New Boat Bikes !

Well, what do you do when you're stuck in a town called Penetanguishene for 2 days longer than planned? YOU GO SHOPPING! Check out our new boat bikes! Pretty cool, Eh? Mine is the yellow one...Chip picked red! They fold up and fit neatly into bags which can be easily carried and stored! That is Penetang Harbour in the background. Notice we have the first slip coming into the marina--this has made for some EXTREMELY bouncy moments!

Looks like the weather will break tomorrow...winds have been pretty crazy...15 to 20 knots. We are only going 12 miles, but I'm at the mercy of a very cautious captain! It should be so much fun anchoring out...we are headed to a sweet, little cove near Honey Harbour called Frying Pan Bay...hoping to get some serious fishing in...I decided "frying pan bay" got its name because of all the trout one can catch there...you know, and fry it up in a pan...one can only hope! Anyway, we will be away from email and Internet connections for a week or so...(what will I do?) cell phones should work fine...if you really miss us, just call.

Thank You Blog Readers

When I started this blog, the idea was so that our kids, grandkids, my mom, friends and family could all keep track of our whereabouts...I have since come to realize that much of the time our loved ones are busy and don't read the blog as often as I thought they might, but perfect strangers are enjoying it very much. I get emails from people I don't even know. I have boaters in marinas stop me and say, "Hey! aren't you Ithaka? I'm enjoying your blog!" This will not create the need for me to change my content...in the end, I am really doing this so that Chip and I have a nice story to read when we are back home...or maybe when we are old and in the home! ha ha
Anyway, for those of you that look forward to reading the blog, like watching a t.v. show with a cliff hanger and waiting eagerly for the next episode, we thank you for coming along for the ride...To our loved ones who don't get a chance to read it as often as they'd like, we love you no matter what and (most of the time) wish you were here (one at a time) experiencing this adventure with us first hand...To our loved ones who do read it often and tell others about it, your encouragement and comments mean more than you will ever know...For those thinking of doing the loop and reading the blog hoping to find some tips and advice, I'm sorry I don't post that sort of thing as often as I should, but I will try from time to time to write about the really important stuff...promise.

Well, the generator is fixed...High marks go to Frasier at Doral Marina outside of Midland. We are a little behind in our schedule (I use that term loosely--schedule, what schedule?), but that is boating and besides-the wind is blowing at about 15 to 20 knots today so I doubt we'd be going anywhere anyway...We are now in Penetanguishene (just say it as it is spelled); arrived yesterday afternoon. We went to a play last night with 14 other loopers. It was at a fabulous venue called The King's Wharf Theatre...right on the water, there were tall ships in the harbour. The name of the show was Sorry..I'm Canadian, and everyone was glad Chip was there to translate! It was a bit of a geography lesson with humour and dancing and wonderful music by The K9 Four...Canada truly is a magnificent country!

OK, now here are a few of those tips I promised you:

1.) Be very careful coming out of lock #45. The water is very skinny, the current swift and buoys are very close together...under the bridge is particularly hazardous. The next narrow spot with lots of twists and turns is the Waubaushene Channel. While at the Doral Marina a boat came in, a brand new 70' Marlow, that hit a rock and messed up their rudder, props and hull just because they missed one little buoy...and this was done by a professional captain that the new owners hired to make this leg of the trip for them! Yikes!
2.) PLEASE be careful on deck...here at Bay Moorings Marina, there are two loopers in the hospital; one fell overboard at lock #45 leaning over the railing to take photos (remember, ONE HAND ALWAYS ON THE BOAT) and one got knocked out cold by a runaway dinghy cable, it just snapped!...crazy, huh?
3.) Bay Moorings Marina is the BEST place to stay in Penetanguishene. This town is the most convenient first stop coming into Georgian Bay. The facility is well equipted (they even have a nice pool) and the service is great! Thank you Mary!
4.) Great weather website: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/

Once we head out of here it could be days or even a week between blog posts as we will be doing a lot of anchoring...Until then, "Thank you blog readers".

Divine Order

For those of you who know me, you know, I always try to look for the good in each situation--this morning when I said my prayers, I told Chip that I felt something really amazing was in store for us today. --that the mishap which happened yesterday at the marina which messed up our generator was just God's way of letting us know that He thinks our plans are good, but His are better.

After locking through the last lock on The Trent Severn, we found ourselves heading into Georgian Bay in a different direction than that which was in our plan...Our mail is waiting for us in Penetanguishene, but our boat needs to get fixed in Midland Bay at The Doral Marina Resort (the marina that we were referred to after the other marina in Port Severn accidentally broke our generator). We did not have a "specific" chart for Tiffin Basin, so I checked all the guides about the area that Chip has onboard and sure enough, clear directions for getting into the marina was in one of the books. God's order moves in and through all things...even Tiffin Basin.

I didn't know what unplanned joy awaited, but I was certain of a positive outcome...I actually look forward to God's surprises when things don't go as planned. Come to find out there is a Martyrs' Shrine, built up on a hillside, within walking distance of the Doral Marina. So while Chip worked with the mechanics here, I decided to take a walk. It was up a narrow country road and it was ALL uphill...huffing and puffing...half way there (it was about 2 miles) I wondered if maybe I misunderstood God's plan for me to visit the site. Luckily one of the men working at the marina told me about a fence on the back of the shrine's property -that if I scaled it I would be inside the grounds (Don't worry, I put more than the 3$ entry fee in the collection box). It was a much quicker entrance for someone on foot. Anyway, I ended up in this HUGE field and off in the distance I could see what looked like a small band shell. As it turned out it was an alter, built in 1984 for a visit from Pope John Paul II where he gave a mass to a million people. Today, I was the only person there, standing on the alter I began to cry. It was an amazing feeling, and just for a moment my faith was that which I had as a child...no metaphors, no science, just a simple unshaken faith...I can barely remember that time when I didn't question and seek. But for that moment, I was about five years old and in awe of something much bigger than I am...and certain that I was a part of it.

As I walked around the sacred grounds, I found memorials, peace gardens, monuments and shrines to saints including the eight Franciscan priests who were massacred here on this site in 1639. The church itself, built in 1926, is a place where men and woman come from all over the world to be healed and there were hundreds of crutches and canes on the alter...and a sculpture of Mary with Jesus as a baby in her arms with children representing all the children of the world surrounding her...one of the most lovely depictions of Mary I have ever seen.

When I got back to the marina I told Chip all about the beautiful things I experienced so we borrowed the managers van here at Doral because I wanted him to see the church and the Papal Alter, too. We walked around the grounds together and found our way following a path under a highway bridge to the burial site of 2 of the martyrs at a place called Sainte-Marie-amoung-the Hurons. I was so glad that we had the time to come back together because even Chip said seeing it for himself was so much grander than I could explain...We discovered together also that St. Joseph is the patron saint of Canada. I bought a little booklet about the shrine called, "Saints Lived Here" which I look forward to reading.

Looks like the generator will get fixed in a day or two, and I am thankful for divine order everyday. Amen

From Trenton to Port Severn

The Trent Severn Waterway:

16 days
240 miles
44 locks
28 bruises (I counted them)
10 bottles of wine
8 wonderful new friends
3 lost fishing lures
2 good size bass
1 bee sting (michele's finger)
millions of wild flowers
billions of stars
AND, countless magical moments--I'll post some of the highlights from the past few days...just too numerous to tell all...

We spent 3 nights in Orillia...right downtown at the port. On Friday we provisioned, did laundry and general cleaning...our Ithaka was sparkling! We had everyone over to our boat for Happy Hour...Chip made us all Caesars..the Canadian equivalent to Bloody Marys (only better!)...it was loads of fun...and he's got everybody saying, "Eh?"It's hilarious! --Up early on Saturday and walked to the Farmer's Market--found a scrumptious store along the way called The Mariposa Market...it was set up like an old fashioned general store with fresh breads, homemade fudge, jams, dips and the best chocolate cake I have ever had in my life!!! Why didn't I buy two!? By noon we were set up in our folding chairs along Centennial Drive waiting for the parade to begin. 25 Scottish Drum and Pipes bands marched by--it was a fantastic show. Afterwards we walked through the park along the water front where dozens of vendors were selling arts and crafts and food and ice cream. Chip bought me a new hat. There were plays going on and jousting, music playing, cloggers dancing...it was a really nice day.

Sunday morning we left the dock early in a thick fog. It rained most of the day, and of course as soon as we approached a lock it came down in buckets. By the time we got to the dock on the top-side of Big Chute we were soaked to the bone. One of the prettiest parts of the cruise was a narrow passage called McDonald's Cut. It is a beautiful, deep gorge...even in the grey mist we enjoyed the pink and orange rocks layered with lichen and velvety ferns...it gave us a taste of what is to come in Georgian Bay.

Once docked, we spent hours walking around the lock at Big Chute observing how it works and preparing ourselves for our big ride the next morning. This is a marine railway lift...and I am told, the only one of its kind in North America. The overall lift is 58', but you actually cover more than 600 feet over dry land from one lake to another. It is spectacular to watch, but to actually take the ride yourself on your very own vessel is unreal. I will attempt to put a few photos on the blog, but I am sure they will pale in comparison to the actual experience.

Anyway, we got up early yesterday morning and were the first at the lock wall. Our 3 other travelling companions lined up behind us...Up and over, the trip takes about 7 minutes and the lock hands are so good at what they do you hardly give a thought to whether or not they have you fastened in securely. Before you know it you're up out of the water and sliding down the other side. We tied up at the public docks on the downside and waited for our buddies. We waited...and waited...a very bad storm blew through just moments after we got off the train and it knocked the power out...4 hours later...still waiting and after walking back over to the other side a few times to check on them, we decided to leave and get to our next stop here in Port Severn. About 4 hours later they pulled in, tired from the crazy day, but with many stories to tell.

This morning Chip took Ithaka over to a local marina to have the oil and filters changed...I stayed behind, here where we are mooring for a couple of days, because they have a nice laundry facilty plus I thought it best to take advantage of the internet while I can...once we head into Georgian Bay we may be a week between ports as we expect to mostly just anchor in quiet bays and coves. Anyway, that was about 6 hours ago and I got word earlier that the mechanic put the oil in the wrong input (I do not know mechanic terms)...all I know is now it will take a week (or so they say) to get a mecahnic up here to Port Severn to get the oil out of the generator that was supposed to go into the engine and we are hoping it did not damage the generator...I have not yet spoken to Chip directly. Captain Guy and Captain Bud went over to the other marina in a dinghy to check on Chip and came back with the news...I'll let you know how this turns out, but not to worry...this is all part of boating. We are fine, we are safe, we have clean clothes and we still have some chocolate cake left. Yahoo!

Our Timing Is Perfect

I am sitting at a picnic bench at a city dock in Orillia working off battery power so I am not sure how much I will get posted on the blog today...I know I probably won't get any photos downloaded. But, for now...

We left Bobcaygeon on Wednesday morning and began the trip to the Kirkfield Lift lock...they say it is not nearly as impressive as the lock in Peterborough (not true), and at Kirkfield we hit the "summit" of the waterway and began our descent down to Georgian Bay.

We enjoyed another glorious day with few clouds in the sky and little wind, which suits us "fair weather sailors" just fine--the first half of the day we cruised across Sturgeon Lake, best known for its immense cottages which line the lakefront, each with equally elaborate boat houses. I loved taking our time through the Fenlon River and Fenlon Falls area where at one point we rounded a blind corner only to be surprised by high-sided limestone walls dotted with yellow and purple wild flowers and a row of old style boat houses and funky docks, brightly painted--some with wooden ladders reaching up to the top of the cliffs where the cabins sat.

We crossed Cameron Lake and Balsam Lake (841 feet above sea level--that's a lot of locking!)and Mitchell Lake...and as we meandered our way through the lakes and rivers, it was never more clear how the the idea for the waterway was conceived. There were times when the man made channel was no more than 20' wide...thank goodness no other big boats were heading in the opposite direction. The water was so clear, we could see the rocks and lake grasses just below the surface.

Locking through at Kirkfield was awesome...The lift structure is NOT enclosed, so when you drive into the container you almost feel like you could just cruise right off the end. There we were, just hanging out there, floating nearly 5 stories up in the air, tied to the starboard side with 2 lines! It was a thrill! That night we slept at the bottom of the lock, moored to the lock wall. It was a very remote area, about 2 miles from the little town of Kirkfield. We walked to a small, country cookin' restaurant for dinner near the top lock...it was our very first night to eat dinner at a restaurant since we left Brewerton!

On Thursday we headed out and thought we would get as far as Lake Simcoe, but when we went through the last lock and saw how calm the water was we went for it. It was like gliding across glass. Perfect! We had been concerned for days because so many people told us to wait until a good day to cross the lake due to the winds this time of year...one can really get bounced around. We had the most perfect crossing and got into Orillia ahead of schedule...we even went for a swim off the back of the boat once we docked...it was fabulous!

I think we are going to stay here in Orillia for a couple of days---there seems to be a lot to do. Tomorrow there will be a huge parade through town with 25 marching bands--celebrating The 31st annual Orillia Scottish Festival...Our timing for this kind of thing is always perfect...we could not plan it any better...

The weather, the new friends, the activities...Our Timing is Perfect!

Is Bob Cajun?

We spent a lovely day in the little hamlet of Bobcaygeon (pronounced Bob-Cajun). This is the site of the first lock built on The Trent Severn Waterway. Everything here is just so charming. Something to delight the mad shoppers and nature lovers equally. I was in the biggest shoe store I have EVER been in in my life! AND...I did NOT buy one pair! I took my temperature as soon as I got back to the boat...I'm not sure what was wrong with me, but Captain Chip's credit card was grateful.

This morning we will edge our way ever closer to Georgian Bay...hoping to make it as far as the Kirkland Lift Lock where the reds will begin to be on our port side AND we will begin descending! Hey, do you know how they came up with left being "port" and "starboard" meaning the right side on a boat? Well, years ago when the big sail boats would come into a port, their landing board was on the left side of the vessel: where they docked(or made port), and their steering board, or the side where they steered using the stars was on the right side...pretty simple. Chip insists on talking boat talk when we are on the boat, so when we are coming into a dock or a lock he always says, "get your lines ready on the port side". I just say left and right...and like fork, port has 4 letters...so I know it's my left...

Kawartha Lakes

My heart raced as we made our approach to the Peterborough Lift Lock. We took the lift with 3 other loopers, Sunshine, Southern Comfort and Blue Max. It took only a minute to complete the transfer...For those interested, here's how it works:

The lock raises and lowers boats in 2 separate containers. Each container is 140' long and hold about 300,000 gallons of water weighing approximately 1,500 tons. Two vertical "cylinders" , called chamber rams, each 65' tall, are connected in a closed water hydraulic system...in other words, any movement of one container forces the equal and opposite movement of the other container..kinda' like a common scale. When the upper container is filled with just one additional foot of water it begins to lower...and if you are wondering, it doesn't matter how many or how big the boats are that are in the container; boats displace their own weight. Anyway, for those of you who know me well, you know that standing on a step stool makes me dizzy-imagine the butterflies I felt as we lifted up above the channel below, in a boat, floating in a tub of water, on a chamber ram, attached to a limestone building constructed over 100 years ago, nearly 7 stories in the air! Thrilling!

We continued up the channel when Blue Max began to over heat. We tied up on the topside of a lock and decided to all stay together. Turns out Captain Bill had a few zebra muscles making a home in his intake, clogging the flow--anyway, Captain Guy put on his wetsuit, goggles and airtank and went down to clean it out...once we were off again we decided to call it a night and stay on the wall at Lock #26 in Lakefield. Bill's wife Eileen and their friend Clarissa made us all a fabulous dinner to show their appreciation for all of us "sticking together".

Up early on Monday- a few of us walked into town for breakfast, then once back at the boats we took off for what would be the most beautiful part of the trip so far. We are now in an area called The Kawartha Lakes. This is the highlight of the Trent...more beauty than words can describe.
There are hundreds of islands scattered about, everywhere rocks jutting out just above the water's surface-and we can see that rocks abound just below the surface, too. At times we had less than 4' under the boat...We kept our speed down, stayed right in the well marked channel, and gazed out and breathed in the scenery. Thank you God.

At lock #31 we marked the half-way point of the Trent...I don't know how anyone completes this trip in less than two weeks! Guess they miss a lot along the way...not us. We are trying to take our time and celebrate every minute of everyday the blessings that surround us.

Now we are in a little village called Bobcaygeon...decided to stay at this marina through tomorrow. The fellow in charge, "Skipper", is a character. The upcoming lock (#32) was the first built on the waterway. The downtown area is quaint and charming and I've been told has the best shoe store in Canada! I hope they have a pair of pink flip-flops!

Canoe canoe?

Captain Chip and I have had a very nice visit in Peterborough. The marina and staff couldn't have been nicer. We are in the best slip in the place and the marina itself is within walking distance to everything you could want or need. *We did learn one lesson...Overnight shipment does not occur "overnight" in Canada from outside of the country...a package with our mail sent from home which should have arrived here at the marina on Thursday was still not here yesterday...it took 48 hours for it clear customs. Anyway, we decided to have it forwarded onto another stop up the river, but for those of you reading this that are having mailed shipped into Canada, UPS does not deliver on Saturdays. I would suggest having all mail sent on Mondays to give it plenty of time to clear customs before the end of the week...

We enjoyed a day out biking around town yesterday...We went to The Canadian Canoe Museum--it was so interesting to explore the significance of the canoe to the people of Canada. Stories were told throughout the museum in beautifully constructed exhibits...from the native Indians, the first explorers, the French and British influences, trading posts, mapping expeditions...One of the things that struck me was that the Jesuits travelled by canoe in the 1600's to spread Christianity to some of the most remote parts of the country. Imagine that? Canoes connected Canada's people for centuries. The canoe is the pride of Peterborough: it is the canoe building capital of the world! As a side note, I learned that Canada derived its name from "Kanata", a Ouendat word (The Huron Indians) meaning meeting place.

After that we biked up to the locks 20 and 21. At lock 20, the lock attendant let me close the lock! Most of the locks are opened and closed manually...it was pretty neat that he let me do it! Of course, Chip got a photo. --Lock 21 is known as The Peterborough Lift Lock. It is the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world! Over 65 feet! It is incredible that this machine was designed in the late 1800's. Construction lasted over 7 years and it was opened in 1904. We wanted to see it first hand before venturing into it today. The photos can't begin to put you there, but I did my best to capture a few shots to show the massive size of the lock. The fact that it was engineered over a century ago and still works on the same premise with no room for improvement fascinated me. It is a marvel and I am looking forward to experiencing it from the "inside" today!

Last night we visited with the other loopers here at the marina. By 5 p.m. yesterday there were over a dozen boats with the AGCLA burgee! It is always fun to share stories and experiences with folks doing the same thing we are doing. We have definitely seen more loopers this year than we would have imagined. Most of the loopers are older than us and retired full time...I think we are the only couple still "working"...gives us the idea that we may have to do this again someday! Maybe on a canoe!

Locking through with the loopers!

This is a great shot of us and 3 other "loopers" locking through yesterday on our way into Peterborough. It's a small lock; only about 10'... Wait till tomorrow when we go up in the Peterborough Lift Lock. The highest lift lock in the world at 65'. Yikes!

A Map of Sorts

I took this photo of a "cartoon" map of The Trent Severn Waterway
because I thought if you click on it, it would give you a bit of an idea of the
zig-zag channels, lakes and rivers we are navigating. (We started in the bottom right corner)
We have now completed 89 nautical miles and 19 locks in 5 days...It's a slow go,
First we go north, then we go south...
but, Oh the places we've been! the sites we've seen!

The Hub of The Trent

The little town of Hastings, population 1,100 is known as the "hub" of the Trent. We had a super time discovering the charm of yet another small town. The Hastings Village Marina gets an A++ for their helpfulness, cleanliness, convenience to town and their first class hospitality. We suggested that they get involved as a sponsor with the AGLCA. We had a great late lunch of Fish 'n' Chips at the Family Restaurant on Main Street yesterday...then back at the marina we had a little impromptu cocktail party with the other loopers that were staying at the marina. We have met some wonderful people on this trip so far and for sure, more loopers in the first 10 days than all of last summer put together! Later in the evening Chip and I walked back across the river to the gazebo where there was a free concert going on. We stayed for a few songs and stopped to get an ice cream cone before heading back to Ithaka.

Today we travelled from Hastings to Peterborough along with Southern Comfort, Sunshine and Blue Max (other loopers going north)...we crossed Rice Lake, which actually does get its name because it once was a rice field. The Indians grew wild rice there before the Trent Severn controlled the water levels. We even passed by a Hiawatha Indian Reserve. The lake is about 20 miles long by 3 miles wide and is a consistent 12-14 feet of depth throughout. We then proceeded up to where we are now, Peterborough. Only going through one lock all day. Samuel Champlain is said to have navigated the Otonabee River in 1615. The Otonabee was quiet, dark and murky...winding its way around the farms and hills...we spotted great blue herons, osprey and fish jumping. It was chilly...about 60 degrees. Cloudy and yet, a perfect boating day!

We are in a "real" town now. Peterborough is about 1 hour east Toronto. It is the largest city on The Trent Severn Waterway. We are here through Monday morning, so with good phone and internet service you can count on me blogging a few times before we head out into the wilderness!

A Day in Campbellford

Chip and I spent 2 nights in Campbellford. It is a quaint little town...docked at Mill Oak Park. It was very comfortable and within walking distance to everything. A "No Frills" grocery store, an ice cream shop, a wonderful bakery (Dooher's) and even a Canadian Tire Store (Canada's equivilant to Home Depot)...we were beat after a long day getting there so we weren't in a hurry to leave.

We rode bikes up to the top of the double lock that we had gone through the day before to see what it looked like from the top looking down (see photo). We also went across the Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge. This span of steel was designed, engineered and built by the Canadian 81st Airborne Regiment. We were about 20 meters above the Trent River at Ranney Falls. There were nesting Osprey, "Beware of Bear" signs and a lovely trail through Ferris Park which ran along the river back into town.

We had a great day...then today we took off and are now settled in the village of Hastings, population 1,100--looks like we will stay put again for a couple of days before crossing Rice Lake and heading to Peterborough for the weekend.

A Different Perspective

This photo is taken from the bow of Ithaka. We are inside the "flight" lock (11 & 12) at Ranney Falls in the town of Campbellford, Ontario. This takes you around the gorge. Unlike most of the other locks that we went through which were manually operated, this lock is operated hydraulically.

The Trent-Severn Waterway

We left Fraser Park Marina in Trenton at 8:30 a.m. yesterday-the locks don't open till then so we aren't able to head out early as we normally like...The folks at the marina were wonderful and I would highly recommend it as the start off point for anyone doing the loop planning to head up to Georgian Bay via this route.

A little history: The Trent-Severn Waterway was mainly constructed as an inland navigation route to connect Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay. It took 87 years to build! Completed in 1920, it became a principal recreational waterway right from the start. Recreation seekers discovered Rice lake, Lake Simcoe and The Kawarthas...all now connected by a system of 44 locks. (we are between locks 12 & 13 now).

The locks are different than those in the New York canal system- The lockmasters do not communicate with us via radio and there aren't any lights (red & green in NY) indicating when one should proceed into the canal. Our binoculars are coming in handy...we just look ahead and if the lock is open we go in. Most of the time the prior lock's attendant has called ahead so they are expecting us. The locks are smaller, too. We locked through all day with 3 big boats and that's about all they could handle. In fact, we alternated rafting off with a 43' Gulfstar all day. One similarity is the condition of the parks surrounding the locks...as in New York, each lockmaster takes a lot of pride in his or hers grounds; almost like a competition. I find that I like locking up better than locking down because I enjoy the anticipation of what's over the top!

We enjoyed lunch during the 6 mile break between locks 6 & 7- and after 7, the Glen Ross Lock, the landscape really began to get pretty. We meandered through rock outcrops (not to worry, the river was well marked), seagrass and charming summer cottages lined the shoreline...miles and miles of water lilies...and turtles sunning themselves...and ospreys and gulls swooning, majestic blue herons posing for the camera and Canada Geese, well you know what Canada Geese do best! ~ this stretch is very marshy...rural and peaceful. Between Lock 7 & 8 we had another long break, eleven miles where the river opened and the breeze kicked in and the sun was glorious. It was good to get that break because the day was getting long and we had our 5 toughest locks ahead of us. Within 3 miles we climbed over 100 feet through locks 9, 10, 11 and 12. Locks 11 and 12 are at Ranney Falls, there are 2 locks back to back, you don't leave the lift you just proceed forward for a total of 48'. Yikes! I took a photo and will try to add it to the blog...it was really cool! We arrived in Campbellford after 6:30 p.m. It was a long and strenuous day. We ended up having to dock twice because the first spot we picked on the mooring wall didn't have the amperage we needed! Ah! Once we got settled in we saw our buddies on Southern Comfort and Sunshine round the bend...they had been one lock behind us all day and decided to call it quits in Campbellford, too. We are going to stay the day...no need to rush on...they have a chocolate factory here so I'm hoping to meet Willie Wonka!

This morning our muscles are aching, but we are excited that we travelled 31 miles and traversed 12 locks in one full day...Plus I found an internet connection, so you know in addition to the chocolate I'll be able to take care of my other addition (blogging)!

"Uncle Bill", me and Chip! A night to always remember!

**(For those of you that may not already know this: if you place your cursor [mouse] over any of the photos that appear inside the post [not the ones on the left] a little hand will appear and you can click on them and make them bigger for better viewing)...

We're In Canada, Eh!

We were up at dawn and left Oswego NY at 7a.m. on Friday July 4th along with two other "loopers", Southern Comfort and Sunshine. The 3 of us headed out to cross Lake Ontario in near perfect seas. Aside from the thousands of flies, it was a very nice cruising day. When we crossed the imaginary line in the water into Canada Chip sang the first chorus of Oh Canada, and I cried. Earlier in the day he put up our Canadian flag up on the radar mast- it was a proud and moving moment for both of us to be on Ithaka with both flags waving simultaneously.
Our two travelling buddies continued on to Picton as we headed into a beautiful little harbor called Prinyer's Cove. Checking into customs was so easy. Chip called from a payphone at the little general store at the marina. The authorities asked him several questions: Name and ID # of the vessel? Name and birth date of all passengers? Any tobacco or alcohol? Any guns? Pets on board? That's it!
We had a terrible phone connection, but still managed a garbled message to "Uncle Bill" who showed up at the boat a short time later...we were about 4 minutes from his house...he let us use his car to drive into Picton...sweet little town...nice art galleries and antique shops. We ended up spending all day Saturday at the boat...some cleaning (there's always something that needs to be polished)...it was a magnificent day~the weather has been amazing! At about 5 p.m. Bill's brother John and his son Blair along with his wife Lisa came to the boat to pick us up for dinner at Bill's. We gave them the tour of Ithaka...Lisa sat up on the fly bridge in the captain's chair and declared it her favorite spot on whole the boat! We had a very special evening with Bill and his family. His home is warm and comfortable and filled with many treasures from all around the world. Possibly his most precious, a framed picture of him on the farm done by Joscelyn when she was only 12 years old which he proudly shared with me. Thank you Bill for a wonderful night which we will consider one of the highlights of our entire trip. We hope to see you in Naples this Winter!
This morning we left Prinyer's Cove by 6 a.m. deeply inhaling the majestic sunrise--Not only because it is Sunday, but with all our hearts, we felt it...God is present in every moment, but in that moment--we had attended service in that breath. Thank you God for another blessed day.
We arrived in Trenton at about 1 p.m. after a picture perfect day travelling through the Bay of Quinte.
I am now sitting outside the Trenton Public Library (WiFi). My battery is getting low so I may not have time to download any photos...But, try to picture it...it's quite a sight...me, on the ground, outside the front door of the library, next to the book drop, typing away! What I won't do to keep all my blog readers happy! Anyway, tomorrow we head into the Trent Severn Waterway...and another adventure begins.

Next post I'll fill you in on some of the history of the area...

Day one~Leg II

We left Brewerton NY yesterday morning in a magical mist, and headed west on the Oneida River (all part of the New York canal system). Once we got to Three Rivers Junction (this place has always been easily identified and in the early 1700's the Indians used it as a meeting place) we headed north on The Oswego River. Construction on this "canal" began in 1826, one year after the Erie Canal was completed...(to connect Syracuse to Oswego). Just like the Erie canal, the Oswego canal was origianlly only 4' deep and had 18 locks. Today, the Oswego canal has a depth of 14' and we went through only 7 locks. My locking abilities were tested immediately, as well as my ability to "take orders"...a little rusty, I must admit, I bent my boat hook because I did not listen to my captain..."Honey, keep your boat hook above the railing!" So, Day one~ Leg II: Lesson one~boating 101, The Captain IS always right!

At Three Rivers Point (mile 133 of the Erie Canal) one could choose to turn left and cruise the Seneca River where you can actually travel down two of the the Finger Lakes to either Ithaca NY or Watkins Glen....or continue onto Lake Erie.

Most of the trip was very peaceful. There were two other "loopers" with us that we met at Winter Harbor. We saw lots of fish jumping, beautiful birds...rolling hills down to the river's edge...charming summer bungalows along the shore...and spotted some of the remains of the original Oswego canal along the way, too. Between locks 3 and 5 (there is no lock 4--long story), we passed Battle Island where a historic battle between the French and Bristish took place on July 3rd, 1756. 252 years ago to the day! As always, the people we met at the locks were fabulous....a special thank you to the Lock master at #23...(we forgot to buy a canal pass-it was free last summer) and Casey the wonder dog (I think he was at lock 6) who wanted to play fetch! An older couple in Phoenix NY had just gotten married, she was from Brooklyn, now living upstate and had never seen the boats lock through before.

Meeting friendly people carried over to today as we walked into town and got caught in the pouring rain and took shelter at The Oswego Fire Department. Five great guys on duty invited us in and let us hang out inside the station until the rain let up! I told them they'd make the blog!Thank you again guys! By the way, a great place for breakfast or lunch in downtown Oswego on the west side of the river is The Port City Deli and Bakery.

So far, so good. All forecasts predict a window for crossing Lake Ontario at first light. I think we may have 3 or more fellow loopers crossing with us...everyone is waiting for that window! We've got reservations at Waupoos Marina near Picton Ontario. Hopefully they have Wi-Fi so I can blog and we can stay connected...And so, till next time, thank you all for travelling along...may we all discover our "Ithakas". Amen.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July...and God Bless America!

One More Day!

Well, we have just about everything we need checked and double checked...we spent today tidying up all the last minute boat issues, another trip to West Marine, another trip to Walmart...Charting, checking GPS chips, fixing a small leak (ah yes, boat and leak should not be in the same sentence), getting our Verizon service to include Canada, going to the laundromat, taking the rental car back, finishing month end reports, solving a few closing challenges, picking up the upstairs canvas from the canvas repair place then re-installing it, finding a place for all our books, reorganizing the drawers and cupboards, reorganizing all the extra rolls of paper towels, water bottles, Cds, movies, hats...yes, hats! Chip must have 2 dozen ball caps on this boat! etc, etc...then calling ahead for our next marina reservations. Voila! One more day and we will be on our way!

Winter Harbor, here in Brewerton has been wonderful. (Their # if you are interested is: 315-676-9276). Great bunch of people. I wish it wasn't so far from home...it would be nice to cruise back...who knows, maybe someday we will. Tomorrow we are off to Oswego. A few miles up the road we turn right up the Oswego canal rather than left on the Seneca canal. Amazingly, from here you can actually travel by boat down the finger lakes via the canals and locks to Watkins Glen and Ithaca. I don't know how people could live in this part of the world without a boat! Imagine cruising from NYC to Quebec City! I have been tempting Chip with the idea of heading to Quebec City for their 400 year anniversary celebration. We have been there before. Twice. It is one of our most favorite cities. It would add at least another 2 weeks onto our trip, and I know Chip is looking forward to the peace and quiet of Georgian Bay--but, don't put anything past us...

Thank you again to Winter Harbor Marina!