Friends from Texas

Next, we are off to the Toronto Airport to pick up Tim and Francie, friends from Austin.  They joined us last year at Sault Ste. Marie for a week and returned this year for more time in Canada.  So, they were with us as we went back down the Trent-Severn.

Slight detour - where are we?  We came by car, not our boat.
It's Niagara Falls, Canadian side on The Hornblower cruise boat.  I always wanted to go to Niagara Falls and it did not disappoint.  One of those wet heads is me.  I don't know how King managed to take pictures.

 Looking up toward the town of Niagara Falls.

Tim, King and Sharon - do we look soaked?

Tim and Francie made reservations for a wonderful hotel with a million dollar view from the 17th floor.  See the two buses below - they show the enormity of the falls.

Niagara Falls is an interesting place - natural beauty on one side and man-made entertainment on the other.  We were there on a Canadian holiday weekend.  Talk about crowded.  We took a tour trolley and had an overview of the town.

And how could it be complete without dinosaurs and a flaming volcano miniature golf course?

We had a fun filled time in Niagara Falls and then drove our rental car back to Port of Orillia.  We had an uneventful crossing back across Lake Orillia and started up a very long narrow canal section of the Trent-Severn.

Tim and Francie liked to ride on the bow of the boat.

And dance in a lock.

We must stop at Lovesick Lock again and go fishing.  This is King's favorite new spot. Nice small mouth bass there.

 At the Peterborough Lock - Sharon, Tim and Francie and who is in that canoe in the background?

It is Pierre, Jennifer and Jasmine.  We first met them almost a year ago on the Illinois River.  We've both enjoyed our Great Loop adventure.  They are on their way back to Quebec City and we are on our way back to Texas.  Time for a break.

Tim and Francie left us at Peterborough, ON and flew back to Texas.  We had several more days to go before arriving at our destination of Brewerton, New York.

Lake Ontario was forecast to be small waves, less than 1' and very little wind, gusting to 9mph.  The first hour was great, then we had 3' waves and 25mph wind, for the remaining 5 hours.  I was very happy to see Oswego, NY and Lake Ontario in the background.

Customs video phone is located at the side of the small office in Oswego, N.Y.  Pleasure boaters call in to clear customs.  In the background, a very large salt mound is being prepared for the winter snows.

Oswego Canal has 10 locks leading down to the Erie Canal and Brewerton, N.Y.

Blue Moon is now in storage at Winter Harbor Marina until next May.  We are in Texas with our RV. We have a fall trip planned to Kentucky and Indiana.  We plan to be in Texas from Halloween to New Years.  After that, we don't know.  The blog will not be updated until we get back on the boat, however I will continue to post pictures to Facebook.  My account is under Sharon Francis Cole.  I'll be happy to respond to any friend requests.

Friends from Colorado

Our summer in Canada has been too short, but we certainly had a good time with long-time friends from Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas.

We arrived at the beautiful, new Trent Port Marina where we were happy to see Grant and Cindy, Canadian friends from As The Crow Flies.  The marina is a wonderful new facility.  We walk in and get coupons for a free hot-dog, coke and Kawartha ice cream, plus free laundry!!!!

Trent-Port Marina new building

Beautiful landscaping around Trenton.

   Grant and Cindy came for a visit, so good to be with them even for a short visit.

The next day we were joined by good friends from Colorado, Dave and Leslie.

The bridge that marks the beginning of the Trent-Severn Waterway.

The Trent-Severn is one of our favorite boating areas of The Great Loop.  It is a route that crosses southern Ontario's cottage country with a total length of 240 miles and 45 locks.  The homes are beautifully landscaped, both large and small, the waterways are pristine and the people are friendly and helpful. To begin the Trent waterway, there are seven quick, or flight locks.


A double lock - see the lockmasters at the top of the photo.  We enter into the first lock and rise 40'. Next,  the blue doors will open and we will drive the boat into a second lock and rise another 40 feet.

Rising in the first lock with time for pictures.

The boats inside the lock will come out and enter our lock.  We then drive forward into the next lock. 

When the lock is full, the lockmaster will open the gates and we continue.  Only 45 locks to go.

Crowe Bay, Lock 14, has a unique landscape design - an old row boat for the flowers.  

Favorite town of Bobcaygeon with its wonderful shopping. This year we have on shorts, last year it was sweaters.

 Fenlon Falls has an enjoyable downtown, with The Cow and Sow Restaurant. 

 Wouldn't this be a great place to go to a church service!  The only access is by boat.

A cottage with its own island.

Leslie at work - holding the line in the lock.  This lock was very crowded - nine boats!

At the Peterborough Lift Lock,  Sharon, Dave and Leslie adjacent to a tour boat. We are waiting to rise 65 feet.

King and Dave enjoying fishing - especially the catching of the fish at Lovesick Lock.

A beautiful overnight at Lovesick Lock #30.  This lock is located on an island, and therefore only accessible by boat - a unique feature of the waterway.  The lockmasters must come to work by boat!

There are two lift locks on the Trent-Severn.  This is the second, Lock #36 Kirkfield Lift Lock.  Dave and Leslie are waiting to go down 49'.

We are going through the  Hole in the Wall Bridge, a National Historic Site of Canada.  The bridge is the oldest concrete arch bridge known to remain in Canada with a 1905 construction date.

We made it to the other side.

King and Sharon with the full blue moon. We locked through Gamebridge Lock #41 and spent the night on the east side of Lake Orillia.  We crossed the lake, which can be windy and rough, early the next morning, arriving at Port of Orillia before 10:00 a.m.  

We arrived Orillia one day early, so we drove our rental car to Lock # 44 The Big Chute, a marine railway.  

Last year we took Blue Moon over the Big Chute and plan to again next year.  This year we watched from the ground as the boats lock through.  

We also discovered this local favorite swimming spot.

A beautiful sunset at the Port of Orillia.  Tomorrow morning we will take Dave and Leslie to Toronto where they plan to be volunteers for the ParaPan Am Games.  

Michelle, Dave and Leslie's daughter, works for the U.S. Olympics in Colorado Springs.  We were happy to learn about Michelle's Pan American Team duties.   Dave, King, Sharon, Leslie, Michelle and her husband, Ryan.