OK, lots of catching up to do. It’s been a great couple of weeks... from docktail parties, to a visit by great friends, to me getting sick and needing to check out the Canadian Health Care system and so much more!
What I can say is that this trip so far has been simply icredible! We are six weeks in to this adventure, are about 2 hours by car north of Toronto and so much more ahead of us... it’s hard to imagine at times we are living what I once though would only be a dream.
So there are lots of pictures here and Ill try to caption many of them. In a couple of days we will complete the 240 mile long Trent-Severn Wayerway and will be entering Georgian Bay and the 30,000 island area. So exciting......
Enjoying a docktail party at the Trent Port Marina with fellow loopers and our good friends Steve and Carlene who drove from NH to cruise with us for several days.
So while in Trenton a gentleman named Dan at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 110 totally entertained us with great stories, a charming personality and $2.00 draft beers!!
Every looper should stop in and visit Dan at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 110 in Trenton!
Small rural towns have the best hardware stores!
Another day.... another lock!
Leave it to these two to find a phone booth... when was the last time you saw one????
Uhg.... after 3 horrible days I got to visit a small town hospital emergency room ... a 32 bed hospital in Cambellford. Had some blood work done and they prescribed an antibiotic .... fixed me right up!
It’s been HOT up here .... Mr Luke needed a swim!
Cruising with Steve and Carlene
Another wonderful day with my love.... 💕
The Peterborough Lift Lock, Highest lift lock in the world, lifting or lowering boats 65 feet! It’s an amazing piece of engineering.
The original control tower
Controls where updated in the 60’s along with a new control tower.
Looking at one of the large pistons that raise or lower the 330 ton chambers containing the boats. The upper chamber is filled with an additional 12 inches of water adding another 130 tons. This additional weight drives the upper chamber down and lifts the lower chamber up. It is amazing to watch.
It’s been around a while
Looking up at the control tower used today
One of the stairs/halls leading down to base of the lock
Ok, one of the coolest things we got to see and experience on our special tour of this lift lock, was to stand under one of the 330 ton chambers as it began to lower! It was CRAZY... came down to about 20 feet above us when we stepped out a side door!
It is a massive piston!
Here we are taking Sand Dollar through the day after our tour.
Quite the view from the top!
As we continue our travels along the Trent-Severn Waterway, we came to some pretty narrow sections.
Kim wants one.... what can I say! 😆
Cruising the Kawartha Lakes region was spectacular
Church Island
We spent a night on the lock wall in Lovesick. It was a gorgeous night... we slept up on the flybridge. We put in the screens... but still had a bunch of bites in the morning.
Hanging out around a camp fire with other loopers!
Long days for Mr Luke! He really has been doing great and has it all down... Looper Luke!
Yup, it’s a real place! Google it and learn why it’s called Lovesick. (Lovesick, Ontario)
Canal cruising is awesome!!
We spent a couple nights in Bobcaygeon
Mr Luke cooling off in the crystal clear 80 deg water!
Some pictures around Bobcaygeon
Sand Dollar at Gordon’s Yacht Harbor Marina
Sunrise
We took up a good chunk of dock space. I had to dive under the boat to tighten a loose prop nut.
Luke has no interest with these birds. This one was taller than Luke!
A section of the Trent Canal / Kirkfield Cut is about 2 miles long and very narrow. You have to make an announcement over the VHF radio that you are entering in order to negotiate passage with on coming vessels.
Looking aft in the Kirkfield Lift Lock. This lock is similar to the Peterborough Lift Lock but only a 49 foot decent.
Pretty freaky looking forward.... it’s a 49 foot drop on the other side of the gate!
Pretty neat bridge.... with 28 ft clearance Sand Dollar easily cleared.
At the enterence in to another narrow channel we were greeted by the sightseeing ferry! Needless to say we had to backup!!
Such beautiful cruising areas
We stopped here last night (July 11) - Sunset Cove Marina in Bolsover, Ontario.
Tomorrow, July 12 we pass through 5 locks and then will cross Lake Simcoe.
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