Sylvan Beach to Fulton, July 12th

I've heard stories about big waves on Oneida Lake. When I asked how big, I was told that they could get up to 5'. At that point, I wasn't too worried about crossing the lake anytime as my crew have on several occasions run the NJ coast and LI sound in 5' and larger waves. We did a morning crossing which is supposed to be when it is calmest. There were about 3' waves in the middle. The return trip in the afternoon a week and a half later would prove to be even calmer.

There are markers that run across the lake, but it looked shorter to just run directly across the lake north of the markers staying inside (south) of the red. From the distance you can see what looks like an island and a tower to the right. As it turns out, passing to the right of the island and heading for the tower is approximately the right direction.

I was going to drop some waypoints into the GPS only to find that the chart (14786) didn't have lines of latitude or longitude! Instead I planned to store waypoint on my way west for my return trip East. However, I forgot to set a waypoint at Sylvan Beach entrance but managed to get a good set for the rest of the trip across.

At the other side of the lake is Brewerton with many marinas and lunch stops. Winter Harbor Marina had diesel fuel for about $1.27/gal, and we took advantage of this good deal.

After a lock, you have the Three River area where the Erie continues South Westward and the Oswego continues Northward. We continued North to Fulton.

Canal Park at Fulton is located just before Lock 3 and there is power and free overnight docking. The boat was a bit large for the docks and, if docked normally, wouldn't let boats pass. I couldn't find anyone at the dock window, and there was a note about being back at 8 PM, so I turned the boat sideways along the wall at the end of the dock and that turned out to be fine. I met a tour boat from Seneca Falls here, and he said that he would be returning the next day to Seneca Falls where we saw it again later in our trip.

Behind the dock master's building is the Lock 3 restaurant and a pharmacy. It was never so clear as in Fulton that you have to be carful with time. We walked into the pharmacy and shortly there after they were turning the lights off. It was 5:00 on a Saturday. I was told the most of the stores were closed at 3:00. The people in the drug store suggested that there wasn't anything to see in Fulton and that we should proceed to Oswego.

There was a concert and a roast in town that day, but we had just missed it. Although the canal side of the Lock 3 restaurant was missing a few letters, we ate there and the food there was good. There were fireworks in the distance to the west that evening.