August 15, 2017 Kingston to Midland thru The Trent-Severn Waterway

This part of our loop adventure takes us through the Trent-Severn Waterway.  It is 240 miles long with 44 locks, numerous swing bridges, lakes and villages along the way.  It was very different geographically from anything else we have experience, in that the land is very rocky, trees mainly firs and spruce, with islands of bare granite.  This is prevalent through out western Canada and called the Canadian Shield.   We left Kingston on our way to Trenton, the entrance to the waterway.  With the generator repaired we had hoped to anchor out that first night but once again it was not to be.  It was not for lack of trying though.  We had our trusty 'Active Captain' guide but what we had not counted on was the water grass.  Our first and only attempt, though we visited a couple of different recommended sights, was a disaster.  It looked prefect on the surface and we dropped the anchor.  We decided to pull up the anchor and try again when we felt we were to close to the shore.  Then horror of horrors....as we pulled up the anchor, long strands of water grass came up with it.  It was awful, I was pulling off grass from the chain to keep it from getting on the boat and in the chain locker.  By the time we got the anchor out, it looked like it had a green beard 4' long.  I didn't think I would ever get it all off.  And the mud, yuck.  We took our disillusionment and made for the nearest marina.  Beginning to think we will never anchor out!!  Needless to say we took no pics so only evidence is this post, which I have control to edit, if and when I choose, so some day this portion of the post may get accidently edited.  ;)  

We made it to Trenton a day later.  Once we provisioned, did some laundry and cleaned the boat of all evidence of grass, we were ready to start.

Trenton - A welcome sign to the entrance of the Trent-Severn Waterway

By day 2 we had been through 13 locks and were docked up in Campbellford.   A couple of points of interest that are purely Canada.  First, Ken had heard that the best 'butter tarts' were in this town.  So we headed to Dooher's Bakery to check them out for ourselves.  Have to say they were the best we tasted so far.   As a reminder, this sweet treat is a small pie with a flaky crust and a decadently sweet filling similar to pecan pie without the pecans.  Talk about a sugar high after eating only one.  And of course, while we were there, we couldn't resist picking up tea muffins with cheese, donuts and a few other treats.  Yummy....  Second, Campbellford is home of the designer of the Tooney, Canada's 2 dollar coin.  There is 10' replica of the coin in the park.  This was great little town where we also enjoyed the farmer's market, the 'World's Finest Chocolate' outlet (yes, we indulged here too) and biking on the Rotary Trail which we took to see Ranney Falls from a suspension bridge that was 300' above the water.  Great stop, maybe a bit fatting or a lot really, but a great stop!!

Campbellford (Lock 13) - Monument to the designer of the Tooney coin.  Independence in the background.

Campbellford - The Trent Canal.  Independence docked up with Tooney coin monument in background.

 Campbellford - Suspension bridge over the Ranney Falls

 We continued on our way moving through 7 more locks.  We found that we were rarely alone in the locks given it is the height of the summer season here.  Typically, we were the first boat into the lock as we were the biggest, then all the other boats moored up around us.  In some cases we had to move as far forward in the lock as possible, as was the case with in Healey Falls, a two flight lock.  We got so close to the front wall, I could reach out and touch it.  In the pic below, we are in the bottom lock and what was really neat about this was the double rainbows created by the mist of water as it filled the lock.

Heally Falls Locks 16/17 - See the double rainbow?

At this point, we came to one of our most anticipated parts of the trip......the Peterborough Lift Lock.  The best way I can think of to describe this lock is to think of two tremendous bath tubs where boats are lifted and lowered simultaneously.  It was completed in 1904 after 8 years of construction and was considered an engineering marvel at that time.  A better technical description of how it works is there are two pans weighing 1300 tons each when filled.  With one pan up and the other down the two balance each other.  It doesn't matter how many boats are in the pans as a boat displaces its own water.  When it is time to lower one pan and raise the other, one foot of extra water (130 tons) is allowed to enter the upper pan.  This extra water allows the upper pan to push down and raise the lower pan to the top level, which is 65'.  Once the pans are locked in place, the extra water is let out of the lower pan and the boats then exit in both directions.  Ken met the dock master at the marina we were staying at and through him we got the inside scoop on how to get a personal tour of the lock, if we were interested.  Oh my goodness, if we were interested???!!!  Needless to say we got our bikes out and headed to lock.  It was absolutely amazing.  We met the lock master, Ed, who allowed us a front seat view in the control room.  Literally, a front seat, for me.  Under extremely close supervision, I got to do a couple of the locking procedures on the control board and made announcements over the loud speaker to boaters in the pans.  WHAT A THRILL!!!  A memory that neither of us will soon forget!  The following day, Independence made her our trip through the lock.

Peterborough Lock 21 - Me in the control room.

Peterborough Lock - Ken scooping fish caught in the locking gate.

Ed, Lock Master at the Peterborough Lock.  Great guy as well as his staff.

Peterborough Lock - Left pic of the downstream pan at the top and the upstream pan at the bottom.  The downstream pan has cruise boat in it (with green top).  Right pic, just the opposite after locking completed.

The next day we went through the lock.....

Peterborough Lock 21 - As we approach the upstream pan.

Peterborough Lock - In the upstream pan.  A 1300 ton bathtub.

Peterborough Lock - Our view of the downstream pan below us.

With that thrill of the life time behind us we put our minds to the business of, one more time, attempting to get the inverter fixed.  We stayed at the Duoro, lock 24 that night, then headed for Buckhorn just after Lock 31.  The locks and waterways in between were peaceful and beautiful.

Duoro Lock 24 sunset

Sawer Creek Lock 25 - Clever use of a canoe to make a flower garden

Lower Buckhorn Lake - Islands everywhere and most had a cabin.  Really beautiful.

We arrived at Buckhorn on the 8th with plans to have the inverter repaired.  We had the mechanic all lined up.  In fact Ken was in daily communication with them to make sure.  This was his 5th attempt at lining up a mechanic and he wasn't taking any chances.  The mechanic showed up and went to work.  Yoohoo!  Unfortunately, yes of course, it turns out the inverter itself was the problem.  Ken then needed to contact the manufacturer and go about getting a replacement as it was under warranty.  We found out Xantrex was a Canadian company out of Vancover, so we thought getting the warranty filed and shipped would be a snap.  Right?  Wrong!!  Ken spent hours with customer service and each time he spoke with a rep, he was comfortable when he got of the phone, that things were moving forward; only to find out with each subsequent call (with a different rep most of the time) that they needed documentation (already sent), not returning calls/emails when promised and just general lack of movement.  He finally got it all settled and even paid for a more powerful  inverter.  All that was left was to ship it out, which they said would be done by Friday the 11th.  And guess what....you got it, it was not shipped.  Accounting held it up!  Don't know why and Ken didn't care.  He was livid and spoke with a supervision late Friday.  Again it was promised to ship first thing Monday.  We never got the email with the ship tracking data so he was a bit doubtful that it would be waiting for us when we arrived in Midland.  Got here Tuesday the 15th and no inverter.  Ken called again and found it had not been shipped, no explanation.  We got tracking info about an hour later for express shipping out of California!!!!  Go figure, a Canada company shipping it from America.  Ken was done.  He bought a new 2000 watt Samlex inverter and is having it installed before we leave.  Since the next leg of our journey is the Georgian Bay and North Channel, and we will be mainly anchoring out, so having an inverter is a must.  But I am getting ahead of myself.  Need to finish our travels on the Trent-Severn Waterway.....

Buckhorn - Chilling while waiting on inverter repairs.  We were under cover and waters very calm.

From Buckhorn we headed to Bobcaygeon and Lock 32.  We had heard that houseboats are very popular in this area and to be very careful around them as most of the boaters piloting had very little experience on the water and locking.  We did see an abundance of boats of all kinds and lots of water traffic.  We were feeling pretty good about navigating all this until we got to the lock in Bobcaygeon.  We were tied up on the blue line waiting for the lock to open when here came a houseboat making for a space on the blue line in front of us.  I was securing lines on the bow and noticed this houseboat was getting a little to close for comfort when it make a sharp turn to port.  Before I could even react, it hit our bow pulpit.  The impact blew out one of their windows and shattered more than few nerves.  Ken was below and needless to say flew upstairs to see what was going on.  Independence had no damage other then some scratches.  The guy came over and apologized profusely.  I know he was embarrassed down to his toes and unfortunately to add to this, he had a pretty significant audience given the boat traffic and the land observers.  I really felt for him, though with that we now understand completely about being BEWARE OF HOUSEBOATS!

We continued our journey with a healthy awareness but would not allow it to bother us.  We went through a very narrow channel beyond Rosedale Lock 35.  If we had met another boat, some one was going to have to back up.  Fortunately we didn't.  We arrived at Kirkfield Lock 36 which was another lift lock, like the one at Peterborough.  We locked through alone so moved Independence as far forward as possible so we could look over the edge of the pan.  We were 49' in the air but felt like a 100', especially when you consider our boat was with us!!!  This was our first lock down.  We had ascended 564' to this point and by the end of the TSW we would then descend 263'.  For those doing the math this puts the Georgian Bay ~300' above Lake Ontario.

Trent Channel - Very narrow and cut from solid granite.  Water is very clear.

Kirkfield Lift Lock - Felt like we were on the edge of the world

Thorah Lock 40 - isolated and quiet.  Great sunset.

We continued on to Orillia where we marina'd in and started preparations for the Georgian Bay.  We re-provisioned, did laundry, cleaned the boat outside, the took advantage of internet to catch up with family, the world and life in general.  The weather is getting distinctly cooler with temps in the low to mid 70s and 50s overnight but has been most sunny, so pretty perfect.  From here we headed for the last big adventure on the TSW....Big Chute Lock 44.  This really isn't a lock but rather a marine railway.  Yep, you read it right, a rail car but much bigger for multiple boats.  Independence was floated into a rail car, secured then driven over land by rail tracks to the basin on the other side, where the rail car submerged enough to let  for the trip.  We decided that Ken and Roofus, acting as first mate for me, would make the trip.  I would stay back on the observation deck to takes pics and make a few videos then walk over to the basin.  It was a bit eerie to see Independence completely out of the water.  Ken said it was bumpy ride but had a blast.

The adventure begins.  Ken and Roofus head for blue line....leaving without me was strange.  She's loaded and starting the crossing while resting on straps with her keel resting on the bottom of the rail car.

 Ken took pics at the top of the hill and I got this pic of Ken and First Mate, Roofus, chillin' on the way over.

 On the downhill, heading to the basin.  Notice the tracks and the pulleys.  Pretty impressive.

 Back in the water and docked up.  Ready to head out.

From here we had one more lock to complete the Trent-Severn Waterway.  With this amazing section of the loop completed, we headed to Midland on the Georgian Bay.  We are currently waiting on the mechanics to install the new inverter and have a meeting with the dock master tomorrow to attend an overview on what to expect on the Georgian Bay.  We will take all the advice we can get!!!

Post Scripts From Roofus:

Well my titles are multiplying.  So in addition to Princess, Best Dog Ever, Taste Tester Extraordinaire....I can add First Mate.  I even have a scarf to wear.  Though, to be honest, I wasn't real crazy about my Mom human not being with us and missed her terribly till we were reunited at the bottom in the basin.  Dad human told Mom human I was a bit whinny which I take exception too.  I was just making sure Dad human was listening to me as First Mate.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it, though I was much happier when later, Mom human and I took a long nap together.