Tuesday August 29: Couchiching Lock -

We had left Big Chute relatively early Sunday since we had to be off of the blue line.

It was going to be a short ride to the Lost Channel - only a little over 5 miles. Peter and Cheryl had spent a couple of nights anchored there a few weeks ago and indicated it was a nice place to spend a day.

Using the paper charts we located the Lost Channel. Turns out it didn't seem to me to be much of a "lost" channel as there were plenty of cottages and homes along the shores!

We continued until we finally reached the end of the channel (there was a dam there!), turned around and made a left into the very nice bay at what was almost the end of the bay. Only one other boat anchored for the night - very peaceful and a nice place to again go kayaking.

Two boats were tied to the shore on point. One was a covered pontoon boat and the other oddly enough was a travel trailer - complete with a push-out - sitting on a flat bed with 3 pontoons! Not a bad way to have a relatively nice houseboat with minimal work and expense!

It doesn't look like a great day but it really wasn't bad.

Steve went on an extended kayak around the point to check out the dam. Didn't see much other than a turtle or two.

We just can't figure out where all of the small fish and minnows hang out because the places we've been seem ideal but they just aren't around.

Steve did try fishing - a couple of tiny - like 5 inches - bass and that was it.



Time to water the batteries. It's on the calendar for the 1st of the month and usually gets done promptly. Even used distilled water as instructed. Having just bought 3 new batteries before we left gives a bit of incentive to keep them healthy!

Early in the morning with the engine not hot is the best time. And no problem with it being hot these days as it's been in the low 50's. Steve has even taken to wearing his heavy jacket - toasty warm he tells me :-)

We had to backtrack to the main waterway Monday morning. It was quite cold and of course our breakfast place on an island - the Waubic Inn - was closed on Monday.

Pretty sure it was, so not terribly disappointed. I made a note on the chart so we would remember for sure for next year :-)

Back through the Severn River part of the waterway - narrow cuts through granite rock. Very pretty but I'm sure very difficult to dig at the time the canal was built in the early 20th century.

The destination was the lower end of Swift Rapids - very different experience than being at the top.

We're the second boat back on the right of the picture Steve took from the top of the largest conventional lock on the system (it's a long staircase walk to the top!) to get the picture!

Sadly we didn't have any firewood as we could have used it. Cool and windy. Man, would a fire have felt good!!

While at the top of the lock, Steve watched as the workers loaded a shaft from one of the turbines from the power plant. It appeared that a couple of the blades had a sizable chunk out of them!

No sun in the morning either.

And, no, I wasn't cooking breakfast or making coffee. I was just wanting to be near the propane burner to catch whatever heat I could!

It has got to be time to put this boat away and get south to warmer climates!

But the day did warm up as the sun finally burned through the clouds.

Our thought was to anchor in Deep Bay on the way to Couchiching Lake and Orillia. We've passed this bay many times and every time it seems I think - we need to check that out.

The charts showed a rather shallow, narrow entrance - which kind of put me off from wanting to check it out. But finally we went in - very slowly.

Not sure but I assume it was seaweed since the depth finder was registering 3 feet or so (in theory we draw 4' with the engine down).

More kayaking in nice shallows with a huge beaver hut. No fish around. So we spent a nice few hours and decided to continue on to Couchiching Lock. Going to be cold again tonight.

We picked the side that would have sun in the morning and that worked out very nicely even though it wasn't until 9 or so that the sun hit us. Steve was up early and started the generator early so we could run the small heater to warm up the boat.

I was never so happy to hear the sound of the generator!!

Last breakfast ashore - we were headed for Orillia for six nights before putting the boat up for the winter .....