Wednesday, June 24, 2009

We have a new dinghy motor! As mentioned earlier in our journal, we have had a couple of issues with the motor but the biggest drawback for us was its extra weight and long shaft. We thought we wanted something smaller and easier to handle. Our friend, Brian, stopped by again this morning and said he would be happy to take Gale to the Yamaha dealer to see if they would trade our nearly new Mercury 9.9 hp 4-stroke engine for a new Yamaha 8.0 hp 2-stroke. The trade was made and Gale was very happy with the way the new motor ran.

It was another very hot day and after the sail rigging was tuned, the electrical system for the mast hooked up, the dinghy motor trades dealt with, and the laundry and other household chores finished, we were ready to relax. We took a dinghy ride around the area and checked out the marina, a couple of beaches and the downtown. Lucy was so anxious to get to land and use the “facilities” that she jumped off the dinghy and swam to shore. We were amazed at the water clarity and its warm temperature. Both of us followed Lucy’s lead and took a cooling dip in the Bay. After the boat ride we went for a swim in the pool, showered and had dinner.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

It was another day that we were happy to have air conditioning! In the morning we put the sails up, tuned the rigging, switched the radar deflector from the starboard to port spreader, rigged up a pulley system for our flags on the starboard spreader and reprovisioned. Brian, the new Gemini owner, stopped by in the early afternoon and offered to take us to town to pick up groceries and supplies. We accepted his generosity and he dropped Maureen off at the grocery store while the men went to West Marine. We also stopped at the Beer Store and the LCBO to pick up some wine and beer. Word was that the Beer Stores and LCBOs were going on strike at midnight so the place was crazy and the shelves were beginning to look bare!

After returning to the boat, it took some time to put everything away. We heated up the leftover pizza and then put on our swim suits to try out the pool. It was about 7:30 pm when we got to the pool and it was packed with kids, beach balls and noodles. We opted to sip on a glass of wine poolside and then go back to the boat without a swim.

Monday, June 22, 2009

We awoke to clear skies and warm temperatures. Several folks informed us yesterday that this entire week coming up should be sunny and warm. About 10 am, we pulled anchor and headed towards Midland, Ontario, where we will step our mast. We pulled up to the fuel dock at Bay Port Marina in Midland at 11:30 am and by 12:40 pm we were secure in a slip and waiting for someone to come and get us when they were ready to put up the mast. The mast went up without a hitch and we were back in our slip by 5:30 pm, plugged into shore power and enjoying the air conditioning for the first time this trip. The temperatures got up into the low 90’s today and it felt like summer! After showering and relaxing, we ordered pizza which was delivered at 8:30 pm. While we were eating, Ken and Pam, whom we had met earlier in the day, brought over their friend Brian who had just bought a used Gemini in the states. Brian was eager to talk boats and said he would probably be by tomorrow.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

We got started at 7:40 this morning and headed for Lock 42, about 10 miles down the way. In the lock we had a nice visit with one of the lock tenders who made it a point to tell us that he sensed something special between the two of us – a kind of “glow.” We, of course, feel our own “glow” but it is was very touching to meet someone for only a few minutes who was compelled to let us know that he felt it. He said, “A lot of people come through here and it is rare to see what you two have. Whatever it is, keep doing it!!”

In about an hour, we got a call from our friend Jeff, on Don’t Blink. He decided to go up to Big Chute at Lock 44 and was on his way back through the waterway system. He was wondering where we were and hoping to hook up for lunch. He mentioned that the big excursion boat that we’d seen in Peterborough, Kawartha Voyageur, was on its way back and to be ready to take some pictures when it came by. Sure enough, at about 11:30, we saw the big boat coming around the bend toward us and took a few pictures. We met Jeff at noon and anchored just off the channel near marker 185 where we rafted up and shared some burgers and snacks before we each took off in opposite directions at 1:30 pm.

Arriving at Lock 43, Swift Rapids, a lady watching the boats lock through came up and started a conversation with Maureen. She wondered where we were when we met the Kawartha Voyageur. She and her husband were tied up to the lock wall in their boat listening to the marine radio and had heard the Voyageur thank the catamaran for the consideration given by hanging back in the channel and letting the big boat pass. She told us they had been waiting for the catamaran to come through! We had not had our VHF radio on so we were unaware of the broadcast.

We arrived at Lock 44, Big Chute, around 4 pm and decided to tie up to the dock and check out the lock before we came through. We had been anticipating this ride for several days and looking forward to seeing how it worked. This is a unique “railway” lock which was built to lift boats over the rapids at Big Chute. The only other railway lock in the world is located in Poland. At Big Chute a conventional lock was not built due to the concern that parasites might migrate from the Severn River to the Trent River. Instead, a railway car was constructed which can accommodate many boats at the same time. The car is submerged under water on tracks and you pilot your vessel over the car. This car has sophisticated cables and rods to support each boat as it rises out of the water. The tracks are constructed in such a manner that the car remains nearly level on both sides of the incline. An engineering marvel, the largest boat that can be accommodated is 24 feet wide, 90 tons, and 100 feet long. It is truly something to be seen. In fact, after locking through we both agreed that watching from the ground is even more thrilling than actually taking the ride itself.

Just before 6:30 pm we approached the last lock of the Trent-Severn Waterway at Port Severn. Lock 45 is a small lock with only a 14 foot drop but coming out of this lock was one of the more treacherous spots we had to navigate due to a 3-4 knot current on the Severn River caused by the spring runoff. If that wasn’t enough, we proceeded into Tug Channel and found the narrowest passage yet. Fortunately, things widened out somewhat and we found ourselves heading into the next large section of our route, Georgian Bay.

At 7:30 pm we anchored in a quiet spot near Potato Island just before the Potato Island Channel. Since we’d had such a large lunch, we just enjoyed a few hors d’oeuvres and a couple of drinks before going to bed.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

It started to rain about 7 am so we got up and closed the hatches. The skies were pretty grey and it looked like we could get some real weather. Gale and Lucy decided to walk to town and bring back coffee before the lock opened. They returned in about 30 minutes soaked to the bone but with two cups of Tim Horton’s French vanilla coffee which turned out to have been well worth the walk in the rain! We were in the lock at 9 am and planned on a long travel day barring any significant wind or storms. We traveled 40 nautical miles, came through eight locks, traversed Lake Simcoe, a very large lake, navigated through some very tight areas appropriately named, The Narrows, and it rained all day long.

Lock 36 at Kirkfield was the second Lift Lock of the system. Of the nine locks of this type ever built, the Kirkfield Lift Lock is the second highest. It raises and lowers boats 49 feet in a matter of minutes. The highest lift lock in the world is also located along this same Waterway at Peterborough which we experienced on Tuesday. The other seven lift locks are found in England, France and Belgium. Kirkfield is in a unique location at the highest point along the Waterway and for some it provides an even more thrilling ride than the trip up the Peterborough Lock because the lift structure is not enclosed. It is more of a feeling of “hanging out there.” If you are north bound, as we were, you proceed out into a pan suspended nearly 5 stories in the air! For some reason, this ride down did not bother Gale nearly as much as the Peterborough ride up.

After coming through Lock 41 at 4 pm, and even though it was raining, we decided to continue into Lake Simcoe since we still had 5 hours of daylight, the winds were nearly calm and our vision was not hampered by fog. We reasoned that it might be nice and sunny tomorrow, but it could also be windy which would make a trip into the lake less enjoyable or, perhaps, not recommended. Our path in the lake was about 12 miles long and only represented a fraction of the north east corner of this body of water. We were glad we didn’t have to cover any more than that!

At 7 pm, we found a nice spot to anchor in Lake Couchiching, between Heron and Bird Islands. The rain quit and the wind picked up but we were safe and ready for a little dinner and some sleep.

Friday, June 19, 2009

It was a warm and sunny morning so we started the day with a walk to Tim Horton’s for some coffee and “Tim Bits.” Upon returning to the boat, Gale took care of a few chores and Maureen hauled out the new shopping cart for a trip to the grocery store, beer store and liquor store. In Canada, beer and liquor are not sold in regular stores; only at controlled establishments. It is easy to recognize The Beer Store – the signs are large and painted a bright orange color. Alcohol and wine are sold at Liquor Control Board of Ontario outlets (LCBO) and usually have very large signs, too. The new cart worked great and in this age of ‘going green’ and being environmentally responsible, we are right in sync by not using shopping bags. Around 11:30 am, Gale and Maureen left Lucy on the boat and walked uptown to check out some of the interesting shops and find some lunch. Gale wanted to show Maureen a little bakery he found in his travels yesterday which offers all kinds of yummy pastries and desserts. We got out of there with a couple of cookies for us and two special dog biscuits to take home. We had been told that a good place to eat was “Just for the Halibut” and since we were walking right by one, we decided to try it for lunch. We shared an entrée of halibut and fries with a side of “mushy peas” and it was all quite good.

Pete from the Buckhorn Marina called about 2:30 pm and said the part we were waiting for had arrived and he was sending Ralph directly over. By 4 pm we were locking through and setting out across Lake Sturgeon. The trip across the lake was very relaxing as we enjoyed the warm temperatures (high 80’s), sunny skies and no wind. We pulled up to the finger pier below Lock 32 at 7:45 pm and even though the locks close at 7 pm, the guy there was still working. He collected our mooring fee and gave us the security code for the washrooms. We visited with some other boaters who were tied up at the pier, had some salad on the boat and called it a good day.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Today’s Plan A was to travel 30 (statute) miles to Kirkfield and through Lock 36, another Lift Lock similar to the one at Peterborough; however, we had to go to Plan B because the engine wouldn’t start! Gale called the marina that helped us out yesterday and the mechanic, Ralph, arrived at our boat at 9:30 am. He and Gale worked on the problem until nearly 11 am and determined that the solenoid installed yesterday was different enough from the original one, that it was causing another problem. We could not find the old part on the boat while Ralph was here– so we called the Westerbeke dealer in Ontario and ordered the part. Fortunately, they had it in stock and were able to “overnight it” to the marina. We will see Ralph again tomorrow after the part arrives.

Maureen, Gale and Lucy walked up to a nice coffee shop around noon and Maureen found a comfortable couch and table where she could use the business’ wireless signal. She spent the next four hours there while Gale and Lucy went back to the boat. At 5 pm, Jeff Ronco (Don’t Blink is the name of his boat) came over for happy hour bringing some snacks to share. We first met Jeff in the lock at Young’s Point, but he had remembered seeing us at Peterborough. He lives in Rochester, New York, and was traveling solo but was hoping that his wife would join him on the next trip. We enjoyed visiting with Jeff and learning a little about his life.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The lock opened at 9 am and even though they were having some difficulties with the gates, we were on the other side by 9:20. The day was cloudy and the temperature about 65 degrees. We were hearing that some weather in the form of rain and wind was expected to arrive around noon and last for the next three days or so. Gale had some concerns about the fuel pump on the engine – even though the engine was running fine, there was a change in the way it sounded when he started her up. He called his friend, Bob Schaut, and asked him to do some research on the problem for him since we were unable to get a reliable internet signal and the cell phone service was questionable, too. Bob and Gale connected a little bit later and concurred that there probably was not an immediate problem, but it should still be investigated at the earliest opportunity. We continued through the Waterway and Locks 28, 30 and 31 (no Lock 29 exists). Lock 30, at Lovesick, Ontario, was a unique lock in that it is only accessible by boat. It is totally isolated with no services (like groceries or fuel) available. The lock tender told us to make sure we told anybody who asked that we really felt bad for him out on that island. The tender said that his boss can’t even visit him without notice because he would have to pick him up in the boat!

At the top of Lock 31, Buckhorn, we stopped at the Buckhorn Yacht Harbour, which was supposed to be the best all around, full service marina in the area. Gale wanted to talk to a mechanic and resolve the fuel pump issue. They loaned us a mechanic, Ralph. Ralph and Gale spent about an hour working on the engine and finally determined that the fuel pump was fine but the solenoid, which controls the fuel pump, was faulty. As remarkable as it may sound, they actually had a solenoid in stock at the marina. It didn’t take long to remove the old and replace with the new and we were on our way again at 4 pm. If we had been anywhere else but Canada and about to enter the Georgian Bay and the North Channel, we probably would have continued along without addressing the problem right away; however, knowing that we would soon be entering some very remote areas, we did not want to take any chances. Having taken care of this issue, we can enjoy the scenery without concerns for any type of engine failure.

We really began to see a change in the topography today from hardwood forest with scattered pines to all pine and exposed granite along the shorelines. We have to be especially careful navigating the shoreline, the lakes and the rivers in these areas as everything is granite and outcroppings can occur anywhere – even in the middle of large lakes. Appropriately enough, some call this area “The Land of Floating Rocks.” Oftentimes both of us are at the helm – one piloting and one with binoculars on the lookout for the floating rocks. Fortunately, Blue Heron only drafts 18 inches (with the keels up) and makes a journey like this less worrisome and much more enjoyable. We have noticed that most of the marinas are thriving on damaged propellers and bent shafts!

Not only have we been enjoying the beautiful scenery, but some of the homes and properties along the way look like they have been designed especially for House Beautiful. We commented that anyone who has owned waterfront property on these Canadian lakes will likely not be satisfied with what might be available in other parts of the world – even if the climate is milder!

We arrived at Lock 32, Bobcaygeon, about 7 pm after traveling a total of 30 nautical miles. We tied up below the lock for a little dinner and some rest.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

We woke up to another beautiful morning! We were anxious to get moving again, but still needed to take care of a few items of business so we motored close to the marina trying to pick up their wireless signal. Finally, about 8:30 am, we tied up at the marina dock to walk to the post office and get a stronger signal. It was nearly 11 am before we were on our way again. We transited Lock 20 with a lift lock excursion boat carrying quite a boatload of folks up to see the big Peterborough Lift Lock at Lock 21, the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world. The Peterborough Lift Lock was completed in 1904 and uses two pans that weigh 1300 tons when filled. With one pan up and the other down, the two balance each other. It doesn’t matter how many boats are in either pan since a boat displaces its own weight in water. When it is time to lower one pan and raise the other, one extra foot of water (130 tons) is allowed to enter the upper pan. This extra weight allows the upper pan to push down and raise the lower pan to the top level. The two pans are locked in place and the extra water is let out of the lower pan. Boats enter and exit the upper and lower pans and the process is repeated. The lift up was 65 feet!! Gale has a bit of a “heights” issue so he was very interested in the mechanics of the lock, but not so keen on the ride. Maureen, on the other hand, loved every bit of it!

After Lock 21, we had five more locks within a mile or so of each other and came through Lock 26 at Lakefield around 3:30 pm. Lock 27, Young’s Point, was another six miles down the way which we were not going to make by 4 pm, the last lift of the day. We did arrive at the lock at 4:30 pm and tied up to the wall for the evening. Gale tried to catch some fish, but nothing was biting so we cooked up the fish we had in the freezer.

Monday, June 15, 2009

It was another lovely day in Canada – and a great day to visit with friends! Ken and Nancy arrived at the Peterborough Marina about 11 am and after our greetings, we invited them aboard Blue Heron. To introduce us to a real Canadian experience, they had brought along a box of “Tim Bits” from Tim Horton’s. We had been seeing the Tim Horton’s stores regularly since entering Canada and knew that they were the Canadian version of Dunkin’ Donuts but had not yet tried them out. Our first taste was very good! After we had a chance to visit for awhile, we decided to find a lunch spot. Nancy thought we should try a pub, since those always have good food. Maureen had remembered seeing Riley’s Pub as we walked through town on Saturday so we headed for that establishment. After lunch, Ken and Nancy offered to take us to do some shopping since they had a vehicle. We had been searching for a small wheeled cart to help out with grocery shopping and laundry but hadn’t yet found anything suitable. We were very happy that the first hardware store we stopped into had just the cart for us. We drove back to the marina and our friends said that we really needed to go into Tim Horton’s since there was one just a block away. They thought we needed to try an “Ice Cap,” an iced coffee drink. After sipping on our drinks, we had to agree that we could become “hooked” on this sweet treat!

Ken and Nancy left for their home about 7 pm. We took care of a few things on the internet and then moved the boat at 8:45 pm so we wouldn’t have to pay for another night at the marina. We motored the quarter mile to tie up at Lock 19 and listened to the water go over the dam all night. Very nice sleeping!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

At 8 am, we motored back to the marina and paid for an overnight slip. We wanted to clean the boat inside and out, do the laundry, pick up some supplies, pump out, get fuel, top off the water tanks and take some nice showers. We were also looking for an internet connection to take care of some business that needed our attention. The day was sunny and warm – in the 80’s – and we were able to get most of our chores done. Our friends from Toronto, Ken and Nancy, had emailed us and said they wanted to visit us on Monday wherever we were along the Trent. This is the couple that invited us aboard their Gemini catamaran when we met them in a marina in Mobile, Alabama, in November 2007, and where we both knew immediately that it was the boat for us. Ken and Nancy were planning to drive up and meet us at the marina tomorrow between 10-11 am. We wanted to have the boat in “ship-shape” for their visit.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

We were up with the frogs and pulled anchor shortly before 7 am. We were hoping to cover a few more miles today and stop in Peterborough to see what it had to offer. We arrived at Peterborough’s Lock 19 around noon and the lock tender informed us of all the activities taking place in town this weekend. Of special interest were the Dragon Boat races in Little Lake which were a fundraiser/awareness event for breast cancer. And the weather was perfect for this sort of gathering! We tied up to the lock wall to walk into town. At the bend where you leave Lock 19 and turn into Little Lake, is some beautiful prime real estate – problem is, you have to die to reside there! Past the cemetery is the city park and marina where the races were being staged. We walked through the park, picked up some lunch at a stand and walked up to the marine store, Boater’s World.

Our next stop was the Canadian Canoe Museum. The exhibits tell the story of the Aboriginal, French and British cultures, take you on a journey through a Mi’kmaq encampment, an original 1876 trading post, the voyageur era, and mapping expeditions. From time to time they will also have canoe making workshops. It was well worth our time and the extra walk! The lady in charge let us put Lucy back in a meeting room, near the restrooms, while we toured the facility since it was a little too hot to leave her unattended outside for very long. When we finished at the museum and stepped outside, we found ourselves in the midst of a pretty good rain shower. We had left the hatches open on the boat because we weren’t even thinking about rain when we left. When we returned, we found that we had “lucked out” and stayed (mostly) dry.

Since this was the weekend, the locks stayed open until 7 pm. Earlier, the lock tender had told us that he leaves work at 7 pm and doesn’t come to work until 9 am the next morning. He also told us that he doesn’t drive by the lock after he leaves work, “If you get my meaning.” In the Canadian locks, boaters are welcome to tie up to the lock walls but are supposed to pay for a “mooring pass” to spend the night. Evidently, some of the lock tenders do not monitor passes very closely or even ask for them. We were back at the boat from our afternoon walk about 4:30 pm and decided to take showers and clean up. At 6:30 pm we left the lock wall and motored into Little Lake to tie up at the Peterborough Marina dock. They told us we were welcome to keep the boat there while we walked into town for dinner. The young man at the marina suggested that we try Hot Belly Mama’s, a New Orleans Cajun style restaurant. We went with his recommendation and shared an entrée of thyme & coconut marinated steak with mashed carrots and sweet potatoes, salad and some raspberry pie. Very good! By the time we got back to the boat, it was after 9 pm and getting dark. The sky was also looking somewhat iffy, so we simply motored out into Little Lake and dropped an anchor instead of going back to the lock. We had some rain during the night, but no storms.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Today is officially Gale’s last day of employment! He said he won’t feel fully retired until he receives that first pension check at the end of July . . .

We enjoyed another beautiful day with temperatures in the mid-80’s, mostly sunny skies and little wind. We traveled 24 miles, came through four locks including another set of flight locks and stopped for a couple of hours in Hastings, Ontario, a charming small town along the waterway. Here we mailed a couple of cards, picked up some bait, and conducted a little business on the computer while we had some ice cream. Our evening anchorage was in Rice Lake near a small island named Rack Island. The lake is large but quite shallow in parts and we were anchored in a very large grassy area. The bullfrogs loved this spot, too!