Sunday, June 20: Fenelon Falls

Moving on .... but before we left Bobcaygeon we saw the couple below with their dog on a jet ski - complete with goggles (the dog). Like I said, Bobcaygeon is a great place to people watch :-) Sunday was a lazy day moving west across Sturgeon Lake and into Fenelon Falls. We were relieved to see our favorite Chinese restaruant was still there! The Canadian Tire that used to be on the corner moved out to the edge of town and the building now is a Subway. The movie theatre has been closed for a number of years now but on the corner of the main drag is still Stokes on the Trent. This is a place my Grandma Drouhard shopped when she traveled with Janie and Joe Kraft (and kids) the year they all joined us on our summer trip - and that was about 50 years ago! The falls is of course still there - although a relatively new electric plant now takes a good part of the water some days. The weekend boat traffic was very heavy but by the time we woke up Monday morning, we were the only ones at the dock! You can see the old lock in the picture below as this used to be two locks and was converted to a single electric operated one. A really neat boat we saw at the dock with us: built in Orilla in 1923. All wood and the most ornate boat I have ever seen. Tomorrow: on to Coboconk!

Saturday June 19: Bobcaygeon

We arrived at Bobcaygeon early in the afternoon yesterday - it was starting to fill up already for the weekend. Steve was scoping a good spot in the shade but we ended up just staying where we were - near where the big tree used to be. The place looks the same -- and there is even a new tree where the old one was that Wendy and Becky played in for hours on end! Someday it will be large enough to hold a couple of small kids :-) Laundry day since we aren't plugged in and can't use the washer/dryer. Steve had the other half of the laundry in his backpack and was also riding out to the boat store out of town a ways to see if he could pick up a bilge pump. Sunset was striking - it never did rain although it was supposed to. Slow day - lots of people/boat watching fun. A catamaran went through - it was 18 1/2 feet wide!

Thursday June ???: Buckhorn

Finally have internet again as we have been staying at the locks between Peterborough and Buckhorn. The liftlock at Peterborough is the same as always - it's still amazing that we were lifted 65 feet in the air in one of the two tubs. Very quick ride - which I can't say was true of all of the hand operated locks the rest of the way to Lakefield. Sometimes I felt like we should get off and help!

Once again the rains have come and gone. A work day was declared in Lakefield as it was overcast and cool which makes it nice to put a coat of finish on the outside teak. So we did that and Steve painted the anchor as it had a bit of rust. Not sure the paint we used is going to hold up though. He also cleaned out everything under the step and tossed non-used thing - in general organized what was under there. Even with all of the rain STILL NO LEAKY DECKS!!! I'm so happy :-) Took a run by Juniper Island when we were on Stony Lake. Looks the same as it has for quite a number of years. We were at Burliegh Falls Wed night and Lovesick last night. No racoons this time but Steve managed to catch a nice walleye for dinner from his favorite fishing spot which we decided this morning he has been fishing at for the last 39 years!

We are now officially licensed to operate a boat in Canada. Fine is $250 for not having it - non-residents included (after 45 days) but we thought we might as well just get it. $50 apiece but good forever. Plus it's good for states that require a license. Never did get the one from Ohio. On to Bobcaygeon tomorrow!

Sat June 12: Peterborough

It was as nice yesterday as it is not so nice today! We left Hastings after changing the injector pump oil (which needs to be done every 50 hours running or about every two weeks) about 11:30 thinking we would do about 20 miles and then stop in the Trent River.

Good plan but .... we got waylaid. First by passing up a dock in Campbelltown and then by stopping to tow a couple of young guys whose engine wouldn't start. So we ended up going 30 miles to the lock just below Peterborough. Which made for a nice short run this morning .4 mi - which was a good thing since it was raining!

Steve and Doug were fishing on the river so when we asked if they needed any help, the offer of a tow was taken quickly. We put them on board and towed the boat - and was able to go our usual cruising speed. They had relatives that lived on the river just below the lock we were headed for so it worked out great. Nice guys - interesting conversations about the state of Canada.

We were warned at the lock that the International Dragon Boat Races were being held through tomorrow on the small lake right by the marina here in Peterborough so we watched a few teams compete - in the wind and rain! Teams from: US, South Africa, Australia, Italy and Canada among others. We were told there would be 10,000 people here - not sure all showed up with the not-so-nice weather.

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Found a fun chair - we thought someone was really crazy and put their couch out but it was concrete!

Friday June 11: Hastings

We've lost Bob.

Bob is the name of the sensor for our indoor/outdoor thermometer and provides me with some idea of how I should dress before sticking my head out of the door in the morning. We know he's still with us as he continues to broadcast without fail - we just can't find him! I suspect it was the trip across Lake Ontario but really? How can you loose something on a boat that is only 36' x 13'?

And it was COLD yesterday. Overcast, windy and the occasional rain shower. We left Campbellford, added 120 liters of diesel to each tank (about 30 gallons) since the price was right: $.939 per liter. Fuel is expensive up here but this place is also a drive in station so they can afford to sell it at road prices rather than on the water prices.

After a challenge getting to the government dock due to the wind (we are finding how difficult it is to hold a 9 ton boat against the wind!), Steve cooked up a great hot soup lunch. It was great!!

Arrived at Hastings and spent a very quiet night at the lock wall. Very convenient place as we were basically docked on the main drag of town - and today is gorgeous although still only 66 degrees. Goal today: a nice ride down Rice Lake - hopefully it will be nice enough that we can spend some time kayaking ... or not :-)

Wednesday, June 8: Campbellford, Ontario

We now feel like we are really 'home'. The last two days we have traveled a lazy 31 miles on the Trent River from Trenton to Campbellfor - including 12 locks. We are traveling upstream so all of the locks lift us as we move towrd the summit of the Trent System. So far we are 234 feet above the level of Lake Ontario but what a difference in travel! It's still very windy and cool but with the sun out it's warm enough and the calmness of the canal system is wonderful. Waiting for the locks to lower other boats sometimes offers a chance to sit and relax on shore - as Steve is managing to do! The double lock (after one lock takes you to the top you then move right into a second lock and go up again) we went through yesterday was a total of 48 feet - a giant door between the locks! This was the last lock of the day before we settled in at Campbellford. There is a huge 2 dollar coin in the park here to commerate the artist who designed the coin as he lives in the area. And we saw the cutest puppy - chocolate labe about 8 weeks old. Who could resist that cute face! She loved to chew fingers though and very sharp little puppy teeth. She belonged to the lockmaster at the lock in Frankford where we spent the night before last.

Sunday, June 6: Trenton, Ontario

Wow - what a ride across Lake Ontario! The weather sounded like it should be ok to take the 70 mile run across the lake to the opening of the Trent - and it was for about the first 20 miles (which translates to 2 1/2 hours at our speed). The the wind shifted to the west instead of staying from the south. And for the next 8 1/2 hours we fought wind and waves.

Very exhausting day! We made a pack that there would be no more planned 11 hour runs anywhere even if the weather is perfect! Steve made a great warm breakfast about 8 am of oatmeal and tea (it was a touch cold on the flybridge even with my t-shirt, sweatshirt, windbreaker and finally Steve's hooded fishing sweatshirt).

And I knew it was a bumpy ride but until Steve said "I hope you aren't hungry because it's too rough to feed you" (shades of the cook on the Edmund Fitzgerald!) I knew it must REALLY be bad in the cabin. But we finally made it to the Murray Canal where we spent the night. You can see the condition of the front cabin below - only took 5 minutes to put everything back though.

We even managed breakfast out yesterday morning - the woman who runs the golf course about 1/2 mile down the road came and picked us up at the boat and cooked breakfast for us. By then it had quit raining so we walked back. So we are now in Trenton and will leave today to start up the canal.

Postings are limited to times when I have library internet access but we'll keep in touch :-)

Friday June 4: Oswego, NY - Entrance to Lake Ontario

Today was a very short 6 mile run (3 locks) to Oswego - the harbor that lies on Lake Ontario. We are back to our usual mode of transporation: bikes - and I can tell it's been a while! Picked up mail at the post office, hit the grocery store and visited Fort Ontario. Again a really nice day but that is supposed to end. We hope to run the 70 miles (as verified by the new chart plotter :-)) to the Murray Canal in Ontario. If not tomorrow, then not until Monday or Tuesday as the waves are 4-6 feet on Sunday.

Work detail today involved changing one of the primary fuel filters that was leaking and also changing the valve cover gasket that had a very slight leak. The whole job did indeed take longer than our estimate - double the time. On another note, the purple chair has definitely found a home! It works great as my desk chair (I really need to get the cabin walls papered though) - nice and heavy so it doesn't slide around!

Thursday June 3: Minetto, NY

Finally after a week living in the motel and another 6 days on the boat docked at Pirate's Cove, we are on the move with a look back at the marina and the Toyota! The marina owner bought it for his daughter to drive - I'm sure it will provide another 20 years of service!

Probably we are more prepared that ever - or at least we like to believe that. Steve has tracked the oil leak down to the valve cover gasket (which is a good thing) and since we have not 1 but 2 spare gaskets, I see the morning beginning with a change in gaskets. Estimated time to swap: 45 minutes but in reality will be more I'm sure.

We are spending the night in Minetto, NY having traveled a mere 20.7 miles north on the Oswago River so we are within 8 miles of Lake Ontario. Tomorrow night will be spent at the top of the last lock before the lake - and hopefully it won't be a wait of more than a day or two for a good weather crossing of 85 miles to the entrance to the Trent-Severen.

I loved the sign at the turn-off to the Oswego River! It was important to take the correct turn here for sure :-)

Wed June 2: I Think We're Ready - Finally!

Yesterday was the final checkover of systems. It was once again a nice day although somewhat windy - especially on the lake. We went about 10 west on the Erie Canal (through 1 lock) to Lake Onieda. There we were able to run wide open, check engine temperature, rpm and just in general check all systems.

The only bad job left was to change the transmission fluid so I did that when we arrived back to the dock - better if the fluid is warm. So that was done.

Fun thing: got to use the chartplotter (like we needed it on the canal!) - just fun. The little boat is "us" and it moves the way we do relative to the water. Once we are on waters that actually have a chart, it will show depth, buoys and harbor approaches. How did we ever get anywhere before GPS!

Tomorrow: we are set to leave. Sold folding bikes, sold our last car - will seem weird as we have been driving a 1990 Toyota Cressida (first the white one we bought from Mom and Dad and then the red one that we found in Cleveland a number of years ago) for the past 15 years.