Tuesday June 17: Closing in on Orillia

After a couple of nights at Coboconk (located on Balsam Lake - the highest point of the Trent-Severn Waterway), we headed out on a day that was windless, sunny and warm.

Wow - where we going to be fooled later in the day!

There have been a few loon spottings but this one didn't seem to mind us coming up a little closer than most as we traveled back toward the main channel. The loons are so much prettier with the summer black and white colors than the winter version of feathers we see in northern Florida.

The cut canal (straight as an arrow!) which connects Balsam Lake to Lake Simcoe was amazingly calm.

It was difficult to determine where the real trees ended and the reflection in the water began. Gorgeous.

It wasn't too long before we were at the Kirkfield lift lock - another of the Trent-Severn engineering marvels (click here for more info).

The dark skies were an indication of the predicted rain/storms/tornadoes headed this direction.

Maybe this would be a good place to stop - at least for lunch but maybe for the night.

After an hour and a half wait for the rain and thunder, we continued on.

Best wildlife spot of the day? Steve saw this family of swans off the side of the channel.

Good thing he saw them as I totally missed them! They were in the same area as a pair of swans we saw last year - I'm thinking it's the same pair.

Swans mate for life and usually produce between three to eight babies. There are six babies in this batch - similar to the number we saw last year.

I love swans!!

We continued down the waterway toward Lake Simcoe. The only thing that stood between us and the lake was 5 locks - all hand operated - and all closing at 4:00 pm.

By now it was 2:30 and we were just hitting the first of the locks. We thought we could make it but made plans at which lock to stay in case we didn't.

With the help from the lockmasters getting us down each lock quickly, we made it with about 20 minutes to spare. So we tied up for the night on the wall just east of the opening to Lake Simcoe.

I took this shot at the left just a bit too soon - Steve was wet from the splash of the waves!

There were severe thunderstorm warnings and tornado warning in the area. Think we'll spend the night here ..... but we did discuss what we should do if a tornado happened along.

Steve experienced a tornado when he was a kid (it lifted just as it approached where they lived) so had some experience about what the clouds would be doing. Lots of wind and rain but fortunately no tornadoes.

After all of the wind and rain, this 'dragon log' kept floating near the boat. It became a game: Steve would put it along - it would float away - and then suddenly it would be back next to the boat!.

Wildlife here: a cute toad Steve spotted on a rock near the tie-up wall.

Off to bed - it will be an early morning to cross Lake Simcoe - largest lake on the Trent-Severn system!