On Friday morning we woke up early to check the Marine Weather Forcast again...Yeah, it looks ok to cross LAKE ONTARIO :) The report is for winds 5-10 miles per hour out of the North, diminishing throughout the day. The air is a brisk 42 degrees warming to 50 degrees. This is all good news but we were still a little apprehensive after stories we have heard and read about the crossing.
Our decision was to cross LAKE ONTARIO on Friday, taking a slightly longer and more protected course. This was traveling from CAPE VINCENT to Sackets Harbor ( knowing we could spend the night there if necessary) then on to OSWEGO. We departed CAPE VINCENT by 8:30 am arriving in Sackets Harbor at 11:45 am. Departing Sackets Harbor at Noon and arriving to the first Lock on the OSWEGO Canal by 4:15 pm. We secured Thistle on the OSWEGO town wall by 5 pm. It was a long exhilarating and rewarding 9 and a half hour day!
We did not spent much time in Sackets Harbor, it seems like a nice small historic town founded in 1801 with good restaurants and lots of history from the War of 1812. The Harbor is small with limited docks, if you plan on staying make sure you have a reservation.
We enjoyed our three night (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) stay in OSWEGO. The town has great restaurants, bike trails and a Fort! The British established a trading post here in 1722 with a log palisade later called Fort Ontario. The first fortification on the current site was built by the British in 1755, and was called "The Fort of the Six Nations". This Fort was destroyed by the French and then reconstructed by the British. The Fort was then abandoned by the British and destroyed by Americans. In 1782 the British reoccupied the Fort and finally forfeited the Fort to the Americans in 1796. Throughout the 19th Century the Americans maintained a Military presence at Fort Ontario. During WWII the Fort was used to house "interned" manily Jewish Refugees.
OSWEGO is the center of the snow belt ...It's one of the snowiest towns in America! Most winters it accumulates more than 300 inches of snow. LAKE ONTARIO (and other Great Lakes) produce "Lake Effect" snow. This snow is produced when cooler winds blow across the warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor that freezes and then is deposited on the lake shore. When we were waiting in Cape Vincent for a clear weather window, the weather reports were all predicting the first "Lake Effect" snow of the season... Believe me it's COLD, but beautiful XO.
Looper Tip: Believe the reports to be off the a Great Lakes before the second week of September, we are safe but probably a week late :)
CAPE VINCENT to Sackets Harbor then on to OSWEGO.
What a difference a day makes! Passing the Tibbits Point Lighthouse on Friday morning.
Crossing Lake Ontario :)
Lake Ontario was sparkling on Friday morning.
A quick stop in Sackets Harbor.
Entering the OSWEGO Canal from LAKE ONTARIO.
Thistle on the OSWEGO Canal.
The Water Street Cafe, in the beautiful Old City Hall Building is our favorite restaurant & bar in OSWEGO (great food, nice owner and friendly people).
Around OSWEGO.
Fort Ontario in OSWEGO.
Lots of Salmon fishing (wading in the rapids, boats in the rapids and land) on the OSWEGO Canal.
Music at Bistro 197 and breakfast at the Oswego Tea Company.
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