7/23/23 - 8/6/23 Trenton Ontario to Midland, Ontario (Trent Severn Waterway)

Mon, 7/23 - Kingston, Ontario (Confederation Basin Marina) to Trenton/Quinte West, Ontario (Trent Port Marina) (61.2NM)

• We got an early start, accompanied by Kayak, Pony, Elysium, and picked up Endless Somers as they departed Picton.
• It was a lovely, sunny day crossing the Bay of Quinte and Big Bay to Trenton / Quinte West, the Gateway to the Trent Severn Waterway.
• On the way over, I purchased a Lock pass from Parks Canada online.  It was $5.00/ft (Canadian) for a 1-way pass.  There is also an option to purchase a mooring pass that is equivalent to 10 overnights on the Trent Severn.  We decided to pay as we go, because we don't think we'll stay 10 nights - we'll see!
• We pulled into the Trent Port Marina's fuel dock mid-afternoon and took on 220 liters of fuel.
• Now we have to do the math on both metric and exchange rates.
• The kids at the fuel dock and marina are fantastic.  It's amazing how well they perform this summer job -kudos! (they struggled with the imperial/metric conversion too - LOL)
• Word spread of docktails aboard Cavalier - whom we have not met yet.  It's not exactly party-crashing, as all are invited.
• Cavalier had 24+ guests on board!  This was the most Loopers we've encountered in 1 place thus far:  Katie B., Elysium, Endless Somers, Ottyssey, Pau Hana, Cavalier, Kayak, Pony, Boat Time, Port-A-Gee

• The crews of Port-A-Gee, Kayak, Pony & Endless Sommers walked over to Captain George's Fish & Chips, just outside the marina.
• We arrived at 7:00, which was closing time.  The single server invited us to come in and have dinner.  She was so gracious, and the food was delicious.
• Tues, 7/24 - We decided to divide and conquer to make the most out of our extra day in Trenton.
• I went for a nice run on the path that surrounded the shoreline - it was flat and shaded.
• Afterwards, I showered and did 2 loads of FREE laundry, INCLUDING DETERGENT, in the sparkling clean marina.
• The shower suites were among the best we've encountered!  They appear to be fairly new, very modern and sparkling clean.  They even provide clean, dry bathmats.
• Brian walked over to the grocery store just outside the marina and provisioned us for the next 10 days on the Trent Severn.
• Next, we walked about 1/2 mile to the liquor store - because more provisioning!  We always forget how hot the world is away from the water.  It's a good 10 degrees warmer.
• Kim (Pony) organized a captain's meeting/docktails to strategize on the morning departure, to prevent a bottleneck at the locks.

Tues, 7/25/23 - Trent Port Marina to Meyers, ON (Lock 9) (20.9 NM)

• The Trent Severn Waterway connects Lake Ontario (from Bay of Quinte) to Georgian Bay in upper Lake Huron.  It took over 87 years to build, is 240 miles long with 43 locks meandering along beautiful rivers and lakes.  The locks elevate 590 feet above Lake Ontario, then go back down another 260 feet to Georgian Bay.

• At last night's captain's meeting, all of the boats had a goal of getting to Lock 6, Frankford.  John & Brian decided that this was a good opportunity for Port-A-Gee and Kayak to make it all the way to Campbellford at the top of Lock 12!
• We headed out to the lock at 8:00 to be ready for the 9:00 opening. Cavalier went a little earlier, so they were in first position, followed by Kayak, Port-A-Gee, Yes Dear then Ottyssey.
• As luck would have it, there was "staffing" issues, they delayed us a bit, but Cavalier and Kayak were on their way up by 9:20.  Port-A-Gee and Yes Dear caught the next one.
• More bad luck - when Brian hit the thruster to get us closer to the wall, it was dead.  A little troubleshooting revealed that the battery that supplies the thruster, refrigerator, and freezer was dead.
• Cavalier and Yes Dear peeled off at Lock 6, Frankford, so Kayak & Port-A-Gee soloed through 7 - 9, calling it a day short of our goal of Campbellford after lock 12.
• It was a lovely quiet stop, and the lockmasters were very welcoming.
• Brian did some shuffling of battery power to save our food and then met us at the picnic table for some drinks & apps.

MM 1.8 Lock 1 - Trenton, up 18'

MM 2.4 Lock 2 - Sidney, up 20'

MM 3.9 Lock 3 - Glen Miller, up 27'

MM 5.2 Lock 4 - Batawa, up 18'

MM 6.4 Lock 5 - Trent, up 18'

MM 7.3 Lock 6 - Frankford, up 18'

MM 13.8 Lock 7 - Glen Ross, up 10'

MM 25.3 Lock 8 - Percy Reach, up 20'

MM 26.4 Lock 9 - Meyers, up 16'

• Most of the gates at the top of the locks are manually operated with 2 turn keys.  I decided to give them a hand!

Wed, 7/26/23 Lock 9 Meyers to Campbellford, ON - Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce Wall (3.6NM)

• We enjoyed the serenity of Lock 9 while we waited for Lock 10 to open at 9:00 a.m. The doors were open and ready for Port-A-Gee and Kayak upon our arrival.

MM 28 Lock 10 - Hagues Reach, up 24'

MM 29.7 Locks 11/12 - Ranney Falls - FLIGHT LOCKS, up 48'

• We tied up to the wall at the top of Lock 12 and walked over to the Ranney Falls Suspension Bridge.

• One of the Chamber of Commerce volunteers was waiting to welcome us and tell us about the features of Campbellford.
• By the end of the day both sides of the channel were filled with Looper boats.
• Brian called NAPA before we left to see about getting a replacement battery.  They had one ready to deliver to the dock upon our arrival.  It was a little pricey, but the alternative would have cost us a lot more.
• After the new battery was installed, we walked around town checked out the famous Dooher's Bakery.  They are known for their donuts, but we elected Chocolate Butter Tarts and Focaccia -both were delicious.
• The crews of Pony, Endless Somers, Kayak and Port-A-Gee gathered for dinner at Dockside
  Bistro.  The Poutine was way better than our first one in Kingston.

• We were amused by the local kids jumping off the bridge in town!  I was worried when the kids at the bottom had to point out where the submerged concrete was to divers!

Thurs, 7/27/23 - Campbellford, ON to Hastings, ON (Lock 18).

• It rained all night and was still pretty soggy and drizzly in the morning.
• Port-A-Gee and Ottyssey left at 8:00 to catch the first lock through.
• Kayak spent the night at the top of the lock, so they were waiting for us.
• The lockmaster allowed us to raft off of Kayak so that the 3 of us could go through together.  We went through 13, 14, 15 & 18.  They had us separate through the flight locks (16/17).

MM 32.2 Lock 13 - Campbellford, up 23'
MM 33.7 Lock 14 - Crowe Bay, up 25'
MM 36.2 Lock 15 - Healey Falls, up 22'
MM 36.5 Locks 16/17 - Healey Falls Flight Lock, up 54'
MM 51.1 Lock 18 - Hastings, up 9'

• 5 Loopers elected to stay at the top of Lock 18 for the evening:
• Gratitude
• Ottyssey
• Kayak
• Loose Moose
• Port-A-Gee

• It was REALLY hot and humid all day.  We had an issue with our water heater that kept us on the boat most of the day.
• 
  After dinner at at McGillicafey's Pub, John & Kim invited us to enjoy their AC and a nightcap.
  
• By the time we went back to the boat, temps had cooled and we were able to leave the ports open and run out battery operated fans, it was a pleasant sleep.

 

Fri & Sat 7/28-29/23 - Hastings ON to Peterborough, ON (Municipal Marina) (31.7NM).

• 
  Beautiful warm day, Ottyssey left at 6:30, and Kayak and Port-a-Gee followed at 7:30 to cross Rice Lake.
• Our first, and only, lock of the day was at the end.
• It was really hot as we got to the top of the lock and we were anxious to get tied up to the dock and plugged in!
• The kids diving off the bridge had the right idea!

MM 88.7 Lock 19 - Scotts Mills, up 8'

• Spray from the Peterborough Lake Fountain felt great as the wind carried a mist of cool water over us.
• We were exhausted, mostly from the heat, so we took a shower - actually a power wash!  I've never experienced that kind of water pressure!
• Then we grilled pork chops on the boat, listened to Cubs beat the Cards 3-2, making it a 7-game winning streak!
• Good fortune:  Unbeknownst to Brian, his troubleshooting fixed the water heater! That saved us a lot of money, we hope it will hang in there until we get home.
• It rained all night Friday, and the temps plummeted!  The weather kept us on the boat.
• Around 3:00 the sun broke through in time for a walk around town and then docktails aboard Katie B.
• I've been wanting to see the inside of a Great Harbor, man, there is A LOT of room in those boats!  There had to be over 25 loopers distributed through its 3 decks, with room to spare.
• We walked into town for a quick dinner and returned to catch the end of Musicfest in the park adjacent to the marina.  This week's act was, Melissa Payne - we loved the fiddle playing!
• The Peterborough fountain changes colors at night - beautiful!
• Bonus - we got back to the boat to catch the 2nd half of Cubs v. Cardinals, and the good guys extended their winning streak to 8 with a score of 5-1!

• Peterborough was a great stop in a big city.  Lots of restaurants and a thriving corporate presence.
• We were surprised to see so many homeless folks with serious drug/mental health issues all over town.  You really couldn't miss them.  It is very sad; these people belong to families somewhere.
• Locals claim that during covid Peterborough declared itself a sanctuary city for homeless, and they have been enjoying the hospitality every since.  I wonder what they do during the long cold winters?
•  The marina had nice accommodations, 6 shower suites, 1 washer 1 dryer - FREE.  They had fuel and a pump out.  We didn't get a chance to visit the onsite restaurant.

Sun, 7/30/23 - Peterborough, ON to Lakefield, ON (Lock 26) (8.5NM)

• Another sunny day in Ontario!  We endured another "Power Wash" and I prepped the crockpot with beef stew for dinner tonight.
• Several boats lined up for the first lock through, so we hung back until about 10:00, but still had to wait for 2 more loads to go through before we got our turn,
• A group of kayakers paddled up and had to wait for the next trip up.
• The Park Canada lock staff are very engaging and helpful.  We enjoy chatting with them on our ride to the top.

MM 89.5 Lock 20 - Ashburnham, up 12'

MM 90.1 Lock 21 - Peterborough Lift Lock, up 65'

MM 94.3 Lock 22 - Nassau Mills, 14' up

MM 94.8 Lock 23 - Otonabee, 12' up

MM 96.4 Lock 24 - Douro, 12' up

MM 97.3 Lock 25 - Sawer Creek, 10' up

MM 98.7 Lock 26 - Lakefield, 15' up

• The Peterborough lift lock was really cool.  We pulled into the "tub" with 3 other boats.  I was surprised at how fast it ascended 65 feet.

• Trent University is split by the Otonabee River.  It was built in 1964, but still looks ultra-modern.

• We took in the views, amazed by the rock islands that rise above the water.
• St. Peters Church on-the-Rock.
• Cottage that looks like it may have come from IKEA!

• We only travelled 8.5NM, but 7 locks in the hot sun exhausted us.  After arriving at Lakefield, we elected to pass on a walk into town.
• Kayak had their generator cranking the A/C, so we brought our beef stew over and enjoyed an evening playing cards with John and Kim.

Mon, 7/31/23 - Lakefield, ON (Lock 26) to Bobcaygeon (Lock 32) (33.7NM)

• We left Lock 26 at 8:30 to time opening of Lock 27 at 9:00 a.m.  It was a beautiful day, and we really enjoyed taking in the beauty of the shoreline and islands.

MM 104.5 Lock 27 - Young’s Point, 7' up

MM 113 Lock 28 - Burleigh Falls, 24' up

NO LOCK 29

MM 114.8 Lock 30 - Lovesick, 3.5' up

MM 120.7 Lock 31 - Buckhorn, 11.5' up

MM 138.3 Lock 32 - Bobcaygeon, 5' up

• Bobcaygeon was a great stop!
• The lock staff was very helpful with getting us a spot on the wall at the top of the lock.
• We were charmed by this cute town that is known for its Bagley shoe store - So many shoes!!
• Normally, I'd buy several pairs, but I find myself barefoot most of the time.
• We learned that Bobcaygeon was the home of Gord Downie of Tragically Hip, and his memory is honored in many of the stores and restaurants.
• We were drawn to the vintage Buick with the Modern Message - I guess Canada has political issues too.
• John and Kim joined us for a delicious dinner at Graz, but we got out of there when the Karaoke started - LOL
• We noticed Harmony tied to the wall, and her Port was Frankfort, IL, so we stopped by to say to hello to a neighbor from home.
• After receiving their boat card, I recognized the name as being the former, long-time, mayor of Frankfort.  We had a nice chat with Jim & Stacy and hope to encounter them again along the way.

Tues, 8/1/23 - Bobcaygeon (Lock 32) to Talbot (Lock 38) (32.8NM)

• Trent Severn Groundhog Day:  Leave in time to catch the 9:00 a.m. lock, on a beautiful day, surrounded by majestic scenery.
• The Trent Canal that leads to Kirkland Lift Lock is very narrow, with rock ledges at both sides.  Captains need to make a Securite call and blow the horn to warn boats coming from the other direction.
• It was like the Canadian Dismal Swamp!

MM 156.4 Lock 33 - Lindsay, (alternate route did not do 33)
MM 153.6 Lock 34- Fenelon Falls, 23.6' up
MM 157.2 Lock 35 - Rosedale, 4' up
 MM 169.4 Lock 36 - Kirkfield Lift Lock - 49' DOWN

• Lock 36 Failed in 2022, and construction is ongoing.  Only one of the pans is operational, so there are delays.  We arrived as 4 Loopers were going down Runaway, Journey, Puffin, Fitz Perfectly.  20 minutes down and 50 minutes to come back up.  Filling the chamber is a slow manual task.
• Went down with Kayak, My Secret (60' Azmat, not Looper), Never Home, 2 Harbors, and 2-man Hobe Cat.

• 
  We decided to push on through 2 more locks to get us closer to Lake Simcoe:

Simcoe Region

MM 177 Lock 37 - Bolsover, 22' down

MM 178.1 Lock 38 - Talbot, 14' down 

• Spent night at the top of Talbot with Kayak.  Nice, right next to dam.
• Listened to the Cubs beat the first place Reds with a whopping score of 20-9!

Wed, 8/2 Talbot (Lock 38) to Orillia, ON (Port of Orillia Marina) (19.2)

• Finally, a slow start, as we were already at the top of the lock and had to wait for staff to open the first lockdown of the day at 9:00

MM 179.6 Lock 39 - Portage, 13' down

MM 180.1 Lock 40 - Thorah, 14' down

MM 180.7 Lock 41 - Gamebridge, 11' down

• Across Lake Simcoe - it was a little lumpy, but not worthy of the warning sign!

• Port Orillia is huge and hosted 18 Looper boats on this day.  We were thrilled to be reunited with Arabella & Long Gone 2, as well as meeting the crews of Summer Place, Scout & Unsubscribed.
• Walked to grocery store, did 2 loads of free laundry, showered in lovely, modern shower suite.
• After comradery on the dock, we grilled chicken breast for dinner.
• Listened to Cubs beat the first place, Reds again 16-6

Thurs, 8/3 Port of Orillia Marina to Kilworthy, ON (Lock 43 - Swift Current) - (22.3NM)

• So many Loopers leaving for their targeted destination of the Big Chute.
• We started seeing departures, 6:30, 7:30, we decided on 8:30
• It turned out that the RR bridge before lock 42 was not scheduled to open until 10:00 but was delayed until 10:45.
• We stopped in McGregor's on the water for fuel and a pump out and arrived at Lock 42 about 10 minutes before the "early" bunch entered the lock.
• Then the Lock Operator told us that the Big Chute was backed up, and they won't be taking any more down today - bummer.

• 
  We ended out day at the bottom of Lock 43, with the intention of getting a early start in the morning to position us for a Big Chute Lock through.
• It was one of the prettiest lock walls - although they were all special in their own way.
• Severe storms began about 6:30 p.m., and the water through the dam really picked up!

                             Severn Region Locks:

MM 209.9 Lock 42 - Couchiching, 20' down
MM 224.5 Lock 43 - Swift Rapids, 47' down

Fri - Sun 8/4-6/23 - Kilworthy, ON to Midland, ON (Wye Heritage Marina) (22.1NM)

• Up and going early today for the BIG CHUTE!!
• Port-A-Gee & Kayak were untied by 6:15 a.m. making their way through the thick fog with the assistance of radar.
  
  
  
• 
  We had lots of discussions about the best strategy to position ourselves to go through the Big Chute before the Canadian Holiday was in full effect.

• We thought we would get to the Blue Line early, but
• The Loopers who stayed at the Big Chute Marina had to move over to the blue line the night before because the storm broke the dock at the marina!
• At 7:30 we arrived to a full wall + boats on the government dock + a few more that were able to stay in the marina.

• Brian spotted a 30' space at the front of the blue wall - still not sure why it was open, but we decided to pull in.
• There was some grumbling that we "jumped the line" - and perhaps we did, but the Big Chute Operators do not necessarily bring up boats in order; they assess the situation, and call boats up according to optimal efficiency.
• WELL, at 9:00 a.m. the Operator called over the loudspeaker (about 1/2 mile away):  "FIRST 2 BOATS COME UP, AND THE REST MOVE UP ACCORDINGLY"
• We sheepishly, pulled away from the dock to be the first through along with another smaller boat (local).
• The worst part was leaving, Kayak behind.
• The thrill of the Big Chute was somewhat diminished by the way everything went down.
• Port-A-Gee pulled in to allow the slings to align appropriately at stern and bow.  The other boat did the same.
• Within a few minutes we were traveling over the ground to be deposited back in the water about 1/4 mile away.  Very cool, and strange!

MM 232.5 Lock 44 - Big Chute Marine Railway, 58' down
MM 240.6 Lock 45 - Port Severn, 12' down - THE LAST LOCK OF OUR TRIP, WHOOO HOOO!

• We continued on 8 more miles to the Port Severn Lock.
• We were the 7th in line to go through.  We had to float for about an hour because there was not room on the wall to tie up.  Once we tied up, we waited about another hour before finally going through.
• The Final Lock Doors open, and we were in Georgian Bay!  We've been waiting to get back there since our trip in the Cutwater in 2019.
• It was nice to be greeted by this very handsome gentleman in his Chris Craft Stinger!

• The seascape completely changed from the Trent Severn Water Way - huge open bay with little rock islands popping up everywhere - absolutely gorgeous.
• The seas were a little lumpy, about 1' on the beam, but we only had about another hour to go.
• Mentally and physically exhausted, we showered and grabbed dinner at marina restaurant, Maple Canadian Pub.
• Excited to see newly minted Gold Loopers, Randy & Julie, Knot Dreaming.  They were part of our Gulf Crossing group, and the last time we saw them was that fun night in Tarpon Springs!
• Kayak arrived at Wye Heritage on Saturday after spending the night at the bottom of the Big Chute due to their late lock through.
• Knot Dreaming invited us for docktails then all 6 Loopers gathered for dinner at Maple Canadian Pub.  We had fun exchanging stories with 1 Gold and 2 nearly-Gold Loopers.
• Wye Heritage Marina, not close to town, but a resort marina with many amenities:
• 
  Laundry
• Very nice shower suites - in 2 locations.
• They have a stack of "bathmat" that are actually the paper that car dealerships use when servicing cars.  They are perfect for bathmats and keep the shower rooms cleaner - great idea!
  
• Pool - where I did a few laps.
• Huge, fenced-in court for hockey, basketball, tennis, pickleball, badminton - we saw it all.
• Onsite restaurant.
• Uber and Lyft are not in Midland, but the local Taxi service was only $15 to Walmart.

Trent Severn Waterway:  11 Days, 44 Locks, 211.6 NM

We enjoyed every second of it - What a Hoot!!

Leg Stats:  

NM: (211.6) 20.9, 3.6, 16.7, 33.3, 7.7, 33, 32.8, 19.2, 22.3, 22.1

Marinas: (5) Trent Port, Campbellford Municipal, Peterborough Municipal, Port of Orillia, Wye Heritage Marina

Free Walls: (6) Locks 9, 18, 26, 32, 38, 43

Locks: (43) Trent Severn