September 30

Today brought the unexpected event that changes plans. We got to sleep late, but not only that. Our traveling companions on this trip, the Washers on board Eagle's Wings, had problems as they returned from Europe. They were delayed and missed the flight from New York to Rochester. Consequently, they hired a stretch van to bring 11 passengers from New York to Rochester. Arriving at the boat several hours behind schedule and with no sleep, they managed to get to Oswego and through the first two locks before the closing time of five o'clock. Today they were delayed by fog until nine o'clock. Therefore, we delayed leaving Baldwinsville until noon. This gave us lots of time to finish organizing and cleaning some areas of the boat in need of attention. We got to the rendezvous point at Three Rivers a half hour before Eagle's Wings. From there we went on to Brewertown where we docked at the town dock.

Walt and Pat Washer sail Eagle's Wings, a 32 foot Catalina. We dock our boats at the same marina in Sodus Point. When we were in Key Largo last winter, they drove down and visited us. Marina Del Mar made such a good impression on them that they decided to make a reservation for this season there. We made plans to travel this fall with them down the coast to the Keys. We look forward to sharing the adventure with them. Here Walt is making up for having no time to clean the boat before they left Sodus Bay. He will come to know that traveling through the canal system and keeping the boat spotless are mutually exclusive activities.

Day One-September 29

We left Newark after bidding farewell to Gary's mom and sister Laurie who had risen early to see us off (and have breakfast out). Goodbye's were said the night before to Chris, Amy, Jacob, and Megan Grace. We went to El Pacifico's with our friends Yasmine and Roy who had driven in from Syracuse to wish us a safe journey. Here the Admiral is piloting to be certain the boat was working properly. We had a great first day arriving in Baldwinsville before 3:00 that afternoon. Supper was at the B-ville Diner. Annette was soundly trounced later that evening in Sequence, a board game we learned to play with our Looper friends, the Adamowski's. She did manage a couple of wins later in the play by using the free spaces that Gary couldn't seem to remember were there. (Excuse number 46)

Preparing for the New Adventure

Sabbatical is now lying in Newark. On September 1, we left Sodus Bay and motored to Little Sodus Bay to spend the night at anchor. The next morning we left for the Oswego Canal with the objective of staying the night at Baldwinsville. We found, as we anticipated on this busy holiday, that B-ville was full. We continued the 31 additional miles to Mays Point, arriving in the dark, locking through and tying up on the west wall for the night. We made our way the next morning to Clyde where we looked up our friends, Ken and Sylvia DiSanto and met our daughter, Amy, and our granddaughter, Megan Grace. Amy and Megan rode with us from Clyde to Newark. This was the first time through the locks for Amy. Megan had taken a similar ride along with her brother, Jacob, previously. We anticipate leaving Newark on September 29 bound for winter in Key Largo, Florida. Another boat from Katlynn Marine at Sodus Point, Eagles Wings, will meet us in the Erie Canal, probably at Brewertown and will accompany us on our way south.

The End of the Loop

On June 23 we completed the Great Loop adventure by crossing our wake at the Sodus Bay Light. The trip of over 6,000 miles came to an end that evening following a two-day leg from Newark on the Erie Canal. We spent 365 days on the trip, most of them a part of our 40th year of marriage. On Monday, June 25, Sabbatical was hauled and put in her cradle for the summer. With the invaluable assistance of our friend, Jack Adamowski, her bottom was repainted and macerator pump freed up. She has a coat of wax over her renewed sides and new stuffing flax in her stuffing box. The delaminated step in the companionway has been relaminated and her oil changed for the return trip to Newark for final refitting and reprovisioning for our next adventure.