Day 2 - The Welland Canal

Mark and the crew made it safely to Port Colbourne.  As did our parents Pat and Vern to see them off on day two. 

Mark S. and his daughter Kelly were only able to join Abracadabra for the first part of the journey home.  But luckily we have crew number two ready to go.  Stefano, one of Marks co-workers, and our 11 year old son Simon were just dying to get on board.  This is where I come in.  My job for the journey home was shuttling crew, and that was perfectly okay with me!

Port Colbourne is a 3 1/2 hour drive from home, and navigating the Welland canal is an entire day.  We had to get up crazy early in order to pick up Stefano in Oshawa then drive to Port Colbourne to meet Mark at the beginning of the canal.  Oh, and for those who haven't been to Port Colbourne, it's NOT the easiest town to negotiate.

Crewing Abracadabra through the canal is Capt. Mark (of course), Mark S., Kelly, Stefano, and Simon. 



 

I love this picture.  The sun is barely up.

 

Mark just chilling out waiting for us to arrive.  At this point I was probably in Port Colbourne lost, driving around just trying to find the boat. 



 

The Crew

Traffic

Mark at the helm

The bridge is really huge

Some of the lake boats going through the canal only had inches between them and the walls.  This is just one of the many they encountered.  

Mark has a cousin that works on the canal.  We were pretty lucky to have Andrew take time from his day to join the boat for a portion of the trip.  There own personal guide, how exciting! 

Charlie and I had an adventure of our own.  We drove into Niagara Falls and did the tourist thing for a couple of hours then drove back towards the canal.  Our timing was perfect.  We drove up to the lock just in time to see a mast coming towards us.  "Run", I yelled to Charlie.  We both started to sprint towards the viewing tower.  We managed to make it to the top just in time to wave and yell like crazy as they came towards us.  Robert, Andrew's father (whom was there to return him to his car) introduced himself.  I guess while making a spectacle of ourselves, we make it pretty obvious we were with that boat.  Robert and I had a nice chat, and I was able to thank Andrew personally.  Mark S. and Kelly jumped ship and were ready to return home to Toronto.  We're off again!

Once I had Mark S. and Kelly safely home, Charlie and I booked it to the theatre to see "Despicable Me" as promised.  Then drove 2 hours back to Lindsay.  Needless to say, Charlie was passed out the minute we were back in the van. 

Tomorrow brings the third and final day.  The boat and my boys will be home!

Homeward Bound - Crossing Lake Erie

Getting Abracadabra home presented many challenges.  leaving the car, getting the craddle home, crew etc...  And I couldn't cross the border with the children.  Not because they have criminal records, it was only a passport issue.  The list goes on....

Our good friend Mark and his daughter Kelly volunteered to help crew across Lake Erie and throught the Welland Canal.  And with the help of our parents, we were able to get them to the boat, and get our car home from Erie.  We are very blessed to have such good friends and family.

The boat went in the water and started without any major glitches.  By 12:00 noon, Mark and his awesome crew shoved off to cross the lake.  The main went up, and the jib went out, motor turned off and they were sailing.  Straight down wind, 65 miles across Lake Erie.  Mark still didn't have all the wiring fixed.  He did managed to install the new VHF, and had jury-rigged red and green bow lights. 

Our parents, Pat and Vern left Erie, Pennslyvania with both cars in preparation for day two, Port Colbourne and the Welland Canal.  The weather was starting to turn and they were very happy to get out of dodge.  Had they not been in separate vehicles, they would have stopped for sure to take pictures of the stove pipe shaped funnel cloud in the not so far distance.  It wasn't in the forcast, but it was witnessed by both.

Lucky for Mark and the crew, they were heading in the opposite direction.  But, as the sun went down, the wind picked up.  And up, and up, and up.  It only took Abracadabra 10 hours to cross the lake.  Straight as a pin downwind, surfing waves most of the time.