining), and could go to Kingston easily. What more could you want?

Leaving Cape Vincent...we were happy campers...and had said good bye to the couple with the TUMBLEWEEDs twin...another aft cabin Carver with a little different layout...We couldn't resist the Kodak moment as we both headed to the pump out and fuel dock. They were off on Holiday...headed the other direction.

Free at Last...Free at Last...thank God Almighty...we are free at last.....though significantly poorer. 13 days at Cape Vincent...all because of a 180 degree mistake in the placement of the transmission fluid pump...not once but twice. We left ASAP...and are now on Wolfe Island in Marysville, Canada. We are just across the bay from Kingston. (great view) A free ferry runs every hour to Kingston...so we plan to stay here and see those sights for a day or three. Our challenge now is that, according to locals, the French Canadians are free as well. Seems the providence of Quebec pretty much shuts down for two weeks every July for holiday. French speaking Canadians are flocking everywhere. Finding available marina space was an issue yesterday and will be an issue for another week. Meanwhile,we are re-thinking all the plans we've made. For now with frustrations high and money low, we are planning to just go home. We wanted to be able to enjoy going slowly through the Trent-Severn and Lake Michigan...and we are so far behind now that it would be a real rush to get it done. For whatever reasons, this leg has been pressured and expensive and we are feeling it. Besides, I have a house to sell. So the plan now is for now cancelling the fun planned with my kids in Chicago, the boating with Ann and Bob on Lake Michigan, touring the Tennessee River in October and the finishing of the loop in September. Of course, this is dependant on us finding proper storage for TUMBLEWEED. We've begun that search. On the plus side, we'll be home...for WSU Volleyball and BB, Fredonia Homecoming, Theatre League, kids, parents, sisters, and friends...I can help with Assistance League projects and Gingerbread Village and begin the process of home repair. And the pocket book can grow fatter. Stay tuned as this plays out.

The Cape Vincent saga is almost over...and you won't believe this tale. We pulled in here on Monday, July 12th for a one night stay. We had a situation crossing Lake Ontario when the over temp alarm went off. Floyd discovered it was the starboard transmission...bone dry and definately heated. He added transmission fluid...we waited...re-started...temp alarm did not go off...transmission worked just fine. But we wanted someone to look at it...so Tuesday morning, mechanic showed up...diagonised a leak in the transmission seal. Ordered the seal and began removal of the starboard transmission. When they finished reinstalling everything on Thursday afternoon, transmission would not shift. Re checked several options...left for the night in a quandry. Friday morning they announced that after checking with their experts, the concensus was that we had fried the transmission. So we ordered a NEW transmission...and began the waiting game. Promised delivery on Tuesday. Tuesday dawned with the announcement that the supplier had recieved the transmission...not the marina...ooppps, sorry, guess there was a miss communication about where to ship it. So we waited some more...Finally came at about quiting time on Wednesday...so worked all day Thursday the 22nd...finished around 4...and guess what???? That transmission didn't shift either. Scratched and hem-hawed...left to go home to their nice homes...while we continued to step around, over, and among parts, tools and holes in the floor...not to mention that we had been hiking up the hill to use the toilets. We started calling and talked with Jim Henry, the expert who had worked on our transmission in Lottsburg...within 5 seconds of hearing our tale, he said, "they have installed the transmission fluid pump backwards."....and indeed they had. Today, July 23rd, we borrowed a car to go to Canada (the marina we thought we'd be in two weeks ago) to pick up our packages of mail. They called about 3 to say...fixed...shifts...runs. Now the negotiation will begin...we have a new transmission (which we didn't need), new pump and clutch plate (also not needed)...they have spent hours installing things...we've been hiking up the hill for 8 of those days.... and we've been here 12 days....our schedule is so far off we are thinking that we'll probably just store the boat up here somewhere and finish the loop next year. How much should we pay? Tomorrow bright and early we head out for a test run...then straight to the pump out and fuel dock...Floyd will take his check book to meet with the dock master (Clay) and owner (Ron) ....then post haste...we are outta here. Stay tuned for the finale!!!

Transmission finally arrived late yesterday afternoon. Sooooooo action is happening today. We are adjusting travel plans. We managed to see and do the things in the Thousand Island area by car. So we plan either to go straight to Trenton tomorrow or if they can finish this afternoon we do an overnight in Prinyer's Cove tonight and then go on to Trenton tomorrow...start the Trent-Severn soon.

We are so beyond frustrated....still waiting for shipment of transmission to arrive. All plans are out the window...the highlight of today was stripping all bed linens, hiking to laundry mat and back...oh, and having BLT sandwiches for lunch. We are trying to stay positive...this really won't last forever...it is not life threatening...no one is hurt....sometime soon something good has got to happen....til then we are waiting, waiting, waiting.!!!! Trapped like rats on a big boat in Cape Vincent NY????

Frustration abounds today...we are both saying more than a few bad words...and one of us is teary eyed....transmission was shipped to supplier instead of to this marina...so it will not be arriving today. Hopefully, it will arrive on Thursday....with any luck we could be up and running on Friday...we had hoped to have started the Trent-Severn by then....Regardless we are living aboard this boat on borrowed time. With no transmission, we have no way to get to the dock for a pump out...we've been hiking "up the hill" as often as possible to save space in holding tanks...but this will not last forever. This is probably too much information...but other than boredom...it is what we are dealing with. We've cleaned out, thrown away, washed and polished, read, facebooked, e-mailed ... started an endless/scorekeeping game of Rummikub. Somehow he manages to stay just a little ahead. If this keeps up, Floyd may be forced to help finish that jigsaw puzzle.

So it is Friday...Floyd's birthday...and we are trying not to stress out because we aren't where we want to be...and we are not doing what we wanted to be doing to celebrate...but...it could be worse. So Happy Birthday love...someday soon we'll head to that little Greek restaurant in Trenton Ontario Canada. Hope it is everything and more...and most of all, worth the wait!!!

I thought you'd like to share my concern that if we don't get outta here soon...we won't be able to. Look at the growth in the water all around us now...much longer and we'll be hemmed in...

Even made Floyd stop so I could take a photo of this blue bottle tree...a different design...what do you think, Jacque? Are the Ozarks ready for another one?

And saw the design and story of a ship named after Floyd's daughter, Columbine.

Day three as we headed back to return the wreck..we stopped at Tibbet's Lighthouse...and spotted a Jayhawk on the St Lawrence River....hehehe...

Cape Vincent is a quiet little community...across the St Lawrence River we have a great view of a huge wind farm...those arms sure don't turn much...but maybe it is just that time of year. That ferry runs regularly all day ...for a small fee you can go to Wellsley Island where you can take another free ferry into Kingston, Canada.

Us..looking like boat people...having fun mingling with the masses at Boldt Castle...

Another favorite was these two...owned by the same family...and contains the smallest international foot bridge. Seems one island is Canadian and the other American...man says when he needs to escape, he just grabs a six-pack, the dog and leaves the country....HA.

Our favorite ....Baby Elephant...yep, doesn't count as an island...no tree.

The highlight of Thousand Islands is Boldt Castle...owned and designed by George C Boldt, owner/manager of Waldorf-Astoria and other large hotels...built to honor the love of his life, his wife Louise, but never completed. Seems she died suddenly and he was so heart broken that he ordered work to stop immediately. They never returned. Thousand Island Bridge Authority bought is about 10 years ago and has been working hard to restore it. You could sure tell where they had worked...and people we talked to who had been there before were awe struck. We had a fabulous time exploring...we didn't get to go to the boathouse (notice those large garage doors...so the sail boats would drive right in) or the mother-in-law house.

Yes, Kelli...Thousand Islands is the place where 1000 island salad dressing was invented (seems Mr Boldt had something to do with that...he liked it and arranged to have it served at his hotels). And while everyone is sure there are a thousand islands...no one is really sure how many there really are. Seems that after the War of 1812, Canada, UK and USA decided that the boundary line would not split any island...so they are all either Canadian or American and the border line is very zig-zaggy. Five years ago they decided to count the islands ...with three groups participating, Canada, US and National Geographic. To qualify as an island, it had to be one foot square, always above water, and support the growth of at least one tree. No one could come up with the same number...so they just averaged them...over 1700. Most are individually owned...houses big and small. It was a site to see. All I know is that we were more than happy to be on a tour boat...some of those islands were dangerously small.

Day one of tourism included a stop in Clayton at the Antique Boat Museum...and it blew us away. A huge lumber yard turned into a first rate place to showcase some very classy boats...we were there a good long while. Notice the copper exhaust pipes on this ol'baby.

Rent a Wreck to the rescue...we decided while they had the boat torn apart, we'd go do the things that were on our list by car instead of by boat...a little re-training was necessary. Cranking windows and no automatic door locks...and how do you open the trunk?? with the key, imagine that???

Here's Felix...the mechanic...after three days working in our holey place, he is ready to run away from home...we offered to let him go with us, but FIRST he has to fix the boat!

Some days it just doesn't happen...and this is ONE...transmission repair was a total flop...now we are ordering and waiting on a new one to arrive...and then installation...with any luck we could be headed to Canada on Wednesday...but at this rate, I'm not counting on it. This is not the way we had planned to celebrate Floyd's birthday...and a new transmission was not really on the list of things he wanted...but it sure is now. B O A T= Break Out Another Thousand. If we weren't having so much fun, I'd be ready to go home. We have decided this is a good place to have a major cleaning inside....but we'll wait til tomorrow to start that...no real hurry...I've got lots of photos of the last couple of days of fun to post...stay tuned.

Rent a wreck has saved the day...we toured Cape Vincent, Clayton and Alexandria Bay...saw all the things we wanted to see and a few we didn't...mechanic is finishing up transmission work as I type...then test run......fuel and pumpout...maybe haircuts on the dock later...then we are heading to Canada tomorrow...right on schedule...yes, photos of the last couple of days will be posted.

Seals and gaskets...geeeeessh, another excuse to pull the starboard transmission. But what perfect timing. We are in a service marina...unlike most of the past month when we have stayed at docks with electricity ...not what you'd call a real marinas. We went straight to Plan B. We rented a wreck for a couple of days. Yesterday we went into Clayton for a tour of the Antique Boat Museum. Today we are going to drive 30 miles up to Alexandria Bay...and pay to take a boat tour of the mansions and 1000 islands. HA! Playground of Millionaires...Bolt Castle...and tourists. We will be definitely be mingling with the masses. We are getting to see all the things that were on the list...just going in a car instead of our boat. Not really a bad deal! Tomorrow the plan includes laundry and grocery shopping as we prepare to spend time in Canada. We think boat will be repaired and ready to go Friday morning. If so, that puts us right on schedule to go to Trenton and begin the Trent-Severn Canal this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed.

Our Sojourner friends commented last week that boating was "hours of pleasant boredom followed by moments of sheer terror"...and that sure describes the rest of the day. About 30 minutes out from Cape Vincent the over-temp alarm blared...starboard engine showed plenty of oil pressure and oil temp was good, yet that LOUD alarm was blaring. Shutting down the starboard engine, I took the helm and Floyd went below to check things out...discovered the transmission oil reservoir was bone dry. He managed to add a quart ...we ran on the port engine for awhile...then the restart was good. Ever so cautiously, we headed into Cape Vincent...Anchor Marina had about 6 sail boats docking when we arrived and told us to just pull to the back wall...plenty of room there for us...wind blowing against us all the way...well, their idea of plenty of room is sure different than mine...but hey, it was another fine example of boat handling and those stringy things are attached.... we are here...mechanic coming in the morning to see where all that transmission fluid went...leaving will be another moment of terror I'm sure. But then I'm skiddish...cause leave we must!!!!

Leaving Oswego was lonely...gone were all those fisherman....and we seemed to be the only boat on the water...we kept hearing a Coast Guard call about a boat in distress...and suddenly there was a Coast Guard boat...circling us. Finally they asked where we

were from...KANSAS...Were we US citizens? Yes. Where are you headed today? Cape Vincent...and zoom, they left as quickly as they had appeared. Weird...

Walking back to find the grocery store ...we found an ice cream shop (imagine that!!!!) and the bridge we had passed under yesterday coming out of the canal....interesting view from the other direction as well...these were Locks 7 & 8...out of the Oswego Canal and into Lake Ontario...

We stumbled onto a Railroad museum as we walked toward town...well worth the $4 we donated to the good ol' boys playing with trains in there (thought of you, Larry and Becky)...then took a lunch break at an outdoor restaurant/bar called the Office. We debated about several other things before deciding to tour the SAFE HAVEN ...a small museum dedicated to 982 WWII refugees from 18 countries in Europe...brought to Fort Oswego as "guests" of FDR....the stories they told and the photos...every bit as moving as the Holocaust Museum in DC...and who knew???

Temperature in Oswego made for a pleasant day of tourist activities...we started at the H. Lee White Maritime Museum. As you can see Floyd was distracted in the parking lot by a 32 Ford Coupe...oh, and the big tanker parked at the dock.

We have landed in the middle of a pro-am fishing tournament...and these are some serious fisherman...I counted 24 poles before I lost track of where I was...I sure hope they are quiet when they leave at O'dark thirty in the morning...but I sorta doubt it...

The boats you see that make you think of people at home...this is for you Mike and Dee...miss you ...hope you'll get to feeling better soon.

Captain and his stringy things at the Oswego International Marina...yep, once again on the dock without his shoes...good thing these are not made of wood or the First Mate would be after him for that....

After lock 8, go toward the light house...then turn left to the Oswego International Marina...we are almost in Lake Ontario...only that break water separates us. We plan to spend tomorrow playing tourist here...then jump the Lake into the St Lawrence River and Thousand Island for a bit. We'll eventually come back to Lake Ontario to get to Kingston and Trenton...up the Trent-Severn Canal.

Finally the rain came and the temp cooled...we went from 95 to 75 in a nano-second...we left Brewerton this morning headed to Oswego...34 miles and 8 locks...and just the two of us. The first lock was just a little on the busy side...6 of us in there. Then a parade for awhile...but one turned off to head to Buffalo...one little guy stopped to fish...two stopped for lunch in Phoenix. So the rest of the day was just us and the sail boat Barrucleiu V, who was next to us in Catskill. We decided going down is easy...ropes only all day long.

One of the joys of Ess Kay was the kittens...Midnight and Zeus...about two months old and delightfully cute ...not to mention adorable and cuddly...seems there had been a couple of older cats who died during the winter. Then early this summer a boat with a Mane Coon cat stayed here and he kept bringing "treasures" to his owners. So Dock master Kim decided it was time to start training some new marina mousers. These are them....I just wanted to steal them, and cats aren't my thing.

Ess-kay Marina in Brewerton is a great loop sponsor...proof is in the line up of those great loop flags...6 of us...thought this photo only shows 4...sorry, some left before I could take a picture...

Thursday...July 8 came all too soon...They joined us in New York City the end of June...traveled the Hudson River and Erie Canal...they saw the best, the good, the bad and the ugly...we cooked, we schlepped, we jigsaw puzzled, we went up, we went down, we toured mansions, we ate great food, we ate not so great food, then, poof, they were gone...but not forgotten...great memories were made and great stories will be told..all because of a chance meeting in June 2009 at a Coan River Marina picnic table...the TUMBLEWEED seems empty without Bob and Hilary.

Bob and I had great fun at the bow...totally embarrassing the Captain and crew Hilary at the stern...we sang...Another opening of another lock...and twirled the boat hook...I even managed a tap dance step or two....and then there is also the battle of the cameras...

Going up....Going down...Big difference in the way things look going in...either way it was another opening of another LOCK...and after the first five they all began to look alike...but they had different numbers. That sure helped us keep track.

sometimes exiting the lock is interesting as well...these guys were working hard at painting several of the lock/canal boats and barges...as we passed by he offered to paint us too...Captain wasn't interested...but I thought that red would really pop!!!

Have a few things to show and tell...like the difference between locks that are ready...and locks that aren't...notice the turbulence around the gate...this lock master is letting out water before opening gates so that we can go up...some times this creates interesting currents in that narrow canal for the Captain to manage...he says causes it to gee and haw....

Brewerton is delightful. Susan and Carolyn are here aboard Sojourner plus there are 5 other Looper boats lined up. The water is suitable for swimming...which we have done every day. The marina had two of the cutest kittens to play with. There are two loaner cars available. They are clunkers at best...but they get you there and back. While we had a pretty disagreeable evening at one of the local restaurants (air conditioning issues that were never addressed), we are enjoying a very pleasant down time. Sadness abounds today as we must take Hilary and Bob to the airport this afternoon. They have certainly been a fun crew and a great help as we traversed the 22 locks on the Erie Canal. What great memories we've made....We will miss them.

We started the Erie Canal on Friday in jeans and sweatshirts to keep warm. We even spent time driving the boat from below to escape the cool wind. the last three days however have been brutal. Heat in the high 90s ... The last two days we ran with the generator so that we could keep the air conditioners running. Easier to keep things cool than to cool them down once they get over heated. We even left Utica this morning at O'dark thirty to beat the heat. Got on a roll...decided to spend one long day in the heat instead of two short days. We arrived in Brewerton at 2:30 today. A day early...but so worth it. There are six transient boats lined up with Looper Flags flying...and our friends Susan and Carolyn are among 'em. They are off visiting friends and will return on Thursday. We are here until Saturday...resting, re-stocking, visiting West Marine and Target....oh, I think we'll manage. NEWS Flash...water in this area is suitable for swimming...so for the second time since we started all this boating, we donned swimsuits and swam around the boat. Delightful....WHAT A DEAL!!!!

Loved loved loved the Erie Canal...until we hit lock 19...those boys needed a little lesson in work ethic...we called on the radio three times at 5 minute intervals...no response. We called on the phone...rang rang rang...no answer. I whistled whistled whistled...no sign of life anywhere. Finally in desperation, Floyd laid on the boat horn...hhhhhooooonnnnkkkk...finally...over the hill on a riding lawn mower...here he came. Seems he didn't take his radio to work that day...and obviously nothing else caught his attention. We'd still be sitting there....waiting. Unlucky for those guys, we happened to run into their supervisor at Lock 20 this morning and filed a complaint. Sure don't want to be those guys for awhile. Seems other boaters have complained as well.

One stop at Little Falls was pretty special. The town dock was called Rotary Park. Seems that the original man power to turn an old warehouse into a dock house was supplied by the local Rotary Club. Lots of locals using the park facilities...and a short walk to town. Too bad our timing was really off...(1) seems they had celebrated the Fourth with fireworks on Friday (before we arrived) (2) we walked to the grocery store only to discover they had closed 15 minutes earlier for the holiday...we managed to find a few hot dogs and scrounged together our 4th of July BBQ...

Locks Locks and more locks...TUMBLEWEED set a new record...10 locks in one day...then the next day we did 7...sure makes the days with only 3 or 4 seem like a piece of cake. These Erie Canal locks are smaller ...we think they are just cute. One even had a huge door that lifted over our heads as we went in...dripping water the whole time. Lock masters have been very friendly and have taken care to be prepared for us...we hardly ever have to wait...just drive in...hang on...going up!!!!