Our Summer Cruise 2016

Monday, May 30

Kirkfield Lift Lock to Fenelon Falls - 15 nm

A little cooler this morning but we missed the rain promised and the forecast was hot later in the day. We got an early start passing the tugboat "Trent" tied up to the opposite bank.

The Trent was put into service on the Trent-Severn Waterway in the 1940s and was primarily used for towing heavy in-water machinery and materials and as a platform for diving and in-water work until it was retired from service in the 1970s. It continued to be used as a traveling exbit to promote the Waterway and was retired in 2005. After an extensive restoration, the Trent was relaunched in 2010 and its captain of 25 years also came out of retirement for its first trip through the Peterborough Lift Lock and today it travels the Waterway as a promotional vessel.

 

Apart from a very weedy Mitchell Lake, we had a very pleasant ride for a few hours through canals and Balsam and Cameron Lakes with just a short ride down through Rosedale Lock to arrive at Fenelon Falls around noon - just in time for lunch. The "Three Amigos" dined very well at the Cow and Sow. Only one problem, Judy broke a chunk out of one of her molars.

We immediately started calling around and the only dentist in town was fully booked for the next week. Going further afield, we got "not accepting new patients", "maybe next week," until we called Lakeside Dentistry in Bobcaygeon who could get Judy in for an x-ray and exam the following afternoon. Bobcaygeon was our destination for Tuesday anyway

This all set, we did some shopping and I got my haircut at the barber I went to three years ago. I went all out this time, haircut, beard and eyebrow trim - all for $14 Canadian!

While I was away at my spa treatment, Judy had been talking to a couple that stopped by the boat to chat. Norm and Barbara Newton were ex-boaters from Fenelon who owned a 42 Hatteras LRC and cruised to Florida every winter in it. When they heard about Judy's predicament they offered to drive Judy over to Bobcaygeon in the morning if we could get an earlier appointment. We were successful and could also get treatment later the same day. Boaters are a great group!!

Tuesday, May 31

Fenelon Falls Lock to Bobcaygeon Lock - 13nm

Up early to meet Norm at the boat in Fenelon to take us to Lakeside Dentistry, a 15 minute drive away in Bobcaygeon to get Judy's tooth checked out. They were very accomodating and got Judy x-rayed and a preliminary exam by Dr. Gupta, a recent graduate of the NYU School of Dentistry. Good news, he could refill the tooth and add a couple of pins to strengthen it. It should even be a "permanent" fix and he could do it later that day.

Thank You Norm!!

Back in Fenelon by the time the lock opened, we headed out for the short boat ride to Bobcaygeon and arrived well before Judy's appointment at 3:30.We even had time to visit a few of the stores but the Croc's were a bit too big for Judy.

The dentist was excellent and the whole procedure was totally painless, even after the anaesthetic wore off. A side benefit was finding a very good Valu-Mart supermarket in the same plaza.

 

Wednesday, June 1

Bobcaygeon to Lakefield Lock - 36 nm

Sunny morning and we were up early to head for Young's Point Lock. Judy had no overnight problems with her tooth - Thank You Lakeside Dental. We had a good run through Buckhorn, Pigeon, Chemong, Lovesick, and Stoney Lakes with just a few of locks. Our timing was perfect as we arrived at Young's Point at the last locking at at 3:30 so we decided to push on the Lakefield Lock (No. 26) a more interesting place.

The Three Amigos at the Lock

Original Capstan to Open/Close Lock Gates

Geared Rack and Pinion to Open and Close Sluice in Lock Gate

Many of the locks have retained the original mechanisms, others have been updated with hydraulic drive systems. A number of the locks still have original limestone block walls that still fit as tightly as the day they were laid. Newer concrete walls already show signs of cracks. I wonder if the concrete walls will last over a hundred years?

 

Thursday, June 2

Lakefield Lock to Ashburnham Lock - 9nm

Another leisurely start to the day as the locks don't open until 10:00am on Monday to Thurdsay which gave us chance to walk into Lakefield for breakfast at the Nutshell Next Door - great, locally roasted coffee and food with some bakery items.

Although the mileage was short today, we traversed seven locks not seeing another boat the entire day.

Tug'n Leaving Sawer Creek Lock No. 25

The highlight was the Peterborough Hydraulic Lift Lock, similar to the Kirkfield Lock we had gone through a couple of days ago but higher at 65 ft. Built over eight years of unreinforced concrete in the late 1890s, it was one of the largest concrete structures in the world and the biggest project ever in Canada. Each chamber holds over a quarter of a million gallons of water and weights 1700 tons. In two minutes, we went from top to bottom with not a ripple in the water. They should all be like this!

At the Top - Fran Waiting to Go Down

 

Getting Ready to Go Up

A short run took us to the swing bridge where we jammed the bow thruster with weed on our last trip. What do you know! - the weeds were worse this time and we lost all steering just before the bridge. A few tense moments as we were heading for the bridge abutment and that lock keeper was more concerned with keeping the cars rolling across his bridge than getting it open. We only had ten feet clearance as we got there.

Ashburnham Lock is right at Little Bay, a small lake with Peterborough across to the west. The Lock abuts a park and beach on both sides and is a favorite place to stop. An early "Happy Hour" was enjoyed today as we had made quick progress.

Friday, June 3

Ashburnham Lock (near Peterborough) to Campbellford - 52 nm

We got an early start in perfect weather for a long day on the water with a goal of Hastings Lock 30 nm and only one lock at Scotts Mill, just a mile away.

The first part of the journey was along the winding Otonabee River with marshy grassland off to the sides in several places. The route passes through farmland, several small communities and some cottage areas. Although many people find this stretch unattractive, it has been one of our favorite relaxing stretches.

Cows at the Water's Edge and the Farm on the Hill

 

Tug'n Passing by One of the Many (Abandoned) Swing Bridges Along the Trent

From the mouth of the Otonabee River, Rice Lake would have been a good opportunity to run a bit faster but weed impeded our progress several times as we had to stop and reverse to clear the rudder and prop. Three years ago, we only had issues with weed in two of the shallower lakes but, this year, most of the lakes have a weed problem to some extent. Increasing zebra mussel populations are thought to be cleaning the water up enough to allow sunlight to penetrate deeper encouraging weed growth. Warmer winters are also a factor. We saw water temps as high as 78 in places already!

Hastings Lock was reached in good time and so we decided to press on to Campbellford, another eigtheen miles, arriving at 7:00 pm - a long day but few locks -before a delayed "Happy Hour" and an excellent dinner at "Capers" on Bridge Street. Highly recommended!

 

 

Home of the Toonie - the Canadian $2 coin showing Churchill, the Polar Bear (designed by Brent Townsend, an artist from Campbellford)

Canada has a good practical monetry system with 5c, 10c, 25c, $1 and 2$ coins and then $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 polymer notes that seem to be indestructible. Cent coins have been abolished but items are priced to the cent level and rounded up or down when totalled.

 

STB at Old Mill Park

 

Saturday, June 4

Campbellford to Frankford - 24 nm

The perfect weather continues.

Up early to get the boat washed down as we have water available at the wall. This is the first good washdown since we left Little Current and the boat is sorely in need of a good clean with bugs squashed into the deck. While Stephen and I took care of the boats, Judy and Fran did some shopping and picked up the buttertarts at Dewer's. We will have our sugar fix later today.

Campbellford is one of the few places to get diesel on the canal and is cheaper than almost anywhere else so we all filled our tanks which was a long job as the attendant was clueless as to how to work the self-service pump at the dock.

Lots of Buttons and No Instructions!

After an hour or so, we all had it figured out and eventually pumped over 500 gallons of 93 cent (a litre) diesel.

A late start for us as it turned out with 20-odd miles to go but 6 locks as well so we spent most of the day on the water to Frankfort, arriving just in time for "Happy Hour."

"Wings" Exiting the First and Second Lock at Ranney Falls

One of two double locks on the Trent where you go from one lock

directly into the next for a total drop of 48 feet

Today's run was through a mix of narrow channels, wetlands, rivers and a few wider spots and was quite scenic in places with several osprey sightings.

Boat traffic was the highest we had seen with a good number of PWC, ski-boats, and pontoon boats enjoying the Saturday sun. The highlight was a seaplane landing towards us and taxiing off to the side before taking off again.

Frankfort is one of the few locks with water and electricity but it was such great sun yesterday, we were fully charged up from the combination of the solar panels and engine. Here, the mooring cost includes access to the adjacent Community Center showers - we both enjoyed good showers before bed.

Sunday, June 5

No route today - heavy rain around 6:00 am and it's forecast to continue most of the day with strong winds. We are here at Frankford for the day but at least we have electricity here to top up the batteries and give us the comforts of home. Down in Trenton, which would have been our destination, the waves are coming over the breakwall so this is the best place to be.

Gloomy Frankford

A Chilly Day on the Catalina Beginning Their Great Loop

 

A DIY Spa Day on the Boat

It was a good day to catch up on the blog and play a game of "Sequence", a card game on "Tug'n"