Erie Canal - Part 3 — Little Red Tug

It was raining when I awoke and I can’t say I was disappointed. I actually loved the different weather I encountered and it was still a warm day with intermittent sprinkles. Rainy days - on the canal, while hiking, at work - always remind me that there will be sunny days ahead and I appreciate the change in the weather - especially living in New England. I took one last wander around the town - grabbed a coffee at a local store and headed through the locks which are right in downtown. The Town of Lyons was once a major supplier of Peppermint and there is a museum right next to the locks. I was hoping that the whole town would smell like it but it was not to be.

6 miles west was the Town of Newark which I would stop at on the way back but for now I had planned a day ending at Fairport. It was a a 30 mile trip and I was averaging about 5 miles per hour so not an unreasonable day. The weather cleared and I spent the morning listening to music and driving along. Although the boat doesn’t have an auto pilot its easy enough to steer the boat in calm water by just standing in the cockpit and shifting my weight. This stretch of the canal has a number of long straight portions with some nice scenery.

Half way along is the “Port of Palmyra” which is a great little turning basin just before lock #29. It is a really cool little turn off with bathrooms and a picnic area. It was a perfect place to stop for lunch. There is a local small restaurant right at the top of the hill but it wasn’t open when I stopped by. I didn’t venture into town but the guide says that there is a great ice cream shop and some stores. I would definitely stay here if I wasn’t on a schedule - it looks like a great little peaceful place to dock up for the night and there are power outlets well spaced on the docks. (As a side note Palmyra was the home of Joseph Smith - founder of the Church of Latter Day Saints and there is a museum in town at his home).

I pressed on and made it to Fairport around 3 pm. Since this was my halfway point for the trip and I still had some daylight I carried on west trying to do a few more miles before turning around. I made it another 7 miles to Great Embankment Park at mile 251 where there is a nice dock and public park. I had done 96 miles in three days and was pleased at the pace I had been making. After stopping and talking to a couple who were from France on vacation in the area I reluctantly turned around and headed back to Fairport.

Cross Lake - a wide stretch on the canal

This stretch of the canal is really just perfect - there are some great houses along the way and some nice views. At one point the canal is actually higher than the surrounding countryside and there is a great view looking north. I saw a number of waterfowl along here and a few other boats. This being a weekday in September I didn’t seen many boats the entire time I was on the canal but here it seemed like there were a number of people out for the afternoon on their boats. I often saw people fishing and wondered what fish they were going for. I even passed a few rowing crew boats along the way too. I ended up at Fairport that evening and docked right in the center of town.

Fairport is noted to be one of the most welcoming towns for boaters along the canal and there are a number of amenities. Each year they host an annual Canal Fest in June where thousands of boaters and visitors come to participate in the activities. The other notable canal item is its famous lift bridge with none of its four corners on the same level. When I visited the bridge was in the up position for a year for renovations so I did not get to see it rise and lower but it is quite a sight anyway and I got to see it up close when I want for a walk.. There is even a specially built low cruise boat that takes visitors out on the canal for 2 hour tours - a great way for those without a boat to spend some time on the water.

Boaters arriving for the night will find ample docking space on both the north and south sides of the canal. It is a pretty little town with a number of great places to dine and local shops. After tying up I was met by the dock master who charged a minor fee for the night and provided the codes to the restrooms and showers. I sat on the deck of my boat with a cold beer and some snacks watching the activities around and imagined how busy it must get in the summer.

An evening walk around the town made me even more enamored with Fairport. Quaint streets lined with nice homes, unique architecture, and even a local brewery were some of the great things I found while wandering around on this fall evening. Locals greeted me with a smile and a hello while pushing baby carriages around with kids in tow. I have a place in my heart for small towns in America and always wonder what it would be like to live in a town like this. Large leafy trees overhung the road and a sense of community was about. I’m sure that the residents don’t always see their own town in this light, but for me Fairport was great. I am a huge fan of Bill Bryson books and enjoy the way that he writes about a town as he walks around and explores . Each evening, having been on the boat seated all day, I made it a point to stretch my legs and walk a few miles. Whenever I travel I always think that it would be nice to live somewhere different. I see a town with nice houses, a nice community and unique attractions that would make an interesting place to live. Like everything else I'm sure that this is always speculation - the reality of living somewhere it's not always what it seems on the surface - but I think it's nice to imagine yourself living somewhere different. Small towns in upstate New York always seem like a place that I would like to live.

I stopped for dinner at Donneley’s Public house bar for a beer and dinner then headed back to my boat. If you were in Fairport I highly recommend dining here. Great service and great food along with great atmosphere made it a perfect ending to a perfect day. Sitting in the warm evening , couples and families walked along the docks with a number of people stopping by to chat and ask about the tug. I named my boat Toto but I often joke that I should have named it “I Know!”. I can’t tell you how many people, after looking at the boat and seeing it say “Your boat is SO CUTE!” to which I always answer “I Know!”. I did a few boat chores such as tidying up and wiping down the deck and tucked myself in for the night. I never worried sleeping at night about my safety or even privacy. My boat has curtains to keep people from peeking in and I keep modest when I am in the boat. It is a really small boat and I am limited to the space I have to live in. This being my first long trip on the boat I was a little less organized than I had hoped to be with storage. I brought a backpack And several other small bags to put items in. I think in the future I will be going to switch over to small totes for all my belongings. I really found that I didn't need too much for clothing or other accessories. People sometimes ask about the bathroom situation. There is a small head in the boat with a holding tank for use but I try to use bathrooms ashore when possible. I found every place that I stopped along the way for the night had amenities including showers and bathrooms that were perfect.

I tucked myself in for the night with the water lapping at the hull content on having another great day on the canal.