July 7 - 21, 2015 ::: The Trent-Severn Waterway, Trenton to Port Severn

 

 

After we obtained our rental car from Enterprise we were off to Toronto to pick up Mike and Sue Morris.  They were joining us in our travels from Trenton up the Trent-Severn Waterway.  Mike and Sue started the first day as "deck-hands" and then graduated to operating SONATA on the waterway.

 

 

On the way to Campbellford we encountered swans and ... snakes.  The swans swam past SONATA, the snake, with his fish caught and in his mouth, traveled through the lock and enjoyed a ride to the next level. 

In Campbellford Sue went shopping for a card to send to her mom in the states ... and what did she find; the above card.  This postcard came from a picture taken when SONATA, NOVA  and LAST CHANCE  making the loop in 2011-12 stopped in Campbellford for Canada Day. What a surprise to see us on a postcard!!!
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After Campbellford SONATA anchored in Rice Lake ... and again was covered with white bugs during the night.  When we arrived in Peterborough SONATA had a "remove the bugs bath", then we were all off for lunch at the local Taste of Indian restaurant. 

SONATA in Peterborough, then over to Lock 14, the lift lock, and then on down the waterway on the way to Bobcaygeon. The lift-lock consists of two pans mounted on a ram.  The one that ends up on the top is loaded with an additional foot of water to make it heavier than the one at the bottom.  The proper valves are opened and the top one presses down and pushes the bottom one up.

Through the lakes, past St. Peter's Church on the Rock ... Bonnie is resting while Sue, Mike, and Charlie pilot SONATA to Bobcaygeon.   Arrival at Bobcaygeon, obtain transportation for Mike and Sue back to Toronto so that may return home. We went through 32 locks during their visit and they were great line handlers and shipmates!  We return to SONATA in Bobcaygeon after reprovisioning at the local Wal-Mart.

The evening on the lock wall gave us a concert, which recognized SONATA as being from Virginia.
 as the performers presented the musical piece Shenandoah.



 

 

Through Fenelon Falls Lock and through the narrow Trent-Severn Canal.  Made a security call on the way into the canal, nonetheless, met a vessel to pass.  Avoided the rocky bank ... cedar branches clipped the starboard side of SONATA.  Next lock, Kirkfield.

 

 

We enter  the Kirkfield lock, we have been elevated about 600 ft and now it is time to go down. It is similar to the Peterborough  lock but this one we enter at the top, 65 ft up...It is a bit scary as we inch to the front and hope "stop" works on the engines!  All goes well and we exit the lock..We continue to Lock 40 for an overnight in the wilderness.  No phone service, no wifi, nothing but a beautiful evening along on the lock wall.

 

 

 

Met this vessel approaching us, through the "tunnel" without any warning.  We missed each other.  From Lock 40 down the canal and a coordinating bridge opens up to let us  into Lake Simcoe and on to Orillia. 

 

 

 

We arrived in Orillia and enjoyed the Scottish Festival Parade..We hosted a LOOPER get-together on SONATA.  These get-togethers are call "dock-tails."  Five looper boats were present; those in the photo are listed left to right by number:  1/5 Pat(PM) & Bob Amidon aboard VELOMER; Karen, Mark, Tim Nichelson of TIKA; 6=Charlie with the photographer Bonnie of SONATA; 7/8 Denise & Mark Gillispie of ISLAND OFFICE; and, 9/10 Bruce & Ginny Hilton of SNUG TUG.  We all had a wonderful time telling boating experiences and joys.

 

 

When we departed Orillia we had an hour's travel to meet a "low" railroad bridge.  It was to open at 0900 ... but there was a train coming.  It came and must  have 1,000 cars long.  Part of the boating experience.  Travel slow . . . and wait.

 

 

 

 

Everyone knows how Charlie loves his SONATA horn ... well Bonnie was at the wheel when this sign appeared on the canal and guess who had the enjoyment of blowing the horn . . . not Charlie; and Bonnie got the bridge to open quickly.

 

 

 

On down the canal to "The Big Chute",  a travel-lift-lock.  Once the boats from the other side are brought over and discharged, we are loaded.  We have the travel-lift operators use our camera and take pictures of SONATA as we are picked up, travel over the hill, down the other side and are released into the water to move to the end of the Trent-Severn waterway.  Quite an exciting experience to ride a gimbaled travel lift over out of the water, over the hill and back into the water.

We arrive at Port Severn, which is the last lock on the Trent Severn Waterway and stay the night at the Lock wall...We have traveled through 122 locks starting with the Troy Lock in Albany, NY, Lake Champlain, the Chambly Canal, the Rideau Canal and the Trent Severn...We enter Lock 45 and exit a tight channel....Hello  GEORGIAN BAY and NORTH CHANNEL!!!  This is what we have been waiting for..indigo blue waters so clear you can see the bottom....we are excited about the next month of exploring, anchoring, kayaking, swimming and enjoying this magnificent part of  God's wonderful creation....No more locks until Chicago...YAY!!!

 

 

 

 

 







June 30 - July 7, 2015 ::: Ottawa down the Rideau and over to Trenton

 

 

CANADA DAY, July 1st, wearing apparel ("This Girl Loves Canada") to celebrate the day while joining in the crowds, the rain, and the evening of fireworks.

As part of the celebration for CANADA DAY Bonnie went in search of a Chip Wagon, found one so that she could have her order of the Canadian national food ... Poutine.  Fries with cheese curds and gravy.  Amazingly good!!

 



 

A sampling of the boats that were along the canal walls above the 8-step locks on the Rideau Canal, all present to celebrate CANADA DAY.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



The crowded streets, the mass of people, collecting around Parliament Hill and Rideau Street make the day before the rain hits.  The evening was topped off with fireworks illuminating the Fairmont Hotel.

 

 

 

On July 2nd SONATA was again underway south-south west down the Rideau Canal, departing Ottawa.  Behind us on the left was the entrance to the 8-step locks if you are bound for the Ottawa River, to the right the Fairmont Hotel.  We proceeded with 9 or 10 boats, down the waterway to our next locks, two locks, providing a double lift in the Rideau.

Continuing down the Rideau with our group of boats we came upon an ice cream float salesman.  A good summer business on the canal and lakes.

We secured SONATA for the evening after a 34 mile day at Lock 17, Burritt's Rapids.  After connecting to power and sitting down to relax we noticed trailers arriving at the farm across the waterway from our location.  After a few more minutes the horses and riders were outfitted and we had a polo game, probably a polo practice, right there in the middle of the wilderness on the Rideau Waterway Canal.  Surprise, Surprise!

 

 

 

Morning's departure blessed us with a beautiful sunrise and a very light fog on the waterway.  We came through the lock and passed the rapids the lock saved us from, all to say goodbye to one of Canada Park Service's best, a young man from Nova Scotia, working in Ontario, Canada; IAN MYATT.  His can do attitude is only to be cherished, he is contagious; there is no "no" in his language ... at worst only a "maybe" to a request.  He wanted our "vacation" to be the best, nothing but success. 

 

 

 

 

 

Away from Lock 17 SONATA proceeds to Lock 18 and passes through to the other side; narrow and calm ... then on to the Upper Rideau Lake and Big Rideau Lake, to the Narrows Lock connecting the two lakes.  Passage through the lock will be with seven (7) boats stuffed into the lock.  No one got excited, even with a houseboat present.  A ferry, a cable ferry, passed in front of SONATA on the way to Lock 37, Chaffey's Lock.

 

 

 



 When SONATA arrived at Chaffey's Lock there was not enough room on the lock wall ... the boats tied up there were spaced far apart.  We asked them to close up, tighten up, so we could fit in.  Everyone cooperated so well, Bonnie had 6" of space between her and the lock wall, when SONATA made it alongside.  The most cooperative boat was the one in front of SONATA, the one with SONATA's anchor in the rear of their boat.  This boat was operated by Pat and Butch Garrow, a RN and a retired funeral director . . . and most of all they both love boating.

 

 

 

Jones Falls was made up of Locks 40, 41, and 42.  These locks were right after another so you could start a conversation with someone on the lock wall and continue it from lock to lock.  We talked with people from Canada, Maine, Florida, and some that had visited Virginia.

 

 

 

 

Cross over Jones Falls Bay into Whitefish Lake then Cranberry Lake to "Round-the-Trail" and enter the Upper Brewers Lock area where the channel is so narrow and twisted that a sign advises SONATA to sound its whistle.  You know how Charlie loves his horn . . . he is happy to sound his whistle on any occasion.

 

 

 

On down the Rideau to Kingston Locks, four locks, the last ones until Trenton.  We went to the Confederation Marina with dockage in front of City Hall.

 

 

 

Early on the 7th of July SONATA set off from Kingston on its way to Trenton.  The seas were first heavy, 2-3 feet with the exposure to Lake Ontario.  We varied our course and were soon behind the "barrier" islands.  Close to Trenton we passed "Bones Yard Island" which is liked by the birds . . . and in the midafternoon we were at Fraser Park, Trenton.