Trent Severn Waterway 2007

As our boat is trailerable we love to make a circle of our trips one way or another.  This time we decided to leave from the cottage heading south on Georgian Bay, complete the Trent Severn Waterway, head east on Lake Ontario to Port Credit where we would pull the boat and drive it back to the cottage where it would be stored for the winter.

We had not used the boat for extended trips as Maddie’s (the Newf) hip dysplasia made it too difficult to get her on and off the boat with the tides of Florida.  We thought she would be able to handle the cruising involved in this short adventure and she loved it.  By this time our Bernese Mountain Dog, Mackenzie, had passed away and we had added an Australian Shepherd named Rory to the family.  Our son’s dog Reily joined us for part of the trip.

 Maddison

Late summer and the cruising was wonderful, there were few boats on Georgian Bay, blue skies, ripples for waves and spectacular Georgian Bay scenery.  We stopped for lunch at Henry’s, it does seem to be impossible to cruise by without stopping for some of their tasty fish and chips.  We spent the night at Beausoleil Island where we were able to tuck in on the dock, there are certainly advantages to being as small as we are.  We had time to take a hike and a swim before the day was done.

We left Beausoleil Island at 9:45, not a very early start but there are three of us on the boat as our daughter has joined us for part of the trip and the three dogs so everything takes longer.  Once again Georgian Bay showed us her sunny side and the cruising was easy.  We gawked as we slid through Gloucester Pool admiring all the large cottages in the area.  Little Chute was a very narrow area and then we were at Big Chute.  We were apprehensive as we were not sure what to expect even though we had stopped a couple of weeks ago when driving to the cottage to get a proper look at this lock.  The sling only went on the stern of the boat while the bow rested on wood.  A little unnerving when we realized you had to stay on the boat while the lock car was dragging us up the hill to the next level, Allana loved it.  The lockmasters were helpful, professional and very calm.  It was an amazing lock and we were finished before we knew it.

We purchased a pass so we could spend the nights at the locks, the only disadvantage was there were no shower facilities but it was very convenient for getting Maddie off the boat when needed.

The next day we headed to Orillia where we stayed at the lovely facilities at the Orillia Municipal Marina.  We spent 2 nights here as the weather was poor and really enjoyed the town.  There was great walking/biking trails in the area, old homes to admire, lots of stores and restaurants to enjoy.  If re-provisioning was required it also would have been convenient.

Sunshine and fluffy clouds greeted us the following morning and off we went.  Five locks today, we
are getting experience.  The cruising was easy through rural farmland.     
           

                                        

We spent the night at Bolsover Lock where our son Andrew and his wife Vikki joined us.  When we did this trip you could set up a tent at some of the locks and it was included in the pass we had purchased (as I understand it this rule has changed) and this is what we did.  We could all get
together on the boat for meals and drinks but  spread out when it came time to sleep.

Our daughter, Allana, left us to visit a friend for the weekend and we continued on with Andrew and Vikki.  Lovely cruising, again, as we headed for the Kirkfield Lock, it was very quick and very smooth.  We spent the night at Rosedale, it took some doing but we got a spot on the wall.  Rosedale was a lovely lock to tie up to and we walked for ice cream.

It was a quick trip across Cameron Lake to Fenlon Falls where we were to meet Allana, later Andrew and Vikki would head home.  Fenlon Falls was very congested, luckily a spot opened up on the wall when someone entered the lock.  There appeared to be more spots on the lower end of the lock but no grass area for camping or picnic tables.  We went to Captain’s Table for dinner, had the Seafood Platter and it was deep fried everything so Frank was in heaven.  There was a multi use trail close to the locks that we used the next morning that was very pleasant, past cottages and forested area.

From Fenlon Falls to Bobcageon was an easy 11 mile trip.  Fenlon River was quite congested with boats, personal watercraft, etc,  and the cottages looked like homes.  We met my parents for dinner as this is very close to their cottage.  Bobcageon is a lovely town to stop at, all the amenities are within walking distance, post office, coffee shop, restaurants, groceries, and the park by the lock is shaded and lush.

The next night was spent in Buckhorn, another town where getting groceries and the post office would be easy.  We met a young man here who was kayaking part of the system and camping at night on the locks.

From Buckhorn we headed to Lovesick where we stopped for a swim, the water was refreshing.  We then headed to Burleigh Falls where we met Ken (another son) and went to Burleigh Island Lodge to celebrate his birthday.  The  pub was called The Stoney Logger and the premises were pleasing with outdoor dining.  Ken, Allana and Reily left after diner to return to Toronto and the boat felt empty.  My parents and friends, Jean and Gord, came over the next day to see the boat and we all went out to The Lovesick Cafe for dinner, a very rustic decor with a log ceiling and mounted deer on the wall, our vegetarian daughter would not have appreciated the ambiance!

  Rory

Often our cruising days are very short but this was the shortest, 1.3NM.  We decided to head back to Lovesick Lock for another night as it was such a pleasant lock.  We took the dingy off the roof and went to explore Lovesick Lake, even Maddie.  We had been uncertain if she would want to get in the dingy but there was no stopping her when she saw the dingy come off the roof and we all enjoyed our ride.  She must have remembered the Bahamas where she mastered the entry and exit to the dingy from the boat with a little help from us.

Many of the lockmasters were very friendly and helpful.  When at Burleigh Fall’s the lockmaster showed Frank how the lock operated and allowed him to operate the lock.

The next day we cruised 7.8NM ending at Young’s Point and the following day it was 4.1NM arriving in Lakefield.  Scott, our youngest son, and his girlfriend Gen came up from Toronto and spent the night in a tent at the lock.  Lakefield was a pleasant town to visit, trails and a grocery store, big old homes and had a real small town feeling.  We went out for dinner at the Thirsty Loon at the Village Inn but when we walked to get Kawartha Dairy ice cream the store was closed for the evening!

Locked through 3 locks with Falcon’s Nest, a 22 year old Beneteau, bound for the sunny south.  Between the Douro Lock and Otanabee Lock we came across Falcon’s Nest aground, we gave them a tow, with a mud and weed bottom there was little resistance and they floated free.  Stayed the night at Otanabee Lock, it was a lovely ½ hour walk to the next lock, crossed to the other side of the river and picked up a trail to follow back to the boat, lots of purple asters and goldenrod.

Woke to a lovely fall day, there is a nip in the air, the skies are blue and lots of sunshine.  Not too many boats on the locks now as school has opened again.  We continued on our way and transited the Peterborough Lift Lock after we watched other boats in the chambers and saw a info movie.  Got talking to people at the lock and they took the trip in the lock with us, one of the people was from Peterborough but the other two were visitors from England, they were very appreciative of the opportunity to transit one of the largest locks in the world.   We tied for the night below lock 20, Ashburrham.  Another day where we packed on the miles, 2.9NM!

We spent the next night at the Peterborough Marina, my sister, Leah,  was dragon boating on Little Lake so she was able to come by and join us for a cup of tea.  With the evenings getting cooler we often awake to a misty haze.

The next day we went on to Hastings lock.  Part of our cruising was on a lovely meandering river and the trees are just starting to change colour.  We passed a few farms, lots of forests, cottage properties and homes.  We went through Rice Lake, amazed at the number of fishermen who were trying their luck.

In Campbellford we stopped and purchased fuel, at street prices which was a bonus then walked to the "World's Best Chocolate Factory" and got some very tasty chocolate at very good prices.  At Ranney Falls we walked to the suspension bridge but Maddie refused to walk on it.  At Meyers lock there were 6 cats that made this their summer home but it looked to us that there were at least 3 kittens and the lockmasters dog, a very animal friendly lock.  We did 5 locks from Ranney Falls to Frankford Lock, lock numbers 10 to 6, in 4 hours.  At lock 4, Batawa, we were given a package of hot dogs to deliver to Lock 3 to be fed to the pet seagull who enjoys the fine dining of weiners.

September the 18 was our last day on the Trent Severn, 5 locks in 2 hours, and then the Murray Canal and on to Cobourg Marina.  Just outside the canal we saw a pair of swans, then more and more, we eventually counted 36.  We were very impressed by the waterfront of Cobourg, it was very picturesque and cruiser friendly.

One more day of cruising along Lake Ontario and then we were at Port Credit Marina where we left the boat, retreived our trailer and took Salty Paws north to be put away for the winter.