Trying out a state park that is new to us, Westcott Beach, on the New York side of Lake Ontario. A little southwest of Watertown, it was a relatively easy drive to get to.
Stopped in Ogdensburg for a few groceries, as well as the obligatory visit to the UPS Store, to pick up a few online purchases. This is a familiar routine for most everyone living in close proximity to the border.
Wanting a better selection of wine and beer then a grocery store offers, we found a great spot in Watertown, right by our exit. Huge selection of wine, and the entire lower floor dedicated to craft beer. A few purchases made and we were all set.
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| only a small part...big walk in fridge as well |
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| notice the sign |
We had a nice looking site, fairly large, with a good mix of sun and shade. We were there for a week, off grid, so the external panels were set up to help recover the amps. The well ingrained battery anxiety is still lingering, but it is always reassuring to keep any battery topped up, even a humongous lithium. Got our site set up, then we wandered the park to explore.
The park has a strong family vibe, lots of kids zooming around on the roads and lots of grandparents trying to keep up. The sites are nice and large, well treed, and reasonable for privacy. The main beach is quite long, sandy bottom, and well marked for safe swimming.
There is a cool little breakwater harbour, with docks for your boat. Lots of fishing happening, kids with rods and reels everywhere, and grownups as well. There is a row of sites directly across from the second beach, but this area is also home to a large area of standing water behind them, a sign of past flooding, and a great breeding ground for mosquitos…an area to avoid.
The next day it was a bit rainy, so in the afternoon we took a little drive into Sackett’s Harbour. It is the site of a major War of 1812 battle, this historic site features a fort, battle ground, and assorted buildings.
Now a quaint little town, it has a small but very nice Main Street, with a few shops and restaurants. A cute ice cream shop beckoned us to walk over and enjoy a cone, so we did.
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| lots of clapboard and brick used in the town |
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| great location right by Main St |
Rained heavy that night, rumbling thunder off in the distance. Mostly cleared by mid morning, the trees and ground got a good soak. Wandered into Watertown to do a little shopping. Dale has a magnetic attraction to Target stores, always enjoying a cruise through the aisles.
One afternoon we were having a beverage under the awning, when a little girl, perhaps 8 or 10, rolled up on her bike and said hi. She had with her a number of homemade bracelets, all nicely displayed on a couple of stands. After some small talk, she asked if we would be interested in buying a bracelet…one for $2 or 3 for $5. Impressed by her entrepreneurial spirit, we purchased three colourful kids bracelets. She then turned to me and said she had sports bracelets for men…Buffalo Bills, and the Sabres. I told her those were not really my teams, and she immediately asked what my favourite team was. I told her, and she said “I can make you a Canadiens bracelet and deliver it to you later today or tomorrow”. Sold!
Sure enough she delivered my bracelet the next afternoon. She said she had looked up the logo and saw that it had more red and blue than white, and assembled the amount of colours the same way.
She told us she had sold over twenty bracelets so far. Nice little sideline for her on a family camping vacation…and her market is right there all around her. Now that is one sharp girl.
One thing we noticed was the abundance of all types of electric mobility. Scooters, bikes, long boards, adult tricycles…human powered movement was rare. I have to admit the sight of a kid zooming by on a longboard, at crazy speeds, is pretty damn cool.
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| gotta love a one bowl meal |
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| gotta love the Solo Stove as well... |
Went for a swim at the beach, and were once again bit by the NY State ‘No Noodles’ rules. I knew what was happening when the lifeguard made a beeline for us as we waded in. She told us we could float with them, as long as we were outside the lifeguard patrolled area, which is what we did. Nice sandy beach, and the water was warm, yet refreshing at the same time.
Later in the week more rains came, mostly overnight, and by morning everything was damp and humid. The next day, with the low overcast clouds, the campground never seemed to dry out. Yet again, another rainy night and so in the morning we decided to pack up and head out a day early. No biggie, just the way things happen sometimes.
It is a nice park that we will certainly visit again.
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