July 29th, Sunday – Camillus Erie Canal Park

Hard to believe but blankets were needed last night.  It was super sleeping weather being on the cool side but a sheet just wasn’t enough.  But given a choice, I’ll take nights like this anytime.

Breakfast this morning was just great.  I had a chili cheese omelet and Barbara had a cheese omelet.  We also had some sausage and ham, and a couple cups of coffee.  A perfect way to start the day.

Today was a day for sightseeing.  No big rush, though, since we didn’t need to be where we were going until sometime around noon time.  So we took our time, walked Marti, got a few things done around Graybeard and then we were off.

About an hour later we arrived at our destination, The Camillus Erie Canal Park and the

Sim’s General Store and Museum. The store and museum are a replica of the original Sims’ canal store which was located on the Canal about 2 miles east of the present location.

The original store was closer to Gere Lock and Belle Isle. There it took advantage of the fact that the boats had to stop there before entering the lock and/or stopping at Belle Isle.

This is the view of the counter inside and what it would have looked liked when the store was open and in business.  No idea who that is standing behind the counter or who the little girl is.  Both, by the way are just cardboard cutouts!

This is one of the items that would have been for sale at the store, an old fashioned butter churn.

Moving outside, we first noticed this boat on exhibit.  It was called buoy tender 159.  It was 27 feet in length with a 7 feet beam and a draft of 4 feet.  It was used to serve the kerosene lanterns that were once used on the canal for night time passage.  About the two cylinders on the stern was used to hold gasoline and another kerosene.

Across from the store we notice this sign and wondered what it was all about.  We

discovered that at one time this was a feeder canal that ran up to the town of Camillus.  It served two purposes, first it supplied water to the canal; and second, it allowed water access to the town of Camillus from the main canal.

Today was also a day for yours truly to once again spoil my sweetheart.  More than once she has asked me to take her on a cruise.  Today, I reminded her that so far this year I have taken her on two, one in Bar Harbor and the other from Seneca Falls.  Today, I was taking her on her third cruise, a short ride up the canal that ran in front of the museum and store.  I aim to please!

So here is our boat for today, yes, another pontoon boat and not a packet boat.  Oh well.

And here are our guides for the day.  Mike the narrator, and Fred the driver.  Two volunteers at the park.

 

Soon enough we were all on board and off we went down the canal.  This by the way

is not the original Erie Canal, that is off to the left up in the woods.  This canal is the first enlargement of the Erie Canal before it was again enlarged and moved again and became the Barge Canal.  This part of the canal is 70 feet wide and 7 feet deep and allowed boats up to 97 feet in length passage to Albany or Buffalo.

The highlight of this canal cruise was our trip through what is known as the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct.   The aqueduct is in essence nothing more than a wooden bridge filled with water that allows a canal boat to pass over an obstruction of some sort, in this case 9 mile creek.  This is currently the only restored and navigable aqueduct in NY State.

This aqueduct was originally constructed in 1838 and was used through the 1917 canal season.  It then fell into disrepair and eventually all that was left were the original wood pilings, the stone work and some of the original wooden bridge that was once filled with water.

A group of volunteers from the park worked to restore the aqueduct in 1993 and 1994.

This is a mural that is on display in the Museum/General Store of the original aqueduct.

After our visit to the Museum/General Store and our canal ride it was time to head home.  We had another great day, spent together, traveling along, singing our song, hand in hand.

Thanks for joining us once again.  We hope you had a great day as well.  Always remember to grab each day and make the most of it while you can.  Each day is such a precious gift given to us by God and what a pity it would be to squander even one.

So night is here, it’s getting late, we need to call it a night.  But before I go a thought for each of us to ponder:

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries, let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and eventually some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before