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We made it.  All tied up.  Dean and the hounds will stay aboard, and I’m heading home. We’ll resume travel when things open up. 

We did some heavy duty ice breaking getting in here.  I’m sure it was 4″ thick. This boat does well, as it rides up on the ice and breaks it with weight. 

Here are videos taken by Dean as well as shore side observers.

This has been fun. 

I’m expecting more spectator videos, and will post here when they come in.

We’ve been getting lots of good advice and assistance the last day or two.  Harbor Host Jim reached out and drove us for fuel and a tour of the area.

Later we talked with city staff who could get power to the dock.  All very accommodating.

The problem here is that we’re in an an area that’s vulnerable to ice jams and flooding.  If as anticipated things freeze up more we could be in trouble at break up.

So our plan for today is to try to break out of here this afternoon and get into Heritage Harbor two miles away.  If we can make it to their dock we’re safe indefinitely.

The channel is free and temperatures are forecast to be well above freezing this afternoon.  I’m reasonably confident that we can break out of here.  Hopefully we can get in at Heritage. 

The fallback is to go back up to Spring Brook, but getting in to their docks is far from guaranteed.  Hope we don’t have to try.

Things are not looking good for river travel.  Today and tomorrow will be above freezing, but then it’s a few more days of bitter cold, and no real respite in the long term forecast.

We did get off the dock in Ottawa today after clearing a hole using prop wash overnight.  That was satisfying.  But the ice 100′ off the dock was too thick to break through.

Our current plan is to stay in Ottawa until a thaw.  Could be a couple of weeks or more.  Dean and the hounds will stay aboard.

I’ve been a bit surprised at the extent of the ice.  I guess the water temperature follows the air temperature down quickly on the rivers.  There are tows traveling the main channel using brute force, but everything else is frozen solid.

Dean’s short videos from yesterday

We’re parked for a while.  Towboats are breaking ice in the channel behind us, but we’re not getting off the dock until there’s a thaw. 

I thought this would be a good place to get stuck, as a) downtown Ottawa has restaurants and supplies, and b) this is the mouth of the Fox River, and I’m hoping that the current will help clear local ice when it warms.  One of my concerns was getting stuck away from shore.  It’s a good place to be frozen in.

It’s been cold at -17C (0 F) this morning.  Tomorrow is forecast to be above freezing.  Fingers crossed.

Dean is enjoying the trip and isn’t fussed about delays.  I’m a little less sanguine, but trying to manage what we can and stay safe and comfortable.

We’ve been comfortable aboard.  Have the portable generator powering electric heat plus the charcoal heater in the main cabin, and the rest of the boat closed off.

Here are Dean’s pics from yesterday.

Dean and I are reviewing notable comments so far.

1. You’re probably not going to die – Bruce Rosenzweig
2. Whatever you need – Grant Crowley
3. You’re going to die! – towboat Captain Ralph
4. Not in 17 years have I seen a pleasure boat come through the ice – Marseilles Lock tender
5. You guys look like you came off the Arctic tundra – hostess at restaurant today

My prediction for better conditions hasn’t quite come true.  Today was spent almost entirely in ice.

I have to say that today was fun.  It’s sunny and cool. I think the high was around -10C and tonight is going to be cold, but the boat is comfortable and I’m dressed for the weather.

Today we got underway about 0700 shortly after a northbound tow went by, and met another tow coming out of the Marseilles Lock.  But below the lock it was mostly refrozen.  We chunked through it down to Ottawa where we are now tied up.

I think though that we’re nearing the limits of our ice breaking capabilities, and the forecast doesn’t look great.  The following warning showed up on my weather app

We were underway at dawn.  Cold, clear and crisp weather.  The Marseilles Lock is about an hour downstream.

Unfortunately the two mile diversion to the lock from the main channel was frozen up.  We  made it about half way in before it turned completely solid.  So we waited for a tow to come through.  And waited.  It’s now past dark and there hasn’t been any traffic.

I wasn’t keen on spending the night in an icy main channel, so we retreated back to the fuel dock mid-afternoon.  We’re now plugged in and settled in for the night, and the dogs have been out.  The plan is to get underway tomorrow when we see traffic.

All is good aboard.  Dean has been prepping great food, mostly on the small charcoal cabin heater.  When it warms up a bit we’ll get the big grill mounted outside.  The dogs seem content.  They are German short haired pointers, mother and daughter, and they’ve been Dean’s constant companions.  Very well trained, capable and smart dogs.

I was a bit bummed sitting around all day, but we’re not in a big rush, and have a plan.  Looking ahead I don’t see any insurmountable challenges.  The icing is (I think) local to this lock.  It’s staying cold for two more days, then above freezing for two days.

We got underway at 0800 in wet snow, and stopped at dusk at Spring Brook Marina, where we are tied to the fuel dock.   39 miles and 3 locks, with a 2 hour wait at Dresden Lock. 

It got above freezing long enough to clear the decks of snow, which is good because now the temperature is going down.  Tonight’s low is forecast to be -12C, with cold clear weather for the next couple of days.

We’re eating well, and are staying warm.  All good.  Hoping we don’t encounter ice in the coming days, but warmer weather is due later in the week.

All is good.  We’re tied to a rough wall just above Lockport Dam.  Generator is running on shore, and the boat is toasty warm and cozy.  Dogs have had a run.

Today was the usual last minute scramble.  We couldn’t find the engine key, and when we found it the engine wouldn’t run properly.  After adding fuel and conditioner and bleeding it started up, and has been running perfectly since. 

The next challenge was ice.  Coming out of the O’Brien lock we hit heavy ice, and spent a couple of hours crunching through it at about 2 knots.  A tug had been through earlier, so it was broken up, but still tough going.  Big chunks about 2″ thick. 

I checked the ice reports for the waterway, and that was the only area mentioned, so we pressed on.  The ice disappeared after a few miles, and it’s been clear since.  Phew!  Fingers crossed that we don’t hit more later this week, as it’s forecast to cool down.  But after tomorrow we’ll have a more relaxed schedule after getting through locks that are closing soon. 

Tomorrow we continue at first light.