mvalwayshome

Good Morning!!  A cloudy good day to you!

Sunrise in Peterborough, ON looking across Little Lake

Momma and her ducklings swimming away from me

Peterborough Marina is a busy marina.  It caters to the varied sizes of transient boats, little boats, and little house boats.  All together floating in harmony.

Morning quiet at Peterborough Marina

Little House boats

I couldn’t tell if these were rentals or owned and permanently moored at the marina for the season.  They look so cute.  I imagine they are about as big as our tent trailer.  Big enough for several people to sleep in if you fold down the table and cushions, etc.  In front of the house boats were several tables, umbrellas, and a BBQ setup.  Looks like a permanent place to me!  No where else at the marina is such a wide spot for tables and chairs.

Picnic area for the house boats

Adjacent to the marina is the Del Crary Park which has MusicFest twice a week in the amphitheater.  Here is the empty stage during the early morning.  A free concert for the local community.  Hannah Georgas (Indie Pop singer) is the Saturday night entertainer.

Concert Stage

Ok, ok, ok.  I will let you know.  I was completely distracted Saturday night and didn’t get a photo of a filled field of people for this open air concert.  We had a “Looper Docktail” at the Harbor Host’s boat and then a Looper commandeered a picnic table for us to all gather around later.  We chatted during the evening entertainment.  OK music for an old fart like me but after awhile all her songs sounded the same.  ( No, Neil Diamond’s songs do NOT all sound the same!! as a Looper suggested.)  The amazing thing was folks came to the park all day and into the start of the performance.  They brought their chairs, blankets, and picnics to enjoy an evening on the grounds.  Very nice to see families together.

I found a plaque dedicating the stage to Fred Anderson…

Over the weekend when I ventured around the small town I saw several monuments or sculptures discreetly hidden behind bushes and trees.  You had to wander around the foot paths to see them.  Very nicely done.

Tribute to FireFighters

Pull that barge!! – to all the men and women working the Trent-Severn Canal

Garden plots all around.  Flowers all in bloom.

Discovered the Canadian Post Office Box!! – These really get your attention, don’t they!

Green and Red Channel Markers with a Propeller – to remind us to stay in the channel!!

Apple Trees! – apples were still too small and green for picking

Dark brown squirrel in the early morning.  I tried to get closer but these squirrels really don’t like humans.  Which is a good thing, I think.  I certainly wouldn’t want one of these to follow me around like the ducks do.

An evening of red smokey clouds filled the skies.  Rather pretty.

Sunset at Petersborough Marina, ON

A clear cool sunny morning greeted today.  It was in the low 50°F.  Even the geese were out early.

Geese all in a line…keeping it orderly!

We left around 8:30am to get across Rice Lake in the early part of the day.  Winds are calmer and we are expecting a fabulous day on the water.

Leaving Hastings Village Marina

Abandoned Swing Bridge left in the open position

Rice Lake is 20 miles long, 3 miles wide and not too deep.  Winds can whip up some nasty waves, we read in the guidebooks.  Today, very little wind.  Can’t you tell.  Look how pristine the water is this morning!  This is the second largest lake in the Trent-Severn Waterway.  

Entering Rice Lake…

Looking off to the port side entering Rice Lake – all the little cottages along the water’s edge

Calm Rice Lake at 9:30am

Our trip across the lake was over too soon it seemed.  Very little boat traffic.

Across Rice Lake and making our turn into Otonabee River

After the lake, this entrance looks so small.  Perceptions of size.  Always cracks me up! 😉

Otonabee River

We have seen dozens of these docks that cater to the small ‘go-fast’ and fishing boats.  The water depth around these cute little places are less than 3 feet.  Far too shallow for us!

Small dock along the Otonabee River

Wayne spotted the “house boat” he was talking about years ago.  Unfortunately, it is on land!!  Can’t do much cruising with it.  However, it would make a great camp site for fishing and hunting, don’t you think?

Land based House Boat

More river scenery along our route today – love all the shades of green!

What?  Only one lock for today??  How did that happen?

Lock 19 – UP 8 feet

Behind us in the lock are two Loopers rafting together.  Spirit and Nearly Perfect.  It might look like a tight fit, but they go through the locks together often enough they know they can make it work.

Double up and get through together

Right out of Lock 19 is the Rail road Bridge.  Watch out for kids jumping into the water off the rails!  Yep.  We barely squeezed by and held our breath hoping the kids wouldn’t jump in front of us.  The current caught Wayne and we fished tailed a bit.  Whew! Came through ok.  I am so busy watching for the kids, I didn’t get a picture of them.  Boys!

Rail Road Bridge!!

Around the corner and we are in Peterborough, ON.  Look at the fountain that greats all visitors right out of Lock 19.

Peterborough, ON

There are three Loopers arriving minutes together each other looking for transient dockage. The staff at Peterbough Marina placed two of us on a T end dock tail to tail … uhm… stern to stern.  The third Looper was put closer to the marina office.  We were safe and comfortable.  We plan on being here for 4 nights.  We read that the Peterborough is a very busy place on the weekends so why not just wait the weekend out.  We have plans to go to the Peterborough Lift Lock to see it before we experience it.  Ohhh can’t wait!

ssshhhh…. I think these ducks are following me along the dock…..

Ducks spoiled by humans feeding them

Good Morning!!  Only 6 locks today!  I finally found a map of the Trent-Severn Waterway with the locks.  Follow along, if you want!!  Campellford town is just before Lock 13.  The locks do not open until 9am or there abouts.  Some don’t open until 9:30am.  So 9’ish works.  We are going to just past lock 18 today.  That does equal 6 locks, right?

Trent-Severn Waterway

Since the lock doesn’t open until what boaters would call late, it gives me plenty of time to walk about the city in the early morning sunlight.

Here we are on the city wall.  There are several Loopers and a couple local Canadians.

Campbellford City Wall – electric and water – for a fee

Always Home looking pretty in Campbellford, ON

Just a FYI – to any boaters reading this blog – those dark cans that look like trash cans… are the power pedestal and the water.  See the large dark can just off our bow?  Two 50 amps and two 30amps on each pedestal.  That is wonderful!!  Don’t pass this gem by!

Wayne taking a picture of someone who looks like me taking a picture of Always Home 😉

Or was I taking a picture of the waterway we came by yesterday afternoon?  What a gorgeous day!

Looking downstream Campbellford, ON

Campbellford is also known for the artist that created the “Toonie”.  He tries to stay anonymous these days.  There is a huge Toonie in the park.  I wonder how much it is worth?  2 bucks?  hahaha

Toonie Sculpture – 20 foot replica of the coin

When talking with the local Canadians they use different words than us folks from the “south”.  Hydro = electricity.  Actually, when I first heard a young man refer to hydro I thought he meant water.  But, he was talking about heating the house during an ice storm. Hydro?  OF course, Hydro Electric Power Company.  With all this water, might as well use it for creating electricity.  eh?  For sure.

Trent-Severn Historical Sign

During my early morning walkabout, I saw a Sears Catalogue store.  It has been over 30 years since I have seen one of these.  Order from the catalog and pickup at the store.  I had no idea that these still existed.  Don’t these people know about Amazon?

The Fire Department building.  Grand building!  It had to be a church before it became a fire station.  Right?  Or light house?  I didn’t see any signs on the outside, so my imagination will fill in the blank.

BTW – the trip around the town by the Sears Catalog store was also to drop in at the local bakery store.  The locals know it is open at 8am.  Tourists (and boaters) are told it opens at 9am.  We were all there just after 8am!!  hahaha  Early bird gets the warmest scones, muffins, tarts, apple fritters and donuts!!

Time to leave Campbellford to go onward to Hastings, ON.

Leaving Campbellford, ON

We got to Lock 13 but tied up to the wrong side of the lock wall.  The Loopers ahead of us were already in the lock so we had to wait.  We saw an empty wall and tied up.  The Lock attendant came down and made sure we were ok.  The water will be gushing our side of the lock exit.  I took a picture of our fellow Looper Aunt Aggie.  They did it the correct way.  Tie up to the blue line side so the lock master knows you want to go through!!   Sometimes, you just have to do that head slap!!  duh!  I should have had a V-8 this morning!

Proper waiting position along the blue line

After Lock 13 – looking back where we came from

We alternate tying up inside the locks.  Lock 13 we tie up on the port side.  Lock 14 – starboard side.  Back and forth for the day’s locks.  Apparently, the side we do not tie up on is the side the water rushes in.  We don’t care either way since we have fenders and lines all around the boat and can easily switch sides for docking or locking.  We have 1.5 miles between Lock 13 and 14.  So I might as well continue to stand on the bow and take in the sights!

Scenery approaching lock 14

When we first approach locks we have to determine…. where is the door??  See this one??  to the right of the dam or spillway.  The little dark square on the right.  Is it open?  Or closed?  I still can’t tell until we get closer!  Where did I put my binocs?

Approaching Lock 14

Sometimes, the locks are open for us and ready.  Sometimes, we have to linger in the canal or tie up to the wall and wait our turn.  Waiting can mean 5 minutes or 60 minutes.  It all depends.

Top of Lock 14 – Crowe Bay

Onward to Lock 15.  Actually, the next 3 locks are going to be an adventure!  Locks 16 and 17 are considered flight locks.  Can’t wait!   Scenes on the way.

The door to Lock 15 is closed.  We can see the water spilling out of the bottom which usually means they are getting the lock set for us.  They must have just delivered some boats UP to the next level.  Hope these geese move along.

Geese in the way as we approach Lock 15

Top of Lock 15 –

500 feet and we are at the Locks 16 and 17.  Flight locks.  Remember, I told you about them.  You tie up within one lock, rise up, untie and go directly into the next lock.  We will be going up a total of 54 feet!!  Again, water is gushing ( white line near the bottom of the door) out of the bottom.  You can see the stair step rise.  2 sets of doors.  Black and then the taller blue.

A pproaching Healy Falls Flight Locks 16 & 17

Ripples from the water release up ahead from Lock 16

Here we go!

Doors closing behind us

What greets us at the top of the lock?  A “go fast” boat pulling an inner tube.  They must be on vacation!  Boat full of kids waiting their turn.

Finally!!  We have reached the last lock of the day.  There is a crowd waiting.  Our Looping friends had already docked along the wall.  They cheered us on. “Some days you watch the show.  Somedays you are the show!!”

Lock 18

A fellow Looper took a picture of someone who allegedly looks like me snagging a cable.  Pole out ready to capture the cable to put a line around it.

Getting ready to lock through 18

We stayed at the Hastings Village Marina.  It was hot and we wanted conditioned air to cool us down.  Our fellow travelers stayed on the opposing wall for the night.  No power for them.  Generator on and they seemed happy.

Geese traveling back and forth across the river

A sign I found at the lock during my walk-about.  I hope you can read it.

We went UP 113 feet today.  6 locks.   A good day.

Sunset at Hastings Village Marina, ON

Good Morning Boaters!!  Rise and shine.  Only 6 locks today toward Campbellford, ON.  This was such a pleasant stop.  I found this very detailed map of the Frankford during my early morning walk.  We didn’t explore it the town.  Too exhausted by our travels the day before.  I do appreciate the artwork and information for travelers who may want to stop for a spell.  Several of our fellow Loopers did find the beach at the bottom of the hill and enjoyed a refreshing cool water soak yesterday.

Frankford, ON City Sign

Early Morning Water Reflections

We are on our way to Campbellford, ON.  The city has two long walls with power and water provided.  We hope to get a place where there is 50amp service.  We hear that there is a lot of space and we should have no trouble.  Fingers crossed.  First come. First served.

Today we are traveling with 3 other Loopers.  Two are ahead of us.  One is behind us.  We discussed the best way for the 4 of us to travel together is to raft our boats in the locks so all four of us can fit in the lock at one time.  Hmmm…. this will be a first for us!  More on that later.

Leaving Frankford, ON

In the mean time, Wayne was able to snap a picture of an early morning swan family out looking for breakfast.

I thought this slide looked very enticing.  A quick ride into the cold waters of the Trent-Severn.  Is it really too early in the morning for kids?  Why aren’t they swimming already?  Don’t they know it is summer?

Here we go!  Approaching Lock 7.  The first two boats are getting in and tying up.  We are waiting for them to stabilize before we enter the lock.

Approaching Lock 7

As we were waiting, I noticed the plants growing in the water.  The water is so clear.  You can’t call this growth seaweed.  Maybe river weed?  Tentacles reaching up from the bottom to grab ahold of some sun, perhaps?

River weed?

As you can tell, it is cloudy and humid today.  My pictures turn out hazy on days like today.

Scenery on the way to Lock 8

We are just entering Lock 8 with fellow Loopers, Nearly Perfect and Spirit already in the lock and rafted together.  Spirit grabs the locks cables.  Nearly Perfect attaches their boat to Spirit using a mid cleat.  Fenders placement is critical so that there is enough fenders between the lock and Spirit and between the two boats.  With such a tight fit, the water entering the lock jostles everyone a bit less.

Loopers Rafting together

We went in the locks third and had the fourth Looper, Aunt Aggie, raft to us.  I would get our boat secure and then help Aunt Aggie get their boat secured to us.  Sounds complicated but it worked.  All 4 of us went up 6 locks successfully.  I was too busy taking care of our lines and such that I don’t have any pictures of us rafting.

I do have a fine picture of the cables in the Trent-Severn Locks.  They really do look like black lines ( ropes) hanging down.  They are rubber coated and secured both at the top and bottom.  There is some slack in the cables so they do move making them easier to grab and get a line around them.

Cable in Lock 8

What surprises me is to see marshes and water plants along the way.  I don’t know why.  I guess it is because I always think marsh and water lilies are southern…Georgia and Florida type. Louisiana and gator country.  In Ontario?  Just never considered it before.

Marshy area with water plants

While we were waiting for the water to fill in lock 9, the lock keepers told us to take our time to get to Lock 10.  A cruise boat was just exiting the lock.  Another Cruise boat?  First we encountered a cruise boat on the Erie.  They do that here as well??  How cool is that?

Cruise boat approaching

Kawartha Voyageur

The final 2 locks of the day are flight locks.  You go in the first lock, the water is filled in and you go up.  The doors open and you enter the next lock.  Back to back, so to speak.  We go up a total of 48 feet in this lock combination alone.  Look at those doors!

Rafting boats ahead for Locks 11 & 12

The door looks broken.  It must be worn from the water.  OR someone painted the doors to look like this.  Very strange feeling.  This picture was given to me courtesy of the crew on Nearly Perfect since they had a front row seat.  

Top of Lock 11 – doesn’t look too high

Top of Lock 12 – 48 feet higher??

We are welcomed to the town of Campbellford by mid afternoon.

Welcome sign to Campbellford

We went through 6 locks going up 118 feet today.  Approximately 24 miles from Frankford.  A good day.  Time enough to go find the Beer Store.  In Canada, you buy beer in “The Beer Store”.  Liquor is sold in the LCBO store ( Liquor Control Board of Ontario).  I am not sure where the wine is sold, yet.  I need to visit a LCBO to investigate.  😉

The story I heard was Beer is sold by the 6pk or cases.  You find the bottle or can that you want.  Tell the employee who goes into the back refrigerated room and brings out the beer.  If you order a 24 pk or case, it is pushed out of the back room via the roller table.

Here is my quick pic of the bottles of the beer they had at the Beer Store I visited.  The display of canned beer is on the opposite wall.

The Beer Store – glass bottled beer display

I found my MGD!!!  I had to go to Canada to find it!  We haven’t seen it in the stores since AZ over a year ago.  Better be the same.  I am paying twice the price per six pack than we pay in the states.  Where’s my bottle opener?  I did pack it, didn’t I?

It is going to be a cool night tonight.  Down into the lower 50°F.  Delightful!  By the way, we did get a space on the wall.  We did get our 50Amp power.  Don’t really need it to run the air conditioners if the temperatures are really going to be 53°F.  A city employee walked over from the Tourist Information Building to give us town information and to collect their fee for the night.  Very convenient for us.

Geese along the waterway as we entered Campbellford

Good morning!  We are starting the Trent-Severn Waterway today.  It should be an exciting day.  New canal, new country, new locks, new everything!

Sunrise in Trenton, ON – looking back into the Bay of Quinte

Leaving Fraser Park Marina – Trenton, ON

The Trent-Severn Waterway is very much like the Erie Canal.  It offers a safe water way to cruise north of the Great Lakes.  The idea of providing a waterway to transport goods began during the revolutionary war in the 1780’s.  In fits and starts over time, pieces and parts of the now Trent-Severn Canal were built.  The canal we will be boating on was  completed in 1920.  It took over 90 years to finally complete the canal.  It is 241 miles long.  A controlling depth of 6 feet.  There are 44 locks.  Lock 1 – 35 are UP almost 600 feet from Trenton to lock 35.  Then we will be working our way back down to Port Severn.

This is a pretty good map of our journey over the next couple of weeks.

Trent-Severn Waterway

We are ready to go!!  We paid for a locking pass to go one way on the Trent-Severn waterway.  We will be mooring infrequently using as many marinas as we can easily get to with our draft.  There are different fees for locking and mooring along the Trent-Severn.

Trent-Severn Waterway

Around the corner going toward lock 1, our first view of the Trent-Severn.  

Too bad this sign has graffiti on it.  Almost too hard to read.  Are we really going the right way?

Trent-Severn Waterway

We see several boats ahead of us waiting on the wall.  Looks like 4 boats.  We pull over and wait as well.  The locks open somewhere around 9am.  This is a Monday morning and there are a few of us anxious to start our journey.  The Lock helper came and told us we would be in the 2nd group.  Just a few minutes.  It turned into almost an hour before it was our turn to go into the lock.

Boats waiting for the their turn

Some of the Trent-Severn locks are hydraulically controlled.  The Lock Master hits a button and the water rushes in or out as needed.  Doors are opened and closed with buttons.  Many of the Trent-Severn locks are manually controlled.  Wayne was able to get pictures of the man walking in circles opening the lock door at the top of lock.  I wonder how they don’t get dizzy from walking in circles.  Great exercise.  Right?

The dams don’t look as intimidating as the ones on the Erie Canal.  There was a little power boat that locked down as you can see it approaching on the left side.

Approaching Lock 2 – UP 20 feet

I don’t know if you can tell from this photo but cables are used in the Trent-Severn Waterway.  We almost groaned when we read that.  These cables are attached at the top and the bottom of the lock but are not recessed into the wall.  They look like ropes.  They were easy to snag with my boat hook, tie a line and cleat the line to the boat.   I would tie off the bow and then walk quickly to the back of the boat and snag another cable.  Wayne would then shut off the engines and come forward and man the bow line.  As the boat moves up the wall, the lines ( ropes ) should slide up the cable.  Not too bad.

Entering Lock 1 – UP 18 feet

Approaching Lock 3

Still is amazing no matter what lock it is.  Metal doors opening slowly and then clanging shut when you get your boat in.  You have heard that noise from TV shows.  That noise when the prison doors are slammed shut.  Quite the hair raise the first time I heard it.  Still makes me nervous.  I watch too much TV or my imagination is too active.

Top of Lock 3

So far, every lock has grounds around them with picnic tables, gorgeous trees and flower beds.  Very pretty and peaceful.  It makes waiting for the lock doors to be manually opened a pleasure.

Top of Lock 2

I noticed the locks do not have numbers on them from below.  Just those massive doors.  At the top of the locks there are signs that tell you the lock number and the history of the construction of that lock.

Trent-Severn Sign

Lock 6 sign

Lock 6 sign

We traveled UP 117 feet today going through 6 locks.  We have stopped for the night at the top of the Frankford lock 6.  There is power.  We are exhausted.  Mainly from the change in pace and having to relearn the “locking process” that works for us.  I paid the Lock Master for the night’s stay.

Luckily, there were several Loopers all going in the same direction.  The Lock Masters helped the first two boats tie to the wall.  Then the crew from those boats helped us tie to our place on the wall.  We helped the next couple of boats.  As the afternoon progressed, I heard the Lock Master on the phone telling the locks below us, “there is only room for one more boat…about a 25 foot”.  That really is great communication and management of the space available.  All in all, there must have been 10 boats tied up to the wall for the night.  Half of them were Loopers like us.  The other boats were Canadians on holiday.  How fascinating.

The locks were rather close together.  By the time we got out of one lock, a mile or two up the waterway was the next lock.  However, at the top of lock 5 I got a pretty picture of the surrounding landscape.   You can see lock 6 far ahead.

Top of Lock 5

After a great day on the water, an early evening.

Sunset reflection Frankford, ON – top of Lock 6