More of the TSW

August 20-22

Days 4-6  Locks 36 - 30

Thinking we'd get an early start, we pulled away from the dock at 8 am Wednesday morning, only to find that bridge operators, like Lock operators, don't start til 9AM!!  Nowhere to go but back to the marina and tie up -- lesson learned!  

The channel to Lock 36 continues through Canal Lake and into Mitchell Lake via the "Hole in the Wall", an arch bridge constructed in 1905.

This Osprey kept a close eye on us as we cruised by under the bridge.  They seem to prefer this kind of wide open spot over trees for nesting.  

Lock 36, Kirkfield, marks the highest point on the TSW.  After this point, we'll be going into locks at the upper position and moving down.  It also means that channel markers are now reversed ---- the red markers on our port (left) and the green on our starboard (right).  The lock is one of two "Lift Locks" on the TSW, the second highest in North America with a 49 ft. vertical drop.

Pulling in at the bottom.

Going up.........

This is a totally new experience for us.  There are two chambers side by side.  In this case we pulled into the lower chamber along with Day Dreams.  The other chamber, at the higher level, is loaded with down bound boats and 1 ft more water than in the lower chamber.  When the gates are closed, the extra weight of water in the upper chamber causes it to move down while the other chamber moves up - basically changing places.  It is WILD!

Ready to exit at the top.

Continuing on thru Lock 35, we caught up with Astral Sky at Fenelon Falls where we got the last 3 spots above the lock for the night.  This one of only 2 lock walls with power, so we don't need to run the generator.  Once secure, we took a nice walk thru town, picked up a few groceries and then did dinner with the crew from Astral Sky at the Lake House -- yummy fish tacos!

Thursday 8/21

Overnight rain had passed as we locked thru  (at 9am) at Fenelon Falls under an overcast sky.  Just two locks today, headed to Lock 32, Bobcaygeon (from Ojibwa word bob cajwin for "narrow place between two rocks where water rushes through") -- of course!  Once again, we stayed on the wall at the top of the lock for easier access to town.  

We'd hardly started our walk when Garry spied an outfitter with kayaks out front.  Before I could finish checking out the sales, he had lined up a trial on a 2-seater.  Taylor, the young entrepreneur, helped us carry it over to the dock so we could see if it would fit up top for transport --- fit perfectly!  Then we took it out on the water for a trial.  You see where this is going...................  At the end of the day, the deal was made and the kayak was loaded aboard!

There was still time for a little walk thru town and made to order ice cream sandwiches at the local dairy --- delicious!  Don't know how, but we still managed to enjoy a dockside cookout with Martins later in the evening.  Lovely spot, lovely day.

Friday 8/22

First in the lock at 9 am -- trying to avoid the "rental houseboat" fleet.  Garry describes them as Sherman tanks with rookie drivers!  We managed to avoid the majority of them as we made our way through Locks 32, 31, and 30.  Lock 30, Lovesick, is in a remote area, not accessible by road.  Even the lock hands arrive by boat!  It was a welcome respite after the "busyness" of town. 

Kayak aboard -- kind of feeling like Granny Clampet............

After checking in, Garry and I gathered some wood for a campfire before a late lunch and some kayak time.  We're getting the hang of it.............

Once it was dark, we enjoyed a lovely campfire complete with S'mores before calling it a night.

The Trent Severn (TSW) continued..........

August 18 -19

Days 2-3    Locks 42 - 37

After clearing Lock42, our 2nd stop was Bridge Port marina in Orillia, ON.  The guys made a side trip to the John Deere store courtesy of our friend Rick, whom we met back in Midland.  He lives near the marina and had offered transportation.  When they got back, we got on our bikes and took advantage of a beautiful bike path along the lake into town.  We found the amazing bakery that Rick recommended and stocked up on butter tarts and great bread.

Tuesday morning was clear and calm at 7:30 am -- perfect for crossing Lake Simcoe, the largest lake in the TSW.   Two hours later, back in the Trent Canal

Following Day Dreams into the Trent Canal

"The Ditch"

Quite aptly named...............

Narrow and shallow, winding through farmland

3 1/2 hours and 5 locks later, we decided to call it a day at Sunset Cove Marina.  I use the term marina loosely as we just tied up to a wall.  Can't complain when you have bathrooms and wifi, though.

This "Pocket Cruiser" was just across the dock from us.  Built by the owner!

Doin' the Trent

Sunday Aug 17, 2014

Finally!  A break in the weather, although it was still overcast when we left Midland Harbor to begin our journey through the Trent-Severn Waterway.  It is a system of lakes, rivers, man made canals and 45 locks connecting Georgian Bay at Port Severn to Lake Ontario at Trenton.  The majority of "Loopers" (not to be confused with Yoopers!) travel  east to west, entering the waterway in Trenton. We, however, are doing kind of a "backwards half loop", entering the waterway at Port Severn and traveling east.  So we wound our way thru the tricky channel to our first lock -- 

                                                                                                                                                                             

Lock 45     Port Severn

Just a 12 foot rise here.  A good place to start!  Two to go before we tie up for the night.

Another 8 miles and we're ready for the Big Chute Lock 44.  We'll rise 58 feet here, but this is not like any lock you've ever seen.  We were actually loaded into a sling on a rail car.




Our load consisted of 2 bass boats, 9 wave runners and Waterford!







Now for the trip up and over a roadway..................

            The view from the top ---- behind

                                                   



                                         
 
                                       Below                      








And down on the other side of the road

                                                           
                                                                                       




WE MADE IT!!  What an incredible ride!

Just one more lock and we'll call it a day.
Lock 43 Swift Rapids.












                                                                           






 Just a bit of a rise here, wouldn't you say?!









We tied up along the wall on the other side for the night.  We were joined by Astral Sky, a 45 DeFever from New Zealand --- yes I said New Zealand.  Richard and Enid bought the boat in Florida and have spent the last 2 years cruising.

      The end of a perfect first day!

RAIN is a four-letter word

Saturday Aug 16, 2014

Plan A:  Leave the dock at 8 am for Trent - Severn, get through Lock 45 and the Big Chute to Lock 43 by early afternoon for the night.

All dressed up (or down) and no place to go!

One look at the weather radar and Plan A was scrapped!  By 9 am the rain arrived and stayed for the day.  We'll just have to take advantage of our 3rd night dockage (stay 2, get the 3rd free).  We've been so spoiled with great weather for the last month .................  Garry says we've been here so long it must be time to put up the Xmas lights in the pilot house -- so he did!!

Thankfully, the next 5 days weather looks great, so we'll suck it up and head out tomorrow.

More Midland

Aug 14 -15, 2014

Now that we're back in civilization (wifi zone) and picking up email, thought I'd share this great photo we received from Charlie and Jan.  They are one of the 3 couples we met from Sarnia Yacht Club back in July.



Thanks, Charlie and Jan.  It was a pleasure meeting you.

Although we  loved Bay Port, we needed to move on to the Midland Harbor municipal marina so that Doug and Jan could have a new dinghy lift installed and so that we could get the mail we had forwarded there. It was still raining!  Luckily, it was just a short hop across the bay.  We managed to get secured on the wall before another round of heavy downpours set in.

Being stuck inside doing fun stuff like vacuuming was beginning to get to us.  So Jan and I donned our rain gear  for some SHOPPING THERAPY!  We hit every shop on both sides of the 4-block "downtown".  We found Jan the perfect pillow in one of the numerous "cottage" stores, a great little gourmet coffee/chocolate/ice cream shop and a quick stop at the grocery.  Worked for us!

We had cocktails on Waterford that evening with Martins, Nelsons and Rick and Sharon, who were docked right behind us.  Their home is right on the Trent Severn waterway at Orillia.  They spent the next 2 hours sharing their knowledge of the route from beginning to end --- invaluable.  And a lot of fun, too!

Friday the 15th

Finally, some sunshine!!  We sent Rick and Sharon off about 8 am.  Doug and Garry took advantage of the break in the weather to complete preparations --- securing Doug's dinghy, lowering the mast, washing the boat, etc.  Of course this also involves several trips to the hardware store (there are 3 within walking distance).  I took a walk to the library to make some copies, then the post office and a quick stop at the grocery for oven cleaner --- that was my last chore of the day.  It felt so good to be outside, Jan and I took a long walk on the bay front bike path to our original marina and back.

Chores done, masts down, it's time for dinner out!  Our mail still has not arrived, so Garry and I made a stop along the way at the rec center to leave instructions. Despite the evening activities going on, there was no one in the office ----

you'd think the World Championship Shuffleboard tournament would qualify.........







guess we'll go on to dinner and deal with it tomorrow before we leave.

Webber Island and Midland, ON

Aug 11 - 13, 2014

We REALLY wanted to get one more night on the anchor before we left the bay.  So, on a tip from a fellow boater, we set off at 8:15 for "very protected" Good Harbor on Webber Island.  It was quite well-protected on three sides, but the wind was coming right down the opening and increasing.  And the latest weather check was forecasting storms overnight.

By 5pm it was on to Plan B - AGAIN!  We decided to pull up the anchors and move on to Midland, only about 1 1/2 hrs away.  At Bay Port Yacht Harbor we were met by great staff and secured by 7:30 pm.  Just in time arrival -- as the rain moved in.

What a terrific marina!  Really nice shower and laundry facilities, a well stocked marine store and staff who anticipated your every need.  

Time to complete all our chores to get ready for the Trent.  Tuesday morning, Jan and I were shuttled to Walmart and on to a second grocery to replenish supplies while the guys started working on preparing to lower the masts. By late afternoon, all the provisions had been stowed and Waterford's mast was down and ready to go.   It was a good thing we had such a productive day.  We just had time for the first cocktail when the skies darkened and the storms began.  Thunder storms, lightning, high winds, even a little hail would continue thru the night and all the next day.  

Despite the miserable rain, we managed a quick trip to West Marine before lunch.  Even managed to finish the chores in time to have a "game night" aboard Day Dreams.  A good time was had by all.

Always have a Plan B

Aug 10, 2014

Plan A was to get one more anchorage in and the target was Echo Bay.  Though it is a popular spot, we thought it might be less busy on a Sunday as the weekenders headed home.  WRONG!  There were already 6-8 boats in the little bay.  Sooooooooo.............

On to Plan B -- we called Henry's Fish Restaurant, a boat up place with both short term (while you eat) docks and overnight space.  Thankfully, he had room for us and was only about a mile away.

                                                                                           

The place was hoppin', so we decided to hike the trail around the island.  After a couple of false starts and the help of the only map available, we finally found the trail and hiked to the other marina on the island, then up to the highest point looking out to Georgian Bay.  On the way back, we once again lost the trail, but with the help of Doug's GPS we managed to find our way back.

Henry's does a mean pickerel (walleye in the states)!  As we enjoyed our meal, we got to chatting with the couple at the next table, who had several good tips for our upcoming travels through the Trent-Severn Waterway.  It's such a small world!

Harbor of Healing

Aug 8-9, 2014

You won't find this harbor name on any map or chart --- in fact this beautiful little spot near 

Point au Baril has no name at all.  So we just called it "Harbor of Healing" from the Kenny Chesney song that we adopted as our theme song for the St. Maarten trip of 2010.  Then, as now, the words fit the setting perfectly.

With just our two boats in the anchorage, it was pretty peaceful -- except for the Pickle Ball Court!  Yep, a Pickle Ball Court on shore in the middle of NOWHERE.  The only access was by boat, so small runabouts would pull up to play and then take off.  At least it wasn't lighted, so the activity stopped at dusk.  Despite the commotion, a big ole' bear ambled by after dinner.  Of course the camera was inside (I know, a bear story!).

The second day we took a fun dinghy tour.  First stop, the Ojibway Club, a resort on Ojibway Island (of course) complete with gift shop, snack bar and a pretty decent small grocery.

From there we cruised through beautiful remote cottages to a small beach at the Hole in the Wall.

Yes, the beach is just on the other side of that cut.........

After lunch, we went on to Point au Baril on a tip there might be an opportunity to buy fresh caught fish.  No fish, but we did find nice fresh produce at the grocery and a Yamaha dealer where we could buy oil for the dinghy.  On our way back to the anchorage, we likened this area to Lake of the Ozarks in the abundance of channels, islands and coves, dotted with cottages and VERY busy with boat traffic.  It made our quiet little harbor that much more appealing!

Bustard Island Anchorage

Aug 7, 2014

Anchors aweigh at 7:30 am for the 35 mile trip to the Bustard Islands.  The recent dinghy excursion prompted a quick pit stop at Sportsman's in Killarney for a refill of dinghy fuel.  Then on to  our  familiar, favorite anchorage.  We were anchored here on the last trip north with our sailboat, Waterford I, along with Day Dreams and Abigail.  Memories of a meteor shower, flaming steaks and a dinghy excursion gone wrong, all came flooding back.  A totally peaceful stay by contrast this time.

Almost-full moon rising over the trees off our "back porch".

Snug Harbor

Aug 5, 2014

Off the wall at Little Current by 8 am after filling the water tank and pumping out, through the bridge at 9 and on our way to Snug Harbor.  It's only a 14 mile run with our route taking us through "Little Detroit".

Day Dreams coming thru!

                              

It's so narrow you have to announce your intentions on the radio -- not enough room for 2 boats to pass by each other!

Snug Harbor is a beautiful little harbor with a tricky entrance, but we were anchored safely by early afternoon.  We would be 2 of 4 boats the first night.  

Aug 6, 2014     HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GARRY!

What a day!  A dinghy adventure for the birthday boy.  We set out at 10 am for Baie Fine (bay fin) and the Pool (only 18 miles!!).  It's one of THE places in the North Channel -- beautiful and not as crowded as we would have expected.  

At the end there is a trail head, so of course we had to do the 2 mile hike to Topaz Lake for lunch.  There were several groups of hikers enjoying the crystal clear water.

Back to the dinghies and the 18 mile trek back to Snug Harbor.  As is our usual luck, the ride back was rough --- Z and Luke, Mimi earned her "Nelson Navy Seal status" today!

We returned to find 12 boats now in the anchorage but that didn't cramp our style.  Time for birthday celebration.  Martins joined us for a great dinner of pasties (past eez) and homemade gingerbread cupcakes with ice cream -- complete with candle!  All in all, a most memorable 65th for Garry.

Little Current

August 4, 2014

Time to move on!  The trip from Oak Bay to Little Current was only 20 miles, so we were snug on the wall by lunch time.  What a busy place!  The wall is just a block off the main street  and within sight of the swing bridge.

After lunch, we took a walk thru "downtown", making dinner reservations for later at the Anchor Inn.  Then on up the hill for a few groceries.

The Anchor Inn is home to the "Cruiser's Net", a daily broadcast on VHF Channel 71 specifically for boaters in the North Channel.  Host Roy begins each day by checking for any emergencies, followed by weather and then an opportunity for each vessel to call in their position.  It's a service that he's been providing for many years .........

We enjoyed cocktails on Day Dreams, Whitefish tacos at the Anchor Inn and just made it back to the dock before the rain came.  Perfect timing ---- again!

Anchoring in the North Channel

July 31 - Aug 3, 2014

Finally, an Anchoring Opportunity

Leaving Blind River about 8 am, our target is Hotham Island about 35 miles away.  The first 2 spots were too busy for our taste, but, just like Goldilocks, the 3rd option was just right!  We were the only boats in the anchorage until late in the day when we were joined by Loopers Roger and Mary aboard the 28 foot Ta Ta.  We would spend 4 beautiful nights, just the 3 boats and the loons.

This guy spent 20 minutes grooming and preening --- must have had a hot date!

We took a side trip by dingy to the Benjamin Islands -- this is a VERY popular spot in the North Channel.  

Did I say POPULAR???  There were about 50 boats anchored, tied to shore, rafted off ...........

                           CRAZY!!

We were SOOOOO happy to return to quiet Oak Bay!

Roger and Mary joined us for a campfire and  S'mores on shore.  They are on their way west, planning on finishing the Loop in 15 months.  It was a great information exchange as we are going opposite directions.  They would head out on Saturday morning --- we wish them well 

Bon Voyage, Ta Ta

This has been a beautiful few days.  Time for a little fishing (no catching!), chores, reading, a Mac lesson with Jan -- great to be back!

Catching Up

Finally back in Wifi zone so we can get you all caught up on the last couple of weeks travel.

Tuesday July 29, 2014

Wednesday July 30, 2014   

                OH FOG!!!!

Our Plan A, for an early departure to an anchorage in the North Channel, was foiled  when we woke to FOG.  

When it finally lifted about 9:30 am, we went to Plan B, a dock at Blind River Marina about 43 miles away.  We had sunshine and smooth water most of the way.  After clearing Canadian Customs (a call in), we pulled in at 3:30 pm.  It’s a pretty small marina, so we shared the end of Dock “B” with Day Dreams

"Cheek to Cheek" at Blind River Marine Park.

Time for a walk -  Though clouds were threatening, we set out on the mile trek into “downtown”.  We had just finished at the drug store and were on our way to the grocery when the rain arrived.  We ducked into a strategically located Tim Horton’s (no I still can’t stand their coffee) to wait it out.  After a brief respite, we were able to continue to the grocery and then head back to the dock.  Much to the guys’ dismay, the hardware store was too far out of town to walk and by the time we got back, the marine store was closed!  Another day……..

Back aboard Waterford, we plotted our next move over cocktails —- we’ll be on anchor tomorrow for sure!