Year 2 Day 125

Today is Monday, August 30th and we're in Killarney, Ontario getting ready to leave heading into the North Channel.  We spent last night here at the Sportsman's Inn and the water is so blue it's almost like the Carribbean.  Prior to arriving here we anchored out in Bad River and it lived up to it's name because it took us 7 tries to get the anchor to hold.  We almost decided to leave and find another spot but are glad we stayed as we met a Canadian who led us into what's called Devil Door Rapids in our dinghy - incredible.
This area was discovered in the 1600s and it's still the same today.

Entrance to Devil Door Rapids

We hit the motor on rocks here.

Upstream

Channel marker - if you don't stay in

the channel, look what you'll hit.

Well, we're traveling with another couple over to Little Current and they're waiting, so i'll get back to the blog later.

Year 2, Day 122

Today is Friday, July 27th and we are at Wright's Marina in Britt, Ontario.  I haven't added to the blog for 8 days due to the fact that the air card we have with Sprint is maxed out on the megabites they sold us and they won't sell us any more!  I can only add to the blog when we're at a marina that has wi-fi.

We left Midland and proceeded to an anchorage off Bernadette Island which was so beautiful.  We actually went swimming in that freezing water!  There were two other trawlers anchored in the little cove, both Canadians, and one invited us over for a drink. 

Anchorage off Bernadette Island

Osprey nest with mama inside -

we could hear babies

We left Bernadette Island and were actually headed to another anchorage and were going to dinghy back to Henry's Fish Restaurant on Frying Pan Island but the wind picked up and we decided to dock at Henry's overnight.  We met 3 other boats of loopers there and had dinner with them.  There were float planes coming in and out all day as folks from all over the area come to Henry's to eat.  Unforutnately, the wind never died down and we had to spend another night on their docks.

Other loopers we met at Henry's

We all left about 8:00 AM and headed to Killbear Marina and arrived there about lunch time after which we were wondering why we decided to go there because it's out in the middle of nowhere and there's nothing to do.  On the way to Killbear we passed Kathleen Island. 

There was a restaurant there so all of us had dinner together again and in the morning they all left for Wright's Marina except for us as as we're a slow trawler and we wanted to anchor out another night.  We found an incredibly beautiful anchorage and arrived early again and were so excited because we were the only ones there.    Well, that didn't last long and before nightfall, there were 7 boats there!  Mike decided he wanted to fish so we took the dinghy out for a couple of hours and he fished in many different spots without any luck.  Finally, we went back to the boat and he tried off the side - well, he struck paydirt:

Mike and his Northern Pike

This fish was too big to keep and he released it but what a catch!  After a quiet night, we got up early and left for Wright's Marina.  We did hear the loons throughout the night and Mike thinks he heard a wolf.  The Georgian Bay is so full of rocks that you have to pay strict attention to the charts and the GPS or you could end up in serious trouble as some other boats have done with ruined props, etc.  It can be a little stressful at times.  It's a very rugged sort of beauty but truly amazing.

Our anchorage last night

We arrived here at Wright's Marina around noon and have spent the day doing laundry, grocery shopping, etc. and then went to dinner at the Britt Inn.  Tomorrow we head to another anchorage at Bad River which everybody tells us is some of the prettiest scenery yet.  I'll try to add to the blog whenever I have wi-fi access.

Year 2 Day 114 - Big Chute to Midland, Ontario

Well, we did it - We went up and over the Big Chute:

Kathy on the bow as we go

up and over!

About to reenter the water

on the other side

We saw more spectacular sights on our last leg of the Trent-Severn including a male and female swan with 5 babies.  I took a quick photo but it came out too fuzzy.  We went through our last lock and headed into the Georgian Bay which was a little stressful because we didn't have the right charts and there are so many rocks.  Once we got here to this marina in Midland, we purchased the charts we need and hopefully will be able to negotiate these waters without too much stress although we've heard there are rocks everywhere!

I figured we went through a total of 67 locks in the Erie Canal and the Trent-Severn Canal and this is a picture of the gloves I used and the shoes I wore for this process:

 

The locks did a job on these

gloves and shoes!

You can imagine what would have happened to my hands without these gloves!  I guess I'll get a new pair for the locks on the river system later this year.

We're staying at this marina another day to do laundry, cleaning, etc.  Tomorrow we head out for another adventure.

 

Year 2 Day 113 - Orillia to Big Chute

Today is Wednesday, July 18th and we left Orillia this morning about 8:30 and arrived here at the Big Chute parked along the wall.  The cruising today was spectacular!  People are telling us that the best is yet to come when we reach the Georgian Bay which will probably be tomorrow.

Beautiful but narrow channel

The McDonald's Cut which was

cut by hand in 1905

The railway car that lifts your

boat out of the water and transports

it over land to the other side

The railway car approaching the

other side with the boats aboard

We plan to go over on this railway car tomorrow so I'll have more pictures of our adventure.

Year 2 Day 112

Today is Tuesday, July 17th and we're at Orillia, Ontario having arrived here on Sunday afternoon.  At this marina if you stay 2 nights, the 3rd is free so we're planning to leave in the morning heading for what they call the "Big Chute".  This is where they completely lift your boat out of the water over land.  Our plan is to get there early and tie up to the dock wall so we can observe the process before actually going through it.

Since last adding to this blog we have stopped in Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls where we were able to get in the water and swim.   The water was great - very refreshing.

Seaplane crash - one child and

one adult injured

Fenelon Falls - also called

"Little Niagara"

Passing in narrow and

shallow channel

The lock that had me hyperventilating -

the Kirkfield Lift Lock

At top of Kirkfield Lift lock

Hole in the Wall bridge

We found the perfect t-shirt for

Mike - his new nickname -

Mr. Fix-It

This is a great little town and very popular with the Canadians but we must move on.....

Year 2 Day 106

Today is Wednesday, July 11th and we're currently at Bobcaygeon having arrived here about noon.  We've found the Canadians to be so courteous and friendly up until today.  I have to say that the marinas on the Trent-Severn are rather small usually catering to Canadians with much smaller boats.  We had a reservation at Gordon Yacht Harbor here that we made several days ago.  When we arrived, a large boat was on one end of the front dock and another boat on the other end.   We needed a pump out and they wanted us to squeeze in between the two boats.  We managed but it was difficult.  They didn't have a spot for us that would fit and the Canadian in the boat in front refused to move.  He was a complete jerk about the entire thing and we were forced to leave because they allowed the other large boat to park where we had reserved our spot.  We went through the next lock and parked on the wall and though it's beautiful here, I really wanted electricity!  I think we'll be staying another day because we have some cleaning, etc. to do on the boat and there's an outdoor concert in the park right next to the  boat tomorrow night.

Anyway, back to several days ago.   I was so afraid to go  through the Peterborough lock but it was a piece of cake compared to the other locks.

Approaching the lock

Inside the lock

This pan is lowering while the pan

we're in is raising

 

This lady is heading for Chicago in this

26' Pearson sailboat alone

After leaving this lock we cruised to Young's Point and went through some of the most beautiful scenery we've seen so far.

St. Peters Church on one of the 1300 islands

in this area and can only be reached by boat.

Going through a very narrow channel

(didn't meet a boat going the opposite direction!)

Graffiti even in pristine Canada

Standing on a lock gate before it opens

We left Young's Point and headed to Buckhorn where we once again tied along the city wall.  It was very peaceful here and after riding our bikes to the grocery store, we grilled aboard.  

Houseboats are everywhere here!

How did they get this house on such

a tiny island???

Well, after arriving here on the lock wall, we rode bikes around the small town and were planning to go to dinner at a place recommended to us when two other looper couples stopped by and invited us to join them.  We did and had a very nice time - even convinced them to stay over another day for the concert.

Year 2 Day 103

Today is Sunday, July 8th and we are at Peterborough, Ontario.  Tomorrow we go through the Peterborough Lift Lock which has me a little intimidated.  This lock was completed in 1904 and was considered an engineering marvel at that time.  There are two pans, each weighing 1300 tons when filled.  One is up and the other is down and they balance each other.  When it's time to lower one pan and raise the other, one extra foot of water (130 tons) is allowed to enter the upper pan which pushes it down and raises the other.  I believe you're raised up about 5 stories.  I'll have more on this tomorrow as well as some photos.

While we were in Hastings, we  were parked on the upper side of the lock along the free wall.  Hastings is a small, quaint little town. 

Mike standing between 2 signs - one in French

and one in English warning not to swim or

fish in the small channel

We left Hastings and had a nice, uneventful cruise through Rice Lake, up the Otonabee River to a small community called Campbelltown where there is a small public dock provided.  When we arrived we noticed the dock was full of Vietnamese people fishing and they weren't too happy with us when we told them we were going to park there.  After tying off we took an assortment of drinks out to them (cokes, gingerale, water, beer) and then they were a little happier with us.

Vietnamese people from Toronto

Beautiful spot to stop for the night

Lock with containers of flowers



We left this morning for Peterborough and only had one lock to go through.  It had containers of flowers on the gates.  Most of the locks here in Canada are so pertty as they maintain the area around them so beautifully.   We had a short cruise today and arrived here at the Peterborough Marina early enough to ride bikes through the downtown area and go to a grocery store.  This is hard to believe but to get a cart you have to insert a Canadian quarter inside to unlock it.  When you return the cart, you get your quarter back.    Also you have to pay 6 cents for a plastic bag.  I noticed that in the Maryland area you have to pay 5 cents for a plastic bag.

Shopping carts locked together

You need to insert a quarter to release a cart

I forgot to mention earlier that all liquor here in Canada is controlled by the government.  To purchase wine or liquor you go to a LCBO store.  To purchase beer you go to a Beer Store.

The LCBO store we were parked by

in Hastings

Year 2 Day 101

Today is Friday, July 6th and we're currently stopped along the free wall in Hastings, Ontario.  We spent two days at Fraser Park Marina in order to rest after the long crossing of  Lake Ontario.  We rode our bikes about 1 1/2 miles to Lock #1 to buy our one way pass through the Trent Severn Canal and a seasonal mooring permit in order to use the dock walls.  While in Trenton we ate at Tomassos Restaurant and we each thought the Italian food was the best we'd ever eaten.

Heading into the Trent Severn Canal

We left about 8:30 AM yesterday following a 52' Cruisers yacht and were with them the entire day until we arrived in Campbellford where we tied up at Old Mill Park.  We went through 13 locks together and I was exhausted by the time we stopped for the day.  Mike and I agreed that it was much too long a day so today we decided to take it a little easier.  We left about 9:15 AM, went through 6 locks and arrived here in Hastings about 2:00.

Dockmaster Craig at Fraser Park Marina

In Canada locks are opened by hand turning

Pedestrian walkway across canal

$2 coin statue in Old Mill Park

Canadians refer to it as a toonie

Lock #14 - First lock we went through today

A seaplane beside the river

Typical scene beside river

Canadians enjoying the summer

Tomorrow morning there's a farmers market next to the lock so we'll probably check that out before leaving.

Year 2 Day 98

Today is Tuesday, July 3rd and we're in Canada!  We woke up at 4:15 AM and left the dock at Oswego at about 5:30 AM following another boat out into Lake Ontario.

Following "Safe Return" out into Lake Ontario

Sunrise

It was a very long day - about 9 1/2 hours cruising across the lake, through the Murray Canal and into the marina here at Trenton.  Fortunately we picked a great day to cross as there was hardly any wind and it was kind of boring which is a good thing.

Approaching the shore of Canada

Going Through lst of 2 swing bridges

in the Murray Canal

Once we arrived here at the marina, we had to clear customs.  Mike was the only one allowed to leave the boat until we were cleared.  When he returned to the boat he told me we failed as we have plants on board and they were sending two customs agents to inspect them.  When they got here I was informed that it's illegal to bring plants into Canada and they were saying I would have to get rid of them.  I almost begged them to let me keep them and the only way they agreed was if I told them I'd never take them off the boat.  That was a close call!

Canadian customs agents getting ready

to board Queen Kathleen

Entrance to Trent Severn Waterway

We plan to stay at this marina another day to get a few thing done and on Thursday morning begin our trip down the Trent Severn Waterway.