Brockville, Ont to Morriburg, Ont.

July 21, 2011

We left Brockville, Ont this morning at 0845 hrs.  I waas evaluating the Wx conditions and a little concerned that Wx reports from Cromwell, Ont to Montreal was calling for gale force winds.  In our area of Brockville, the winds were blowing 15 and gusting to 20 kts.  The Wx conditions have been very hot here and today they called  for a heat advisory of 103 deg F.  This would be inland because with a 15-20 kt SW'ly breeze one doesn't feel all that heat.

Current is really startingto pick up at 3+ kts.  Our first lock thru the "Iroquois" canal was for current control.  The big dam was open so we only had to drop about 6" rather than the 3+ feet.  It's exhilarating to be motoring along at 8-9 kts.  I've been running our engine at about two thirds of available rpms: she's purring along.

I'm teaching Phyllis river navigation and she's a quick study.  Starting to read the charts and recognize land and marine features.  Also, she's becomming a decent deckhand.  We still have to work on lassoing a cleat or bollard but we're in the practice mode.  In the evening time, we spend a few minutes with rope in hand.

When  I worked the harbor in NYC, a good AB that could catch a bollard on the first go-around was worth keeping around despite any other faults.  I've found "joints" in the laundry from AB's but quietly disposed of them if they were good at their trade.  When you're working wind and current on a tug/barge, a good AB can make you look good or foolish:  be good to them.

So here we are in Morrisburg, Ont at Crysler's Marina.  It seems to be working out for the best if we navigate during the day from point A to B and them find a marina at night.  If we anchor, I have to post an anchor watch so we're not resting.  At the end of the day, I have to work out the "Passage Plan" for the following day.  This takes time and study.  As long as I have the "hard copy" charts aboard, I'm satisfied that we can make it to our destination.  The charting programs are great but could go down at any moment.  So far, most of the St Lawrence has been line-of-sight navigation but you have to know where to look.

Tomorrow we lock thru the Eisenhower (remember him ?) and Snell locks.  These are the only two American Locks on the St Lawrence Seaway. The  price for each lock is $25.  It's about 75 miles from the Snell lock to Montreal so I've found another marina in Sallaberry de Valleyfield.  I want to make a daytime entrance into Montreal as there are some big currents to be negotiated.  The Beauharnois and St Lambert locks bypass the Lachine Rapids and, yes, you're moving at 10+ kts.  Upon entering Montreal, you have to round up into a 6 kt current and motor against it for 2 miles into Montreal proper.  This will be a big test for the engine.

Here we are:  happy, content, and working our way towards the next goal.