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| Heading East Out of Middleport, NY. The Helm is Littered with Sources of Helpful Information |
As in any endeavour, successful cruising depends on the quality and quantity of the information available. Cruising guides, both printed and electronic, are invaluable; as are the blogs of those that have proceeded us. But, without a doubt, the most valuable information comes from talking with other cruisers face to face.
For the past month I asked everyone we met if they've cruised to Quebec City. Yesterday, I got the answer I was looking for. It was both pertinent and succinct. From Sorel, Quebec go down the St. Lawrence and anchor for the night in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. Arrive at Vieux Port de Quebec Marina the next day. It's a great Marina from which to see a wonderful city. Time the return trip up the St. Lawrence to get a lift from the flood tide.
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| Oh Dear, some Unfortunate Soul had the North Guillotine Fall Upon Them... |
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| Going Through Lock 34. A Tour Boat in Front of Us and Harbour Reach Behind |
Leaving lock 34 was interesting. The Lockview V, a 125-passenger, 65', double-decker boat proceeded us out. Currents and eddies can sometimes make getting the boat away from the lock wall a challenge. I'm always interested in learning different departure tactics and so was paying attention to Lockview V's technique. He simply powered forward and never got any real separation from the wall. Everything appeared to be going fine until he exited the lock. Then the Lockview 5 went hard up against the concrete wall. Initially I thought he was purposefully landing the boat. However, the crew's frantic efforts to push off told another story. It took several minutes to extricate themselves and how they finally did so wasn't readily apparent. However, this bad example did provide a good lesson: do whatever is necessary to get a steep departure angle from the lock wall.
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| Ever Vigilant, Bicki Waves to Passersby Even When Flat on Her Back |
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| 32 Miles Between Tonawanda, NY and Medina, NY |
Tonight Nellie is safely tied to the Medina town wall. DBH
