Day 82-St.Johnsville, NY to Sylvan Beach, NY

Monday June 16, 2025

Another marathon day (7 locks) on the water! We kicked things off bright and early with the two locks in the section that had sustained the most damage during the recent closures—Locks 16 and 17. These are only open five times a day, on a tight two-hour schedule, and marked with strict 5 mph speed limits in certain stretches. We were lined up and ready for the first opening at 8 a.m., along with a small flotilla of other boats. Thankfully, things went smoothly. The lift in that first lock was only about 20 feet, so we were through pretty quickly and on our way to the next one, just eight miles upriver. With two hours to spare, we took it slow through the debris-strewn stretch, where the scars of recent flooding were still clearly visible—but no issues for us, thankfully.

Then came Lock 17… and oh boy, what a sh!t show.

We were told all boats had to stay on their port sides—no rafting allowed—and the lock master assured us that all five of us would fit. Spoiler alert: we didn’t. It turned into a chaotic juggling act. We spent the entire time fending off boats to avoid scraping rails or worse. We were right behind a sailboat with its mast down (a canal requirement), which actually made it longer than the boat itself. I teamed up with their captain to keep the mast, wind vane, antenna, and anchor light from turning into a tangled mess with our bow rail, while Jeff was in the stern trying to keep our dinghy from being crushed by the boat behind us.

To make matters worse, the lock wasn’t even equipped with enough lines for everyone—just poor planning all around. Honestly, it felt like the lock master had no clue what he was doing. The kicker? It was a 45-foot drop. Stress levels were high.

In the end, we somehow made it through unscathed—no damage, no injuries—but it was far more intense than it needed to be. Thankfully, once we cleared those two trouble spots, the rest of the day was smooth sailing and blessedly uneventful.

We snagged a prime spot along the dock wall, tied up, and set off to find a bite—and stumbled upon a gem called Harpoon Eddie’s. What started as a simple plan for drinks and pizza turned into a delightful night out. A live band was playing on the deck, the pizza was amazing, and we had a front-row seat to sweeping views of Lake Oneida bathed in the evening glow. The music, the food, the vibe—everything hit just right.

After dinner, we took a stroll and were completely charmed to discover a vintage-style amusement park tucked just nearby. It looked like a scene straight out of the 1950s—bright colors, old-fashioned rides, and all the nostalgic charm. Locals say it draws big crowds in the summer, especially families making memories the old-school way. What a sweet surprise to end the night!

Tomorrow we’ll make our way across the 20-mile stretch of Lake Oneida to our next marina, where we’ll start prepping the boat before heading home for a few weeks. But tonight was the perfect reminder of why we love this journey—the unexpected gems around every corner.