Wednesday, June 29, 2016

More of the Trent-Severn Canal and on to Midland, ON - Day 284-288

June 24 - 28, 2016
Day 284 - 288

From Peterborough, we continued northward on the Trent-Severn Waterway.  The second lock we came to that day was the Peterborough Lift Lock.  This is a unique lock in that it consists of two huge "bathtubs" that counterbalance each other.  Boats are driven into the lower tub, then extra water is added to the upper tub to make it heavier, and then the lower tub lifts up to the water level above while the upper tub lowers to the lower canal level.  The lock opened in 1904 and the lift is 65 feet.  It was quite a ride!







This sign shows that we had already come 22 locks and 149 kilometers from the beginning of the Trent-Severn in Trenton.  Our completion was in Port Severn in 235 more kilometers at lock number 45.


We transited a lake called Stoney Lake.  There were many stone islands, most of them had cottages or other buildings like this church.   This is the first time I had actually seen a church on a rock.



As we were leaving Stoney Lake we came upon this glass house. This was the first time I had actually seen a glass house.  I guess they know not to throw stones.


John from the boat "Traveller II" showing off his first Canadian fish.


We transited many very narrow canal cuts through granite rock.  The canals were sometimes too narrow for boats to pass each other since the granite rocks on each side would be very unforgiving of a mistake.





There was one other lift lock on the canal and we went through this one alone.  It was similar to the Peterborough Lock but the lift was only 45 feet instead of 65.




Vagabond going through a swing bridge.


Some interesting wood carvings we saw along the canal.



Vagabond in a canal cut through the granite of the Canadian Shield.


This was PDQ 34 called "Vagabond" in front of us approaching another unique "lock" called Big Chute.  Rather than a lock with water like all of the others, this was actually a marine railway.  Boats are loaded on the cart, slings are used if necessary to hold the boats upright, and the cart then takes the boats over the hill and down to the next level where they float off and proceed down the waterway.  In the case of PDQs no slings are needed, we just put the boat on the cart with the propellers and rudders hanging over the edge.





We were on the cart with a pontoon boat in front of us.


One of the railway operators engaged us in conversation while we were making the trip over the hill.




Kimi enjoying a nap on the flybridge.


We finally completed all 45 locks of the Trent-Severn and arrived in our marina in Midland, ON.  This was the view from our slip looking out over Georgian Bay.



The marina taught classes in using the French longboat replicas they had on site.  These boats can be rowed or sailed.




Somehow the marina got wind of the fact that it was our anniversary and sent flowers.



Friday, June 24, 2016

Transiting The Trent-Severn Canal - Day 280 - 283

June 20 - 23, 2016
Day 280 - 283

We entered the Trent-Severn Waterway and almost immediately began transiting locks.  These days were long days with a lot of locks and not very many miles.  The first day we transited seven locks and only went seven miles in six hours.  The lock crews were on off-season hours so the locks were only open from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm and you had to be at the lock by 3:30 pm in order to get through before closing.  Most of the locks are manually operated so take longer to get through than hydraulically operated locks.  We spent a couple of nights tied to lock walls and then finally a marina in Peterborough, ON.   I'll put up these pictures of the last few days without a lot of explanation due to time constraints.  I'll try to get back to the page later and expand the descriptions.














Crossing Lake Ontario and Into Canada - Day 278

June 19, 2016
Day 278

We got up early to cross Lake Ontario to take advantage of the typically calmer winds in the morning.  We crossed the lake with virtually no wave action until perhaps the last 5 miles or so on the main lake when we started getting some small rollers.




We finally caught up with the main group who had left Oswego about a half hour ahead of us.



As we neared Trenton we saw a couple of these C-130 cargo planes making low passes over the water and the nearby land.  One time they passed directly over our boats.  One of the other PDQ captains said they saw them drop parachutists on one of their passes, so I guess it was military training of some sort.



We arrived at Trent-Port Marina in Trenton, ON after our crossing.  I went to the office and cleared customs with a very easy call-in procedure.  Trent-Port Marina is brand new, the docks are new and there are nine individual luxurary shower rooms, a free laundry, and the friendliest dock manager and dock hands I've ever seen.  The grounds are immaculate and they even give you a coupon upon checking in for a free hot dog, soda, and ice cream from their snack bar.  The marina is also only a couple of blocks from shopping and there is a grocery store directly across the street.  Truely a "must stop" before proceeding up the Trent-Severn Canal.