The Beautiful Trent Severn Waterway, Ontario, Canada

Entrance to the Trent-Severn Waterway at Trenton, Ontario.

We left the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club early to begin our journey up the winding 240-mile Trent-Severn Waterway which has man-made canals connecting dozens of rivers and lakes.  It has 44 locks, including several unusual locks.

The first 6 locks on the Trent-Severn come at you rapidly, in only 5 miles.  Each one is just like the previous one, with cables to tie onto.  A mid-ship line is run around the cable, as I hold to the cable the boat goes up in the lock.

'Dun Workin'" is the boat in front of us. We locked through together yesterday and today, and we were the only two boats in the lock.  After being lifted 119 feet through 6 locks, we were tired!  Who said boating was leisure!  Plus I'm getting a tan.

The locks on the Trent-Severn are much smaller than those on the Erie and Oswego and are manually operated (see the man in the photo).  He walks in circles, turning a large hand crank, until the lock doors open or close.  There is another person turning another crank on the other side for the other door.

Just above Lock #6 is a canal wall adjacent to a pretty park which also has electricity or hydro (what Canadians call their electric).  Free tie-ups along lock walls are common, but the word 'free' is not exactly.  To transit the Trent-Severn, we bought a Canadian Parks Locking Permit and a Seasonal Mooring Permit, which allows us to moor and lock, totaling $611. Because of the hydro, Lock 6 is full.

It seems there are more Canadian geese than Canadian people!  These geese were out for a stroll in the Lock #6 park.  This is a common sight everywhere we go.

Blue Moon reflecting on the water this morning (Wednesday) before we set off for Campbellford.

Pretty scenery, houses and fishermen.

Bay Of Quinte Yacht Club

Channel from Picton, ON to Bellevue, ON.

Looking ahead at the upcoming marina, Bay of Quinte Yacht Club.  Can I find our slip?

We stayed two nights in Belleville, Ontario at the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club.  It is a wonderful stop with friendly folks who are so willing to give us local information.  The 'Learn to Sail' program was last night, with pizza afterwards which they shared with us.  One member graciously took us to the mall today to the Rogers Communications Store, in order for  us to activate Canadian wi-fi service.  It was a process, but we were successful and got the service set up.  

King made Texas Nachos which were very well received.  TexMex isn't found in Canada.  

Hoping for a handout.

 Sailboat races.

One yacht club member plants beautiful flowers and a visitor herb garden which she has maintained for 40 years. This garden was a very special surprise and right at the end of our dock.  

We also were happy to find a local farmer's market just a few blocks from the marina.  There were many tables with fresh produce, local honey and maple syrup, and something called butter tarts.  We bought one, it is a small roll that tastes like pecan pie.  It is really, really sweet.

Birds or a Feather, or Nature Can Be Harsh

As we left Picton, en route to Belleville, Ontario we passed this strange looking island.

We were told that the birds are cormorants, fish-eaters that prey on abundant or easy-to-catch species. They are considered a nuisance because  the birds will totally destroy the trees, stripping the bark for nesting, and consume all the fish.

We cleared customs in Picton, Ontario and now display the Canadian courtesy flag, along with the Looper (AGLCA) flag.

Oh, Canada!

We left Brewerton, NY and turned north onto the Oswego River and locked down, rather than up. Locking down we found to be more difficult than locking up, because there is less rope to grab and harder to get the boat pulled in to the lock wall.

Also some of the locks, such as this one, have a swing bridge that has to be raised before proceeding through.

On Saturday a canoe outing was held with around 100 canoes going part way up the Oswego River and also going through several locks.  We arrived in Oswego and joined in the festivities and enjoyed live music, good food and various craft booths.

New friends, on Fruit Cakes, Andy and Julie.

King at the park.

Next morning the boats 'Young At Heart' and 'Fruit Cakes' led the way out of the Oswego River and into Lake Ontario.  The lake can be quite rough, but we had an excellent smooth crossing.

Lake Ontario was glassy smooth, looking like a river inside of a lake.  What a wonderful crossing. 

The chart shows our route, we are at the red arrow in the center of the picture, crossing from the United States into Canada.

We stayed at a marina in Picton, Ontario, which is a small harbor and picturesque town with many boutique dress shops in old buildings.  We checked into Canadian customs in Picton.

Next morning we still were blessed with calm water.

15 Miles on the Erie Canal

We left Waterford, NY last Monday and began a new phase of our trip.  Over the next few weeks we will complete dozens of locks.  Now we are on the Erie Canal.

Loopers visit and wait for the locks to open.

Heavy rains caused the upper locks to be closed for several days.  After a delayed start in Waterford, we spent several days on the locks, arriving at the end of the Erie Canal and arriving at Lake Oneida on Thursday.  For three nights, we tied up to the lock walls (just outside the locks) for the night.

As the lockmaster prepares the lock for entry, he lowers the water level inside, sending it out below the gates.  The first flight of locks, # 2 - # 6, come in quick succession, all five locks in two miles. King drives the boat and positions it inside the lock wall so that I can take the boat hook and catch a line hanging down from the top of the wall. I then cleat the line to the front of the boat, holding it steady inside the lock.  At that time, King quickly goes to the back (sundeck) and grabs a line with a boat hook.   He holds the back of the boat from swinging out too wildly as the water swirls in (or out).  It is reported that this is the highest rise in the shortest distance of any lock system in the world.

This lock has a guard gate, rather than doors that open and close.  We think this is for flood control.

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Here we are inside the lock.  We traveled with the tug on the right, Surveyor One for several days.  It is good to meet people and travel together and offer help to each other when needed.  

Going into the lock.

 Little Falls, New York, is a quaint town with houses built on the canal.

 We spent this night tied to a lock wall.  The tugs are Erie Canal working boats tied up for the night.  This was a very pretty and quiet night.

Blue Moon tied up for the night at Lock # 19.  Note the two antenna masts are lowered for bridge clearance.

Taking a nap.

Entering into Lock #22, to be locked down rather than up.  See the gate is at the far end of the lock. We had two other boats that locked through with us for several days.

The lock doors open and we exit the lock.  Boats leave the lock in the order that they enter the lock.

We filled up with diesel at Ess-Kay Yards and were pleased it was only $4.00 a gallon.  Fortunately, we only needed a third of a tank .  At 3 1/2 miles per gallon, we don't get very good mileage for a vehicle, but good mileage for a house.  Many boats in our class get 2 MPG, but they are faster.

We have many, many pictures of geese.  We don't see this many geese families in Austin.  

Last night and tonight we are at Brewerton, a town on the far west side of Lake Oneida.  Our plan for tomorrow is to go through eight locks to Oswego, NY.  We will wait there for a good weather day to cross Lake Ontario into Canada.

The last day on the Erie Canal.