THE GREAT LOOP

PART 6

MOHAWK MARINA TO LAKE ERIE

After nearly three weeks at home waiting for news on the broken lock gate that has thwarted our progress through the Erie Canal, I finally hear that lock 17 is open again. A huge mobile crane has arrived to raise and lower the 150-tonne door until they can sort out a permanent fix, and thanks to a series of powerful storms passing through the area, water levels have risen to a passable depth too. It’s time to get back to Privilege and cover the remaining 550 miles to our destination at the far end of Lake Erie.

It’s not all good news though, the storms have caused a phenomenon known as a Seiche, when strong winds blow the water from one end of Lake Erie to the other causing a 5ft tidal surge that has left some boats stranded on the mud at the New York end of the lake and sunk some of those at the Ohio end. They have also blown huge amounts of debris into the lake, which the returning water has drawn back across the lake, clogging up the western end of the canal. Our hope is the worst of it will clear before we reach this section.

TRIAL BY GUILLOTINE

After flying into Cleveland and driving the 450 miles to Mohawk Marina in our rental car, Alan, Doug and I are relieved to find that has weathered the storms well. Her engines fire up first time and all that’s needed is a wash down prior to departure.