Sailing to Buffalo, NY from Sandusky OH

When we finally set out, the trip was great.  We only sailed daylight hours since we had had so many problems with the engine for the last several days.  This stage of the trip took us from Sandusky to Ashtabula, to Dunkirk to Buffalo.  We met the nicest folks at Dunkirk Yacht Club.  Just so happens they were having the Commodore's party and not only did they invite us in and treat us extremely nice, they invited us and insisted that we have dinner with them.  We did and met the nicest folks.  We have been so impressed with how really friendlly and nice the people have been in Sandusky Harbor Marina, and all the other areas we have visited, such as Dunkirk and Buffalo.  We arrived Buffalo on Sunday afternoon, June 19, 2011.  On Monday we were set to have the mast pulled by the guys at New Buffalo River Marina.  At 1000 Mondaly morning they brought in the equipment, started the job and finished around noon.  Both masts and booms were neatly stacked on the hand-made deck rack that was designed bly Bob McKay and bulilt by Quinn and I.     

We met a guy named Jerimiah who lived on his boat and offered to take us to the grocery store.  We took him up on the offer, then hired him to help us secure the mast onto the deck racks.

John and Harley (real name Doc, but Harley fits him best so I changed his name) did a great job and then Harley asked us where we were going from there.  When we said Erie Basin Marina, he called ahead for us and told them to give us slip # H18 which was his old slip, and was easy to get into and out of.  He then offered us his truck to go to West marine if we needed, but we declined.  New York people and the friendliest ever. When we got to Erie Basin Marine, we had Susie and Helen fly up to meet us in Buffalo for the trip across the Erie Canal.  On H18 there were several racers readying their boats for the races and 3 of them offered their cars for us to go to Walmart, etc.  One guy went to the store and bought the oil I needed for the oil change and brought it back to me.  Everyone has been so very friendly and nice.  And this is New York.  Just goes to show you that things are not always what you think.  From there we go through our first lock of the Erie canal treck which consists of a total of 38 locks between Buffalo NY and Troy NY on the Hudson River.  This is the Black Rock Lock that gets you off the main channel of the Niagara River so that you do not sail off the edge of the earth at Niagara Falls.  We sail 8 miles down the Niagara River via Black Rock Canal and enter the Erie Canal at Tonawonda, NY.

See full photo album at:   https://picasaweb.google.com/charlie.wingspan/LakeErieToBuffaloNY611#