Bobcaygeon, Lovesick, and Lakefield, 2014

 Peter had time for his morning walk before breakfast so he made it productive by walking to a gas station to get some diesel for the boat. The cart affair makes his life a lot easier. Carrying a 5 gallon can of gas for any distance hurts the body.

Another short walk to the restaurant, Cup Half Full, where they serve peameal bacon that is more like a steak.

It is good to be travelling with Bob and Linda again. Pigeon Lake to Buckhorn. In photo we are locking thru at Buckhorn.

 Bob and Linda have a pretty boat. Mainship Pilot. Pretty on the water. And it can get up an go also. He sometimes needs to speed ahead of us to keep things working well on his boat.

We have been blessed with an abundance of wildlife as we travel. If you look closely you can see a dragonfly flying along with us inside the flybridge. She is close to the shifters.

 By the time we were pulling into the Lovesick wall to tie up for the evening, we looked up and Jim and Linda Murray aboard Symmetry were coming from the Burleigh Falls side. They were going thru the Burleigh Falls lock as we were going thru Buckhorn lock and we arrived at exactly the same time. It was good to have almost everyone together. We spent the afternoon with everyone sharing experiences since we were last together. We joined forces for dinner and enjoyed dinner on the lawn until the mosquitoes chased us back into our boats. And the mosquitoes were fierce the first night till we learned to fend  them  off better with the Off Lantern and the likes. The second night we were better prepared for the mosquito onslaught.  Linda Murray is convinced she is the "feeding station" for them. And she is pretty marked up.

Steve, Linda and Becky just arrived by boat to Lovesick as we were being asked to leave. We can't complain, we had spent 2 nights on the wall at Lovesick and were only to spend 1 night. It was a brief reunion and we were off for Burleigh Falls Lock. Jim and Linda Murray had to become very creative with a picnic table to act as their boarding system for their area of the lock wall. Quite ingenious! "Necessity, is the mother of invention"

Steve, Linda and Becky spent the day at Lovesick, there favourite spot on the Trent, fishing. They joined us at Burleigh Falls after dinner. Here they are approaching. They tied to the blue line rather than use their favourite floating dock; "Deja Vu". Their rental car was already in the parking lot, ready for Becky's 8 am departure for Toronto Airport and her return flight to Californa. We were sorry not to have more time to spend with Becky. She seems like a fun young lady. But of course we would expect nothing less as a child of Steve and Linda. What a great family. Next year Becky, we hope to get to know you better.

 After our goodbyes to Becky we were off for breakfast at a restaurant just beyond the falls. Finally all of our boating friends are together again. We have been so fortunate to meet these people and share boating time with them.

We then were off for Lakefield Marina and lock.  It once again was the perfect day to be on the water. Youngs Point Lock was a bit hectic. While we were standing of waiting for the lock to bring boats up and receive us, we had a number of smaller power boats with no boating courtesy that passed us and moved ahead of us. One of them rudely proceeded into the lock ahead of our boat. The second one started to move ahead of us and then he asked if we were going into the lock. Dughhhh! YES! He backed off and let us enter. I felt like saying, Oh no we like to just try to stay on station with 20 or 30 boats milling around us in front of the lock fighting the dam current for a practice session on how difficult can boating become. It is too bad when the cityots come to vacation country and bring their horrible driving skills out onto the water. The boating course for your boating license should include some common sense courtesy information. Oh well, all in a weekend days boating.

Leaving Burleigh Falls for Lakefield Marina and lock. Green hulled Maine Ship Pilot, "Waypoint" Bob and Linda Wilkens, white hulled Symbol, "Symmetry", Jim and Linda Murray. Steve and Linda Franko aboard "Guppy" Bayliner were already off to find a fishing hole. We had a short hop off to Lakefield and to the Marina. Power and air conditioning, YEAH!!!! It has been hot and humid and it will be great to have a shower and cool the boat down. The marina was having a BBQ with music. Bring an appetizer or salad and join them. And we did. The food as always was great, the guitarist was very talented with a repetoir of over 2000 songs. He entertained us from 5 pm to 9.30 pm. Then once again the mosquites wanted to feed and chased the humans inside their boats. It was well after "boaters midnight" so time to go to be anyway. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves here, we think we will probably all stay another day.

Fenlon Falls to Bobcaygeon, 2014

Leaving Fenelon Falls

Peter had to open the bowels of the beast again to do more work on that Port engine. It had been running rough, and would speed up all on its own. He figured it was an injector acting up. There are six of them, so the next issue was which one would be causing the problem. He decided to try the very back one as that was the piston that had blown up in Georgia and we had the engine rebuilt in South Carolina if you remember.

Success again!!! The engine is running really good.

We got away from Fenelon Falls shortly after 11 am for the short 25 mile run to Bobcaygeon. It was another overcast day. It was a great travel day. When the sun is out it makes it hot and humid, so overcast is good. A light jacket is all we needed on the deck, and Peter was wearing a tee shirt on the flybridge and quite comfortable.

The entire trip was across Sturgeon Lake so not much to photograph or talk about.

Canada Geese on lawn at edge of water.

Canada Geese were making a nuisance of themselves on a cottagers lawn on the approach to Bobcaygeon.

We docked in the grey area at the top of the lock.

Bob and Linda Wilkens had also just arrived at Bobcaygeon. They were staying at the marina just below the lock. We walked over and had a visit with them. Met a couple they had been travelling with Tom

Bobcaygeon Lock just ahead 

and Micky. We decided to get together for dinner at a restaurant  For The Halibut at 6 pm. Great restaurant if you are ever in the area. It is much more than a fish and chip place. Sit down dining, and the building is deceiving ..... it is much larger than what it appears from the street.

This loon welcomed us to Bobcaygeon.

Bobcaygeon is the place to get chelsea buns at the bake shop. Steve and Linda introduced them to us last year. Hoping that we have time to get some tomorrow morning before we leave.

Thorah to Fenelon Falls

TThe day was grey and overcast. Thorah is a very quiet and private place to overnight. We had the bottom of the lock to ourselves. Everyone on board slept in and had a leisurely start to the day.

It was 10 am before we got underway and started thru our first lock.

We always enjoy this section of the trip, travelling the man made channel. It is straight as an arrow, and after all these years the trees and shrubbery grow right along the canal creating a very secluded African Queen experience.

 And then to our surprise in an clearing area what appears but a herd of cattle relaxing along the side of the canal under a tree. Enjoying the lazy summer days of summer.

Then we come across this old hole in the wall bridge. What a sensation as we approach. Will we fit under??? I know we do because we passed under 2 years ago when we brought the boat from Marathon,  but it doesn't stop the feeling that have to be too high to go under this structure.
Nothing has changed. Once again we go under with room to spare. Not much tho'.

 And then we come to the Kirkfield Lift Lock. Another unique experience. It is like 2 huge bathtubs that hold boats. You go in on one side and the weight from the otherside lifts you up. A lot easier locking than when you are in an empty lock that fills with water. Kirkfield is at the summit of the Trent Severn Waterway, some 260 feet above sea level. We have been going up, up, up from Georgian Bay, and now we will go down, down, down till we reach Lake Ontario/Bay of Quinte at Trenton.

There are 45 locks along the Trent Severn Waterway. Trenton is lock 1 and Port Severn is lock 45. The booklet says you can travel the entire system in 5 to 7 days. It will take us longer as we don't push ourselves along the way, and if we want to stop and spend a day or two somewhere of interest we do. Oh to be retired and have the time. I guess this is our reward for all of those rushed and long days while working. No schedule here. And we work really hard to no longer have a schedule.

This photo is taken from the top of the lock at Kirkfield looking back the way we have come. You get some perspective of the height when you notice the boats tied to the dock on the right hand side.



We arrived at Fenelon Falls just ahead of a terrific thunderstorm with lots of thunder, rain and wind. I felt the first of the raindrops as we tied our lines and it was getting serious by the time I had closed up the flybridge. Good timing on getting in to port. Sure would not of enjoyed being out on the lake in that storm.

Thorah Lock, Trent Severn Waterway. June 24, 2014

Cocktails at Thorah Lock

We are now sitting tied to the lock wall for Thorah Lock on the Trent Servern Waterway. It has been a busy spring getting ready to make a summer boating trip on the Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Montreal, Lake Champlain,  Erie Canal System and home again. We will be travelling with Bob and Linda Wilkens aboard Waypoint. Still not sure who else may travel with us. Time will tell.

The boat wintered in Penetang at Dutchman's Cove Marina. Peter had both port and starboard fuel injector pumps rebuilt in the hopes of finally solving the problems with the port engine quitting. And the long story short on that issue is that the engine purr like kittens, what a beautiful sound. However, after the engines warm up the port engine sporadically will rev up all on its own. Peter suspects one of the injectors are sticking. A new item for the "to do List" There are no shortages.

Mom stated that she thinks Peter and I travel around on our boat fixing it as we go. I think she may be right. The boat is 40 years old, so what can we expect. It is all fun.

We finally got away from Penetang on Thursday June 19th with Peter's Mom Lorna on board till Orillia, and my Mom Lois on board till sometime mid July.

Lorna's first trip on the Marine Railway.

The first excitement was taking Lorna over the Marine Railway. At 90 years old, it was her first trip on the railway. It was my Mom's second trip, as she had come the other way with us when we brought the boat home from Marathon, Florida.

Mom's  second trip on Marine Railway. Think she enjoyed up better than down.

The Marine Railway is a marvel. The boat is lifted in slings and sits in the sling as the railway car goes up and over the road and then gently puts the boat back in the water on the other side. 

Peter and Lorna watching a boat locking thru

We spent our first night on the wall at the lock for Swift Rapids. Always a nice stop.

Steve and Linda Franko aboard their summer boat "Guppy" were at Port of Orillia. They planned to pick their daughter Becky up at the Toronto Airport early Saturday morning and would be back to their boat. They got us registered for the Port of Orillia for Fri, Sat, and Sun nights. Pay for 2, stay 3. Christmas in June Celebrations all weekend in the marina and on shore. Boats were decorated for Christmas. Partying everywhere. And then at 11 pm everything went very quiet. Perfect.

Friday, Heather brought our car over to us so that we could take Lorna home via Michael's Client BBQ in Midland Little Lake Park Pavillion. We returned to the boat by 11 pm

Saturday, we enjoyed the festivities and then Steve, Linda and Becky joined us for dinner on our boat. Steve prepared his outstanding salmon, and asparagus, and I made a salad and fresh strawberries with yogurt. It was wonderful to finally meet Becky and get caught up with Steve and Linda since we had left them in the Bahamas.

Sunday morning by 9 am they were off for a whirl wind trip of the Trent so that Becky could visit all of her favourite spots on the Trent in the week holiday that she had before returning to California. We had a lazy day reading and relaxing. Well Mom and I did. Peter was trying to solve our fresh water system problem. He was up early, had the pump out and was cleaning the calcium build up out of the pump. Then he had a very long bicycle ride to Canadian Tire up a very steep hill. He needed new taps for the galley sink. Seems the ones we had put on only 1 year ago were clogged with calcium also and water would not flow properly. Success.

Steve called Sun night to say that Linda's Mom had died and they could not find a rental car in Lindsay or Peterborough and wondered if we could help. We arranged for Heather to bring our car from home, and my sister Wendy to follow in her car to take Heather back. We delivered our car to Steve and Linda in Coboconck where they were at the government dock. They returned us to our boat in Orillia by 12.30pm. They will use our car to go home to Laudenville (SP??) Funeral is Thurs and they hope to return to their boat by Fri with a rental car so Becky can see some of her Trent sites and then have rental car to drive back to airport for her flight home to California. Our heartfelt sympathies to them all.

We always enjoy this section of  the Trent

Monday morning we planned to leave Orillia about 10.30 am. Peter was topping up the engines with water when he noticed a leak on one of the hoses. He took it off and cut it and tried to put it back on. It would not go. Another bike ride to get some new hose for the high pressure water to the engine. He bought the 1" size to replace the original, and also got 1 1/4" hose just in case the first did not fit. Success after a lot of hard work trying to get it on. A very tight fit. He also bought the valve for the fitting for the steering system. The old valve would not hold air. Again Success.

Cows resting alongside the Trent Waterway.

We got away from Orillia by 1.30pm, 3 hours later than the plan, but plenty of time to cross Lake Simcoe. It was a wonderful crossing, a calm lake. Steve and Linda said the Lake had been like a mirror on their crossing, we had a slight ripple.  We were able to get thru the first lock at Gamebridge and are spending the night at Thorah Lock.

Hole in the Wall. Will we make it? No problem.

We talked to Bob and Linda Wilkens and we have a short term plan to meet in Bobcaygeon for Wed and Thurs and make a decision of where to spend July 1st celebrations. We also talked to Jim and Linda, they were making their way to Hastings. Who knows, with any luck we can perhaps have one evening at least with all four boats together.

Kirkfield Lift Lock. Like a huge bath tub for boats, that lifts the boat up. Kirkfield is the summit of the system. We will be going down from here to Lake Ontario. Down is so much easier than up.

Bobcaygeon is the spot for chelsea buns. Thinking Peter may need to take an extra diabetic pill or go for a very long bicycle ride.

I will pretty this blog site up with photos later. I will post it now and fix later. I need to find the cords for my camera, not sure where I put it. Hmmm.

Preparing for the morning lock.