Our first day on the Erie Canal

We had had a frustrating day driving to Buffalo and finding that there were no hotel rooms within 60 miles. This meant driving all the way back to Rochester to sleep!  We still managed to arrive at the westernmost boat ramp on the canal at 10 a.m. where we launched our boat already rigged from our trailer which is now set up much more efficiently.

 

The 1st launch at Sweeney Street

 

 We first rowed west to visit the westernmost point on the canal and so that we could begin our trip at the beginning so to speak. Heather took pictures of all of the signs marking the canal.  The first few mile of the canal are quite congested with houses on the water and dock after dock with powerful motor yachts tied up: idle, depreciating investments that their owners probably can’t afford to buy gas or diesel to run.

 

 

 

As we moved inland we noticed a large double hull speedboat following us about a quarter mile behind. Its bow rode ridiculously high out of the air and its stern seemed below the surface. Low rumbling noises filled the air and blue exhaust smoke rose in a disgusting cloud above and behind it. Its name was painted in big letters on each side from bow to stern: DISTURBED!  It was rumbling along at 5 mph, the posted speed limit. We were rowing at 4 mph so it eventually passed us and we choked on its smoke rowing it its wake from then on. Heather noticed that the word DEEPLY had been painted above its name. Poor boat! That should be the owner’s name!

 

The Deeply Disturbing!

 

At about 12:59 we rowed up to the ramp at the North Tonawanda Botanical Garden where we found Margaret and John Talboys, President, and David Zablotny, Executive Director, from Habitat for Humanity, Buffalo.  Also present was a cameraman from Channel 2 WGRZ in Buffalo. I answered the latter’s questions and we spent half an hour talking with these very fine people we appreciated coming to see us off on a Sunday afternoon. The Buffalo affiliate will build or remodel 17 homes this year and I was able to say that they would therefore receive seventeen TOTO toilets and an equal number of lavatories to go with them.

 

 

Margaret, John & Dave from Habitat for Humanity, Buffalo 

 

The TV cameraman wanted to get some pictures of us rowing away so our visit ended as we started to get back in our boat. The numerous geese and ducks that live along the canal cause the ramps to be very slippery by the water’s edge. As Heather stepped toward the boat both her feet slipped out from under her and she landed on the back of her head. My mind instantly flashed back to her recent back operation and another fall she had taken off a step ladder a few weeks ago. I saw the trip ending and me visiting her in the Buffalo hospital for a while.  She claimed she was all right and we stood her up and she got into the boat with a big sore bump on her head and her entire backside all goose green!  We rowed away and the TV caught a few of our strokes as we rounded the first bend and headed a few more miles along the canal to a boat ramp next to the State University at Buffalo’s boat house in Amherst, NY. Dave Zablotny had agreed to come to give me a ride back to where we had left the car. We had a good visit on the way. What a competent, wonderful fellow to be doing this job.

 

A low floating dock at the first takeout

 

We had made a reservation at Hambleton House B&B in Lockport, the next town along the canal and home of its first two locks. We drove there and met Susanne Spinks who showed us to a wonderful room in a splendid older house with very high ceilings and a formidable set of stairs to the second floor.

 

 Hambleton House B&B in Lockport

 

 

 

Suzanne - host extraordinaire

 

We were anxious to fall into bed after two or three stressful days and an eight mile row. Suzanne recommended Garlock’s restaurant for dinner about four blocks away. We had a wonderful dinner and returned to go to bed.  Breakfast would be served at 8 a.m. the next morning. Suzanne had put Heather's goosey pants to soak in a bucket of bleach for the night. The back of Heather’s head was sore to the touch but she had not hurt her back and had no black and blues or other symptoms. Needless to say I was much relieved!