• Day's 20
• Utica to Sylvan Beach
• Start 11 am
• End 3pm
• Underway 3:12 hours
• Locks - 3
• Distance 24
• Av Speed 7.5 knots

• Day's 21-22
• Sylvan Beach to Pirates Cove
• Start 8:00 am
• End 12:00 pm
• Underway 3 hours
• Locks - 1
• Distance 25
• Av Speed 8.5 knots

Because I was lazy at Sylvan Beach I did not update the blog, today blog will cover two stops.

We decided to go to Sylvan Beach, having been there several times when I was younger I was anxious to get there and see what it looked like. There were two places that I was curious about. Yesterday's Royal (a restaurant/ice cream shop) and the amusement park. Sylvan Beach also has several hundred feet of seawall that we are allowed to dock at for free. You have to love a town where it is free to dock, but you have to pay to park your car. The seawall does not have any services (ie Electric or Water) but the price is right.

While most of the restaurants were open neither Yesterday's Royal or the amusement park were open. The web site for the park said they would be opening the last week of June. I was not able to find out when or if Yesterday;s Royal would open. I did not know that they had closed for several years due to the condition of the building. In 2019 they got a grant to rehab the building and reopened in September of 2019. I can only assume that they were closed again due Covid. We have come across many places that either have not opened at all due to Covid, or were only open on weekends. Hopefully as we continue to travel more places will be open.

We did get to enjoy a great car show, that the town holds every Thursday night, as well spending some time in the local casino. Luckily Angel won back the money I lost. We also got to see a great sunset over Lake Oneida with Nick & Gale (Ginger Gale)

Between most of what we wanted to see being closed, and having a good weather window to cross Oneida Lake, we decided to make Sylvan Beach a one night stop. Lake Oneida is a long narrow lake that is relatively shallow and when the wind comes out of the west, it becomes choppy and uncomfortable to cross.

We had a great crossing of Lake Oneida, and was able to run the boat at full speed for the first time in several days. The Erie Canal has speed limits, and the last few travel days have been thru a 10mph section. Even though we have been keeping our speed down to conserve fuel, I do like to run at full throttle about 5 minutes out of each hour, just to bring everything up to temperature. On the lake we were able to run for about an hour at cruising speed. (16 knots)

Friday and Saturday we spent at Pirates Cove.

On Friday we used the courtesy car to explore Phoenix and Lock 1 of the Oswego Canal. If they open the Canadian Border, or we decide to go to the 1000 Islands we will travel thru the Oswego Canal on Sunday. Saturday we took our new electric bikes and rode around Horseshoe Island and then went to the pool. Saturday night we spent at the marina restaurant, listen to a local band. Oops I did not tell Angel that we are in Country Music country.

Sunday we will decide if we are heading to the 1000 Islands or continue west on the Erie Canal. If they do not open the Canadian Border, the 1000 Islands will be a 200 mile side trip.