7/2/14 Trenton to Campbellford (Ranney Falls)

Today we entered the Trent-Severn Waterway, the 240 mile stretch, which connects Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay.  We were sad to leave Craig and Sandy who were the wonderful owners of Fraser Marina.  They bent over backwards to assist all of the transient boaters.  When one boat left and another came in, they were right there assisting with easy dockage. We needed a pump-out the day we arrived, but the pump-out was broken.  Four days later when we were ready to leave, there was a 49 foot boat tied to the fuel dock and in our way.  Our friends Ken and Ann, who were in front of this boat, left early so that we could pull up for the much needed pump-out.  As Craig started the process, it didn't work.  YIKES.  The next location with pump-out equipment was 82 miles away.  .  But Craig got it working for us and didn't even charge us.   Thank you, Craig!

A little information about the Trent-Severn. It took 90 plus years to complete the Trent-Severn Waterway. In comparison, it took only 8 years to complete the Erie Canal.  There are 45 locks on the Trent-Severn. 

There were three boats that traveled through 12 locks today, all from Florida. (Ken and Ann on Charis, Lon and Pat on C.A.R.I.B, and Ron and I on Adagio).  The lock was not long enough for all of us to tie off on one side.  C.A.R.I.B., the larger boat, entered first.   Then Charis entered the lock.   When two boats raft together, one boat is secured to cables on the lock wall.  The second boat ties off to cleats on the opposite side of the first boat.  These locks only allow boats to tie up to one side, because the locks fill from the other side, creating turbulence beneath the boats.  Ken and Ann worked much harder through the lockage because they had to monitor both sides of their boat.  Twelve locks for us is a record and resulted in a long day for all. 

Good fenders make good neighbors



Ann and Jan

 

Ann

Since Ron and I have a moorage pass, we tied up to the lock wall at Campbellford just before it began to rain.  The other two boats traveled about a mile further into town and tied up at the town dock wall.  Fees there are $1.60 per foot.  Just as they arrived, the wind really began to blow and they had a hard time tying up. 

We stayed on board for the evening, but the other four took advantage of a local restaurant for dinner.