Erie Canal - the Western end called ... and we answered!

The boat is so meant for this I thought as we cruised as a nice slow 5 MPH through Western New York on the Erie canal. “It is literally a tiny house on the water” I told everyone who talked to us along the way. The boat is a magnet first of all. It attracts everyone young and old. It opens conversations and stimulates something in so many people. When I explained to the people that the 2 of us were on the canal for 10 days there were the initial questions - Where do you sleep? How fast? How long? Arent you afraid? - but then after some explanation something trips in folks. The idea that 2 people can have an unscripted adventure in this day and age is enlightening. In an age of guided tours and disney the boat - and the Canal - prove that we can still get out and explore a world around us.

We started at the Tugboat Roundup in Waterford for a few days to soak in canal culture. The canal shows its history, past and present all in one event. Large working tugboats that still move cargo up and down the Hudson line up with micro tugs, hippie tugs and retired boats. We met up with folks who are passionate about the canal. Preservationists, environmentalists and boaters are the stakeholders who all meet along this “ditch”. The result is a weekend of fun with beers, music and fireworks. We get a bunch of folks to get on the boat and even bring a few folks who have never been through a lock with us throughout the day. The organizers are rock stars for putting on such a great event and are always so welcoming. The event fittingly is held at the first (technically the second) lock on the canal in Waterford.

After a weekend of beer, music and friends it was time to take a break and head west. We wanted to head west as far as we could go. We had skipped the first stretch for a couple reasons. It’s a long stretch of mostly river type scenery. We had also done the portion of Erie from Oneida Lake to Clyde.

I have to say the western part of the Erie Canal really is the heart and gem of the canal. The cities along away Lockport and Fairport are really nice. Almost every town has a visitor center that include showers and bathrooms for voters. There are places to get dinner, lunch and to restock and do laundry along the way.

Almost every day our itinerary was the same. It was based on the old Canal days when a mule could tow a barge approximately 15 miles. The result is that approximately every 15 miles there is a town along the Erie canal. That being said we would get up in the morning and take a nice couple hour cruise. Lunchtime would find us at a local town where we’d stop and get some supplies and often sit on the dock for an hour or stretch our legs. The afternoon took us further along to our destination in the evening. Almost every night spent at a local restaurant, enjoying some meals and meeting people.

I have to say we were initially reluctant at doing the western part of the Erie canal. We are done some portions of it and found it interesting but not super nice. My mind was completely doing the second part of the canal. This time we really experienced what the Erie canal was all about and the people along it. I have to say it is such a dichotomy as you travel. We went right into downtown Rochester one day and the next day ourselves in a small town of 2000 people. I definitely would return to this area with the boat and take another trip. If you get a chance to do the canal and have an opportunity to do a portion of it I would encourage you to do the Western part. We had a great time. I have some video coming of our adventure .