Regularly Scheduled Maintenance

Day 72  |  Orillia  

Today was maintenance day. Like it or not, it had to be done. Both the main engine and the generator require oil changes after every so many hours of run time. Between the time we left Trenton and when we arrived here in Orillia, both came due. First thing this morning, Barry pulled out all of the needed tools, filters, storage containers, and gallons of oil from deep, dark storage spaces -- under the floor, under the settee, in the cockpit locker. Needless to say the entire boat was a mess. I played the part of mechanic's helper as the engine oil and oil filter were changed first. I was in charge of handing the wrenches and paper towels, and supplying empty jugs for the used oil to be pumped into. As much as I could, I also tried to do a bit of work myself. I balanced the checkbook and paid some bills online. I also dusted the master bedroom and cleaned my bathroom. The engine oil change was done around noon, so we broke for lunch. Barry said he could do the generator oil change without me so I headed to Fiberglass Beach.

The first thing I noticed when I went out on the bow were the weeds growing in the slip beside us. This is how the canal was for the last few days. The thick growth of vegetation was partly responsible for our close-to-zero depth readings. I eagerly sat down and finished the book I've been working on for a couple of weeks. I have already pulled out my next one and hope to get started on it tomorrow. The Island Princess cruise boat returned to the marina, and a few more Loopers arrived for the night.

We used our last main engine oil filter and looked online to see if there was a NAPA in town where we could get some spares. There was, and Barry called to find that they had three in stock. We put a hold on two and set out on a 45 minute walk to pick up the filters. We got there, paid, and turned around and repeated the 45 minute trek back to the marina with our inventory in my backpack.

Hot, tired, and thirsty as we neared the marina, we stopped at Studabakers for dinner. We were glad to see something on the menu other than the standard pub food. I had Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos and Barry had a Chicken and Cashew Stir Fry. It hit the spot. Along the way back to Crossroads, we saw several more of the artistic sailboats sculptures. As this was a slow picture day, I'll include these as our favorites. The statue below, right depicts a First Nation fisherman and sits just outside the marina office.

The marina here offered a deal to stay two nights, get the third free so we'll be here tomorrow and use the day to plan the rest of our time in Canada and our brief visit home once we arrive back in the US. We need to hit the nearby grocery and drug stores for a few things. Once we reach Georgian Bay, we will be anchoring for about a week straight. A restocking of fruits and veggies is definitely on the list. I'd also like to walk over to Couchiching Beach Park and at least walk on the sand and dip my toes in the lake. We'll see how much we can get accomplished.

Reflections and Open Water

Day 71  |  Kirkfield to Orillia  |  5.3 Hours  |  28 Miles

With no call for rain, no streetlights to shine in, and no noise from traffic, we opened all the ports and hatches last night before going to sleep. The only sound was that of flowing water from the small waterfall we could barely see downstream. The boat cooled off to a perfect 64 degrees and I hibernated for a long restful sleep, not once complaining of being hot. When we cast off this morning, I got a great look at the little cascades that provided the gentle white noise overnight. It was another beautiful morning with little wind, making for a mirror-like surface of the water. This area of the waterway below the Kirkfield Lock is more populated that what we had seen yesterday. Still, we were out in the middle of nowhere and living did not appear to be easy.

The canal continued to be just as narrow and shallow as yesterday. Several times our depth meter hit 0.0, a few more times we got the dreaded "---" reading, but we were still floating. While the water is very shallow, the dense weed growth can oftentimes give a false reading. The still conditions were perfect to take in the full effect of the "Hole in the Wall" bridge. This bridge near Bolsover was the first in Canada to be constructed of reinforced concrete back in 1905 and when the conditions are right the reflection meets the structure to form the named hole in the wall. We had five locks to go through today before reaching the open water of Lake Simcoe. Now that we are going down, the view is much more scenic.

Finally, we reached Lake Simcoe and got a break from the shallow and confined canal. We sped up for the two hour trip across and were able to relax for a while and enjoy the ride. One of us enjoyed the breeze in their hair. The conditions on the lake were perfect today with the only ripples the result of the wakes from other boats. Almost to Orillia, we stopped for a pumpout at The Narrows. Barry did a great job parallel parking this very large boat with just a bow thruster amid tight quarters, high vessel traffic, and numerous onlookers. While stopped I discovered that we had been invaded by gnats while crossing the lake. Hundreds of them covered the exterior cockpit and the salon ceiling inside. We can't smash them as that would leave gnat guts all over our soft headliner which is almost impossible to clean. The only two ways to get rid of them are to open the door and hope they fly away (they didn't) or wait until we're docked and pull out the vacuum cleaner to suck them up (mission accomplished).

While I was on gnat detail, Barry cleaned up our dock lines. He then grabbed a nap and I went to Fiberglass Beach to read. After an hour I got a shower and we headed into town for our initial scouting expedition and to find some dinner. Along the way we learned that the Buttertarts of Trenton and Peterborough supposedly have nothing on the ones made here in Orillia. We're not likely to see if there is truth in this advertising. Placed all around town are different artistic interpretations on a common sailboat sculpture. We'll see how many we can discover tomorrow. Back on Crossroads, we enjoyed the sunset and started a load of laundry.

We will stay here tomorrow and change all of the filters and fluids on Crossroads. It is maintenance time and this marina provides a great spot to check several tasks off the list.

Threading the Needle

Day 70  |  Bobcaygeon to Kirkfield  |  4.9 Hours  |  27 Miles

A cool morning warranted a long-sleeved T-shirt to start the day. Barry headed to the market in Bobcaygeon to pick up some milk while I wiped down the dew-covered boat. We pulled away from the lock wall in Bobcaygeon shortly after 8:00 and headed into Sturgeon Lake. It was a wide body of water and we couldn't see enough detail on the shore to hold our attention. Thankfully we had deep water and were able to run at high cruise to pass the miles a bit quicker. As we neared Sturgeon Point we found ourselves in the middle of two developing regattas. Small sailboats were being launched from the shore at a rapid pace reminding me of penguins jumping off an iceberg. We tacked our way through the field and left the roughly 100 sailboats behind without too much drama.

The water narrowed and we were once again able to check out some interesting houses as we passed by.

We settled into sightseeing mode. There were more seaplanes on their own private docks and children of all ages fishing. The bright and colorful Parks Canada workboat stood out against of the green foliage. The bulldog ... well, I'm not sure what he was doing. Before we knew it, we were at the approach to Lock No. 34 at Fenelon Falls. After a brief wait, we entered into the chamber and then found space upon exiting to tie up for a while. We visited a store owned by a couple that has previously completed the Great Loop. We left our boat card, which was added to the collection of others who have passed through.

The lock is literally across the street from the town's retail shops and restaurants. Folks gather along the fence line to watch the lockmasters place boats of all sizes in the chamber, like a giant game of Tetris. We sat and watched all the action while having a slice of pizza for lunch. After an hour break, we were back aboard Crossroads, ready to continue. We departed with Larry and Carol on Sea Life and headed into Cameron Lake. The sky and clouds created a picture-perfect afternoon as made our way to Lock No. 35 in Rosedale. This lock is significant as it is the last lock that lifts. We are at an elevation almost 600-feet above where we started the Trent-Severn Waterway in Trenton. From this lock it is a 260-foot descent to the end of the Waterway and Georgian Bay.

Rosedale Lock fed into Balsam Lake and we followed Sea Life across it to the very narrow entrance to the Trent Canal. It was difficult to even see this canal on our chart and Barry and I both were getting nervous.

Our guidebook spent many pages warning us about this passage. Boats ahead of us had texted about bumping bottom. Boaters are required to announce their entrance into the canal as there is not room for two-way traffic. Threading a needle is an understatement. It was narrow -- maybe 30-feet at best. It was shallow -- most of the time we had just over one foot underneath us, but we never touched bottom. It was long, stretching for five miles. We were going VERY slow, and this passage took about an hour. When not scared we were going to either bump bottom or one of the rocky banks, it was actually a beautiful trip through the forest. Most of the time I just stared at the depth gauge, calling out our position any time we had less than a foot and a half of water under our keel. This helped Barry fine-tune our position in the channel.

Right in the middle of all this tension Lock No. 36 comes into view. It is a smaller version of the dramatic Peterborough Lift Lock which we passed through a few days ago. By this time we were very ready for a break. We locked through with Sea Life and weboth pulled over to the wall for the evening. We relaxed with a few docktails before walking back up to the lock and seeing from whence we came. We ate dinner onboard and then went out for a final evening walk. The Kirkfield Lift Lock was glowing in the setting sunlight.

We start again tomorrow and have over two hours to go in this shallow, narrow channel before reaching Lake Simcoe. Maybe then we can breathe a little easier.

Sights on the Way to Bobcaygeon

Day 69  |  Lakefield to Bobcaygeon  |  6.4 Hours  |  34 Miles

We were teated to the prettiest morning we've seen in weeks with blue sky, light wind, and cool temperatures. These conditions alone had us excited to get underway at 8:00 and make the mile run to our first lock passage when it opened at 9:00. Our route was very scenic and I was snapping away on the cameras trying to capture these moments. A few highlights were the "floating" truck, a seaplane dock (when having a boat just won't do), and perfect reflections in the clear water.

When we reached Clear Lake we were able to throttle up and run at high cruise for a while, finally shedding the grass that was clogging our speed sensor. I was in a position to capture a great series of shots as this seagull picked up its mid-morning snack.

We passed St. Peter's on the Rock on Stony Lake, a church establishing on an island in 1914. Worshippers can only attend the services in the 225-seat chapel by boat. Two services are held each Sunday throughout the summer and our guidebooks say most are full. A short time later, we came across a beaver swimming in the channel. The wildlife was entertaining, but the sky was amazing. The blue sky reflected in the water, making this area as scenic and picturesque as any we have travelled. I understand why folks with lakefront property might want a house of glass. As seen below, it does have its downside when blinds are installed on every window.

We passed Burleigh Falls then saw one huge flamingo float platform and wondered where you go to purchase such a thing. A hard shower followed us for 15 minutes, but didn't deter us. We closed the doors and windows until it passed. Then the sun came back out.

The lock in Buckhorn is a gathering place for both tourists and locals. We had a nice-sized audience as we passed through. As is always the case, boat handling becomes more challenging in direct relation to how many folks are watching. It was scary enough when the huge houseboat passed us to tie up on the wall. It was tight quarters for folks leaving the lock, but they threaded the needle with a few inches to spare.

At 4:00, we cleared our fifth lock of the day in Bobcaygeon, eight clock hours after leaving Lakefield. We were fortunate to pull into the last spot available on the wall. At least today, we were living right. There is a very nice town surrounding the lock and we set off to check it out.

Almost immediately, our question of where to buy gigantic inflatables was answered. I saw the cute unicorn float and thought how my favorite soon-to-be-5-year-old would enjoy riding on it. Barry and I then played on the oversized adirondack chairs (because we couldn't resist) before heading off to dinner at Just for the Halibut, a locally owned place recommended to us by the nice lady at the gift shop. The final thing to check off on our Bobcaygeon checklist was a trip to the actual Kawartha Dairy facility. We have enjoying their ice cream for several weeks now. While it tasted no different than getting it at a retail outlet, the walk to the "mothership" at least burned off a few more calories -- and gave me the opportunity to visit with their cow.

We'll depart tomorrow morning and hope to make another 30 miles or so.

Small Town Life

Day 68  |  Lakefield  

I couldn't sleep and was up early taking care of stuff. Today, "stuff" included sorting receipts, maps, and travel literature that have accumulated very quickly, and working on my travel journal which is separate from this blog. The Captain slept late, getting in a few extra hours. I cleaned out my email inbox and started deleting hundreds of bad photos I have taken along the way. I was very happy to see several emails from Rob Liss with photos of us passing through the Peterborough Lift Lock yesterday. Thanks, Rob, for capturing this moment for us!

Early morning fog gave way to mid-morning showers and then to sunshine and blue sky. By noon we were ready to walk into town. Our first stop was lunch at the Thirsty Loon. We were introduced to a local item on the menu, "peameal," and quickly turned to Google to enlighten us to the fact that peameal was origniated in Toronto and is a type of back bacon made from lean boneless pork loin, trimmed fine, wet cured, and rolled in cornmeal -- not smoked. Interesting, but we declined. The food was excellent, especially the seafood chowder, but the visit took a lot longer than we were anticipating. The afternoon was getting away from us.

We walked the town loop, with the home stretch being the Lakefield Trail, adjacent to the Otonabee River. Along the Trail we encountered signs identifying a Waterfowl Barrier. It was a long section of yellow rope running about five inches off the ground. A simple concept, indeed, but it seemed to work as there were no Canada geese in sight. We marveled at how crystal clear the water is and from the shoreline it can definitely be seen how rocky and steep the banks are.

The town is much like any small town in the States with groceries, hardware stores, banks, barbers, a post office and both chain and independent restaurants. On our list of destinations on this warm, summer day were NAPA (to get some oil for the bowthruster) and the LCBO (for a restocking of the wine locker). Just when I think I could be back in Virginia, we see the building for the Lakefield Curling Club. Oh, yes, we are in Canada. We did not make it over to see the Speed Skating Oval. Signs announced that the Fair started this afternoon and we were excited to go take in some more local flavors. We went back and dropped our purchases off at Crossroads. In the time it took Barry to greet the new boats on our dock, I had ventured to Fiberglass Beach for some reading, boat watching (huge houseboats, complete with slide and every water toy available), and a nap. When we were finally ready to leave, the dark clouds moved in and it began to rain. The Fair, with midway and a tractor pull on today's schedule, was not meant to be.

We made a late evening trip back into town to drop items in the Post Box. Its always good to stretch my legs as much as possible. As darkness settled in, Barry conferred with the other captains and is developing a strategy for leaving tomorrow morning that keeps us from being bunched up with seven other boats at the next lock, only five miles away. There is no point rushing a departure if it only means we'll be waiting for an hour or more upstream. We'll see how far we get.

Lifted Up and Moving Along

Day 67  |  Peterborough to Lakefield  |  2.7 Hours  |  8 Miles

It rained heavily overnight and the canal height rose with the deluge. When the lock staff reported at 9:00, the first thing they had to do was drain excess water from the canal to equalize the lock heights between Lock No. 20 and the Peterborough Lift Lock (No. 21). This delayed our departure about an hour. At 10:00 we received the OK to load in and, as we went to move away from the wall, our bowthruster didn't work. We quickly retied and went below to investigate. The bowthruster is located under our bed in a water-tight crash compartment. We pulled off the mattress and unbolted the hatch to only find that all appeared OK. I went back up to the pilot house and tested it while Barry was in the well, and it worked fine. The best explanation is that we had a bunch of grass embedded in the thruster tunnel from our two-day stay. All tested fine and we were able to load into the 11:00 lock passage.

Less than half a mile from where we started, we loaded into the lift lock behind a houseboat, surrounded by the massive concrete structure. A quick two minute ride up 65 feet and we were ready to go. There wasn't much of a view, other than the surrounding town from a higher elevation. The best view of the whole process is to watch from land. We exited the chamber and were on our way. It was a frustrating day as all the numbers were reading low -- our speed (4.9 kts, we like to be at 6.5), depth (less than two feet of water under us), and wind (there was none).

At Lock No. 22 we had to hold station waiting for a down-bound boat to exit the lock before we could enter. During that time we softly bumped bottom. This feeling is bad enough in the Chesapeake Bay mud; its even worse when you hear the keel meeting rock. The bowthruster popped us right off and we entered the lock. No. 22 marks the half-way point in number of locks. We're not quite to half way in distance. Four locks followed all within a mile of each other. We slowly passed a golf course and got to watch the guy in the white shirt tap in. The Trent-Severn Waterway bisects the campus of Trent University. The campus features many nontraditional buildings that border on contemporary art. A couple of pedestrian bridges over the Waterway connect the two sides of campus.

Although the sky was blue and filled with white clouds, the weather radar showed large patches of yellow and red tracking towards us. We passed through Lock No. 26 (our seventh of the day) and tied up to the wall in a string of eight boats, thankful to have a spot. I read a few chapters on Fiberglass Beach before being chased inside by a storm cell. A good soaking rain fell for about an hour and we both took naps as it passed. Although the engine ran 2.7 hours today, we were underway for six hours and needed to recharge.

The sun came out and we walked around the corner to stretch our legs and grab some dinner at Canoe and Paddle. We sat on the patio, hopeful that the rain had stopped. We finished our meal and had just walked out the front door when the sky opened up again. We took refuge next door at the ice cream shop/bakery (how convenient). Not wanting to be rude, we each got a cone while we waited for the cell to pass. Perfect timing gave us a short window to get back to Crossroads and enjoy a colorful sunset along the way before the rain returned.

As of now, we're not sure what we'll do tomorrow and will wait until morning to check the weather and decide. This area is much busier than the previous section of the Trent-Severn. Rental houseboats are now frequent travel partners. They are large, have minimal maneuverability, and move slowly. Their presence changes our lock strategy as they must load first.

Highs and Lows in Peterborough

Day 66  |  Peterborough

Today was a planned off day so that we could go into town and do a little exploring. Last night we had walked up to the Peterborough Lift Lock just to check it out. It is the world's largest hydraulic lift lock and indeed massive as shown with Barry in the foreground, below. This morning we woke up to fog and then a heavy, half-hour shower. When it cleared off around 11:00, boats started to move. We followed fellow Looper Nepidae as they passed through the 65-foot lift. As far as locks go, this one is actually pretty benign (hope I didn't just jinx our passage) since there is no current and only a small about of water is added to the upper chamber. We'll actually enter the lower chamber, so no turbulence at all. For more information on this engineering marvel, check out the Parks Canada webpage or do a Google search for a video of it in action.

We spent almost two hours at the lock, with multiple trips up and down the 60-step staircase leading to the top, and were ready for a break from the sun and humidity. Today felt very much like August in Virginia. A quick stop was made at the Visitor Center gift shop where we picked up a few paper charts of Georgian Bay, a shirt for me, a hat for Barry, and a few magnets to add to our collection. In all our years of travel, we have collected magnets of our destinations and display them onboard Crossroads.

At 1:00 it was agreed that we needed some lunch so we headed up the hill, then down the hill to town. The first place we came to was the Ashburnham Ale House and since they served "Sammiches" and beverages, we gave them a try. It was an excellent lunch and we learned that their logo has historical significance. Seems that in the mid 1800s there was a man by the name of Dan McDonald who once hoisted a 500-pound pig over his head in the town square. This feat of strength earned him the name of Strongman Dan and a spot on shirts and glasses for posterity.

Next door to the restaurant was a grocery store so we ran in and picked up a few things. Then we were off to find a Post Box to drop off a few letters home. Mission accomplished, we headed back up the hill to the Peterborough Museum and Archives. We arrived at the front door just as the heavens opened up. We were glad to be inside. Its a small facility with a minimal admission fee, but we learned several fun bits of information from the displays.

> With a life span of only about two months, no one monarch butterfly can complete the entire migration trip. It takes up to four generations of monarchs to cover the entire 3000 mile distance of the navigation.

> The earliest documented account of a baseball game in North America was actually played in Canada in 1838, a full year before the Americans claimed to invent baseball in Cooperstown, NY.

I found the baseball exhibit to be fun and Barry obliged with today's insert-your-head-here photo opportunity. Doesn't look much different than when I was playing in the Hanover Little League. Hot and tired we headed back to Crossroads. We passed the Butter Tart lady one more time without giving into temptation. I spent a few hours on Fiberglass Beach reading and watching boats, including the cruise ship, lock through.

Tonight we did some route planning and weather watching. The low pressure system is still on top of us and the pressure fell some more today, down to 28.4. Our barometer cannot go much lower.

"Rising Canadian pop star" Scott Helman gave a concert in the park starting at 8:00. We sat on Crossroads with the windows open and listened for about 90 minutes. I have a feeling he might become a household name in the not too distant future.

We've enjoyed our time here, but want to get moving again. Hopefully our next stop will have better internet connectivity. I have grown frustrated with the gray screen of no connection.

We've Arrived In Peterborough

Day 65  |  Healey Falls to Peterborough  |  7.2 Hours  |  46 Miles

With nearly 50 miles to cover today, we left at 7:00 in order to arrive at our first lock right as it opened at 9:00. We pulled away from our wall in Healey Falls and set course for Hastings, Lock No. 18 on the Trent-Severn Waterway. With a lift of just 9 feet, it was an easy start to the morning. We pulled right in and were quickly on our way. The Trent River opened into Rice Lake which has many small islands scattered along each side of the navigation channel. We weaved around Slaughter and Hardy Islands, keeping a close eye on our chart.

Rice Lake is 20 miles long and doesn't have much for scenery. When we spotted a small brown spot moving in the water, we both jumped to see what it was. Barry grabbed the binoculars and I grabbed my camera. As I was trying to get the Canon to wake up, Barry identified the swimming creature as a raccoon. He was cute and I would have loved to capture the moment, but, alas, my batteries were dead. I went downstairs and reloaded with fresh power.

The Trent-Severn Waterway channel is extremely well identified with tons of channel markers and other aids to navigation. It is also lined with homes and businesses that attempt to offer their own bit of navigational advice and/or heritage statement. Ice cream always gets our attention (but we didn't stop). There are always the "redneck" signs referencing bass, bite me, and, as seen yesterday, the Flofas. This was our second totem pole viewing (we saw one in the Thousand Islands).

Still bumming about missing my swimming raccoon picture, we spotted something brown off to starboard, at the water's edge. Our first thought was a deer, as it was the perfect color of brown. As we got closer, we realized that it was much too chunky for a deer. Barry guessed a horse. I told him too short and squatty for a horse. Then another animal came out of the woods and it became clear that it was a small herd of cattle coming down for a drink. Soon there were five cows and we had slowed down to idle, just to watch. It was another totally unexpected animal encounter and made up for the raccoon.

Out in the open water of the lake, we were able to run at our high cruise speed and cover some distance at a good clip for us (8.5 kts). We made a sharp turn into the Otonabee River, which quickly resembled the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway with its shallow and narrow channel, numerous side channels, downed trees and stumps, turtles sunning on logs, and tons of no wake zones. We passed a boat heading the opposite direction and they warned us of a large deadhead (mostly submerged log) ahead. Sure enough, we spotted it just inside the red marker and were thankful for the kindness of those Canadian boaters.

All the downed trees provided a perfect home for blue herons. We saw several today, so here is the daily heron photo. A little after seven hours since we started the day, we pulled into our final lock, No. 19, at Scotts Mills. The 8-foot lift was easy and I spent a lot of my time while in the chamber watching the mallard family that was locking through with us. There were eight, most of them adolescents that did not have all their feathers yet. This male was having an afternoon snack off of the lock wall while mom did a bit of preening.

Upon exiting No. 19, we went a short distance and tied up to the wall just prior to Lock No. 20, Ashburnham. Just on the other side of the chamber doors lies Lock No. 21, the Peterborough Lift Lock. It is the crown jewel of the Trent-Waterway and the world's highest hydraulic lift lock. We took a quick walk to the visitor's center and watched one lock cycle. We'll go back tomorrow and learn more about the lock, then go visit the town, and finish up with a concert in the park tomorrow evening. So far we've escaped much of the daytime rain from this crazy frontal system thats been in place for days. The barometer is stilling falling -- tonight its at 28.68 inches.

A Full Day

Day 64  |  Frankford to Healey Falls  |  5.2 Hours  |  25 Miles

We stayed on the lock wall last night just beyond Lock No. 6 in Frankford. We had a 6.5 mile run this morning before reaching our first lock of the day, so aptly referred to as No. 7. Somewhere along this stretch we passed the 1,000 mile mark of our journey. The scenery along the way was predictable with sightings of blooming water lilies and blue herons, right up to the point where you see the absurd. Our friends on Misty Pearl had captured a photo of a floating recliner. I think we may have topped them when we spied a Flofa (floating sofa). The pictures will have to be worth 1000 words as all we said was, "What??"

All the locks today kind of run together in my mind, which is good. That means our passage was uneventful, except for the switching back and forth from starboard to port tie ups. The boat garden at Lock No. 13 was interesting and has given me ideas for the use of our spare dinghy when we return home. Our major diversion today was killing flies. Barry was in charge of extermination in the pilot house and I amassed a little carcass collection in the stern while tending lock lines.

Towards the end of our day Barry noticed a visitor in one of the lock chambers. This little turtle seemed happy just swimming around as it locked through with us. Our final locks of the day (Nos. 16 and 17) were a flight, meaning we went right out of one into the next. They shared a common chamber door. The wall was massive and a bit intimidating as we pulled in. Healey Falls locks raised us a combined 54 feet. The photo on the right shows three eddies swirling in the final chamber. This turbulent water can snatch your boat and move it around in ways you don't expect. Today, there were no issues.

We exited the top of the lock, our 11th of the day. Although the engine only ran 5.2 hours, we were underway for close to eight. (Our engine must be turned off while we're in the lock chamber.) By this time the charge in our headsets was exhausted and so were we. Following naps and showers we walked back down to the lock entrance pictured above for another look. For size reference, Barry is on the stairway to the left of the door. I stopped and checked out all the flowers on the way back to Crossroads. Every lock station has a beautiful flower garden -- probably to help soften the appearance of all the concrete.

As night falls, it begins to rain. Tomorrow's forecast is fewer locks, more open water, and more showers. We hope to cover 50 miles and end up in Peterborough.

Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Day 63  |  Trenton to Frankford  |  2 Hours  |  8 Miles

After a bit of a delay in schedule, we left Trenton this morning in a light rain to continue our journey. Just after exiting the marina breakwater we passed under the Gateway Bridge, glad to be back on track. Eric and Karen, our harbor hosts while at Trent Port Marina, were fantastic and we certainly appreciate all the hospitality and local knowledge they shared. Hopefully we'll cross paths again. Thanks to Karen for snapping this photo as we went under the bridge. I wore my orange shirt so you'd know that was me. Barry was wearing dark gray. He looks like the door.

Almost two miles upriver we entered Lock No. 1. We were the first boat of the day and had to wait a short time for them to empty the chamber and open the big dark doors for us. We were lifted 18 feet and moved right along. I had walked up here earlier just to check things out. It definitely eased my mind to have visited here earlier in the week. I took the picture of the sign then (note the blue sky that was missing today). Only 384 more kilometers (240 miles) to go.

When we enter the locks we have to secure two lines around vertical cables mounted to the lock walls. Barry is on the bow and I am at the stern. From my position, the view rarely changes as I get to see the big doors close. We met up with Lark, as we entered Lock No. 2 behind them. This is Barry's view while locking through. These locks require no pumps. Its all done by valves and gravity. The gates are opened by lockmasters who turn a large crank by walking in circles.

It rained off and on all morning and the forecast did not look promising so we decided to call it a day after passing through Lock No. 6 and tie up to the wall for the night. Although our engine only ran two hours today, our total time on the water was closer to four hours. Lark also pulled over and we met back up with Greg and Doreen aboard Noah's Ark whom we had met way back in Waterford, NY as they entered the Erie Canal. Around 4:00 the clouds moved out and it turned into a beautiful day. We walked into town to stretch our legs, passing through a nice little park along the way. On the way back we stopped for a little swinging. The shadow selfie on the right is of me looking down at the closed lock chamber. The heavy wooden doors on the left are holding back the full chamber of water for the 16 foot lift.

The view from the top of the lock, looking back on where we came from.

The weather is still questionable for the rest of the week, but we plan to cast off around 8:00 tomorrow morning and see how far we get.

One More Day

Day 62  |  Trenton  

We awoke to a stiff breeze blowing 20+ through the marina. We had to visit the fuel and pumpout dock before entering the Trent-Severn Waterway, so our planning changed to judging whether we could get off that dock or if we would be pinned to it by the wind. Getting tied up to the dock would not be an issue, but without a stern thruster we had serious doubts as to whether we could get off. Decision made ... one more day in Trenton.

It turned out to be the nice relaxing day that we (especially Barry) needed. I took him into town and let him experience the final day of the Festival on the Bay. There were plenty of new activities and vendors on Day 3 to keep me entertained as well. The first thing that caught my eye was the booth selling Krispy Kreme donuts. I chatted with the lady and told her my family was from Winston-Salem, NC, the birthplace of Krispy Kreme. I did not, however, buy any, preferring to get them when the red neon "Hot Donuts Now" sign is lit. The highlight of the morning were the Bed Races where teams had fashioned "beds" out of two bicycles and a platform that they then sprinted down a 50 yard stretch. We stayed and watched a few heats and saw no crashes, before moving on. Barry Skype'd with his dad as we sat by the river. We then ventured back into the festival just in time to see the belly dancers.

Moving quickly, we next came upon the ukulele trio performing (Rebekah, I was thinking of you and our recent ukulele Christmas). Okay, on down the road we went. On the main stage was Andy Forgie who had a fun set with happy songs for all ages. I sang along as he covered The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkle and when he brought the kiddos up to do "If You're Happy and You Know It." His set ended at noon and we turned the corner to grab lunch at Port Bistro Pub. We sat on the patio and watched the Dragon Boat races while enduring terrible service and mediocre (at best) meals. The sign we passed while exiting summed up our experience there.

Back to Crossroads we went, stopping at the marina's snack bar for ice cream hoping to put bad burgers out of our mind. The ice cream melted way too fast in the intense sun and got all over our hands. Since we were there, we went to the marina bathrooms to wash up. These are our new gold standard. No marina, in all our years on the water, has ever had nicer facilities than these. (That being said, I still shower on Crossroads so I don't have to tote all my stuff 300 yards.)

I have watched all week as the staff here at Trent Port Marina goes out and harvests sea grass from the slips each day. With a pitchfork, they scoop up the drifting mass of vegetation that accumulates in the corners. It can be quite dense at times. Today I actually saw them haul a load away. It takes a lot of work to keep this place as beautiful as it is.

We both took naps and I read a few chapters as the wind continued to drop. Around 4:00 we took Crossroads over to fill up with diesel and pump out the holding tank (flash to visions of Cousin Eddie in Christmas Vacation). We successfully peeled ourselves off the dock and put her back in the slip for one more night, very glad to have it all done.

A final walk through town brought us back to the riverfront where Martin Loomer's Orange Devils were performing as part of the Trenton Big Band Festival. Another large crowd had gathered, some sitting in chairs provided and many more in camp chairs they brought in. Quite a few folks even hit the "dance floor" on an open space of patio. We stayed through the first set and called it a night. Salads for dinner followed by a Butter Tart. Every Looper that passes through this portion of Canada raves about the butter tarts and how they load up their freezer with them. The butter tarts tasted an awful lot like Ukrop's Pecan Tarts and, while they are good, we won't be stocking up on them. We tried them; the poutine, on the other hand, we'll kindly pass upon.

Out With A Bang

Day 61  |  Trenton  

Barry was heading to the Richmond airport about the same time I was waking up this morning. I had a few errands to do in the morning -- picking up bottled water and a few other things at the grocery store, and hitting the chandlery here at the marina in search of some spider poop remover. I went up on the flybridge last night and could not believe what a mess it was. Those eight-legged creatures have turned it into a poop deck for sure and boat soap was not cutting it. Both missions were accomplished and I spent the rest of the morning getting Crossroads ready for tomorrow's departure.

Around 1:00 I headed back into town to the Festival on the Bay activities. There were some new vendors today -- like the ax throwing booth and representatives from Parks Canada -- but I also had a chance to pay more attention to some that I noticed yesterday. The artist below was turning out some impressive pieces on the spot. Some even glowed in the dark. The decorative balloons were new today as well.

The musical acts were both Irish folk/Celtic. I caught the last part of Mark McGreevy and then the first part of Charlee Rivais. After about 15 minutes of listening to the harp, I was about to doze off. Luckily I found a quick sugar-fix with a freshly made Amish donut. One more trip down the street and I turned back toward the marina. I wanted to get a little reading in before dinner time.

After dinner, I headed back to town. The Swingmasters were playing along the riverfront before a pretty good sized crowd. I sat and listened for about 45 minutes before walking on up to the bus stop to meet Barry. His shuttle arrived as scheduled at 9:10 and we walked at a brisk pace back to the marina in preparation for the much talked about fireworks show.

One of Canada's largest distributors of commercial fireworks is located here in Trenton. They donated $50,000 worth of pyrotechnics for tonight's show. There were both high and low level fireworks being shot off simultaneously and the night sky was full the entire time. Sort of like a 20-minute grand finale.

This little festival was a treat and quite a silver lining to being delayed for a week here in Trenton. Barry's dad perked up during his visit and we hope his progress continues during his stay at the rehab center. We depart in the morning and enter the Trent-Severn Waterway which is 240 miles long and has 45 locks. It will be nice to be moving again.

Festival on the Bay

Day 60  |  Trenton  

The Festival on the Bay kicked off this morning and I made my way over to the activities around 1:00. A main street had been closed to traffic, businesses were having sidewalk sales, food vendors had set up their fryers/trucks, and a covered bandstand had been erected. It was another beautiful day here in Trenton and there was a steady flow of folks up and down the venue. I stopped and watched as a balloon artist quickly twisted out animals. I think I was more impressed with the octopus than the little guy was. No, I didn't get a balloon animal for myself. I caught the tail end of the Cold Creek Cloggers set and watched for one "song." Not really my thing, so I kept on moving.

The food vendors featured the standard fare, with a few local items. Poutine is an interesting Canadian favorite consisting of french fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy. I don't think I'll be sampling them while here. I did learn that poutine is a regular menu item at McDonald's all across Canada. I also learned today that pogo is actually a corn dog. My lone purchase was a bottle of ice-cold water for $1 Canadian (about 75 cents, American). Used to being gouged by vendors back home, I was expecting $3 a bottle and was pleasantly surprised. I grabbed a seat on a park bench, watched the people go by, and listened to the Fade Kings perform their hour-long set of classic rock and R&B. They were pretty good and I knew the words to all the songs. Every festival is required to have a guy in a lemon making lemonade, and he was here today.

The local "cannabis lifestyle gift shop" had a table and was selling accessories. They told me marijuana would be legal in October. The classic rock T-shirt vendor was also here with every band available as long as it was on a black T-shirt. Funny, they were all the same shirts that were being sold when I was in high school. It was a fun afternoon.

I returned to Crossroads, eager to pick up on my book. I read another 50 pages before eventually nodding off. I awoke and it was time for a shower and then to fix dinner. I then chatted with Barry as he started to pack for his flight back to Toronto tomorrow. This week really has flown by. The festival continues tomorrow with more performers throughout the day and a Big Band concert in the park at 6:00. Fireworks go off at 9:45 -- about the time Barry is supposed to get back to the marina.