8/20/17: Fairport was a nice stop on the canal and we enjoyed our time here very much. However, we were eager to make up some ground, but we were also anxious about the engine dying. So we picked a town that was about 20 miles down the canal: Newark.

On our way to Fairport, we stopped by Mid-Lakes marina to fill up with diesel and also to pick up some fuel additives that Steve (the diesel mechanic) recommended and picked up for us. The rest of the journey was scenic but uneventful. We went through 3 locks before arriving at Newark. Our engine did not die on the way.

While we were in Fairport, we had met three couples from North Carolina who lived in the same community and were all cruising the Erie Canal together. We were happy to see all three boats tied to the wall in Newark. We had only one small spot to tie to, between two boats, and once again, the North Carolina people helped with lines to get us in the snug spot.

Newark was great in that everything was free: wall tie-up, electric, water, showers, and even laundry. We didn’t find much to do in the town, so we took advantage of the free laundry. We also took a trip to the grocery store to restock on Gatorade, our new drink of choice to keep hydrated. And we had Pizza Hut for dinner.

While there, we also met a couple (Brian and Jeanne) from Palentine, Illinois, who had a boat very similar to ours called a Tashiba. They were on their way to either Grenada or Panama, depending on which of them ultimately “won” the debate.

Tomorrow we will be making either a 5 mile journey to Lyons, or maybe a 10 mile journey to Clyde. Bad weather is predicted for tomorrow, so we will see where we end up.

Pics of Newark