August 26 - 28, 2011

A Group of Jet Skiers - Reminds Me of Snowmobiles Going Across the Lake
These Ten Girls Came In for a Bachelorette Party - Danny and Roger Were in Their Glory Helping These Damsels in Distress Get Their Boat Started - They Said They Could Not Believe They Rent These Boats to Anyone After Crashing into the Wall
The Newbies Use All Their Line to Tie the Boat
Yes and That is Me Laughing After This One Smashed into the Wall at Least Twice Trying to Turn Around
This is the Upper Lock and It Was Busy Like This From Start of Day to End of Day with Lots of Bumps and Hits
Busy Lower Lock - We are Parked Near the End
This Dog Even has Sunglasses On and Looks Like She is Having a Great Time
Buckhorn, Ontario to Bobcagean, Ontario - We left Buckhorn in the morning with two stowaways, Rae and Steve as Roger had to work. As we entered the channel into Bobcageon, Danny and Steve were bird watching and spotted a 'pink breasted, split tail, mattress thrasher' in other words a topless young girl suntanning. We lucked out and got a spot in Bobcageon for the weekend. It is my birthday today and I was treated to a beautiful dinner made by Karen and Rae. The girls time here was spent shopping at Bigleys, who I think must own the whole town and the guys stayed around to watch the houseboats and take care of our boats. This is a houseboat and boating mecca, with lots of inexperienced boaters. It was really entertaining to sit and watch. Rae and Steve left us as there friends who weekend in this area picked them up. On Sunday boating traffic slowed down due to the cold weather. It must be the tale end of Hurricane Irene as we did get some rain and high winds.

August 25, 2011

Just as We Were to Start the Engines a Security Came Over the Radio to Let us Know This Boat was Coming Down the Chanel - When it Passed Danny Called our Security and We Were Off - Could You Imagine Two Large Boats in this Chanel
This is Float Plane Country - Lots of Small Planes in Front of the Cottages
St. Peter's On the Rock Anglican Church - On an Island in Cottage Country
Missing the Buoys Here Would Really Ruin Your Day - This Area is Called Hells Gate
And This is Why You Wait in the Lock until the Houseboat is Secured Against the Wall - The Lock Master was on a Microphone Telling Him What to Do - As You Can See He is in Trouble
The Houseboats are Securely Tied to the Lock Wall
They Call this Town Buckhorn and this Must be the Town Mascot
Lakefield, Ontario to Buckhorn, Ontario - It was a beautiful day today after the cool evening. We found a good spot at the lock wall. We called a taxi for Lynn to go and retrieve her car in Peterborough as she has to work tomorrow. This is the start of the houseboat area, so you real have to park your boat strategically.

August 24, 2011

Karen Anne Going into the Peterborough Lift Lock
We Are Up as You can See - The Land is 65' Down
We are Up and the Other Tub is Down
The Gate Going Down - You Have to Mind Your Lines at this Point as the Water Goes Up One Foot
This a Beautiful Setting for Trent University
We Finally Talked Lynn into Going Outside in the Locks - She was a Little Nervous and She is the Swimmer in the Family
Peterborough, Ontario to Lakefield, Ontario - Overcast and cool today. Karen Anne also had some stowaways, Rae and Steve Mason fellow loopers we met. We had a full boat with extra crew, Jim, Sharon and Lynn and we put them to work helping at the locks. We went through six locks today, including the 65' lift lock which is very unique. There are two of these locks on the Trent Severn System. Jim and Sharon jump ship in Lakefield when their daughter picks them up.

August 23, 2011

The Fountain in Little Lake Going Into Peterborough - This Keeps the Water Moving so Algae Does Not Get a Chance to Grow
The Canoe Museum in Peterborough - I Did Not Realize There Were so Many Types of Canoes
Some of the Old Snow Shoes at the Canoe Museum
Sharon, Jim, Lynn and Susan On Our Way to Dinner
Scott Mills (Lock 19) to Peterborough, Ontario - The trip to the marina was just around the corner. We had booked into the municipal marina. The day started out cool but changed to a hot and beautiful. My sister Lynn joined us for a few days. Sharon, Lynn and I went shopping and Jim and Danny went to the Canoe Museum and the old OMC Plant and thought it was worth it. In the evening we went out for dinner where we viewed some of the locals in action including a drug sale.

August 22, 2011

This is the Trent - It is a Working Boat for the Canal System
Leaving Hastings the Locals were out Fishing - Don't they Look Cold
Turtle Sunning - We have been on the Trent Severn before and I Seen Very Few Turtles - It Seems to be a Bumper Year
One of the Many Stately Homes on Rice Lake
Even Ontario has its Red Necks - Lots of Beautiful Cottages Around and then This One - I Have to Think Because of the Expensive Break Wall this is Just Temporary
Jim and Sharon Norton Arrive for a Visit
Hastings, Ontario to Scott Mills (Lock 19) - Fall is in the air, when we woke the temperature was 12 C. This was just a reminder that summer is coming to an end. We left the wall at 8.15 a.m. for the long run of 40 miles. You have to remember we only go at 8 miles per hour and we only had one lock to go through which was Scott Mills. Sharon and Jim Norton joined us here for a few days visit.

August 21, 2011

Just 'N' Illusion - Painted Boat House Doors
The Asian Fishermen - They Seem to Keep Everything they Catch - You Have to Remember it is Pouring Rain
Campbellford, Ontario to Hastings, Ontario - Our travel day consisted of on and off showers for most of the day. We were like the Maytag repairman, the loneliest man in town. Never seen anyone but the very odd fisherman and one woman sitting outside having a coffee in her pajamas. When we got to Hastings, the lock walls were full of Asian fishermen filling their plastic pails full of perch, sunfish and small pickerel. They did not seem to have any limits or no one ever checked them. We did a quick walk around town before dinner and the major rain storm.

August 19 - 20, 2011

View of the Suspension Bridge from the River
We are Going Up 48 Feet - The Double Lock at Ranney Falls - This is the First Chamber
Ranney Falls Suspension Bridge
Turtle Sunbathing on the Rocks - Boys will be Boys as Roger and Danny Tried Everything to Make it Move - Including Spitting on it and Dropping Pebbles on It
In Campbellford the Water is Higher than the Road
Guess What is in the Bag???
Home of the Toonie - Well at Least the Artist
Frankford, Ontario to Campbellford, Ontario - It was a beautiful sunny cruising day and the first night we stayed above Lock 12, Ranney Falls, in Campbellford. We went for a walk and to check out the suspension bridge. Roger and Danny helped a man who had fallen over with his walker.Seen lots of turtles. The next day we took the boat into town and went to the chocolate factory, bakery and of course another farmers market. It really was a big travel day as later in the afternoon we went to the top of Lock 13, Campbellford. Probably 2 miles. We had a quiet evening and a nice meal.

August 17 - 18, 2011

Only 44 Locks to Go
They Definitely Mean Slow
Leaving Trenton this Airplane was Decoration on the Roof of the Napa Store
At Lock 4 Batawa - This is the Original Lock House - 90 Years Old
Potest Fieri at the Frankford Lock - We Took Advantage of the Shade from the Trees and Set our Lawn Chairs Under Them
Trenton, Ontario to Frankford, Ontario - We left Trenton late in the morning. We had 6 locks to go to today so we would have power to plug in the AC as it was very hot. Lock 6 is only 7 miles from Trenton but in the heat is seemed like an eternity. Karen and Roger met up with us today after they had a long crossing from Rochester. Roger had to work the next day and it is a nice quaint town so it was not hard to spend an extra day here. We had a relaxing summer day.

August 15 - 16, 2011

The Municipal Marina and Park in Gananoque, Ontario
Trenton Happens to be a Military Base and this is One of Our Military Airplanes Landing
Beau Rivage Island in the Thousand Islands to Trenton, Ontario - It was a rainy, cloudy day with little wind, so we decided we might as well make the 90 mile run to Trenton. We passed by Gananoque, Kingston, Picton and Belleveau. We were happy when the long trek was over and were tied to the dock as a severe thunder storm went by. We did not do much but take a walk to the local Tim Hortons. This is where we washed and cleaned the boat and of course got our provisions. We ran into another couple that we met in Charlevoix, Michigan in 2009 and went out for dinner with them. As you see the cruising community is very small.

August 7 - 14, 2011

Leaving Kingston was Fort Henry - Danny Wants to Know Why They Would Build the Buildings on a Slant
The Look Out at Fort Henry
This Cottager Put a String of Water Toys Out so Boaters Do Not Get to Close to His Dock
I See One Lonely Power Boat in this Marina
This Tour Boat out of Kingston Replicates a Paddle Boat
Your Tax Dollars Hard at Work - These Signs are on Most Islands with a Spelling Error - Should be Garbage not Garage
Trail on Aubrey Island
This Summer Home is One of My Favourites - Not Much Up Keep with the Grounds Either as it Seems to be all Rock
These Kids Go Around to the Docks and Anchorages Selling Ice - They Charge a $1.50 More than at the Marina - I Think They are Very Enterprising Young Men
Danny and Abby Cooling Off - It was 32 C with Humidity to Match
Seen a Few Snakes - This One had a Small Fish in its Mouth
This Sail Boat was Inherited by a Group, Along with an Amount of Money to Look After the Vessel, who Takes Underprivileged Kids Out - The Kids Looked Like They were having a Great Time
I Thought this Mushroom Looking Summer Home was Interesting
The Islands are all Numbered - I Did See Number One but not 1000
Kingston, Ontario to the Thousand Islands - Danny and I decided to spend some time in the Thousand Islands doing absolutely nothing. We had a mixed bag of weather but mostly good. We spent our time kayaking, swimming, reading and meeting people. We anchored out one night, but were lucky enough to get to a Parks Canada Dock for the rest of the time. You are allowed only to stay at each island for three days and then leave for one day and then you can return. Some people have a system worked out that you all leave at the same time and just switch island. What ever works. This time we stayed at Aubrey Island, Camelot Island and Beau Rivage Island. Some of the island do not allow generators so we made sure we stayed away from them. While we were at Aubrey a raccoon boarded our boat, there was nothing for him so he just left his muddy foot prints. On another island the other people were not as lucky and they had the raccoon fall through the front hatch and made one hell of a mess in the salon and they had a hard time getting him out of the boat.