Best Erie canal weather window

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potter water

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I've searched a lot of posts and it seems that many of you have done the Erie canal several times and different times of the year. Because of our location in Utah and the 2300 miles it will take us to get to Albany or there bouts to begin our Erie experience, we want to make that happen with the highest "statistical" probability of hitting nice weather. Maybe I'm asking the impossible, but maybe there are some of you with enough experience on that piece of water to help us home in on a date.

I should also ask the question: This will be several thousand out of our bucket list funds, and 4 weeks of our season...taking 12 days or more for the round trip tow. Is it worth it?????????
 
Hi Susan and Harry, I'll put my 2 pennies worth in with the understanding that upstate NY weather is unpredictable and certainly not what I consider the nicest this country has to offer. Some years great weather arrives in May for a few weeks before summer rains and cloudy days set in. The problem with too early a start here is cold mornings and evenings plus some facilities might not be up and running early in May. June can be fine temperature wise but a good chance of rainy days, same with July and August but the heat and humidity can start setting in as the summer gets on. I would have to say my favorite month for good weather is September and early October.

The entire canal is an adventure, the Hudson river west to Buffalo. But for a limited amount of time my favorite section is west of Oneida Lake, say from Baldwinsville on west. The section east of that does not have the number of nice inviting canal villages, pump outs, gasoline, convenient shopping, etc. The western section allows some side trips by boat, if you have the time, like up the Oswego Canal to Oswego on Lake Ontario. The Genessee River crosses the Erie Canal allowing a trip to Rochester. The Seneca/Cayuga canal system allows a trip from the Erie down into 2 of the largest finger lakes. The villages on the western section are very boat friendly, cheap, if any, fees, clean rest rooms, showers, laundry facilities, restaurants.

There are plenty of C-Brats that will share their opinions and stories of cruising the Erie with you. It is a long haul but I think with your research you will be able to get a good idea of whats in store for you. I would sure like to plan a trip out your way and see Lake Powell with the boat so I have an idea of your concerns.

Happy boating whatever you decide to do! Rich
 
Susan and Harry -
Have you read the tales of the Erie Canal on our website? Click on this link, and after reading the tale, click home at the bottom of the page. That takes you to our home page. The click locations. When it comes up, click East Coast. Scroll down and you will see all the Erie Canal tales.

http://cruisingamerica-halcyondays.com/eriehist.htm

We heartily recommend a trip on the Erie. A cruise through history. There will be challenges -- tow boats, locks, anchorages -- but the adventure of a lifetime.

Many Brats have cruised it - even Gatherings held there. You'll have lots of advice and perhaps companions. Go for it!!
 
We towed east last year to attend a convention in Indiana at the end of July. So that was the anchor to the start of our trip. We then traveled up to the Eire Canal and spent most of August on the western section, ie to the west of Baldwinsville. Rich's advice is right on! We loved the small towns.

What we were not prepared for was the high humidity in the eastern US. Living in the west we were used to a dry heat that we handle well, and I refused to buy an air conditioner because I didn't think we'd need it. = mistake. Most nights in the small towns power was provided and the air conditioner would have helped. Later I met a local C-brat who said he only does the canal in September because of the heat. As an illustration, the morning we pulled out of Ithaca, NY at the bottom of the big finger lake I checked the weather. At 6 AM the temperature was 80 degrees and the humidity was 90%.

I found the boating quite different than I'm used to in the west and it took me quite a while (if ever) to get used to shallow water and people everywhere. Our focus will be the upper left coast for the next few years but I'm already dreaming of going back to all the eastern waterways, but for a longer time. We were only gone 104 days last year, driving 12,000 miles @ 10mpg @ gas @ $4.15 & higher which resulted in costs that were several thousand higher than anticipated. It was worth it, and next time I'll do better planning.

Chuck
 
We are thinking and planning a trip to the erie canal this summer after sep 3 (wedding on sep 1) hopefully no need for A/C takes up to much room and dependent on shore power
Usually in upstate NY Sep is a very nice month for weather days in the 70s and nights in upper 50s . But July and August can be very hot and humid . Maybe we need to have a gathering in sep ??
 
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