Updates from 7/17/08 to 7/26/08

Entrance to Trent Severn Waterway at Trenton, ON
The Twoonie in Campbellford, ON
Peterborough Lift Lock
Peterborough Lift Lock in Action
View from back upper deck of the boat as we are lifted


7/23/08 Bobcaygeon, ON In Bobcaygeon, it appears that the main spectator sport is watching boaters transit the lock! There were plenty of people beside the lock to observe as we came in and tied up, which we did without a problem. The houseboat which came in behind us was a different story: there were several people on it, but no one had a plan for tying to the lock wall and the boat went sideways. The lockmaster instructed them what to do and they finally straightened themselves out.
7/22/08 Young’s Point, ON This morning we had a very different lock experience at the Peterborough Lift Lock, one of a handful of this type in the world. Boaters drive their boats into a giant pan filled with water (Warning: this is not a scientific explanation!). The pan is lifted 65 ft. to the next level in just a couple minutes. As one pan is lifted, a second pan containing one foot more of water comes downward. Hydraulic cylinders filled with water under each pan are connected by piping and valves control the speed of travel. The ride was very smooth and the lockmaster assured us that it has been in operation 103 years and is tested daily.
7/21/08 Peterborough, ON We crossed Rice Lake today and saw dozens of vacation cottages along the shore, most with a small boat dock. This is the height of vacation season, so there are lots of boats zipping around. When we see someone fishing, we try to slow down, so that our wake doesn’t rock them too much. Pontoon boats and houseboats seem to be quite popular and we’ve noticed that quite a number of houseboats are rental units. Those bear watching, as you don’t know if there’s an experienced operator at the helm, or someone who just completed his 10 minutes of instruction at the rental agency.
7/20/08 Hastings, ON It rained all day, a steady drizzle, with an occasional downpour. By the time we went through 6 locks, we were looking for any reason to stop for the day, as were other Loopers we found. Any time there are 2 or more Looper boats, there’s an impromptu get-together, and the one tonight included the crews of Grace Full, Moon River, Etcetera, and us. Grace Full, a new acquaintance, hosted. They also started from Baltimore a couple weeks after we did.
7/19/08 Campbellford, ON Campbellford has a municipal park where boaters can tie up overnight for a fee (includes electric). It was a pleasant stop and residents who were out walking stopped and talked to us. Bob found a Tim Horton’s (Canadian chain of coffee shops), which he is becoming a fan of. Other Loopers had passed the word that this would be the place to buy diesel fuel cheap! The price was $1.39 a liter, and we got 340 liters (about 76 gal.). We like to top off our fuel tanks every 2-3 weeks. Our 2 tanks hold a total of 220 gallons.
7/18/08 Frankford, ON Tonight there are 4 Looper boats tied up at the wall after the Frankford lock. We have no hookups to electricity or water, but there is no fee, since we have season passes for locking and docking.
7/17/08 Trenton, ON Getting to Trenton was a short trip-just 2 hours. It is the starting point for the 240 mile Trent Severn Waterway, so we got groceries and some boat parts and think we are prepared for the next leg of this trip.