The Pouring Out Place

July 1 – 3, 2011

The cruiser's line-up

We officially landed in Oswego after we locked through Lock 7 and tied up on the terminal wall between Locks 7 and 8. The opening photo shows FLUKE on the far left, and there are 2 more boats ahead of us that don't show up in the photo. When we were here in 2009 I took a photo from a similar angle, and FLUKE was the only boat on the whole wall.

The name Oswego comes from the Native American word Osh-we-geh, meaning the “pouring out place” because of where the Oswego River empties into Lake Ontario. With the abundance of running water for power and transportation, factories and mills were built along the banks of the river making Oswego a bustling community in the 1800s. Ship building was a prominent industry: packet boats were built for canal travel and sailing schooners for lake travel.

The water resources

On the far left of this photo you can see what is now the Oswego canal Lock 7. There used to be another canal, the Hydraulic Canal, to the left of the Oswego at the upper level of the lock. It was filled in after the factories had fully closed down in the 1960s to be used for a roadway. To the right of the Oswego Canal is the Oswego River. When we were here in 2009, we could see rocks all the way across the river where the water looks turbulent, so you can see how much higher the water is now. Visible upstream in the photo is the river dam where people like to go fishing for salmon in the fall. On the right hand side of the photo is where the Varick Canal used to be. It was constructed for the sole purpose of servicing the mills on the west side of the river. One of the mills became the world's leading producer of corn starch.

The ped crossover

Oswego has done a wonderful job preserving and promoting its waterfront heritage. The old railroad river crossover, seen in this photo, was converted into a pedestrian walkover. Both sides of the river are lined with extensive walkways used by tourists and locals for fishing and river viewing. There are many placards describing events of historical importance.

Bottoms up

Some of the original buildings along the old waterfront have been turned into bars and restaurants. It is interesting to walk around and appreciate how creative some business people can be.

More government confusion

I think this must be one of those signs required by the “government” for protection of the people. By now you can understand we read a LOT of signs. We are usually good at interpreting what they are trying to explain (although sometimes we make fun of them). However, this one had us stumped. It is right on the waterfront, facing land, on the lower part of the river, where it soon flows into Lake Ontario. Public boat docking is not far away. Charter and private fishing boats drive by with lines trolling day in and day out, and people are fishing from shore on both sides of the sign. I haven't seen anyone swimming in this area. They would be nuts, so wouldn't need the sign anyway. However, does this mean you shouldn't do any of those things only if you detect bad odors or see discolored water, in which case you should report those sightings to the proper authorities? Or should you just not do these things right in front of where the sign is? Plus, how would anyone out on the water get to read the sign? It sure seemed like a weird sign to have in a place of prominent display when you are trying to promote the area as a park for tourists. I should discuss it with the sign police the next time I visit Washington.

Buying in bulk

The port is still used for the bulk cargo industry, and the cement storage elevators hold a prominent place on the shore of Lake Ontario and where bulk cargo carriers have easy access for loading or unloading their freight for intermediate transport.

By tying up to the canal wall, we were afforded easy access to all the waterfront and downtown areas had to offer. It was interesting getting to watch other boats lock through and seeing how many we had previously run into before. Remember those 2 boats that were rafted up together during that storm we went through in Haverstraw Bay on the Hudson and they got washed up on shore? Well, we saw them go by with their battle scares visible: cracked fiberglass, bent railings, and duct tape. BUT, they were still cruising!

The birthday celebration

We decided to stay long enough to attend the Independence Day parade and fireworks display, which was going to be held on July 3. With a population of just under 20,000, we thought it would be a fun small town event. That goes along with my limited camera skills for photographing fireworks without a tripod or proper exposure techniques. Oh well, you can still “get the picture”.

This is not a dandelion seed at night

When we took Ursa for a walk early in the morning of July 3, we were surprised to see how many chairs had been put out along the parade route to reserve viewing spots. One woman I spoke with was laying out big beach towels and blankets for her whole extended family. She said they all get together every year for the event and they count on her to get them good seats.

Canned humor

Novelis opened a recycling facility in the area because of the abundance of water power.

The bookmobile

I can't pass anything up when it deals with books.

Speeding eagle

The Oswego Speedway is about 2 miles from where we were tied up, but we could hear the cars roaring around the 5/8 mile track until almost midnight on Saturday night.

The Renaissance group

There was a large contingent of people in Renaissance costumes that looked like they had escaped from a movie set, from bar maids to members of royalty.

Fife and Drum Corps

This group had great costumes and great music.

One of many marching bands

While, not looking real patriotic, but really sharp, their music was both. There were several other marching bands from the local schools.

Bagpipes and kilts

In addition to these colorful musicians you can see the concrete storage elevators and the harbor in the background.

Father's Rights attorney

There was some local politicking going on, with several candidates running for the mayor's seat. I thought this sperm sign was pretty funny. There were kids running alongside the car carrying similar signs promoting the importance of fatherhood.

The snow hog

Local businesses joined in the holiday parade fun. This snow plow machine was a big hit with the kids when the driver blew the horn and made the eyes and nose move back and forth.

With the holiday weekend coming to a close, we figured people would be on the move once again and maybe we would be able to find adequate room to drop the hook in another harbor. Plus, we had what appeared to be a decent weather forecast to go the distance we needed out on Lake Ontario.

Oswego sentinel

So, we locked through Lock 8, dropping us our final 7', and cruised out into Oswego Harbor, passed the big elevators, and by the protective breakwater with another interesting lighthouse keeping the entrance safe. Going through some uncomfortable, somewhat turbulent waters associated with the confluence of the waters from the river into the lake, we made our first venture onto Lake Ontario.

The next phase of our 2011 Northern Adventure had begun.