Heck of a Day

 Had some adventures cruising on Thursday June 30. We were told to lay low on Canada Day which was Friday July 1 so our goal was to get to a nice marina, Starport Marina. This meant going 38 miles through 7 locks including another lift lock at Kirkfield (#36), going through a long stretch of very narrow canal lined on both sides by jagged rock walls, through very shallow water, across a big lake notorious for big waves before making it into our marina.

Well, we finally made it after 11 hours and a couple of exciting moments. The Kirkfield lock takes you down 49 feet as opposed to the Peterborough lock that took us up. So, you drive into the chamber all the way forward until there is no more water only a steel gate beyond which is nothingness, very different. Then you are gently lowered down to water level. Everything was going very well until we got down. Jane had tied off her line because she was convinced that we were going over the edge. And... once again TB was strangled against the wall and again we had to cut our line to get off the wall. This has to be some sort of Trent-Severn record. 

Second most exciting moment was going thorough the Trent Canal. Narrow enough for one boat but not necessarily wide enough to pass anyone going the other way. So you announce via your radio you are entering the canal as a heads up to other boats. So we did and did not hear from any other boats. But about halfway through two boats showed up coming the other way. Crap! It all worked out mainly because we were lucky enough to be in a wide spot that allowed the other boats to pass, just barely.

Fenelon Falls

 We stuck with our pattern of early departures and were out of Lovesick by 6:00 am on our way to Fenelon Falls, a great little town and another pretty, calm lock wall. BTW -  We bought a pass that allows us to stay on any lock wall the entire system so these are good opportunities to cut down on our docking costs. We made the 33 miles from Lovesick to Fenelon Falls in 7 hours through 3 locks ending at Lock #34. 

We hit a local brewery and had dinner at "The Locker" overlooking the falls. We splurged for ice cream from a local shop just steps away from the boat.

Up in the Air!

 On Tuesday morning we got up early and were moving less than a mile to Lock 20 by 6:00 am to get in line for the first opening at 9:00. A houseboat was already there so we went into Lock 20, and the rest of the locks that day, with it. Made for a slow day but eventually made it through 10 locks and 25 miles ending the day at Lovesick Lock (#30) out in woods. Stayed the night on the wall... very pleasant and peaceful.

The second lock that day was Lock #21 - the Peterborough Lift Lock, very exciting. We drove TB into the chamber and took an elevator-like ride to the the top 65 feet up in the air! The view out our stern was amazing!