The last look at the United States . . . the lighthouse at the Oswego Harbour Entrance. We were off eary on the 22nd of July from Oswego across Lake Ontario to Trenton, Ontario, Canada; calm seas, no wind.
Trenton, a pretty little town with this flower garden as our back yard. Dinner with other "Loopers", Howard and Diana from St. Louis, whom we first met at Ocean Marine in Portsmouth, then again in Deltaville. Immigration and Customs into Canada was a cell phone call; easy.
The first lock on the Trent-Severn Canal placed us with a number of other vessels, two from Quebec, a sail boat recently purchased by the operator . . . and others.
As the first boat in a lock on the way up, you can see the "whirlpool" created, like a sink drain, when they open the gates to allow the upstream water to fill the lock and raise us to the next level.
At each lock there is a Lockmaster's House. These were formerly occupied by the lockmaster, now they provide an office and restrooms for those passing through the locks. Boaters are permitted, for a small fee or an annual pass, to tie up to the lock walls outside the lock itself and remain overnight. There are no water or electric services (not to compete with local marinas), but then some of the locks are out in the country and an overnight is delightfully quiet.
Our first white swans were seen on the way to our overnight at Lock #9. July 23rd.
After clearing the first nine locks we spent the night along with BLISSFUL, Steve and Jane from Toronto, shown here alongside SONATA in the lock-through.
Several locks are called "flights". Flights mean that there is more than one lock in which to travel through. You go into one lock, proceed through a lift, then enter into the second lock for a second lift. The flight locks look huge!
Looking back after the lifts (2), the sight is spectular!
At Campbellford we stopped for lunch with Steve and Jane, met several other boats on the loop and obtained our fishing licenses from the local fishing store operated out of a residental garage. July 24th.
Overnight again with Steve and Jane at Healey Falls was followed by an early morning trip through another flight-lock.
We crossed most of Rice Lake and spent the night at the Golden Beach Resort. The resort is a combination of condos, homes, trailer parks, camp-sites, and boats. Made use of the "hooka" (a scuba tank with regulator, breather, snorkel and mask) to dive under SONATA and remove a "glob" of nylon that had wrapped around the starboard shaft just forward of the screw. July 25.
Before arriving in Peterborough we dropped anchor and went for a swim in Rice Lake. Peterborough Lift Lock is the largest of this type in the world.
The lift-lock consists of two pans mounted on a ram. The one that ends up at the top is loaded with an additional foot of water (7'+1') 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. This picture shows them at about the mid-point in their travel.
Ed, the Lockmaster, took us on a tour of the lock, inside and out, down into the machinery spaces, the valve rooms, and into the pit next to the ram and under the "pan".
Bonnie was asked by the Lockmaster to announce the next lift and transfer . . . and to operate the controls. "Welcome (ya'll) to the Peterborough Lift Lock, a transfer will be taking place momentarily."
The transfer was completed without incident ... however ... it was reported that the next day there was a problem . . . must have missed Bonnie's gentle hand and her beautiful smile!
A view from the top, the control tower. When Bonnie returns from Virginia later this week she will pilot SONATA into the lock for our lift and continuation of the journey. We have now traveled some 1,027 miles of the 6,000 mile journey.
The marina adjoins a pavillion where free concerts followed by fireworks on the water are given a couple times a week. Reportedly some 12,000 persons come to the concerts and sit on the lawn. Hand scooped ice cream is served up by the marina office. This must be heaven!
The last look at the United States . . . the lighthouse at the Oswego Harbour Entrance. We were off eary on the 22nd of July from Oswego across Lake Ontario to Trenton, Ontario, Canada; calm seas, no wind.
Trenton, a pretty little town with this flower garden as our back yard. Dinner with other "Loopers", Howard and Diana from St. Louis, whom we first met at Ocean Marine in Portsmouth, then again in Deltaville. Immigration and Customs into Canada was a cell phone call; easy.
The first lock on the Trent-Severn Canal placed us with a number of other vessels, two from Quebec, a sail boat recently purchased by the operator . . . and others.
As the first boat in a lock on the way up, you can see the "whirlpool" created, like a sink drain, when they open the gates to allow the upstream water to fill the lock and raise us to the next level.
At each lock there is a Lockmaster's House. These were formerly occupied by the lockmaster, now they provide an office and restrooms for those passing through the locks. Boaters are permitted, for a small fee or an annual pass, to tie up to the lock walls outside the lock itself and remain overnight. There are no water or electric services (not to compete with local marinas), but then some of the locks are out in the country and an overnight is delightfully quiet.
Our first white swans were seen on the way to our overnight at Lock #9. July 23rd.
After clearing the first nine locks we spent the night along with BLISSFUL, Steve and Jane from Toronto, shown here alongside SONATA in the lock-through.
Several locks are called "flights". Flights mean that there is more than one lock in which to travel through. You go into one lock, proceed through a lift, then enter into the second lock for a second lift. The flight locks look huge!
Looking back after the lifts (2), the sight is spectular!
At Campbellford we stopped for lunch with Steve and Jane, met several other boats on the loop and obtained our fishing licenses from the local fishing store operated out of a residental garage. July 24th.
Overnight again with Steve and Jane at Healey Falls was followed by an early morning trip through another flight-lock.
We crossed most of Rice Lake and spent the night at the Golden Beach Resort. The resort is a combination of condos, homes, trailer parks, camp-sites, and boats. Made use of the "hooka" (a scuba tank with regulator, breather, snorkel and mask) to dive under SONATA and remove a "glob" of nylon that had wrapped around the starboard shaft just forward of the screw. July 25.
Before arriving in Peterborough we dropped anchor and went for a swim in Rice Lake. Peterborough Lift Lock is the largest of this type in the world.
The lift-lock consists of two pans mounted on a ram. The one that ends up at the top is loaded with an additional foot of water (7'+1') 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. This picture shows them at about the mid-point in their travel.
Ed, the Lockmaster, took us on a tour of the lock, inside and out, down into the machinery spaces, the valve rooms, and into the pit next to the ram and under the "pan".
Bonnie was asked by the Lockmaster to announce the next lift and transfer . . . and to operate the controls. "Welcome (ya'll) to the Peterborough Lift Lock, a transfer will be taking place momentarily."
The transfer was completed without incident ... however ... it was reported that the next day there was a problem . . . must have missed Bonnie's gentle hand and her beautiful smile!
A view from the top, the control tower. When Bonnie returns from Virginia later this week she will pilot SONATA into the lock for our lift and continuation of the journey. We have now traveled some 1,027 miles of the 6,000 mile journey.
The marina adjoins a pavillion where free concerts followed by fireworks on the water are given a couple times a week. Reportedly some 12,000 persons come to the concerts and sit on the lawn. Hand scooped ice cream is served up by the marina office. This must be heaven!
