Orillia to Big Chute

Our next stop was Orrillia where we stayed for 3 days while we waited for Darrell and Beth. We were lucky as there was a lot to entertain us there. First of all, there was a beautiful theater that has been in use for over 100 years. We went there one evening and saw "Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum". It was hilarious.



The next day we went to the Farmers' Market and that was wonderful too. So many vendors with veggies that we filled up the refrig. There was a country/gospel music band playing and they were good to listen to. There was also a little girl, about age 7 who played the fiddle--she was featured in a couple of songs.




The featured event of the week-end was the Scottish Festival with 20 bands. They came from all over the area. There were men in kilts everywhere !!!







Another band....There were craft and food vendors in the park next to the marina as well as pipe and drum contests. It was a fun day.

And of course, no parade is complete without the Shriners !!!

We left Orillia early in the morning so that we could spend a little time studying this next lock called the Big Chute. It started out as a railway transport, but was never converted to a regular lock because it was thought that this type of conveyance would prevent the spread of the sea lamprey to the Great Lakes. This is a view from the top down to the lower waterway. We have to go down THIS??????

Here we see how the boats come UP from the lower waterway. Loaded onto the car, they'll go up and over to the higher water.

Going up......

Almost to the top....

Up and over the road to the upper waterway...being lowered into the water.



Now we'll see how we're going to go down...Here is a boat being loaded...

Up out of the water, over the road, and ready for the downhill ride. Looks easy enough...........!!!!

Our turn...we're going in with 2 other boats- 2 smaller cruisers in front of us.

Slings are in place and the car is coming out of the water.

Up and ready to go over the highway before we head down the hill. On the average, the highway traffic is stopped about twice and hour for this operation. It takes only about 7 minutes for the ride but loading can be longer, depending on the size of the boats, etc.

WOW, this is quite a view from the top !!!

Safely back in the water again. Whew !

We say we'll wait for the Berge's at the bottom. Here they come....!

With that over with, we'll head for Port Severn-our last lock for the trip. Hallelujah !!!

Bobcaygeon to Orillia

After spending one day/night on the wall in Bobcaygeon and watching the newly rented houseboats maneuver, we decided to move up a couple of locks ! There were many of these and it was interesting to watch them. No pictures--we were too busy making sure they didn't hit us ! Anyway, we did get to visit John and Gail a couple of times when we were here and at the next stop. For them it was a 20 minute drive to the next lock--for us, 2 1/2 hours !



From Balsam Lake, we entered this canal. The canals are between 30 and 50 feet wide---not much room if you meet another boat in some places. For much of the time, we were alone. Later a cruiser did catch up to us but we didn't meet anyone in these narrow places !






I put this picture in to show the sheets of granite on each side of the canal!





Next, we had to go through the Kirkfield Lift lock. Same principle as the Peterborough but only 49 feet---but now we were going down. Additionally, this lock didn't feel like it had much of a gate at the front. I had the boat in neutral or reverse most of the way in !!!

Bob at the front of the boat when we were at the top !





Another view from the top.








A view from the back where we came from...








Bob is talking to our lock partner... on the way down.






Here we're nearing the bottom...









Here you can see our lock partner leaving the lock. I'm glad that one is over....Although, the rides up and down on these lift locks are smoother than the regular locks.






We pass through farm country during these last sets of locks before we get to Lake Simcoe.








The bridge tender opened up the bridge just before Lake Simcoe. Now we have about 15 miles of fairly calm sea before we get to Orillia. It will be nice to stay at a marina with electric, showers, etc.

Peterborough Lock to Bobcaygeon

As we were about to leave Peterborough, we saw this mother duck and her babies. She was trying to get the ducklings to hop up onto the dock, but they just couldn't do it. So then she was trying to get them under the dock--maybe they were less visible to the big muskies that we saw in the harbor there...

We hurried to get to the next lock which was just around the corner from the marina. This shows the wooden doors on the locks and the parks that are around each lock. There is wall space to tie up to for the night at all of them.

Our next lock was the Peterborough Lift lock. This is the largest one of its kind in the world. When this was being planned in the late 1800's, the architect for the lock went to England and France to study the locks of this type there. The construction of this lock was completed in 1904, so it has been in operation for over 100 years!!!

There are two pans of water. Boats are driven into the pan. Whichever pan is up in the air is filled with more water (weight) than the other so that the lower pan is raised to the level of the upper waterway.

This lock lift is 69 feet. Here, the pan on the left is lowered, and ready for a boat to go in.

Here a tour boat is entering the lower pan.

Here you can see the tour boat being lifted. It feels like an elevator...and unlike other locks, there is no turbulence when you're in the lock.

We toured the visitor center and also walked up to the lock. There is a road going through it. Actually, a pretty busy one with traffic from both ways when we were there.

Here is a view of our boat and the one which will be in the lock with us.

Driving into the lock pan on the right side.......

View from the top of the lock toward the canal we will be going into...

And the view from where we came....! WOW!

That day we traveled through such places as Stony Lake and Hell's Gate. I think you can guess the reasons for those names...! The scenery is beautiful, but we don't dare venture out of the channel.

One of the cottages on the route...I think every Canadian has a cottage of some kind on the water. The shore line is dotted with them.

This was a strange looking tour boat--the bow had to be lifted in order to fit in the lock.

Last, here are some birds walking on the rocks just barely above the surface of the water. It is not surprising that there are several prop shops in this area and they get a lot of experience!